Tag Archives: writing

November 12, 2024 · 10:00 pm

Doorways To Adventure!

by Lillian Csernica on November 12, 2024

I am delighted to announce Portals, Gateways, and Doors is now available. From the press release:

Every tale in this anthology explores some shift into the unknown – from hidden dimensions to alternate realities to the haunting darkness, both without and within. With its unique blend of stories that journey through both familiar and alien landscapes, Portals, Gateways, and Doors is a must-have for fans of speculative fiction.

“The Screaming Key” by Lillian Csernica: Arthur’s casual evening with his eccentric friend Reggie spirals into a nightmarish adventure when a cursed key opens a door to a horrifying realm, revealing Reggie’s sinister plan to use Arthur as a guinea pig in a realm of terror and betrayal.

Please join me and the 17 other wonderful authors as we take you on some wild rides that will lift you up out of the ordinary world and into new adventures!

BayCon 2024! Pure Imagination!

By Lillian Csernica on June 23, 2024

Hello again, ladies and gentlemen and all the nonbinary folks out there. I have been absent for a while due to health and family issues. Now it’s time for my comeback tour! I’m delighted to announce I’ll be appearing at BayCon 2024. It promises to be a fabulous event full of great panel discussions, a Dealer’s Room packed with great buys, and both the Masquerade and a Variety Show!

The Business of Writing and Publishing

The business of writing is daunting, with many paths leading to that first published work. Professional writers discuss their experiences beyond the craft of writing. The panelists will entertain questions from the audience on navigating the path towards success.

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How STEaM Changed Japan

An overview of the dramatic changes that swept Japan once it opened its borders to the advanced technology of the West. The Meiji Emperor borrowed one million pounds sterling from Queen Victoria to establish railways in Japan. Building railroad and staffing the new steam trains brought changes that affected every Japanese from the Emperor himself down to the lone fishermen on the more remote islands and left the samurai class stripped of many of its privileges.

Can we Survive AI Assisted Disinformation?

We are already dealing with a cyberpunk level of disinformation swamping our channels. We now have AI available to to make the flood both larger and more convincing. How to we respond?

Noman’s Dog: The Fox in Folklore and Fiction

*”Well, Noman’s Dog,” said the troll. For they know the fox in Elfland, from seeing him often go dimly along their borders; and this is the name they give him.* — Lord Dunsany, *The King of Elfland’s Daughter* In Dunsany’s 1924 work, the fox who is a border creature, neither cat nor dog, who walks in twilight and who is wary of men and would not go near them… if not for the poultry.

But Dunsany’s fox is just one iteration of a creature that has thrived in fable as much as it does in the real world. Always skulking on the edge of stories, foxes have been tricksters and fools, seducers and scoundrels, heroes and knaves. In this panel, we’ll discuss these and other roles that the fox has played in folklore, how those depictions reflect real-world concerns of the people who tell them, and what masks, old and new, the fox has donned in fantasy fiction over the past century.

Favorite Steampunk Symbols

What are your favorite symbols of steampunk? What steampunk treasures have you been hunting for but have not yet found? Whether you create your own steampunk art, enjoy wearing or displaying the art of others, create steampunk stories, or simply love to curl up with a steampunk book and read—what about steampunk do you love best?

Staying The Course

by Lillian Csernica on February 14, 2023

Hello, folks. I hope you are all safe and well. I’ve been doing my best to keep on keeping on.

One of the biggest challenges a writer can face is the problem of chronic pain. Back in the days when I was younger and stronger, I was in a car accident that damaged my left knee. I can still walk, thank God, but time has taken its toll. My right knee has been taking up the slack ever since the accident. The result is Degenerative Joint Disorder in both knees.

Chronic pain is exhausting. It sucks away all energy and the power to concentrate. It makes sleep difficult and medication necessary. I know that my writing is different now than it was when I first began selling my work and seeing it published. That is so frustrating. If not for the pain, maybe I could write more and write better. Maybe I could endure the endless labor of online self-promotion more successfully. I am a mother of two boys, so what little time and energy I have to write is precious to me. Chronic pain robs me of that.

And yet…. The need to write continues. The desire to publish continues. Compulsive behavior? Maybe, but for me it’s a good thing. On the bad days when I just don’t have it in me to do the work, I ask myself, “How bad do you want this?” Days go by so fast now, running into months and years. There is no “later.” There is no “tomorrow.” If I don’t get something done right now, today, when will I get it done? It’s so hard. When I can’t stand up, when I can’t walk across the room, it seems impossible.

That’s when doing it matters the most.

Yes, there are times when I cut myself some slack and accomplish whatever I can actually manage to do that day. There are times when I look at my To Do list and just start laughing. As Dirty Harry once said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” I interpret that statement not as knowing what you can’t do, but knowing how much or how little you can do on that particular day. It’s the habit of making the effort that matters. If I don’t bother to make the effort, it gets easier and easier to just leave the work for some other day.

Dorothy Parker once said, “I hate writing. I love having written.” That sums it up. The labor of writing feels dreadful, but the satisfaction of knowing you did the work is immense. My favorite unit of writing is a twenty minute free write. Keep that pen moving. Just get the words down. The great part about free writes is the way I can just keep plowing forward, and not stop to think until the timer goes off. Then I get to bask in the pleasure of having written.

In the past week I sent three short stories out to market. Write, edit, submit. Rinse and repeat. Yes, my body aches and my mind get worn out, but I won’t give up. Each moment of success adds to all the ones that have come before it.

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Filed under creativity, Depression, doctors, editing, Family, fantasy, Fiction, frustration, Goals, historical fiction, publication, Self-image, Small business, therapy, Writing

Tagged as #arthritis, #chronicpain, #commitment, #success, #writinglife, mental-health, writing

May 18, 2022 · 12:02 am

Gathering My Thoughts

by Lillian Csernica on May 17, 2022

I enjoy writing by hand. I keep a personal journal along with writing first drafts in my work notebook. As satisfying as this is, there are two drawbacks to this approach. First, if I’m doing a timed free writing session where the goal is to blow past the internal editor, I often can’t read my own handwriting afterward. Second, I then have to spend the time typing in all those pages. That makes a drastic difference in terms of getting stories polished and out to market.

Last week I decided to plow through all the notebooks I’ve been piling up. That meant organizing the ideas and random scenes and large chunks of developing stories. I was delighted to discover quite a few I’d forgotten about writing. This prompted me to indulge in two of my favorite activities: shopping at the Dollar Tree and buying office supplies. Here’s the new binder for the various bits and pieces related to my Kyoto Steampunk stories.

I’ve got more stacks of notebooks to go through. That means more binders, more dividers, and the hunt for more stickers and whatnot to do the decorating. Dollar Tree, here I come!

Smashwords: Authors Give Back!

by Lillian Csernica on March 22, 2020

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Wash hands. Stay home. Keep busy. Stay healthy. If you need something to take your mind off too much reality, have I got an offer for you!

I am participating in the big Smashwords event, Authors Give Back.

Have you ever wanted to write a scary story? Learn how to make a monster?

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Get your copy now! Discount code KH94T

star-line-divider-vector-design-footer-modern-border-star-line-divider-vector-design-footer-modern-border-104457293 Worldbuilding is essential for crafting a strong fantasy story, whether it’s writing a novel or creating a RPG. This tool kit can be yours!

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Make those dreams come true! Discount code XT43T

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2 Comments

Filed under creativity, dreams, editing, fairy tales, fantasy, Fiction, Goals, Horror, publication, research, romance, science fiction, steampunk, sword and sorcery, Writing

Tagged as charity, discount, fantasy, horror, magic, monster, reading, sale, Smashwords, sspense, technique, worldbuilding, writing

April 1, 2019 · 6:00 am

#atozblogchallege A is for Angle

by Lillian Csernica on April 1, 2019

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Welcome to my sixth year of participation in the A to Z Blog Challenge!

How I Learned To Be A Writer

This year I’m going to share with you 26 separate moments from my writing life, moments that taught me something worth remembering. Moments that helped shape my writing style. Moments that taught me how to endure the bad days and celebrate the triumphs.

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

A is for Angle

“Angle” is a term used by journalists when referring to the focus of the article they’re writing. It means which aspect of the subject matter they intend to emphasize as a means of making the article more relevant and interesting to the readers.

The concept of angle is quite useful to fiction writers. As the indie publishing market has exploded and competition for readership continues to increase, it’s becoming more and more essential to find a fresh approach, some new aspect of the stories we want to tell.

In my Kyoto Steampunk series, I chose to leave Victorian England behind and take my protagonist Dr. William Harrington to Kyoto, Japan. Once the Shogunate fell and the Meiji Emperor opened Japan to the West, Japan experienced its own Industrial Revolution, making it an excellent setting for steampunk stories.

Dr. Harrington’s adventures are a mixture of historical science fiction and Japanese fantasy. When I go to conventions to promote the anthologies where my Kyoto Steampunk stories appear, people are often surprised to hear I’ve chosen Japan for my setting. This fresh angle has resulted in a total of seven short stories so far, along with the novel that is my current work in progress.

Find that fresh angle! It will help you on your road to success.

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11 Comments

Filed under #atozchallenge, Blog challenges, classics, Conventions, doctors, editing, fantasy, Fiction, historical fiction, history, Japan, Kyoto, Lillian Csernica, publication, steampunk, travel, Writing

Tagged as #atozchallenge, angle, anthologies, Japan, journalism, Next Stop on the #13, short stories, Some Time Later, steampunk, Thirty Days Later, Twelve Hours Later, writing

March 21, 2019 · 2:36 pm

A to Z Blog Challenge 2019 Theme Reveal!

by Lillian Csernica on March 21, 2019

Hi there. Yes, I’m a trifle behind schedule on this. Tomorrow I run off to Clockwork Alchemy for the weekend. Con prep is such an adventure!

How I Learned To Be A Writer

Being a writer is not just about mastering the techniques of fiction. Nobody understands writers the way other writers do. That’s because you have to live inside a creative mind that constantly notices odd details and can’t stop thinking about certain exciting problems. Writers are not like everybody else.

Join me and take a look at a level of living that goes so much farther than just “behind the scenes.” You’ll get a glimpse into my creative process. More than that, you might help me figure out some of the mysteries about how my mind works!

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8 Comments

Filed under Blog challenges, chocolate, Conventions, creativity, editing, Family, fantasy, Fiction, historical fiction, history, Humor, Lillian Csernica, memoirs, parenting, publication, research, Self-image, steampunk, sword and sorcery, therapy, travel, Writing

Tagged as #writerslife, A to Z Blog Challenge, anecdotes, autobiography, Clockwork Alchemy, learning, writing

February 19, 2019 · 10:25 pm

How To Keep Writing When You’re Drowning in Chaos

by Lillian Csernica on February 18, 2019

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http://www.storyblocks.com

Hi there. Today I will tell you how to keep up that word count and move forward with your creative life regardless of how crazy your everyday life has become.

What are my qualifications for this?

My older boy is an invalid requiring R.N. level care. We have two R.N.s. One has been on vacation. That means I fill in when she can’t be here.
My younger son has high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He attends community college, and he has a lot going for him. Even so, he needs supervision.
My mother has been having a series of medical crises since last summer. She’s back in the hospital again after having a heart valve replaced. The insurance is running out and time is against us in finding other caregivers for her.
Me, I have Major Depressive Disorder, I don’t sleep much, and I’m not getting any younger.

Having said all that, I can also say that I keep writing. I have three stories coming out in three different anthologies in the next few months. Marketing my novel proposals continues. When I sold my pirate novel, I did it with the help of an agent through traditional publishing. I liked that a lot and I’d like to do the same with my fantasy novels and my historical romance series. We’ll see what happens.

What is my secret? Simple. The ongoing chaos that I live in every day provokes powerful emotions inside me. Love and hate. Joy and grief. Depression and exultation. I’ve never been a halfway kind of person. These emotions are often so big inside me I have to let them out. I have to get them down on paper, get them out of my head, give them somewhere to go.

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And so I write. Maybe not every single day, but three out of five, I write.

Am I angry? My characters fight.

Am I frightened? My characters either hide from or face what frightens them.

Am I sad? My characters talk about it. They fight about it. They do something stupid or something brave or something that just makes it stop hurting for a while.

Whatever emotion is strongest within you, WRITE ABOUT IT.

Personal journal. Vignette. Short story. Chunk of a novel. Whatever size you need.

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No matter how good life is, no matter how bad life gets, WRITE ABOUT IT.

This is how you keep writing. This is how you keep from going under.

Writers commit alchemy every time we put our feelings into words. We take that heavy leaden weight of emotion and through our imaginations we transmute it into the pure gold of storytelling.

New Ray Bradbury Quotes On Writing anna dobritt s blog

P.S. Why are all the quotations from Ray Bradbury? When I was in grade school he was the first writer to set my mind on fire. Dandelion Wine showed me that I could imagine on paper and make use of everything going on inside my head. The day I finished reading Dandelion Wine was the first day I knew I wanted to be a writer.

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10 Comments

Filed under autism, creativity, Depression, Family, fantasy, Fiction, frustration, Goals, Lillian Csernica, neurodiversity, parenting, publication, special education, therapy, worry, Writing

Tagged as alchemy, anger, chaos, Emotion, Fear, novels, Ray Bradbury, short story, sorrow, writing

January 4, 2018 · 5:41 pm

How to Make Room for Fresh Ideas

by Lillian Csernica on January 4, 2018

Courtesy of Debby Young

A New Year. A fresh start. We’ve got the laptop or writing journal ready, we’ve got our favorite source of caffeine to hand, and we’re ready to write.

Hello, blank page. The cursor blinks at us like a tapping foot, impatiently awaiting some outpouring of brilliant ideas. That’s when the trouble starts.

Anxiety
Self-doubt
Imposter Syndrome
The Inner Editor
All those other racing thoughts about everything else we should be doing right then.

Did you know that such thoughts can have their starting point outside our minds just as easily as inside? One of the principles of feng shui says clutter inhibits the free flow of energy. Stagnant energy interferes with a lot of activities, especially communication. What is writing if not communication?

I don’t have many writing rituals, but I do need clear space to spread out my notes, manuscript, laptop, pens, and whatever else I need for that writing session. This is why I go to the library a lot. There I can find nice long tables with plenty of space.

Want to do more and better writing this year? Clear out your space. We must make room in our lives for the fresh, new ideas by removing the physical items that jam up our minds with old negative energy and thought patterns. Open up your writing space, clear out the clutter that is damming up the free flow of energy, and you will see immediate results.

In the spirit of solidarity, I will show you exactly what I have to deal with, and how urgent the need really is.

ClutterStuff

Books Yes, I have too many books. More precisely, I have too many books for the amount of space in my office. This has resulted in cardboard boxes of books taking up floor space. Not good. I have to prioritize the books according to what I need for my current novel, what I need for reference, and what I need for recharging my word batteries by reading for pleasure.

Notebooks Piles of notebooks sit here and there in my office. Some are writing journals in that I’ve written scenes, outlines, and notes in them. Others are the more classic writer’s journal full of ideas, character sketches, lists, and critique notes. What I have to do here is go through and see which whole notebooks are worth keeping and which ones need to have a few key pages torn out and filed where they belong.

ClutterBoxes

Stuff I’ve let a fair amount of miscellaneous stuff collect in my office for one simple reason. I have a bad habit of not putting things away. Clothes, reusable shopping bags, jewelry making supplies, and my amazing collection of tote bags filled with who knows what. Time to take a bite out of that mess by devoting 15 or 30 minutes at a go until all of it has been cleared up and cleaned out!

For more specific suggestions on how to do this, I recommend reading:

9 Clutter Clearing Tips for Good Feng Shui

Four Life Changing New Year’s Lessons for Writers

How to Kick Your Clutter Habit and Live in a Clean House Once and For All

How to De-Clutter Your Mind and Become a More Productive Writer

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7 Comments

Filed under creativity, Depression, Family, frustration, Goals, housework, Lillian Csernica, perspective, publication, research, therapy

Tagged as books, clutter, energy, feng shui, mess, notebooks, organization, productivity, writing

May 26, 2017 · 11:12 am

Where You Should Be This Weekend

by Lillian Csernica on May 26, 2017

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It’s that time again! Convention season is well underway, and Memorial Day Weekend is a high point. This weekend you can find me at two, count ’em, TWO conventions!

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