The Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy is a 3 volume tale of magic and wonder that recalls the cherished values of friendship, loyalty and courage. These timeless tales of Oz reminds us of the value of overcoming our deepest fears and conquering the challenges that might otherwise defeat us.

Volume One; Magician of Oz, Volume Two; Shadow Demon of Oz and Volume Three; Family of Oz are now available for your reading enjoyment, as well as The Ozian Adventure of Pickleless & Blu.

The Emerald Slippers of Oz
, featuring an Introduction by Roger S. Baum; great grandson of L. Frank Baum, as well as Tails of Oz and Even More Tails of Oz are also
available for your reading enjoyment.

Nomes of Oz is a wonderful adventure for anyone who loves the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz.

The newest adventure in Oz, entitled: The First Witches of Oz is now available and fast becoming a best-seller in the Land of Oz.

All are available in both paperback and Kindle.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Scene 1; Act 10: Guest Author Louise Wise & Eden

Once again, I am proud to present another author in our continuing Virtual Book Tour. This time, we jump across the big pond and make our way towards the lovely of of England to introduce our next author; Louise Wise and her newest book, Eden. Take it away Louise....

Louise Wise used her general love of romantic fiction and interest in astronomy to write her first book, Eden. It was an experimental novel and was never meant to see the light of day! She had received many rejections, which stated that the novel was just too original for the current market. An agent took it on but failed to find a publisher for it, this urged Louise into believing in the novel, and herself as a writer.

She published with YouWriteOn.com a review website, which she whole-heartedly recommends. Eden has received good reviews so far: http://amzn.to/aqm4eM and even though Louise, without a mainstream publisher behind her, doesn’t expect it to hit the best seller list she will be happy to publish again with YWO.

“I’ve done with rejection letters,” she says. “Who needs them? I’d rather concentrate on getting my MS up to scratch instead of sending out submissions and waiting months - sometimes never getting a reply.”

She has learned her lesson though, and now sticks safely to comedy romance (chicklit). A Proper Charlie will be out later this year.

Married, with four children, Louise lives in England. She is a pharmacist assistant by day, and a writer by night.

Visit her website http://louisewise.blogspot.com/ and leave a message. She'd love to hear from you.

Links to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Louise-Wise/dp/1849234299/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wisebird2009

Website:
http://louisewise.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Oz-Stravaganza! 2010 and the Shadow Demon of Oz!

James C. Wallace II, author of the critically acclaimed Oz novel, Magician of Oz and the newly released sequel, Shadow Demon of Oz has been invited and will be attending Oz-Stravaganza! 2010 as one of the featured authors of Authors Alley from June 4-6, 2010.

Mr. Wallace will be appearing and speaking about his literary adventures in Oz alongside 3 of the original Munchkins from the 1939 MGM movie; The Wizard of Oz.

These include Jerry Maren, the Lollipop Munchkin, Karl Slover, First Trumpeter Munchkin and Margaret Pellegrini, the Flower Pot Munchkin.

In addition, Mr. Wallace will be appearing with Bob Baum, the great grandson of Frank Baum, the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1899) and his wife (Bob) Claire Baum,


along with Jane Lahr and Maya Gottfried. Jane is the daughter, and Maya the granddaughter, of Bert Lahr the "Cowardly Lion".


Mr. Wallace will speak on several occasions and do book signings during the festival and will appear in the Grand Parade on Saturday, June 6th.


The theme for Oz-Stravaganza! 2010, is: “The Emerald City of Oz”, which is based on the 6th book in the Oz series written by Baum in 1910 and dedicated to former Chittenango resident and Baum’s niece, Cynthia Baum Tassini. The Emerald City is an important part of Oz.

L. Frank Baum, author of the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was born in Chittenango May 15, 1856.


His family owned a barrel factory in Chittenango. In addition to his many "Oz" books Baum also wrote other children's stories and he wrote under other names as well as L.Frank Baum. His most famous book the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was made into the 1939 MGM classic film the "Wizard of Oz".


All images courtesy of Oz-Stravaganza! 2010.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Scene 1; Act 9: Guest Author Fiona Ingram &

In our continuing program to feature new and exciting authors, I present this week's special guest as part of my contribution to the Virtual Book Tour;

FIONA INGRAM

“My story-telling career began at age ten!”

Fiona Ingram’s earliest story-telling talents came to the fore when, from the age of ten, she entertained her three younger brothers and their friends with serialised tales of children undertaking dangerous and exciting exploits, which they survived through courage and ingenuity. Haunted houses, vampires, and skeletons leaping out of coffins were hot favourites in the cast of characters.

Although Fiona Ingram has been a journalist for the last fifteen years, writing a children’s bookThe Secret of the Sacred Scarab—was an unexpected step, inspired by a recent trip to Egypt. The tale of the sacred scarab began life as a little anecdotal tale for her 2 nephews (then 10 and 12), who had accompanied her on the Egyptian trip. This short story grew into a children’s book, the first in the adventure series Chronicles of the Stone. The author is already immersed in the next book in the series—The Search for the Stone of Excalibur—a huge treat for young King Arthur fans. Although Fiona Ingram does not have children of her own, she has an adopted teenage foster child, from an underprivileged background who is just discovering the joys of reading for pleasure.

Naturally, Fiona is a voracious reader and has been from early childhood. Her interests include literature, art, theatre, collecting antiques, animals, music, and films. She loves travel and has been fortunate to have lived in Europe (while studying) and America (for work). She has travelled widely and fulfilled many of her travel goals.

After winning the Emma Smith Scholarship to finance her university studies, Fiona Ingram graduated from the University of Natal, Durban with a double first in her B.A. (French & Drama). She won a Human Sciences Research Council Bursary, which enabled her to do her Honours in Drama at Natal. Fiona then went to the University of the Witwatersrand to do her Masters in French-African literature (the impact of colonial language and culture upon the development of African theatre and literary forms), a subject which has interested her greatly. Fiona applied for and won the Emma Smith Overseas Scholarship for further study. She studied drama at The Drama Studio in London and mime at L’Ecole Jacques le Coq in Paris. Upon her return to South Africa, Fiona immersed herself in teaching drama at community centres, and became involved in producing community and grassroots theatre with local playwrights and performers in Natal for several years. A move to Johannesburg took her in a new direction—that of journalism. She has written freelance for the last fifteen years.

www.secretofthesacredscarab.com

www.chroniclesofthestone.com

dteensbo

Creative writing for kids is one of the most challenging and fulfilling aspects of the classroom. Many teachers who are not writers may struggle to explain the nuts and bolts of writing in relation to the imaginative and creative process involved in making a story. Children may also not grasp the solid hard work involved in creating the structure and plot of a good story. Here are some easy classroom tips to make the creative writing process both successful and fun.

Writing can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of your life. There are many reasons a person decides to write: to share their life’s experiences, to tell a good story, to express the feelings and situations of others … the list is endless. Some people even write just for fun. I wrote my book because I visited Egypt with my two nephews and wanted to write a short story to help them remember a special time. To my surprise, the short story turned into a book, and then a book series. So, you never know what’s going to happen once you begin!

Any good story is composed of two important elements:

1) a really gripping plot

2) realistic, believable characters.

· How To Choose a Great Story Topic. You may think, “But what can I write about?” Write about what you know best, or what excites you, or what you enjoy. You’ll find that when you are really keen on something—it can be an activity, a place, an event, or a person (real or imaginary)—it becomes easier to write. Do you love reading about faraway exciting places? Then research a place you find interesting and set your story there. Do you enjoy mysteries? Think about something that’ll keep people guessing. Are you good at a skill or a sport? Set your story around a character with those abilities.

· Plot Comes First. What comes first? Everyone has their own ideas but I believe the plot should come first. What’s the point of great characters if they sit around and don’t achieve very much. So, step one, write your plot down in a few words (that’s all you need). “My story is about … who manages to … and goes on to ….” Example from my book: two cousins go to Egypt with their aunt Isabel and their Gran and are given an ancient scarab that plunges them into a whirlpool of exciting events. I have my two main characters, two secondary characters, a great location (open to all kinds of amazing events), an important object, and … well, the amazing events are up to my imagination.

· How to Construct your Storyline. Structure is very important otherwise you’ll end up writing away like crazy but forget some vital detail here and there, and your story will fall to pieces. Sit down and draw your storyline—remember, you have already written it down in a few words. You may not stick to it exactly, but it’s important to map out where the story is going. You don’t want to give away the plot too soon, or tell the reader everything all at once. So begin with a simple 3-point system: the Beginning (your hero appears—what is he doing? What does he want to achieve?); the Middle (something will happen to him and he has to …?); the Ending (your hero resolves the situation). From those three vital points you will fill in your other plot points—how did… why did… what happens next…

· Make Your Characters as Interesting as Possible. Tip: take them from real life examples. You could write about someone like yourself, or else model the characters on friends at school, teachers, or other people you know. The dialogue between your characters is also important because that’s one place to develop the plot line. Their interaction will reveal the chain of events as the characters work out various situations. Don’t forget to break your dialogue with various activities so that readers don’t get bogged down in lots of talking but no action.

· Make Your Information to the Reader as Interesting as Possible: You can do this by weaving it into the story. Don’t say that it’s cold. Get your character to shiver because he left his jacket at home. You can set the scene around your characters by using adjectives and adverbs to enhance your descriptions and actions but don’t overdo it. The reader is also going to use his or her imagination, so don’t overload your writing with too many descriptions. At the same time, your reader is not in your head so you have to help the reader along by using your five senses to engage theirs: sight, sounds, touch, taste, smell. Is your hero in a hot, exotic climate? He (or she) will be sweating, the sounds will be different, the taste of the food unusual etc. Is your heroine (or hero) in a strange place – what is she experiencing e.g. confusion, anxiety, excitement or curiosity? You will create the environment for your readers so they appreciate exactly what the hero is experiencing.

· The Hard Part: if you love what you’re writing about, and you trust your imagination, then writing will be as fun and exciting as you can imagine. However, two important elements must never be forgotten: research and grammar.

Research will be necessary whether your story is set in the real world, or if it’s an imaginary, fantasy, or sci-fi land. Make notes before and during your writing process. Your heroes are likely to be around your own ages, so think about how they are going to get places and achieve things. If they are travelling, are they alone (not likely) and will they need assistance (possibly)? If they are in a foreign country then make sure your facts are accurate. How did they get there, who are they with, and how are they going to accomplish their task/challenge? If it’s a fantasy setting, then make sure you don’t lose track of your characters and the various places and items found in your fantasy world. Make your own research notes relevant to your fantasy land.

Grammar: spelling and grammar are very important otherwise your readers will never get through the first few pages. They’ll get bogged down in bad grammar and terrible spelling, so make sure you use your spelling and grammar check on your computer (if you’re using one) and your dictionary and style guide (if you’re writing by hand). In any case, you’ll have to check everything yourself because sometimes computers will accept a word that is spelled right, but is actually the wrong word for the sentence or context.

A final piece of advice: writing should be fun and exciting. Just enjoy yourself and let your imagination take you to places you only ever dreamed of…



Title: THE SECRET OF THE SACRED SCARAB

Author: Fiona Ingram

Publisher: iUniverse, #1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 300, Bloomington, Indiana, 47403, USA www.iuniverse.com

ISBN: 978-0-595-45716-8

Publication date: 1 December 2008

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, adventure, 262 pages (includes map and graphics).

Age group: 10-14

Nominations:

· The Secret of the Sacred Scarab was a Finalist in the Children’s/Juvenile Fiction category of the 2009 USA Next Generation Indie Book Awards

· Finalist in the Children’s Fiction section of the USA National Best Books 2009 Awards.

· It was also a Winner in the Preteen category of the 2009 Readers’ Favorites 2009 Awards.

· The book has just been nominated Number 2 in the Top 10 Favourite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens and Teens in The Children’s & Teens Book Connection.

· It has also won a Silver medal in the Teen Fiction category of the 2010 Nautilus Book Awards.

· The book was a Finalist in the 2010 International Book Awards

Description: A thrilling adventure for two young boys, whose fun trip to Egypt turns into a dangerously exciting quest to uncover an ancient and mysterious secret.

Book Synopsis: A 5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives two young South African tourists, Adam and Justin Sinclair, an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They survive terrifying dangers in a hostile environment (such as a giant cobra, as well as sinking sand), pursued by enemies in their quest to solve the secret of the sacred scarab. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out. They must also learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. With just their wits, courage, and each other, the boys manage to survive … only to find that the end of one journey is the beginning of another!

Added value: Young explorers will enjoy an interactive journey through Egypt, following Justin and Adam’s exciting adventure on www.secretofthesacredscarab.com. Readers can also browse the first chapter of the book and there is a Book Glossary for interested readers. Those who survive the journey and manage to translate the Curse of Thoth will be able to read the first chapter in Adam and Justin’s next adventure—The Search for the Stone of Excalibur—as they hunt for the Scroll of the Ancients. T-shirts, mugs and Stones of Power are available for purchase on the site.

Purchase: The book is available internationally through Amazon.com and selected online book sites as well as Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Fiona Ingram (B.A., Hons. (Natal), M.A., (Wits)) was born and educated in South Africa. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel has resulted in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series—Chronicles of the Stone. The first book was inspired by an actual trip the author took to Egypt with her two young nephews (then aged 10 and 12).

Contact Fiona Ingram by email if you would like to review this book in South Africa. Contact the publishers for reviews appearing in the USA and UK. Fiona is also available to do readings at interested schools and children’s libraries in South Africa.

Email the Author: fiona.ingram@telkomsa.net

Websites: www.secretofthesacredscarab.com www.FionaIngram.com

Some Professional Book Review Comments:

· The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is entertainment for readers up to around age fourteen and for those who wish they were fourteen again. It is at once adventure and history, art and architecture, humor and redemption, travel writing and social studies, and great fun.

Rating: Five stars

Reviewed by: Barbara Milbourn for Writers in the Sky barbaramilbourn@comcast.net

WITS Web site: http://www.writersinthesky.com

· All I can say is, "Wow!" This is one of the most thrilling children's books that I have read in a long time. Author Fiona Ingram, who was born and educated in South Africa, has combined an exciting story that is filled with adventure and suspenseful mystery to keep the reader turning the pages with a lot of interesting factual information about the history and geography of Egypt.

Rating: Five stars

Reviewed by: Wayne Walker waynewalker@storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

Stories for Children Magazine http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

· The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram is a middle grade fiction book that reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place. The author has a great writing style, and she has a great sense of humor that shines through her writing. I think it’s a great testament to an author’s writing when the interest can be held of readers outside of the targeted audience. Ms. Ingram held my attention and made me reminisce about books that I read many years ago. If I had a child around age 9, up until age 13 or 14, I would thrust this book into their hands and encourage them to read it. It’s books like this that spark a love of reading.

Rating: 90 out of 100

Reviewed by: Trish Collins trish.browning@gmail.com

Book Tours http://tlcbooktours.com

· Ingram has crafted a fascinating story of adventure. Ancient Egypt is a topic that captivates most young adults, and Ingram incorporates information about Egypt’s modern culture, as well as ancient legend. The story’s many twists and turns may be too complex for younger readers, but teens and tweens who can keep straight the many characters and navigate the long and detailed story will appreciate this well-researched adventure.

Rating: Four Stars (out of Five)

Reviewed by Whitney Hallberg whitney@forewordmagazine.com

Foreword Literary Review Magazine www.ForeWordMagazine.com

· Once I started reading The Secret of the Sacred Scarab I never wanted to put it down, and I was ready to read it all over again as soon as I was done. If the first book in The Chronicle of the Stone series by Fiona Ingram is this superb, I hold out high hopes for future installments. I eagerly anticipate Book 2 in the series, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur!

Rating: Five Stars

cg20pm00@gmail.com>

Children’s and Teens Book Connection http://childrensanokconnection.wordpress.com

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Another Wizard of Oz find at the Auction!

As usual, I find myself at the Shadow Auction Barn here in Terre Haute, looking about and wondering what will catch my eye.

Of course, I am never disappointed and today is no exception.


As you can see, the Wizard of Oz is everywhere! And what a world it would be if it wasn't!
I believe we have before us is a set of nutcrackers.

Let's take a closer look and see what we have here...

Why, lo and behold! It's Dorothy! She seems to be sporting a lovely checkered handbag. Of course, she is wearing ruby slippers, so we know right off the bat that this is meant to be a tribute piece to the 1939 MGM movie, The Wizard of Oz and not the original book by L. Frank Baum; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1899).

Next on the agenda is... The Scarecrow!

He's looking rather dapper in his Munchkin blue outfit. I hope that's not a poppy in his hand!

Moving on, we find our next Ozian companion, The Tin Man!


He's also looking rather dapper with his pinned-on heart and oil can in hand.

Finally, we end our journey into the Land of Oz Nutcrackers with our final Ozian friend and travelling companion, the Cowardly Lion!


Of course, he's carrying his obligatory handkerchief for those occasional crying jags of his. What's on his right paw, I'm not too sure.

Overall, it was very pleasant to see these artifacts of Oz out and about.

As I recall, they sold for $15.00 apiece and the bidder took all 4 pieces. As I don't really collect Oz stuff, with the exception of Oz books, I didn't bid on them.

For those of you who may be interested, in my second book, Shadow Demon of Oz, several chapters in the early part of the book take place in the Umbra Auction Barn. If you happen to speak a little Latin, you'll know that Umbra is the Latin word for Shadow. Hence, the Shadow Auction Barn becomes the Umbra Auction Barn. Ta da!!! ... and the crowd goes wild!

A little later on this week, I'll talk more about another odd Ozian find that I found at Goodwill.

'Till then, "We're off to see the Wizard!"

Friday, May 21, 2010

Scene 1; Act 8: Guest Author David Fingerman & Edging Past Reality

In our continuing program to feature new and exciting authors, I present this week's special guest as part of my contribution to the Virtual Book Tour;

David Fingerman

Edging Past Reality: A Collection of Short Stories


I want to thank Magician of Oz and all the other blog sites that have been generously donating their space and time to help promote authors. I'm about half way through my tour and I've found it exciting, challenging, rewarding, and a lot of work. The interviews and promoting my books has been great, but I think I'll change my routine just a bit this time. To be totally honest, it's getting a little tough to be different and original in promoting my books with every new blog. There's only so many ways I can say how great a read "Edging Past Reality" is, and keep your eyes open for "Silent Kill" which will be out soon (keep up with the latest at my website: www.davidfingerman.com). I'm not going to talk about promoting my books this time around. Instead, I've been chatting with a number of writers who are just starting to send out their work and the topic of rejection letters became quite common. So on this blog I'd like to share my insights on rejection letters.

Last year I was asked to speak at the Rochester Writers' Festival. They wondered if I would speak about dealing with rejection. I asked them what did they know about my personal life? It became quite clear they meant dealing with rejection letters from my writing – they weren't the least bit interested in my personal life (their loss). I told them either way, I was over qualified. They thought that was a good thing – for my speaking about the topic, not my personal life – there they still didn't care.

Like many writers I save my rejection letters. Like many writers I have enough to wallpaper a room. My favorite is a four page, handwritten critique. My second favorite is a 2x3 post-it note stuck on the first page of my story. All it said was "no." Unlike many writers, rejections hardly bother me at all anymore. Why? Publishing is a business. I don't know them; they don't know me. It's not personal. Yeah, it still stings for a minute, but then I realize that most publications print a very small percentage of what they receive. It's not uncommon to look at a specific publisher and find that they reject 99% of the material they receive. Looking at that logically, I can't get too upset that I'm not in their top 1%. Besides, how can I get upset when they send a handwritten note that said they like my style and please try again? For form letters, well, they're jerks and I'll just send my story off to the next publisher. Never forget – it's all subjective.

To prove that point I'll use as an example a fantasy story I wrote a number of years ago. I sent it to what I thought was a sure hit magazine. A few weeks later a got back a scathing rejection letter criticizing almost every facet of the story. The plot was weak, it took too long to get started, the characters were one dimensional, etc. I was told it wasn't worth salvaging. The editor ended by telling me to change the cartridge on my inkjet because the printing was too light. What that told me was the editor was going blind – I used a laser printer and it looked just fine. Anyway, without changing a word, I sent it to another magazine. A few weeks later I got an acceptance letter and a contract.


Next time you feel down because your book or story got rejected, just remember that Gone with the Wind was rejected 38 times, Jonathan Livingston Seagull got 140 rejects. Ray Bradbury has had somewhere around 1000 rejects in his career. And if you want to feel a little smug, think of the guy who rejected Carrie and told Stephen King "We are not interested in science fiction that deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."


I wonder if he still has a job?


Wanna learn more about David Fingerman's book; Edging Past Reality: A Collection of Short Stories?


Then here's the place to be:

Edging Past Reality: A Collection of Short Stories



Sunday, May 16, 2010

Scene 1; Act 7: Guest Author Ya Ya Badasu & Reflections: Thoughts, Passions, and Truths

In our continuing program to feature new and exciting authors, I present this week's special guest as part of my contribution to the Virtual Book Tour;

Author Ya Ya Badasu.
Hi, my name is Ya Ya Badasu, my book is called, Reflections: Thoughts, Passions, and Truths, and I write poetry.

I love being a poet because it gives me an opportunity to pack a lot of powerful meaning into a short poem. Traditionally, poems are shorter than novels. This makes me have to choose my words a bit more carefully. I still include detail, but I get straight to the juice. I think that this is good for my readers too. They can never say that they don't know what I'm thinking because I tell them.
My writing process is easy and difficult. It's easy to write down the things that I feel, but it's very difficult to share such private details with my readers. I have very intimate poems, including a few sex poems, and it took so much for me to gather up the courage so that I could share this with my readers. I kept noting back. My readers know how I think, what I like, and what I hate.

As hard as it is to open up about these things, it makes my writing process easier because I do not have to keep anything in or beat around the bush. I have different writing quirks. I always have to listen to music when I write. I love Jazz, so I'm almost always playing Ella Fitzgerald when I begin a new poem. I sit down with a list of notes and thoughts that I have written down, and before I know it, I'm writing the final parts of my poems.

Writer's block is a pretty big issue, especially when I have a goal of how many poems I want done by a certain time. Almost all of my poems have started out as just a few words that I jotted down and put aside for a day or two. I then pick back up from where I started, and I finish the poem. If I don't make any progress with a poem, I copy and paste what I have into another word document, and I start on it at a later date. I try not to let writer's block prevent me from writing, even if all I can write are a few sentences.

Writing is a journey, but getting published is another story. My publisher is Passionate Writer Publishing, and they are wonderful. They're so helpful, but I was very nervous about sending in my poems to them. I have a sorority sister, Omegia Keeys, who is published under the same company, and when I heard that her publishing company was looking for new authors, I submitted a few of my poems, and the company asked me to send in some more. The worst part was waiting for a response. They work quickly, but I remember checking my e-mail after every class just to see if there was anything there. One day seemed like forever, but they responded and accepted my poems. They were the first publishing company that I'd tried, but I heard positive things about them. They've been so helpful with sending promotional material and they keep in touch with newsletters and Facebook updates. I'm very happy with my publisher. The process was easier than I expected, but they're still keeping on my toes with tours. They're helping me to obtain my dreams, and I'm so thankful for this. It feels good to see my book on amazon.com or to see students at school reading my book. I finally feel like a writer.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Shadow Demon of Oz has arrived!

In celebration of the 154th birthday of Lyman Frank Baum,
Royal Historian of Oz and author of

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,
The Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma is proud to present

Volume 2 of the Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy:
Shadow Demon of Oz
.


Front & Back Cover Art by Dennis Anfuso

Authored by James C. Wallace II, who was proclaimed by Her Majesty and Royal Sovereign of Oz, Princess Ozma as the Royal Liaison, Shadow Demon of Oz is the continuing story of Jamie Diggs, great-grandson of the original Wizard of Oz and his journey to become the Royal Magician of Oz.

It was in the early month of Spring when the old humpback trunk of O.Z. Diggs, the original Wizard of Oz was opened by his great grandson, Jamie Diggs,
revealing a magical heritage lurking within.Following in the footsteps of his great grandfather, a young boy named Jamie pursued the ways of magic and soon found himself transported to the magical Land of Oz where, alongside Dorothy, he faced his greatest fears and the fearsome
Army of Trees in defense of the Tin Woodman.Now the young magician is called to return to the Land of Oz to take his place as the new
Royal Magician of Princess Ozma; Ruler and Sovereign of Oz.
And for his first Royal Command, Princess Ozma sends her Royal Magician and his best friend Buddy off to battle the Evil Shadow Demon and save the Hyups of Mount Munch.

Shadow Demon of Oz is available through Scientia Est Vox Press at:

Shadow Demon of Oz

Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy
Volume One: Magician of Oz

Front & Back Cover Art by Dennis Anfuso

New characters and creatures abound in the old Land of Oz while many of the old characters we know and love make their appearance in this newest tale of fantasy, adventure, truth and friendship in a familiar,
yet not so familiar world of Oz.

There's the Leader of the Sycamores, the Gnarled Scrub Oak,
the Flowering Plum tree and the Council of Trees.All of these magical and strange characters prove quite the challenge for
a young magician who finds himself in a strange and wonderful land.

Of course, we also get to meet Dorothy and Ozma, Glinda and the Tin Woodman, as well as Toto, Bungle the Glass Cat, Billina the Hen and numerous other beloved characters from
L. Frank Baum's original tale of wonder and magic.


Magician of Oz is available through Scientia Est Vox Press at:

Magician of Oz

Who is the Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma?


James C. Wallace II, originally a native of West Virginia, currently lives in Terre Haute, Indiana with his wife Amanda. They have been married more than 26 years, with a herd of 5 children and 12 grandchildren. His background covers nearly 26 years in children's education, including experience working for the world's largest children's museum; The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, where he was the Planetarium Educator for SpaceQuest Planetarium. In addition to children's books about Oz, he is recognized by NASA as a leading developer of web-based educational games, educational exhibit design, curriculum development and implementation. In addition, he is involved in the DiscoverHover program, which is an educational program developing and utilizing hovercraft in a unique and fun way. He now serves as the Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma, Sovereign Ruler of Oz and endeavors to fulfill her royal command to tell the tale of her newest Royal Magician to the children of the Great Outside.

James C. Wallace II; Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma can be found at:

Facebook: James C. Wallace II
or
Facebook: Magician of Oz

Twitter id: magicianofoz

email: magicianofoz@hotmail.com

Front & Back Cover Art for Magician of Oz & Shadow Demon of Oz
courtesy of Dennis Anfuso.

More information about the artist can be found at:


Dennis Anfuso

Logo Art for Shadow Demon of Oz by
The Good Witch of Haute
Suzi Overton

More information about the artist can be found at:

Suzi Overton

All content courtesy of Scientia Est Vox Press; 2010

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Scene 1; Act 6: Guest Author Myrna Caudill & Love Triumphs!


In our continuing program to feature new and exciting authors, I present this week's special guest as part of my contribution to the Virtual Book Tour; Myrna Caudill.

It's a short entry; a reader review of "Love Triumphs!"


Gloria Mayweather, out of money and a job, had a baby to take care of and one option left. She returned home to the baby’s father, only Jake does not know he has a son.

He is a detective on the police force and in the midst of an investigation. The police are trying to find the killer before he can attack again. Jake was still in love with Gloria but wasn’t ready to forget about the past. Gloria was still in love with Jake but determined to stay independent. Can there be a future for Gloria, Jake and their son?

This was a very entertaining read. The plot is filled with suspense and a touch of humor. The chapters are short. The characters make this book, they are likable and easy to relate to. Myrna knows how to capture and hold the attention of the reader. Fans of
romance/mystery will not want to miss this book.

Reader’s Review



Myrna R. Caudill, Author
"Cold Case Fallout"
"Love Triumphs!"
www.myrnarcaudill.com

Monday, May 10, 2010

Lena Horne has crossed the Shifting Sands

It saddens me to report that famed Hollywood legend, singer/songwriter, dancer Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 - May 9, 2010),


and the ideal choice to play Glinda, the Good Witch Of The South in the 1978 film, The Wiz has passed away.


Details are sketchy but it appears to be fact. Horne died at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, according to hospital spokeswoman Gloria Chin. Chin would not release any other details.

Glinda, the Good Witch Of The South has returned to her place across the Shifting Sands and joins the many others who have awaited her arrival.

For more info on her legendary career, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Horne



Her tribute site is: http://www.lena-horne.com/

Rest in Peace and we'll be with you soon enough.

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Scene 1; Act 5: Guest Author & Blogger Jo Davis and Domestics

In our continuing program to feature new and exciting authors, I present this week's special guest as part of my contribution to the Virtual Book Tour.


Write What You Know or Can Research

I am Jo Davis, author of the book Domestics. It is an auctioned packed tale of a domestic abuse victim’s rise from prey to predator. In the book, Sarah turns the tables on her loss and victimhood to become an assassin for hire, fighting for the good of other battered women.

Of all the questions I am asked while on the road for the “Domestic Seduction Tour” with fellow erotica author Omegia Keeys, the most difficult is, “Did you draw from experience to write this book?” I guess the most interesting answer would involve a tear-jerking tale of my own abuse at the hands of a lover or my subsequent escape from such a situation. In truth, I married my high school sweetheart, who gave me the idea to make Sarah an assassin. We have four kids, a dog and a house with a picket fence. There’s lots of domestics involved in my real life, but none of violent—mostly the average stuff that a wife and mother faces each day. This answer, the truth, makes most potential readers of my work turn away, a little disappointed.

But, hold on a minute. I am a writer, a creator of stories, spinner of yarns. Why is it necessary for me to have lived the life of the domestically abused in order to write about it. Surely, this is not what my curious potential reader is trying to say, but in a way it is. When did it become necessary to make fiction accurate?

My best guess is that many people misinterpret the old piece of writing advice, “write what you know.” This phrase isn’t meant to restrict a writer. It is meant to help writers in search of their stories and to reign in those who get a bit too overzealous and take too many liberties.

So, what is my answer to the curious? At the end of the day, writers create tales. Some of the scenes, characters, mannerisms and plot points are taken from the writer’s life. The rest is simply, purely, fantastically……fiction.

Pick up a signed copy of Domestics at:

www.bylinesbyjo.com/buy_the_books

Find more information about the Domestic Seduction Tour at:

http://domesticseduction.webs.com/