New Short Story in a New Anthology -- Chronicle World: Feyland

I like making up new worlds. That's a big reason why I love to write scifi and fantasy: I get to imagine everything about the world. But there's also a danger in getting to make up everything about a world. Laziness.

Yeah, I know, it seems like the least lazy thing to have to make up the geography, history, demography, and thaumaturgy of a place (and it's not an easy task), but for my imagination it can be easier than having to fit the pieces of parts of a story into a world that already exists.

Robert McKee in his book Story talks about the power of creative limitations. He compares limitations to the weights in a gym that offer resistance. The limitations might be harder to move, but the act of moving them, of working within them, pushes creativity.

In Chronicle Worlds: Feyland I got to push against the weight of another author's world.

Anthea Sharp has a series of books set in a near-future where there are hover cars, fully immersive virtual reality games, and a new game "Feyland" that becomes a portal to the very real land of Fairies.

Since I've worked in technical support (and computer sales, and computer training, and computer repair, and writing about computers and software) I couldn't help but wonder what the help tickets must look like when someone accidentally falls into a mythical realm instead of a video game. I also wondered how people from different cultures would interpret the Celtic-Anglo land of Fey.

The constraints of Anthea's world made me think of things that I wouldn't have considered otherwise. I researched the fairie-like legends of Africa and Asia, North America and Central Europe. I learned about the beneficial fairies that helped the Aborigines of Australia and the awful demons that preyed upon the people of India.

I chose to set my story in a call center in India, partly because it has become such a cliche in tech-support circles and partly because I wanted a chance to look at the unique culture of India (in actuality many unique cultures) interpreted through the lens of Feyland.

Ranjeet Nagar keeps getting odd support tickets that don't seem to have anything to do with the game and certainly don't comply with his script. He doesn't have a testing rig to be able to figure out what's going on and unless he can find one the demons that used to frighten him as a child will pour into his world with very real terror and harm.

Read my story, "Tech Support" and eleven other fantastic tales set in the world of Feyland. It's only $0.99 for the launch (until July 6th)!

It's just $0.99!

For a limited time (until 10/9) you can get my latest novel for just $0.99.

In case you were wondering, yes I am out of my mind, I appreciate your concern.

Reviewers are saying:

"Fast paced."

"Plenty of action and humor along the way."

"It's fun to read."

"If you take the Matrix and mix it with James Bond and travel to Portland, Oregon, you get Like Mind."
"If you like an action packed book, with great characters and humor, this book is for you."

And for you naysayers out there:

"I thought I wouldn't like it . . . I was pleasantly surprised."

Win a copy of my novel

Click on through to enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of my novel, Like Mind.

Reviewers are saying it's:

"Superb" "Quick [and] fun" "Snarky Adventure" "Super Fun!" "Fast pace, great humor and romance" and "Not...terrible...actually pretty good." 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Like Mind

by James T. Wood

Giveaway ends September 27, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

New Novel: Like Mind

I published my new novel yesterday.

You can get it the ebook here or here. And the print version here.

Synopsis:

As little as possible.  That's how often Corey likes to work. But when real life gets in the way, he tries to earn a little rent money... by volunteering as a medical experiment subject.  Naturally, the test goes wrong -- and Corey begins to discover abilities he can't explain. When he spots the first tail, he dismisses it. But then more join in, and suddenly Corey is being chased through Portland, Oregon, by threatening characters in suits. He's not even surprised when he discovers that Anka, the "nurse" who ran the medical experiment, works for the NSA. And boy, he'd like to ask her out.  As exciting as it is to explore his newfound powers and dodge the evil empire that ruthlessly pursues him -- while taking breaks for epic hacky-sack battles and tasty tots -- Corey and Anka had better get to the bottom of his condition as quickly as they can. Because whatever gave Corey his superpowers is also killing him. This witty, sharply-comic first novel from Portland native James T. Wood is this year's must-read adventure.

Kickstarter Week 1

One week in to the Kickstarter campaign for World Song, we're already in rarefied air. We're already up to 29% of the funds we need to be successful. By every count and statistic I can find, that means we have a 90% chance of being fully funded by the end.

But, as Han Solo said, "Never tell me the odds!"

Because if we don't hit at least 100% of the goal, it doesn't happen. It's all or nothing. No net, no silver medal. Win or go home.

So, if I have a touch of insomnia, you'll have to excuse me.

Kickstarter Campaign

My next book is being launched with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. If you're not familiar with the site, it's a crowd-funding website. That means that groups of people can invest in a project instead of the creator having to get one, wealthy person to help out. It's similar to the patronage system of the Renaissance, but with the internet and groups of people.

My project is World Song, which is a fantasy fiction novel based on Celtic spirituality and music.  You can watch the video below.

I'd love to know what you think of this project, to have you share it with everyone you know and especially to have you help me fund it.

 

People of Purpose

Here is a bible study on the book of Ephesians that I published in July, 2011: People of Purpose: Studies in Ephesians. 

The Marriage Challenge

You can find my latest book The Marriage Challenge: 52 Conversations for a Better Marriage in both a print and eBook format.