All posts by sensei.orlando@yahoo.com

Orlando Sanchez is a martial artist, father and novelist. On this blog he discusses writing, being a martial artist and the adventures of parenting. The underlying philosophy of this blog is being a warrior creative, welcome.

Author Interview-Alexis Radcliff

A vanishing Glow
A vanishing Glow

I recently read a great new debut book by Alexis Radcliff.

Here is a the synopsis: It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.

I’m not a huge steampunk fan, meaning I dont actively read the genre but this book will change that. It is an excellent read. Alexis writes  believable and complex characters. The story has twists and intrigue to keep you guessing for the length of the book and more. Alexis was gracious enough to be interviewed. Please pick up her book and give it a read. You can find sample chapters and  the links where the book is available in the interview below.

Thank you again Alexis!

Alexis Radcliff
Alexis Radcliff

Name: Alexis Radcliff

Age: 30

Where are you from?

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, but I moved out west after college to work in tech and live nearer to both mountains and ocean.

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve written my whole life on and off, and I worked in journalism all through college, but I didn’t start really thinking about fiction seriously until I was in my mid-twenties.

Do you have a novel/collection published? Would you like to tell us about it?

My first published novel is A Vanishing Glow. It’s an exciting blend of epic fantasy, steampunk, and flintlock fantasy set against a Victorian backdrop with an extremely rich world.

What inspired you to write your first book?

While growing up I read a lot of high fantasy, so by the time I went to college I was hungry for something different. The seeds of the world I built for A Vanishing Glow started there, and it just sort of percolated in my head for the next decade or so.

Do you have a favorite character from your book? If yes, who is it and why?

I’m really partial to Nilya Valsu, one of my two protagonists. I just have so much planned for her, and I think she’s a really fun character to write: she’s resilient, smart, and proactive, but she also has a lot of emotional depth to her.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

There’s a lot of intrigue in my plot, and if I could do it all over again, I might have picked a slightly easier or more straightforward plot for my first book. I’m happy with how it all turned out, but I spent a lot of time wrestling with the plot points to make sure everything wove together properly.

What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on Mystech Arcanum novella, and then the third volume in the series. I also have a very exciting superhero series planned for 2016 that I can’t wait to share!

Do you have any advice for other writers?

The more I see what gains traction and what doesn’t in both social media and sales (from my own experiences and those of other writers), the more I realize how big of a deal writing more books is. Nothing will help you succeed more than having additional books out, particularly at the early stages.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Write. Publish. Repeat!

What book are you reading now?

I am currently bouncing back and forth between a few nonfiction books, Station 11, and Annie Bellet’s Twenty-Sided Sorceress series. All very enjoyable!

Do you remember the first book you read? If not tell us what your favorite book is and why.

I remember that the very first “grown-up book” I read was Piers Anthony’s A Spell for Chameleon, and I was so proud of myself for finishing it! The very first book I read on my own was probably something by Dr. Seuss, but my mom had been reading to us for years at that point.

Other than writing do you have any hobbies?

I run, I play videogames, I hang out with my husband, and sometimes I like to bake. Mostly videogames, though, haha.

Blog: http://www.lexirad.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARRadcliff

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lexirad

Bio:  Alexis Radcliff is an author, gamer, unashamed geek, and history junkie who spent the better part of a decade working in tech before dedicating herself to her first love, literature. When not writing, she spends her time reading, running, playing way too many videogames, and thinking too much about everything.

Purchase links for my novel:

Amazon.com | Goodreads | Read Sample Chapter 1 | Read Sample Chapter 2

 

Why I Play Destiny

Destiny
Destiny

I am a gamer. I was raised in the era of the Atari 2600 and I owned  almost every console that existed when I was young. Now that I think of it my mom certainly indulged my gaming in my youth. As an adult I played several PC games until I discovered MMOs(Massive Multiplayer Online games). My first MMO was the Matrix Online which picked up right after the Matrix trilogy of movies. The writing  was intense and the game gave you the real feeling of being in the matrix world, even to the extent of running from agents who were many levels higher than you and gave you a mini heart attack every time they appeared. After the Matrix Online I discovered City of Heroes/ Villains. The game was a great adventure. I played it for seven years until it was shuttered by NCSoft. I made real friends who i am still in touch with today. After City of Heroes I took a hiatus from games since they are huge time sinks. For a short time I played The Secret World but found it became too much of a grind and left it. Its very hard to understand the motivation to play games if you dont play. Continue reading Why I Play Destiny

Make Time to Unplug

be still
be still

We live in a era of connectivity. Never before our time has communicating been so easy. I can on my phone, get the weather, check my email, call someone across the planet, schedule my day, surf the web, play a game, send a multiple texts and do this all before breakfast. We have arrived at a point where if we leave our homes without our devices we feel distraught and in many cases return to pick up said device. I remember the time when a cell phone was a luxury, now a smartphone is a necessity. Or is it? Continue reading Make Time to Unplug

Five Reasons to Exercise

Kettlebells
Kettlebells

I recently joined a local gym after many years of not being in one(long ago I used to be a personal trainer).  I was focused on my kettlebell  work and had reached a plateau. So I opted for a gym which meant getting up at 4am and travelling 30 mins to this facility. I recruited my son in this adventure of gym going because if I’m going to get up at 4 its only fitting to share the wonder of being up before dawn. I get the impression he doesn’t see it as wondrous as I do. Right O?

So we meet at the gym at 5 am and get to work. Yes, it takes me about 20 minutes to fully wake up get sorted and out the door. Another 30 minutes has me at the door of the gym(I walk there at least now while its not freezing). A five minute wait has me inside the facility where I claim one of the power racks.

I’m currently using the stronglifts 5×5 program until the weights get too heavy for the program. The key is to use a program that works for you. So here are the five things I have learned about exercise: Continue reading Five Reasons to Exercise

Author Interviews- Alice J. Black

The Doors Alice J.Black
The Doors Alice J.Black

In the spirit of giving back and connecting with my writing tribe I have scheduled monthly author interviews to showcase authors you may or may not have heard of. They will be a combination of indie and traditional with the focus being to give an insight on the writing life.

Alice, who is an online friend graciously asked me to be part of her interview group. I thought it only fitting that she be the first author in my monthly Author Interviews.

Please pick up her book and follow her blog.

Her social media links are provided, you can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (where she has some great pics!) drop by and kindly give her a hello!  Please leave a comment on what you thought. If you know or are an author and would like to be highlighted in the monthly interview drop me a line or leave me a comment below.

Enjoy the interview!

 

Name: Alice J. Black

Age: 28

Where are you from? The North East of England.

Tell us a little about yourself ie. education Family life etc. I grew up and have spent my life in the North East of England. Ever since I can remember I have always loved reading and writing and though at times it hasn’t always been a priority in my life, I have always come back to it. More recently when I got my first role in my career I have gone back to writing which I love doing. I try to write every day!

When and why did you begin writing? I have always loved writing. From a young age I liked to write stories and I was always encouraged to do this by my family. I still have some of my really old scribblings now and it’s great to look back on. I can’t say why I started writing other than I really enjoyed creating a different world. Continue reading Author Interviews- Alice J. Black

New Rise of the Night Cover Reveal

Sepia Blue New Cover
Sepia Blue New Cover

I had a very talented artist redo the cover for Sepia Blue. Originally it was a cover I had done when I was starting my writing and I felt I could do it all. Also at that point it made financial sense to do it myself. I have learned a bit since then and if there are two things to invest in when you are an indie writer its editing and cover art.

This is the new cover for Sepia Blue -Rise of the Night and it looks great.  Kudos to Jake Logsdon. If you find yourself in need of a cover artist or even if you don’t but know someone who may, go to his site and take a look at some excellent illustrations (he illustrated this cover) Visit  his page .HERE.

Thanks again Jake! It looks great!

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Lies Ripped Open by Steve McHugh

Lies Ripped Open
Lies Ripped Open

I just finished the fifth book in the Hellequin series. Here is the synopsis:

Over a hundred years have passed since a group of violent killers went on the rampage, murdering innocent victims for fun. But even back then, sorcerer Nate Garrett, aka Hellequin, knew there was more to it than simple savage pleasure—souls were being stolen.

Nate’s discovery of the souls’ use, and of those supporting the group’s plan, made him question everything he believed.

Now the group Nate thought long dead is back. Violent, angry, and hell-bent on revenge, they have Hellequin firmly in their sights. And if he won’t come willingly, they’ll take those closest to him first.

The battle begins again.

I have to say this series of book is fantastic. Steve does an excellent job of pulling you in and immersing you in his story world. I get bonus points because I read this while I was in London so it felt even deeper.

Go out and get this series! You will root for Nate and find yourself turning pages even when you said you were done for the day.

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Back from London

Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge

I just got back from London a few days ago. It was my first time travelling to England. I had an amazing time. The city, like my home has an energy all its own. I did all the tourist things and took loads of pictures. I enjoyed the surreal aspect of being in an entire different city. Many times I would catch myself and think-right now in New York people are going about their lives very much like Londoners are doing right now. It made me realize how small the world could really be. Of course my writing took a hit because I was in London with my family which meant quality time which was special. We went wandering all around the city and the kids loved it. Continue reading Back from London

Words as Art

words are art
words are art

I have been swamped with edits and all of the other details that  involve getting a book out in the world. At times this process is equal parts exhilarating and mind numbing. There are times when I question the sanity of what I have chosen to do with all these ideas and stories inside my head. Then I remember my daughter’s words.

A while back I asked her what she thought about writing.  Not my writing specifically, just writing in general. She gave this question some serious thought. I could tell because she became quiet and sat next to me for  a short while. Then she had her answer. “Words are art,” she proclaims as if it is a self evident truth that everyone knows.  Of course I had no idea what she meant so I asked her. This is her explanation as close to verbatim as I can recall: Words are art because when you write you create pictures in your brain. These are not like the pictures you can draw with crayons or markers, but pictures in your head. That means that when you use words its just like art and that means that writers are artists.

So whenever I feel like this writing thing I’m doing  is threatening to implode the few working brain cells I have left I remember these words uttered by my sage six year old. I am an artist and I am busy creating, Sometimes that creating is hard, but most of the time its an amazing ride. Words are art.blogdragonfly

Today is the Day!

Spiritual Warriors Revised 2015
Spiritual Warriors Revised 2015

To celebrate the launch of Book 3 The Fallen Warrior.

You have waited until the last day. You have planned and thought it through. Truly you have made a wise choice in getting The Spiritual Warriors TODAY the LAST day it is FREE!

THIS IS THE LAST DAY!

If you have a copy then please spread the word!

Share the good news with your friends and help them get a copy also!

Come join Dante and the Warriors on this martial arts thrill ride!

Get your copy now! Tell your friends! Join the Warriors!

While you’re there please be kind enough to pick up books 2&3.

Also we authors love reviews. They help us sell books. Please be generous and leave one for any of the books you purchase.

Have a fantastic 4th of July!!

WOTW book 2 Digital jpeg
The Ascendants
Warriors of the Way Book 3
The Fallen Warrior

Huge thank you  to all of you!

I enjoy hearing from you leave me your thoughts in the comments! Dont forget to join the Nascent Novel Nation email list!

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