Category Archives: support for writers

Son of the Emperor, on sale now!

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SON OF THE EMPEROR, The Last War: Book Two

The Emperor is defeated but already unrest is growing in the north of Khandarken. After Julianne Adjudicator’s father disappears, she seeks to escape the clutches of her vicious stepmother Zanata, and flees to the Sanctuary.

This is rumored to be the safest place for a woman in a hostile world  of unrest and roving dispossessed. But when Julianne seeks asylum, it soon becomes clear all is not as it first appeared.

The Last War series is a stunning portrayal of a new world created from fire and consumed at the edges …- sci fi and fantasy at its best…

NOW ON SALE for .99

Buy it now!  http://www.books2read.com/SonOfTheEmperor

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PRINCE OF JIRAN, The Last War: Book Five

Shandro, Prince of the Penrhy tribe, disagrees with his father, Sovereign Pollack, on nearly every issue that arises between them. But his goal is to uphold the family values in spite of Pollack’s conniving moves. Then he is sent on a mission to find Princess Chinata and bring her  through the Khandarken mountains. She is to be the bride of the Advisor  to Emperor Carlton.

n exchange Jiran is granted a peace agreement, protection against invasion by the Emperor’s troops which are hovering  on their borders. But not far into the journey, it becomes apparent

someone is not adhering to the deal. Should Shandro carry out his task to bring Princess Chinata to Jiran,  or does he become her defender against all odds? Only time will tell, as he digs deeper into the background of the Princess and her ties to the New Empire.

TO BE RELEASED SOON, WATCH FOR IT!

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READER TEAM

Are you an avid reader? Would you like to be a member of my Reader Team? You would get advance copies of each book before it is released, with a chance to be first to leave a review. There’s still room! Email me at this  address   sylviegraysonauthor@gmail.com  or leave a comment below with the topic – Reader Team.  Please specify Contemporary Romantic Suspense or Sci fi/ Fantasy.  (Some prefer both ? )  Many thanks!

 

Inundated With Tomatoes

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Fall is here at last. The tomatoes went crazy in my garden this year. They grew so tall they pulled the tomato cages over. I had to stake them up with thick bamboo stakes and use string to tie them on. Then the fruit came—baskets of ripe tomatoes. Right beside the tomatoes were two cucumber vines that kept spitting out large prickly cukes. What to do with all that food?

I gave a bunch away, but looked for recipes to use it. This is a gazpacho soup which used both a ton of tomatoes and a bunch of cucumber. Perfect!

I loved it. My husband said he wasn’t used to this kind of food, and although it was very good, it left him wondering what was for dinner!

Recipe –

Large prickly cucumber, peeled and sliced

Tomatoes in equal amount to the cuke

2 cloves garlic

¾ c. red onion

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Parsley leaves, handful

Oregano leaves, handful

Put through blender till smooth and season to taste with salt, pepper, Worchestershire sauce, bruschetta spices. Slice an avocado and add to soup, cool in refrigerator. Serve with crusty bread, toasted, and topped with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

What do you do with  your tomatoes?

Discouragement and Optimism – can we choose?

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I came across an old book of poetry entitled Homespun, by Wilhelmina Stitch. It was published in 1930, the price – one shilling net. The language is formal, but very interesting to read. Here is one that caught my eye—an uplifting poem.

The True Optimist

He’s not an optimist because he found

all wheels oiled within the daily round;

his life was not an ordered, easy thing,

with ne’er a pin to prick or lash to sting.

But when to him discouragements drew near

he found the lamp of hope to banish fear.

 

However steep the hill, yet would he climb,

saying with smiles: “The peak is mine in time.”

And though he walked along a humble street,

yet would he say, “Life’s kernel is still sweet,

and though I’m poor I’m rich in friendship’s gold,

and I have much that can’t be bought or sold.

The weather’s bad today, better tomorrow;

and I’ll know joy again after this sorrow.”

 

He didn’t shut his eyes and call all fair.

He faced the murk and saw stars shining there.

Said he, “There’s joy and grief and sun and shade;

there’s balm and pain; and rough and smooth the grade;

so I will travel on, star-led, sun-kissed,

trusting in God—a thinking optimist.”

 

This little poem is different from today’s offerings. It’s about someone who walks an ordinary road, with the same difficulties and setbacks we all face. And it’s encouraging to read. What do you do when you get discouraged?

Khandarken Rising, chaos and redemption in sci fi/fantasy

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“The scooter frame jolted under the impact of bullets hitting the fender. Beth’s brother, Abe, felt a strange sense of destiny. A moment ago he’d thought he could be injured when he saw the first aerial coming at him, but now realized he was under attack and may not even survive the encounter.
As suddenly as it started, the scooters backed off and faded into the forest on either side. To his astonishment, they simply disappeared. Then a military transport rounded the corner and came toward him down the Southern Highway. Its lights swept the roadway and showed no one there but Abe on a damaged solar scooter limping painfully toward Romeo Road and home.”

The Last War, Book One by SylvieGrayson

The Last War: Khandarken Rising. Book One.

Major Dante Regiment must find a way to protect Beth, as the Emperor is not the only one causing chaos in Khandarken

Bethlehem Farmer is helping her brother Abram run Farmer Holdings in south Khandarken after their father died in the final battles. She is looking after the dispossessed, keeping the farm productive and the talc mine working in the hills behind their land. But when Abram takes a trip with Uncle Jade into the northern territory and disappears without a trace, she’s left on her own. Suddenly things are not what they seem and no one can be trusted.

Major Dante Regiment is sent by his father, the General of Khandarken, to find out what the situation is at Farmer Holdings. What he sees shakes him to the core and fuels his grim determination to protect Bethlehem at all cost, even with his life.

books2read.com/KhandarkenRising

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Copyright and ISBN – simplified

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Copyright and ISBN (International Standard Book Number)*

In the simplest terms, copyright means ‘the right to copy’. In general it means the sole right to produce or reproduce work, or a substantial part of it. If it is unpublished, copyright includes the right to publish the work or any substantial part of it. By defining it by ‘substantial’ it is electing to leave out reproduction of minor parts of a work, as quotes are often used in reviews or discussions.

What is covered by copyright law? A work must be original and can include literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works or compilations. Copyright is granted the moment the work, whether professional or amateur, is created. There is no distinction between production of work for profit or hobby. Literary work includes anything that is written, such as speeches, essays and books and may be in any form. Dramatic works include the characters, scenes, relationship between characters, dialogue and dramatic expression. That’s interesting because I didn’t realize the characters we create as novelists would also be protected.

How do you obtain copyright in Canada? All powers to legislate copyright law are in the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada, by virtue of the Constitution Act 1867. Yet, copyright exists at the moment of creation of a work in Canada.

Some have promoted the ‘kitchen sink’ method of copyright. This was obtained by mailing a copy of the written work to yourself and once received, leaving it sealed in the envelope. You now had a copy of the work with a date and time provided by the post mark, proving your possession prior to any possible publication by someone else. My mother preferred that method, and had me mail her poems to her before she put them out to the public to give herself some assurance she could prove ownership.

The Canadian government offers a formal way to obtain copyright but it is not free. Currently, if the work and fee are submitted online, the cost is $50. If it is done other than online, such as by mail, the cost is $65 per work. Go to the official website to learn more – https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr02281.html

How long does copyright last? Generally in Canada it lasts for the life of the author, plus 50 years. Therefore protection expires on December 31 of the 50th year after the author of the work dies. However, if the original author assigns ownership to another, either personal or corporate, it only lasts for 25 years after the author’s death.

The ISBN is different. It is a system of numerical identification, again provided by the federal government, for books, pamphlets, educational kits, microforms, CD-ROMs and other digital and electronic publications. Assigning a unique number to each published title provides that title with its own, unduplicated, internationally recognized identifier. Each different format of an electronic publication (e.g., Kindle, Kobo, EPUB, MOBI, PDF) that is published and made separately available shall be given a separate ISBN.

I didn’t know this. I was aware the print book had one ISBN and the ebook had a separate one, but this says each type of ebook requires its own number.

How is the ISBN used? Publishers, booksellers, libraries and others in the book industry use ISBNs to identify publications and determine the publishing country. An ISBN is required for the sale and distribution of a publication. Originally the numbers in Canada were 10 digits in length, but changed to a 13-digit number as of January 1, 2007. To learn more or apply for ISBN numbers, go to the government website – http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/isbn-canada/Pages/create-account-isbn-canada.aspx

Luckily, these numbers are free in Canada. The Library and Archives Canada assigns 10 numbers upon application. When they have been used, another 10 are assigned for your exclusive use.

*Information courtesy of Wikipedia and Library and Archives Canada