Multiverse Paradox Video

I found this on a blog I frequent called SF-Fandom. Normally I don't like to repost blogs I have already read but this was just HILARIOUS. It really gets you to understand the multiverse and its many complexities. Alright, not so much understand...more like braing boggling in a humorous way...but it gets you thinking. Like "what the heck is he talking about!? Serious!?". It truly is quite intrigueing though. Sit through the 5 minutes. It's worth it!

Deluge: Book Three of The Twins of Petaybee

The mass market paperback copy of "Deluge: Book Three of The Twins of Petaybee" by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough will be released March 24, 2009! Over one year after the original publication of the Hardcover version but well worth the product of two talented authors working collaboratively...and of course the affordability.

From the back cover:
"In Powers That Be, Power Lines and Power Play Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough told the story of a sentient planet, Petaybee. Now they have returned to Petaybee and introduced the reader to Ronan and Murel, twins who can transform into seals and converse telepathically with the creatures of Petaybee. Ronan and Murel have left Petaybee on a mission to help rescue their friend Marmie, who has been falsely arrested on the orders of a corrupt Colonel. However, they end up being imprisoned themselves and taken to the Gwinnet Incarceration Colony. There they have to try to evade the clutches of their old adversary Dr Mabu, an unscrupulous scientist who wants to study their unusual shape-changing ability, and doesn't care how much pain her experiments cause them. Meanwhile, the powerful and avaricious Company is making another attempt to take over the world of Petaybee for its resources, and the twins' parents, Yana and Sean, along with the entire planet, must fight to survive..."

If you haven't read Changelings (Book 1) or Maelstrom (Book 2) I highly suggest obtaining copies and reading them in anticipation for this release. Well worth the time and money invested in this collection!

Star Trek 11: New HD Trailer

Just released: the latest Star Trek 11 Trailer in HD! This one is from Kirk's perspective, the last from Spock's. I haven't been excited about the last few Star Trek releases or Television series, but this one looks like it won't dissapoint! Can't wait for it to be released May 8, 2009.

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince: Behind the Scenes

If you have not already seen it, a new video has been released with Behind the Scenes footage for Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince which releases in theatres July 17th, 2009. You can view the video in HD on YouTube.



Join Harry Potter and the rest of the group as they begin their 6th year at Hogwarts school of Witchcrat and Wizardry. During the 6th year Harry finds a incredibly old book with the inscription "This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince". He also starts to learn a little more about Lord Voldemort's long and dark past!

Read an E-Book Week Begins!

If you did not already know, March 8th-14th is "Read an E-Book Week"! Save a tree or two, cleanse your hands of their blood (It's just sap but you get the point) and enjoy this guilt free week! Visit the official website of Read an E-Book Week and find numerous resources and partners that are allowing you to read their books for free! One of which is Random House who recently released their Free Fantasy and Science Fiction Library, Suduvu, on March 4th 2009.

The Suduvu Free Book Library currently features work from Naomi Novik, Robin Hobb, Harry Turtledove, Kim Stanley Robinson and T.A. Pratt. From each author a series is chosen, and the first book of that series is completely free to download and read! This is a clever marketing strategy on their part, but in the end we all win! I have already begun reading "Blood Engines" by T.A. Pratt and would have never picked up this book if it hadn't been for this promotion. This is a great opportunity to expand your literary horizons.

Featured Fantasy Creature: the Drog

Periodically I create a write-up on a fantasy creature that is featured in some of my short stories. This posts Featured Fantasy Creature: the Drog.

The name is derived from "frog" and "dragon" because of the wings amazing similiarity to that of a dragons. These awkward creatures are fun to watch fly through the forest and over grass fields. With their plump frog-like bodies and dragon-like wings, they soar through the air one short flight at a time.

Their leathery membrane wings can support them for only short distances, approximately three yards, and then they plummit to the ground, landing on all four legs with a thud. Their eyes protrude from the head slightly and are normally a shade of amber. There are two sets of eyelids that flicker open and shut every few seconds. With four sets of legs, the hind legs are approximately twice the size as the front legs to propel them off of the object they sit and into the air. The back two webbed extremities include five digits; the front two consist of four digits.

Their skin is sleak, smooth, and cool to the touch. The body and wings are of very similiar color with the wings being a slighly lighter shade of the body color. Common types include emeralds (green) and browns (brown). Uncommon types include silver (gray). Rare types include goldens (yellow). There may be undiscovered color variations at this time. Some Drogs have splotches or patches of varying colors upon their skin but are not a prominent feature. Few scholars believe this is a sort of camoflouge some are developing, while others believe these Drogs are impure and abominations of nature.

Upon sensing danger these creatures will merely stop moving all together in hopes that their perceived predator glances past them and moves on. Effective, at times, but this could be the very reason they are quite rare to come across in the wild since most of the time their predators win the encounter. I never claimed they were very smart.

Many have tried capturing these creatures with little success. Thus far those that have managed to do so end up no better in the end. Each captive Drog seems to rather die then move to eat, drink, or even procreate.

Most of the species are believed to be males; with a belief that the golden Drogs are the females. Mating has never been witnessed, but most likely it takes place in the privacy of thick forests and other areas with dense vegitation and coverage.

All artwork in this post copyright Ursula Vernon.

"Dragon Girl"

A child's imagination is an amazing thing. I love dragons, and my 2 year old daughter, almost 3, does too! I occassionally call her my "Dragon Girl" and she will even growl and breathe fire at me occassionally! I haven't taught her that dragon's breathe fire so I'm not exactly sure where she got that from but it is funny to watch her face as she produces the "flame".

She loves dragons on a whole new level though. In our son's room, which used to be the office and my wife's craft room, there are numerous dragon statues ranging in size from 10"-18" tall and quite impressive in my opinion. Anyway, one day Dragon Girl was in the room with us while we were putting our son to sleep for the night. All of a sudden she started making a throwing motion towards the dragons which are on a high shelf. I asked her what she was doing and she said quite matter of fact "Feeding the dragons daddy". And boy was she feeding the dragons.

Apparently they enjoyed it as much as she did! Soon Dragon Girl was telling me to sit on the dragon so we could fly through the house together. "Like this daddy!" she commanded. It was pretty hilarious, all I could do was smile and well...get on the dragon with her! It was a fantastic ride through the hallway...I was only corrected once on how to ride the dragon. After the trip through the hallway and into the dining room and back, the dragon flew back to his perch on the top shelf; tired and well fed.

Quite an amazing journey and an amazing daughter indeed.