Pat Bertram's Blog
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Apr.11.2011
I am a guest blogger at John Ottinger’s Science Fiction Fantasy News and Reviews blog, Grasping for the Wind. Please stop by and say hi. It will be nice to have company. It’s my first blog appearance for Light Bringer, my first as a science fiction writer (though to be honest, I’m not sure I am).
I...
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Apr.09.2011
Spring is greening the desert. Creosote bushes are growing, weeds are sprouting up, native grasses are taking hold, cactuses are coming alive. I marvel that so much comes from almost nothing. A bit of water, a bit of sandy soil, a bit of sun, and something exists where nothing did before. I cherish...
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Apr.07.2011
“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” –Diane Arbus, noted American photographer
Out walking the other day, I noticed an incredible shadow of a tree on the sidewalk, and I had to stop and take a picture. I happened to pass at just the right time. In a few...
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Mar.31.2011
It's been twice nine months since Light Bringer was accepted for publication, but it has finally arrived!! Born on March 27, 2011, it weighs a mere one pound, and is 8.5 inches tall. Small for a human baby, but just the right size for a newborn book. I counted all it's Ts and Os, and am pleased to...
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Mar.08.2011
Spring is greening the desert. Creosote bushes are growing, weeds are sprouting up, native grasses are taking hold, cactuses are coming alive. I marvel that so much comes from almost nothing. A bit of water, a bit of sandy soil, a bit of sun, and something exists where nothing did before. I cherish...
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Mar.06.2011
Second Wind Publishing is joining with smashwords.com to celebrate Read-An-Ebook Week. All Second Wind titles are on sale for half-price at Smashwords from March 6 through March 12. That means each book is only $2.50! There is no limit to the number of ebooks you can purchase at this price.
You...
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Feb.21.2011
Pat: What is your book about?
A. F.: My latest book is a collection of short fiction and poetry, Once Upon a Dark and Eerie… It’s a mishmash of drabbles, flash fiction, short stories and poetry written in the genres of dark fantasy, sci-fi and horror. It’s also my first foray into publishing a...
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Feb.18.2011
How much of a story do you have in mind before you start writing it?
I start with a protagonist and his conflict; most times I have the ending in mind and simply write to it, although often the ending is amended depending on what happens prior to my getting there. Everything before that – the...
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Feb.17.2011
I thought a fun way to introduce the authors of Second Wind Publishing, LLC (or at least the ones who wanted to be introduced) would be to have them answer three simple questions so you can see how different authors perceive themselves and their writing. The questions:
1. What is writing like for...
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Feb.16.2011
I just finished taking a look at two thrillers, both big, slick, well-touted works. Although they had interesting plots, there were so many point-of-view characters and so many incidents that the stories never seemed to go anywhere. I finally got tired of the words yip-yip-yipping at me and closed...
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Feb.12.2011
What is your book about?
School of Lies is a funny mystery novel about a bunch of teachers who work in a dysfunctional, urban high school. The stressful environment is a perfect catalyst for the murder that takes place. My new book, Deadly Traffic takes a teacher out of her comfort zone into the...
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Feb.06.2011
I received several rejection letters from publishers and editors over the years saying they liked Light Bringer, that the story was unique and well-written but they’d have to pass because they didn’t know how to sell it. My reaction each time was, “What????” I mean, it’s a book — you put it in a...
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Feb.04.2011
Circalit has just announced a competition to find the next big crime fiction blockbuster, with winning entries being submitted to the leading literary agency, A.P. Watt. They are hosting the competition online where the public can read all submissions and vote for their favourite novels. The top...
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Jan.12.2011
Did you ever see “When Harry Met Sally?” At the end Meg Ryan tells Billy Crystal she really hates him, but the subtext of that dialogue is love and longing, betrayal and hope. All that from a few simple words.
Subtext in dialogue comes from context. If we didn’t know their situation (and if we hadn...
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Dec.31.2010
If you haven't already entered the contest to win a copy of every book Second Wind Publishing will release in 2011, click here and leave a comment on the Second Wind blog. That's all you need to do to! (Besides keeping your fingers crossed, that is). All these books are scheduled to be released in...
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About Pat
When the traditional publishers stopped publishing Pat Bertram’s favorite type of book — character and story driven novels that can’t easily be slotted into a genre — she decided to write her own. Daughter Am I is Bertram’s third novel. She is also the author...
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