Starting a new series involving Tai-Chi - by Vijaya Schartz

 

Find more of my books on the BWL site HERE

I wrote many series, mainly science fiction and fantasy, and each time I say goodbye to one to start another, it’s a bittersweet experience. I am sad for leaving the angel ship Blue Phantom behind. It’s like letting go of grownup children so they can have their own life.

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I wrote three series in the Azura universe, populated with strong heroines, brave heroes, and galactic supervillains: Azura Chronicles, Byzantium, and Blue Phantom. In that universe, Avenging Angels with special powers fought sinister entities to maintain the balance of good and evil throughout their galaxy. I find it difficult to leave that special world behind. But in this vast universe, I can imagine many worlds and civilizations coexisting very far apart. The new worlds I create now might even collide with the old ones at some point.

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Write about what you know is one of the golden rules of writing. I was always a Martial Artist, and maybe you can tell from my female warriors and epic battle scenes. But for well over a decade, I’ve also immersed myself in the world of Tai-Chi, the way of the peaceful warrior, and the energy of Chi-Gong. I studied, I practiced daily, and now, although I remain a lifetime student, I have also become a teacher.

Celebrating Global Tai-Chi Day in the park, with a few of my students.

So, I came up with a premise for a three-book series called THE PROTECTORS. The setting will be a post-apocalyptic planet after a cataclysmic event that wiped out most of the population. As the planet recovers slowly, the feudal society is reorganizing around the populated hubs, and among the surviving nobles, the race for power is on. Soldiers are recruited to fight the barbarians unfurling on the plains. Their weapons of choice are the sword, the spear, the bow, and they ride horses.

The heart of the series is a Tai-Chi temple built like a fortress atop a steep outcrop in the desert. At the main courtyard entrance, between two giant stone pillars, is a Celestial Gate, constructed eons ago by space travelers from other parts of the universe.

The Protectors are a special corps of elite warriors trained at the temple and sworn to protect the gate.

There will be plenty of action and adventure, some scary characters, a little romance, intrigue, and drama. Things and people are not always what they seem. But even if you get scared for the main characters, good will prevail over evil forces at the very end.

I’m enjoying plotting and writing this new series. The first book will be released in November 2025. You still have time to read my other books.

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Happy reading!

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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A Glance Back: Rodo Sofranac Remembers AAA’s Beginning

 

Internationally celebrated writer of groundbreaking books on the business practices, traditions, and languages of China, Japan, Korea, and Mexico, Boye Lafayette De Mente founded the Arizona Authors Association in 1978 and became its first president. He established a monthly newsletter and brought famous authors, agents, editors, publishers, and book distributors from around the country to Arizona to lead spring and fall writers’ seminars under the AAA banner. Within one year, De Mente had recruited over 400 members into the AAA. The following year, he created the annual Arizona Literary Contest and the Arizona Literary Magazine. While leading the AAA for the next seven years, De Mente continued as a prolific writer and small press publisher, becoming an approved vendor for leading U.S. bookstores, and shipping books to Australia, Japan, Europe, and South Africa.

Current AAA member Rodo Sofranac was brought into the AAA by De Mente during the early years of the organization. He kindly offers his memories of those crucial first years, and his ideas for the future of the organization.

Rodo: In the early 80s Boye came to address a creative writing workshop I had enrolled in at Paradise Valley Community College. He was forthright, unpretentious; he advised us to write from the heart, and not to look for fame and fortune. These admonitions were exactly what I had needed to hear—I had wanted to write children’s books, and my wife had joked that I shouldn’t leave my day job!

Boye expressed his belief that you don’t achieve anything all by yourself; he advised us not to hesitate to call on others for advice. At the time he was trying to get the AAA going as a collaborative organization, where writers could share ideas, share successes and defeats, prop each other up. He felt that the meaning of life is in building relationships, that one’s life is defined by building relationships. That was Boye’s philosophy for AAA.

A great highlight of the early years was the acknowledgment that Arizona wasn’t just a hick state with dirt and cacti, that its diversity in geology, plants, and animals extended to its people—especially regarding thought and philosophy. Boye brought widely diverse people together to share each other’s work. One suddenly felt not so alone as a writer. The communal feeling among the members was the big highlight of those early years.

About eight years ago the organization felt a bit like parents going through a divorce. But through the strength and resilience of the group, we snapped back and continued to be there for each other. As Boye had originally intended, the organization offers mutuality and relationships. I find it easy to recommend AAA to other writers—it’s financially economic to join, and there are lots of activities to participate in, lots of opportunities to learn and to teach, to pass on knowledge. That’s what distinguishes people from animals: the proclivity to pass on learning.

There’s so much talent in Arizona. I’d like to see relationships develop with Amazon and B&N, where local authors are celebrated and promoted. I’d like to see the independent community bookstores feature events with local authors. Maybe AAA could do more along those lines, could do a bit more to promote the purchase of books from local authors. I’d like to see AAA develop relationships with the schools, creating opportunities for speakers/readers, who would make presentations for minimum stipends and create markets for their books. AAA could help organize that.

With a degree in psychology from Cornell University, Phoenix resident Rodo Sofranac also has a teacher certification from Cleveland State and an MBA from ASU. Born in Montenegro—formerly Yugoslavia—Rodo fled with his family to Austria, later immigrating to the US. A writer, teacher, trainer, and translator, he has over 45 years of business, education, and community experiences. He was executive director of Phoenix Habitat for Humanity, and has chaired various local, state, and national organizations. For eight years Rodo was the program director for AZ Leader Force, bringing together political, business, faith, and other community stakeholders around Quality of Life issues. As a private sector volunteer, he has been involved in policy research and formation in the area of workforce development. Elected National Chair, he worked closely with the National Governors’ Association, Departments of Labor and Education, Congress members, public and private economic development organizations, and workforce development and education agencies from the local to the international levels. See https://rodowrites.com 

New Release: Until Italy: A Traveler's Memoir - by Debra VanDeventer

 

Find it on Amazon HERE

Her life was calm, comfortable, predictable… Until Italy

Debra has settled into a routine in retirement—planning meals in advance, scheduling laundry and grocery shopping days, and eating lunch in the same local sandwich shop. She lives her life in a bubble. A bubble that is slowly suffocating her. On the eve of a monumental birthday, she decides she must escape. Her ticket: Italy.

Along with an endearing cast of supporting characters—husband Ed and best friends Anne and Scott—Debra leaves familiar ground behind in search of adventure. How far is she willing to go? Travel with Debra as she swigs limoncello in Sorrento, ponders the mysteries of Pompeii, explores the Amalfi coast, copes with loss on the Mediterranean shore, abandons a sight-seeing bus in Sicily, considers Italian lingerie, and finds her way to sunrise over Venice.

Through Debra’s eyes, you will experience the challenges and adventures of an ordinary traveler transformed by an extraordinary country.

Debra VanDeventer is a storyteller. This skill, along with her passion for reading and writing, have served her well in her experiences as an educator. Now, she focuses her creative energy into writing. Her style can best be described as creative non-fiction as small moments bloom into words. Debra is the author of two books: "Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life" and "Until Italy: A Traveler's Memoir". She is an active member of the Oro Valley Writers' Forum and has published in both of their anthologies. In addition, her short stories have appeared in the "Desert Leaf" and "Oro Valley Style" magazines. "Out of the Crayon Box" was selected to be featured at the 2024 Tucson Festival of Books.

Visit Debra's Blog:  https://seamslikeastory.com/