Last night was a good night. I did not get any writing done on my WIP but I did start a new Face book page for Sci Fi and Fantasy authors:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/indiescififanbookpromo/

 This is strictly a Sci Fi / Fantasy  book promotion page…yeah it is typical — books are promoted, and there is indiscriminant threads about the genre. It is nothing out of the ordinary…or is it?

When I wanted to find a FaceBook page that was strictly devoted to Sci Fi I did not find one. I found Sci Fi pages with a lot of chat and book reviews…but none, where Sci Fi was the main book promo…now there is.

 “Sure, but what about the fantasy… there are pages devoted to fantasy out there!”

 Right you are. And they are two separate genres and both stand solidly on their own. But, how boring would it be though if every single Sci Fi were alike? Space travel…fancy gadgets…seductive women…find Alien…fight Alien…good guy wins…the end. Unfortunately that is how it was years ago.

Boom – Star Wars. Something a little different, Yoda had the Force…magic of sorts. A crossover element from fantasy. The good guy may have won in the end but not without struggle, defeats, lose, and internal conflicts. A new era in space travel was born. Even Star Trek became better with the aspect of time travel ala Space Portals, thanks Scotty.

To say we should remain purest is defeating the whole concept of providing anew and robust experience to the reader. A reader wants to be shocked, scared, frightened, worried, curious, and looking for the surprise. They want to suspect something then have it happen. They want fun and spontaneity. They also want to be aroused, cry, moved to anger, hate, and in some cases predictability. They also want attachment to a character or place. Sci Fi today does all that by combine the emotional aspect of romance (Princes Leia and Han Solo) and the fantasy elements of wizardry, magic, evil demonic villains and so on. To me adding fantasy to Science Fiction enhances the experience, but that’s me. There are purest who want the typical, space travel, alien conflict, human wins, scenarios and that is fine too. What ever floats your boat.   

Joshua Sylcox

If my window was shattered by life,

Would you stay? Walk out the door,

Never look back,

Not stay

Would you stay?

Help me glue the peaces,

Back into the frame,

Would I be left behind just sitting?

Alone in the glass of life,

Hoping that everything will be alright,

While I sit staring,

Out a broken window of life.

Tales from the Village Green: Collected Tales, Volume 1 brings together the first five of Michael White’s well-loved cricket stories, stories of friendship, heroism, and fierce battles on the cricket pitch.

Included in this collection:

“Never Give Up”: After another poor performance, John is dropped from Welmsworth Seconds, and at 61 years old thinks his career in village cricket might be over for good. Then he gets one last chance to prove himself.

“The Substitute”: Mewteth Seconds are one player short for the game that could decide which team goes up and which team goes down from Cornish League Seven East. Mewteth’s captain has found a substitute player, but only if Trevor, the captain of Ramswell Seconds, agrees. The guy has an unusual name, but what does it matter? He’s never played cricket before.

“The Twelfth Man”: Kevin Green is his school cricket team’s perennial twelfth man. On the unlikely occasions that he gets to play, he bats eleven, doesn’t bowl, and fields at fine leg. Then one day, his form teacher, Mr. Woodhouse, asks him to play a real game – for Highfield’s men’s team. Kevin finally has a chance to prove he can play, but will he end up as hero or zero?

“Searching for W.G.”: Jimmy Wentworth is known as a stonewaller and has no chance of making the team for the Twenty20 Knockout Cup final. That is until he receives a mysterious message, and begins to grow a rather famous beard.

“Grandad’s Old Bat”: Kenny is looking forward to trying out for his school team. What he’s not looking forward to is using his grandad’s tatty old bat. Used during his grandad’s only first class century, Kenny isn’t convinced that if he uses the bat special things could happen.

©2013 Michael White (P)2014 Phillip J Mather