Science Helps to put Poachers in Jail

Picture from RhODIS presentation - see link in text

This is not my normal type of blog, but today I thought to mention something which I thought was quite amazing. If you had paid any attention to the news the past few months you would have learned about the rhino poaching that has been going on in South Africa. And not even far away from my own home.

As a fellow animal lover, you will understand the feeling of violence that overcomes me when I hear about another rhino cow killed for her horn (my husband does have a very graphic way of explaining his feelings on the matter too). And to make matters worse her baby died too, either as a direct result of the killing or later on when it died of starvation. Rhino calves depend on their mothers for quite a while, and if they not found in time, they will die.

That is where science comes in. They cannot, as yet, prevent the rhinos from being senselessly slaughtered, but they can help to put the criminals in jail.

If you are like me who thought that the DNA from one animal species is pretty much the same as the next, think again. The University of Pretoria’s Veterinary Department at Onderstepoort, has developed a DNA test that could uniquely identify each rhino that was killed when a sample of the horn is tested.

If the police then catches someone in possession of a rhino horn, Dr Harper and her team can then tell to which rhino it used to belong. Evidence that then puts the people involved in jail.

One for the justice system, I would say.

The team consist of only five people who have done this ground breaking work, and they are in need of funding. Check out the links to see the work done in South Africa to try and protect the dwindling rhino population and how Dr Harper’s work benefits the efforts to put these people behind bars.

Abstract: The Story or the Hype?

By the time your book is finished and almost ready for publication, the publisher (and sometimes even the cover designer) will want to have the abstract for the back cover of your novel. We all know that it is the cover of the book that makes someone pick it up from all the others on the bookshelf - even an ebook bookshelf. The decision to buy then rests on the abstract of the book printed on the back, or the inside of the dust cover.

Unless you are a famous best-selling author, it is those few words that will convince a potential reader to buy your book. Those 100 to 150 words that could say so much, and yet can also be construed as just a load of hype. Where do you draw the line?

As with the first chapter, you want to hook your reader into reading the next chapter, and the next. The same applies to the abstract: you want to grab the attention of a potential reader, and yet you shouldn’t give away the whole plot.

Of course, with a romance novel, a happy ending is expected, but the abstract should entice the reader to take the journey with your hero (or heroine) on his quest to win the fight, and the heart of his true love. In a mystery novel, the sense of the unexpected remains the ultimate thrill on this ride to finding whodunnit.

The abstract of Keeper of the Dragon Sword has a long way to go still, and that selection of words will require some fine tuning to make sure that just the right balance can be found to tell the story, and yet not give away Elizabeth's battle to be the Dragon Master.

Keeper of the Dragon Sword: Cover Proposals

I was given the above three options as the cover design for Keeper of the Dragon Sword. When I show this to friends, the majority prefer the design on the right, while some also like the design on the left. My personal choice is the the right hand design as well. The design is not yet final, but I think it is almost perfect as is.

The final images are still to be uploaded by the designer, before it can be used. The photograph of the sword was taken by Francois Venter. 

The sword belongs to a friend who had generously lent it to me for the cover of this book. His blades will definitely make the cover of other books in the series as well.

Editing and Rewrites

Finishing Keeper of the Dragon Sword is not going to plan. If it did, I would have been finished by now. The cover design is getting there (looking great actually) and only a few tweaks here and there, and it will be done. I wish I could say the same of the contents.

The hold-up is me of course. The editing is more than just fixing a few spelling mistakes, and language errors. In chapter 4 there is a mating scene in the original text that never quite worked. The writing is fine and the scene is fine, but it did not fit the plot, not so early in the story at least. Moving it to a later time slot won't have the same impact on the story, so I needed to change it. Change the whole thing.

The two dragons did need to meet. The sexual tension needed to be established, but an actual mating did not quite fit. Not yet.

The editing will hopefully now proceed with more enthusiasm, as that scene is now sorted and my mind can move on to the next. It might need another edit, but in terms of the plot, it works much better now. There is another scene rewrite coming, and this one will be a touch more difficult. Writing a sex scene can be a challenge. Writing, or rather rewriting, the first sexual encounter between two people after they were involved in a violent sexual ritual, now that is not going to be easy.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Before I even can get to that problem scene, I need to finish editing chapters 5 to 8 first. Progress is on the cards this week.

Are eBooks the only choice now?

As a writer I love books. I love to read, collect and write books. I like the feel of the paper in my hands, and yet I also love my Kindle. It must sound strange, but each has it place. Relaxing in a hot bubble bath after a long day, does not quite feel the same holding a Kindle, and yet it is perfect with a book.

Once Géra's Gift was published it only felt real once I held the paper copy of it in my hand, but then again, I got the same thrill once the ebook versions became available too. Call it writer's insanity of you wish.

Is the future going to include only ebooks? I don't know, but I hope that printed books will be around for another few years. Otherwise my bath time will not be the same anymore.

Keeper of the Dragon Sword - a first peek

The cover design is not progressing as well as I had hoped, but that is entirely my own fault - not the designer's. I have been spending time on the final editing though, and here is a sneak preview of a part of the opening scene in Chapter 1.

Slowly she opened her eyes, and again the shock was almost too much. She must have imagined it. Probably too much stress. This time however, she managed not to faint.
“Hey,” the ghost of her past said softly.
She tried to sit up, but her arms and legs felt too weak to do as her brain commanded. She gave up and laid back down.
“Randall Storm?” she asked in a shaking voice.
“Hello, Elizabeth,” he said in that husky voice she used to love so much.
Elizabeth looked up at the man quietly watching her. Physically he was bigger than she remembered, his shoulders broad and the light jacket he wore could not hide the power in his arms and upper body. Quietness and maturity surrounded him, and she sensed a tremendous strength in him. She also sensed something more, but could not identify it. His blue eyes were his most potent physical asset, and she always felt that he could look into her soul when he looked at her, like now.
She moved to get up from the bed. “Why are you here? And why are we in ... this bedroom?”
“This is your mate's room?” It was decorated in shades of cream and brown, but it looked empty.
"Yes."
Once on her feet, she still felt dizzy. It's been hours since she last ate, no wonder her legs were weak. She stumbled, and he easily lifted her into his arms. Without thinking, she put her arms around his neck for support. They left the bedroom and he took her back to the main room where he gently put her back on the couch where she had been sitting when he arrived.
He sat down on the table in front of her and took her hands in his. The simple gesture filled her with dread.
“I have some bad news."

Finding a new Challenge Everyday

"Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets."

- Author Unknown - 

Bleeding for my next Book Cover

With the final editing of Keeper of the Dragon Sword still underway, I was fortunate enough to win the cover design of the book from JD Smith, a professional designer.

The picture is a photograph of my hand holding a very sharp Japanese sword. The blood is not real, just a trick the photographer, Francois Venter, employed to make it look like my hand was cut.

This is not the picture for the cover, I will keep that for a suprise for now, but it is exciting to see the words in the book come to life on the cover.

I have often read books where simple things described in the text where captured in graphic detail on the cover, and that makes the final packaging of even my books a lot of fun.

The Day after the Night before

Last night was the launch of Géra's Gift at Cherry Berry Café in Centurion, and I had a blast. There were not so many people as expected, but none of us let that stand in our way. We laughed and talked and made new friends, all the while catching up with the friends we already had.

Not to mention the nice food, the great coffee and the terrific cheese cake that graced the tables. I even got to take some home with me. And if I may be so bold as to quote Martin (the one on the dedication list in Géra's Gift), 'some things taste even better the day after'. He was referring to the cheese cake, and I heard no complaints from anybody else.

Will I hold a book launch again? Or even a book signing? The answer is yes. To both questions. Not only to promote the book, but meeting new people and talking about books, writing and even publishing is always an opportunity that I don't want to miss out on.

The next book in the series is in the final editing stage. Keeper of the Dragon Sword is going to give me nightmares for the coming weeks, until I get it done. Better get back to it, then.

Butterfly or Broomstick: Internet Marketing

Whether it is a butterfly or broomstick remains to be seen. I have started an online internet marketing course, and have immediately found myself out of my depth. Of course, the lingo is familiar, and I know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) writing, having a quite a bit of that myself. What I do find difficult, or rather unfamiliar, is the actual marketing part. Not only was it interesting to learn how many South Africans do not have internet access from a computer, it was amazing to learn that our nation love our social media sites. This is mostly through the use of mobile phones, since everyone has one of those, it seems.

The latest attempt to make me feel quite ignorant - after no fault of the course itself, I assure you - was the homework assignment to create a website. Not only did I feel really stupid, having never even attempted this before, I only had to read the blogs to realise that my fellow student were struggling as well. And most of them are half my age!

After gathering courage, by all means I could, I registered on the prescribed website that allows free webpages to be hosted there, and tried my hand at creating a webpage of my own. And to my greatest joy, and not without the prerequisite amount of cursing, I got it designed, saved and published. And all that on my first attempt.

It is active but not yet complete, as I am still learning, but take a look - here - and watch my progress as I learn more about internet marketing.

Géra's Gift launches in Centurion, South Africa

Where to find Géra's Gift

Géra's Gift, the first book in the series of the Grandmasters, is now available at these websites:

1. www.linzebrandon.com

2. www.amazon.com

3. www.barnesandnoble.com

or contact your local bookstore.

Back of Book:

T’ara knew that loving Géra would never be simple, but when his life’s ambition is within his grasp, she could not stand in the way of his dream.

Thrown together in battle for the very survival of their people, the young magicians quickly realised that they had been suffering for the choices they had been forced to make in the past.

But when T’ara willingly submitted to a ritual that could cost her her life, Géra knew that they had come to a crossroads. The problem they now faced was whether this sacrifice could gift them a future together or separate them forever?

Géra's Gift - for real!

I have not yet stopped smiling since I got my first copies of Géra's Gift this week. While it is not yet available to buy, it will be available as hard copy and e-book versions, from the publisher and Amazon.

It might take a while for the realization that I am now a published writer to sink in, but until then I am like a kid with a new toy.

I don't think the thrill is going to wear off very soon.

Butterflies or Broomsticks: The Discipline of Freelance Writing

Today it will be a broomstick. Since starting to do freelance writing, I have come to realise that writing takes a lot more discipline than I thought when starting out. Deadlines are the essence of freelance projects and sometimes it takes more out of me than I would care to admit. Since I do the writing part-time (yes, I do have a full-time job) sitting down in front of my computer after a hard day at work, is not always easy.

Aside from the deadlines that loom over my head, the subject matter can be either difficult to just be excited about, or takes a few hours of research to get the facts straight. And then I still have to write the required number of words for each article. The hardest is where the project requires many articles on the same subject, and then the creative juices tend to run a little thin after a while.

What I did learn, and really appreciate, is the discipline. Yes, I know, I am repeating myself here, but this time it is not a complaint. It takes practice to keep writing fit, and when a creative thought does enter my mind, it is not that difficult to sit down and do an outline or plot for a new story.

Practice makes perfect, and keeping to my target of 1000 words per day (in any month other than November) is not as hard any more.

So if you are freelance writing, or writing your own short stories (or novel) take the time and write your word target everyday. You will find that soon enough it is part of your routine and the discipline so deeply ingrained that the novel gets written much faster than you planned for.

Surprise Visitors

While having coffee with friends today, the coffee shop where we like to meet had three surprise visitors today. These three lions cubs, two males and a female, are just seven weeks old and they stole our hearts right away.

They came to the city to visit their vet and while their owners had breakfast, these cuties were quietly crawling into our hearts. Used to human touch they let us pet them, and didn't mind the camera flashes too much.

They had just fed are were lazy only like a well-fed cat can be. But they did play around a while and then cuddled up again to do what baby animals do - sleep. They are cute now, but soon they will become the predator that earned its fearsome reputation for a reason. Enjoy, we did!

Pen, Paper and Stamps

When was the last time you penned a letter? A real, honest pen-to-paper letter. Stuck it in an envelope, added a stamp and mailed it to someone. For me it has been years. Literally. Until February came around in the form of A Month of Letters. How I came across the blog, I cannot remember, but I do remember the thrill of opening those first letters.

I registered late, and only in time to be going away for work, and to places with no internet access. But once I was back, I was like a kid with a new toy when those first letters appeared in my mailbox. Of course, I planned to write to my fellow contributors, but they were too fast for me. I had fun replying to the ones I did receive, and then penned a few more of my own.

The biggest problem I had - finding greeting cards to write on. And after a week of shopping still didn't find any. People simply do not write any more. Even postcards seemed to have been relegated to the malls at the airports. So paper and envelope it was.

I love my email, and do get many each day, but the letters (even from strangers) has a little something extra that just make them special. It was sent to me. Written specially for me. So go on, dust off that pen, dig out some paper and write someone a letter today. Who knows, you might make some new friends - just like I did.

Cover of Géra's Gift

Well, I got the final graphic design for Géra's Gift today. It took a few weeks, and some very amateurish drawing skills on may part to get poor Jana (the graphic artist) to interpret what was going on in my head.

And I have to say I like it. The background can serve as the cover for the next installment in the series. I will then only change the details for the specific novel - in this case the two shields on the front part of the cover.

The lettering still needs to be added, but I will leave that for a surprise - cannot have all the book's secrets revealed before publishing.

With the interior of the book also complete, it is now off to final layout, and then publication. It seemed so long ago when this process started, and now it is almost done. The suspense is killing me :-)

Book Covers and Write-ins

Sometimes it is still hard to think that Géra's Gift is almost ready for publication. I am just waiting for the cover design to be finished (I had some minor comments) and then it can be printed. Not just literally of course, as it will be an eBook too, but the butterflies are breeding in my stomach.

While I cannot wait, writing life goes on. Yesterday, I joined a few writer friends for a writing session at my favourite coffee shop. Now I know what John Scalzi wrote about notebooks and coffee shops (and the jury is still out on that one), but we had a great time. One friend wrote more than 3000 words, the other two were busy editing their manuscripts. I had to fix my computer first (need to check it before the next session) but still managed about 2200 words in the six hours.

We do take breaks, and chat and drink coffee, but the objective to write together seems to be working well. And the next session is hopefully going to be another great success. By that time I might claim to be published, and my friends might already be well on their way to saying the same thing.

This year has started on a very good note for the first Random House-Struik Writers Group of 2011.

Acrylics and Mosaics

Finally, I managed to finish this painting. It went well until I made a mess of the last two blocks that had to be painted. It took some fiddling to remove the splotches that I caused, but then how to finish it?

It took some hard thinking, until inspiration struck about two weeks ago - why not use tiny gold metallic mosaic tiles to finish what I couldn't seem to get right with paint?

I wasn't sure it would work, but the guy at the craft shop assured me that the tiles could be glued on over the acrylic paint, and he was right. Some hours, and lots of patient tiling later, the result was better than I had originally imagined.

Now it needs the final layer of preserving varnish, and off to the framers we go.

And to think the design was inspired by a piece of discarded packaging material that I saw lying next to the road.

Nocturnal Visitor

On Friday this nocturnal visitor found itself resting on the rooftop of my house and driving my dogs insane. A juvenile, judging by its size, Giant Eagle Owl made its way to my home in the middle of the day in scorching temperatures.

At over 30 deg C, this little visitor excited my dogs so much that I had to go and have a look at what was causing the commotion. Initially I thought it was injured, because it sat with one wing spread out over the hot roof. Then it moved around, and I realized that it was only trying to keep cool.

A few minutes later it made its way to this tree branch, giving me enough time to grab my camera and take a few pictures.

Of course, presenting me with its backside wasn't making it any easier. Until I realized that the tiny beeps the camera made when focusing, drew its attention. With its sensitive hearing, I managed to making it look at me without scaring it away, and the result, as seen here, is just one of many that I managed to capture.

The light was difficult because of the shadows of the tree and the sun almost directly in my line of vision. Changing the settings of the camera to ISO 200, shooting aperture priority, the details became clearer.

This photo was taken at approx 400mm zoom without a tripod, with a Lumix Panasonic FZ-40. The picture was not edited, only re-sized.