tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82129618696562215482024-03-18T04:28:08.669-07:00The Writer's RoadTripTWO JOURNEYS, ONE DESTINATIONAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14815127974797546304noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-90316257830194584282016-11-20T11:50:00.002-08:002016-11-20T11:50:52.770-08:00Mega SciFi & Fantasy Free and 99-cent Promo ends today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://deanfwilson.com/99c-books/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CiB1kyrm58g/WDH41gDnIII/AAAAAAAAAlc/xl-nY4VRJm0F93Rdn2YH5eSDmZDUjVHAQCEw/s200/Happy-Veterans-Day-Quotes-4.jpg" width="300" /></a> <span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://deanfwilson.com/promo/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRRidZXFRDo/WDH43dy3q6I/AAAAAAAAAlg/kqFUJ0GRpk8zWd5lRVOLo6iW3ZHDGiLrwCEw/s200/IMG_3009.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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Hey peeps! Dean Wilson's SciFi/Fantasy Mega Promotion ends tonight, so be sure to get over there and get a ton of #free and #99cent books in these genres. Included in the #InstaFreebie giveaway is the first book of my BUNKER 12 series, <i>Contain</i>. The standalone prequel to the series, <i>Shelter in Place</i>, is available for 99 cents (sorry, Amazon only).<br />
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<a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/free/9RsJT" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5xd96uTqciY/Vi5ZOKzRUlI/AAAAAAAAAgM/LHm0Rb3x6swjoQ2h6Wn9SZfT5Zzto8KhACPcB/s320/COVER.100.jpg" width="213" /></a> <a href="http://getbook.at/ShelterInPlace" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eShRWv0ZcBI/WDH6zC838UI/AAAAAAAAAlo/dl-zBSUwU0MQJ_RhOskDZn8MNktK80rUQCLcB/s320/cover2.100.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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You'll want to read these and the second BUNKER 12 book, <i>Condemn</i>, before Book 3, <i>Contact</i>, goes live next month. It'll be available for pre-order soon and will be sold at all the major ebook retailers. Subscribers to <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">my newsletter</a> will get early access at a discounted price.<br />
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<a href="http://getbook.at/CONDEMN" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JT8CjNKo71I/Vi5Zb8wVR9I/AAAAAAAAAgU/t6p2Hb8YcJMoxRFO1b6QGXtwCQBvaPaeACPcB/s320/cover.100.jpg" width="213" /></a> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-_mqIVdfKw/WDH9443XpII/AAAAAAAAAl4/c9SaJ-TK_5c_8WCoe-toLnGu_moo4o7zACLcB/s1600/cover3.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-_mqIVdfKw/WDH9443XpII/AAAAAAAAAl4/c9SaJ-TK_5c_8WCoe-toLnGu_moo4o7zACLcB/s320/cover3.100.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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While you're at InstaFreebie, make sure to check out <a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/author/Saul_Tanpepper" target="_blank">my other giveaways</a>, including <i>Velveteen </i>and <i>Golgotha</i>, two of my most popular short stories from the GAMELAND world.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/free/ZabrZ" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBKeJTQcWK8/VXR2yuDqx4I/AAAAAAAAAcw/aChCLDKGJdQ7M6RiKU6NpLcKj2GjLDPDgCPcB/s320/cover5.100.jpg" width="213" /></a> <a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/free/DuKfO" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HRZo-5UkNdY/WDH8c0j7KJI/AAAAAAAAAlw/QxCgfbyG9w8PMWfOiiWnNYA105Q2Cl47wCLcB/s320/Golgothacover.100.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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Happy reading!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-10198118133567360052016-10-27T10:02:00.001-07:002016-10-27T10:04:49.081-07:00Author Melanie Karsak: Halloween Instafreebie Promotion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Author <a href="http://www.melaniekarsak.com/p/promotion.html" target="_blank">Melanie Karsak</a> has teamed up with InstaFreebie to offer a bucketful of #free horror and dark fantasy books, so head on over and fill up your ereader ahead of Halloween. Here's the <a href="http://www.melaniekarsak.com/p/promotion.html" target="_blank">link</a>.<br />
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And if you haven't picked up my dark paranormal thriller <i>Golgotha</i>, the prequel to my epic post-apocalyptic series GAMELAND, stop by #Instafreebie <a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/free/DuKfO" target="_blank">here </a>to snag a copy with the new cover.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instafreebie.com/free/DuKfO" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://instafreebie-images-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/inhouse/covers/17604.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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Happy reading!<br />
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~<i>Saul</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com136tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-68382810695561944442016-03-05T17:35:00.001-08:002016-03-05T17:37:28.244-08:00Leviathan ebook Trailer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5TGbfqCek2o" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
Get the book on <a href="http://getbook.at/Leviathan" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1187tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-65998466894834874922015-12-24T11:11:00.000-08:002015-12-24T11:11:16.529-08:00SUPER-SECRET HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">WHO WANTS TO WIN?</span></h2>
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$100 in Amazon Gift cards</h2>
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A 4-book print set of GAMELAND</h2>
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Happy holidays! Here's another massive giveaway and it's only being announced to subscribers of my newsletter, the <i>Tanpepper Tidings</i>. There are 4 prizes this time:</div>
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<li>$50 Amazon Gift Card</li>
<li>$25 Amazon Gift Card</li>
<li>$25 Amazon Gift Card</li>
<li>Personalized 4-book paperback GAMELAND set</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lp6Ufd339g8/VnxBujDMlpI/AAAAAAAAAiM/a5NMuUqyttg/s1600/DSCF6606sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lp6Ufd339g8/VnxBujDMlpI/AAAAAAAAAiM/a5NMuUqyttg/s320/DSCF6606sm.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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(<b>note</b>: If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter, you can do so <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">here</a>. Members get exclusive access and are the first to know about special offers and giveaways.)<br />
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This contest runs for two weeks (thru the first week of January). Good luck! And happy reading!<br />
<br />
<i>~Saul</i><br />
<br /></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="dda550ce2" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dda550ce2/" id="rcwidget_kck3s6co" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div>
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<b>Terms and conditions</b>:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">No purchase necessary. Click to be entered. Additional entries for posting links to book reviews. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">To be fair to everyone entering, all entries by winners will be verified. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Winners will be announced on Facebook and will be contacted directly by email. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Good luck!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com323tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-48391688586822716102015-11-12T12:45:00.000-08:002015-11-12T12:45:41.205-08:00Super Secret Signed Book Giveaway for Tanpepper Tidings Subscribers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Who wants a signed copy of <i>Contain?</i></h2>
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<i><a href="http://getbook.at/CONDEMN" target="_blank">Condemn</a></i>, the second book in the BUNKER 12 series goes live today, and to celebrate, I'm giving away a signed copy of the first book, but I'm only announcing this to subscribers of my newsletter, the <i>Tanpepper Tidings</i>. </div>
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<a href="http://getbook.at/CONDEMN" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4pUOj5QQqg/VkT1aA2SBtI/AAAAAAAAAhk/JF1TYlzgGF4/s320/b12_1and2_advert2.100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
(<b>note</b>: I know this page isn't secret, but it doesn't get much traffic, so it's as close to secret as it gets. And if you happened to stumble across this by accident and you want in on future exclusive goodies [plus a free ebook starter library], then you can subscribe to my newsletter <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
This contest runs for one week (thru 11/20). Good luck! And happy reading!<br />
<br />
<i>~Saul</i><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="dda550ce1" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dda550ce1/" id="rcwidget_3b4g0dpf" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-54187990035894981552015-10-26T10:21:00.001-07:002015-10-26T10:21:10.842-07:00ZOMBIE CRAWL: Rocking the Rot (Demystifying Decay in the Undead)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PmF2m5_fMU0/Vi5epbmpMEI/AAAAAAAAAg8/QrpQP_aF_7w/s1600/Zombie%2BCrawl%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PmF2m5_fMU0/Vi5epbmpMEI/AAAAAAAAAg8/QrpQP_aF_7w/s320/Zombie%2BCrawl%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>ROCKING THE ROT </b></h2>
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<b>Demystifying Decay in the Undead</b></h2>
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With a fondness that the
uninitiated have difficulty fathoming, we fans of the undead often find
ourselves referring to the zombie scourge as rotters. But the use of such an
epithet belies a systemic lapse by contributors to the literature: our rotters
don't rot. At least, not in ways that adhere to the natural processes of decay.</div>
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Putting aside arguments of
suspension of disbelief (after all, we're talking reanimation here!), it's
understandable that writers in the genre generally eschew the technical
minutiae of decay in their </div>
<a name='more'></a>stories, opting instead to focus on the dramatic
details that move a plot along. What fun would it be if we forced our zombies
to conform strictly to the laws governing decomposition? A walker that stiffens
up with rigor after a few hours, or simply falls apart within a few days
because its tissues have turned to goo, is no longer going to be able to chase
you. That doesn't make for a very frightening scenario. Or an entertaining one
for that matter, depending of course on your point of view.<br />
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But the judicious insertion of a
few choice gory (and technically correct) morsels can add a lot to an otherwise
shambling tale. Factual details can lend a sense of realism. They can enhance the
reader's guttural sensitivity to scenes, greatly heightening terror and
disgust. Most importantly, a little inventive description can help excuse
zombies from the rules of rot, even if the rest of us are destined to become
dust.</div>
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<i>Taphonomists </i>(people who study
the decomposition of organisms) and forensic pathologists describe five general
stages in human decomposition:</div>
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1. Initial Decay (also amusingly referred to as
"Fresh")</div>
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2. Bloat</div>
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3. Purge</div>
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4. Advanced Decay</div>
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5. Dry (or Remains)</div>
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<b>Initial Decay (0-2 days post mortem)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Autolysis</i>
- "Self-eating." Aerobic (oxygen-dependent) respiration and energy
production cease, resulting in a loss of cellular homeostasis and integrity.
Carbon dioxide accumulates, raising tissue pH and triggering the release of
catabolic (digestive) enzymes from cellular storage structures (lysosomes). The
cells are literally digested from the inside out. Destruction of the membrane
releases cytoplasmic constituents into the spaces between cells, essentially
turning tissues into vichyssoise.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Algor
mortis</i> - Body temperature begins to drop almost immediately following
death.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Livor
mortis</i> - Also called <i>lividity</i>.
Blood pools under force of gravity to lower portions of the body.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Rigor
mortis</i> - Occurring 2-6 hours post mortem, the stiffness (rigor) is caused
by the leakage of calcium ions into muscle tissues, thus preventing the
relaxation of contractile proteins. The state peaks roughly 12 hours post
mortem and dissipates until putrefaction begins (roughly 2-3 days after death).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Putrefaction</i>
- No longer held in check by the body's natural defense mechanisms, bacteria
(mostly from the stomach and intestines) begin to proliferate. They spread to
all parts of the body primarily via the lymphatic and vascular systems. Fungi
also begin to flourish.</div>
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<b>Bloat (2 days post mortem)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Bloating</i>
- Anaerobic bacteria (not requiring oxygen) produce various gaseous byproducts
(hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen). A body in "full
bloat" can be swollen to twice its original size. Abdominal distension
usually occurs first, as this is the site of initial putrefaction.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Frothing</i>
- Tissue liquefaction and the buildup of pressure can force the escape of
fluids from various orifices (mouth, eyes, nose, anus).</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Marbling</i>
- Compounds produced during putrefaction interact with blood components and
discolor the skin (green, blue, red, black, yellow), yielding vividly colored,
grossly distended corpses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Blistering</i>
- Accumulation of gasses and fluids, as well as pockets of bacterial growth,
can cause bubbles to form under the skin.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Infestation</i>
- Bloating triggers the arrival of flies (typically blow flies and flesh
flies), which lay their eggs in any available opening, especially the orifices
of the face, but also in wounds, if present. Maggots hatch a day later,
producing a thick crawling swarm. The face is often consumed the fastest, as it
is where most of the eggs are laid. Subdermal masses of larvae can cause skin
slippage and detachment of hair, as well as skin rupturing.</div>
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<b>Purge (3 days post mortem)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Leakage</i>
- The nitrogen-rich soup of liquefied tissue and waste leaks from the body
through all orifices and ruptures.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Shrinkage</i>
- The release reverses the bloating, leading to a rapid loss in mass. The
process is aided by maggots migrating away to pupate.</div>
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<b>Advanced Decay (2-3 weeks post mortem)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Mummification</i>
- Sunlight and heat eliminate liquid, causing desiccation, which slows
microbial decay. Due to the steady reduction in mass due to leakage and other
factors, putrefaction slows. At lower temperatures and in the shade, decay can
continue for extended periods of time, allowing environmental bacteria and
fungi to invade the body. Many of these are brought by flies and beetles. Some
bacteria release chemicals that attract certain types of insects whose saliva contains
chemicals that kill off competing bacteria.</div>
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<b>Dry/Remains (6 months to a year post mortem)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Skeletonization</i>
- One of the last stages of decay, skeletonization is characterized by the
complete loss of all soft tissues, leaving only skin, hair or fur, bones and
teeth, and cartilage. The process can be accelerated where scavenging occurs.
In some cases, carrion eaters can remove soft tissues within hours or days,
bypassing certain steps in the decay process.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The Decomp-Defying Corpse<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As might be
gleaned from the above, the two most important factors determining the rate of decay
are heat and humidity, as they will impact all other processes, whether
chemical, microbial, or physical. But in order to delay, or even to arrest,
decomposition, the body must be made resistant to the agents which mediate
biochemical and physical breakdown. The writer who addresses this in some way
pays an immense compliment to the intelligence of the reader.</div>
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There are three
factors which can be useful to consider when designing a rotter that resists
rotting:</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Freezing (cryonics)</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Desiccation (mummification)</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Chemical preservation (embalming, plastination).</div>
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All slow the
biological and chemical processes and render the tissues inhospitable to
microbes.</div>
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In my cyberpunk
series, GAMELAND, for example, I chose to make my zombies resistant to decay
through tissue plastination. You may be familiar with the process as it is used
by the traveling exhibition show Body Worlds in their display of preserved
human bodies. Invented by Gunther von Hagens in 1977, plastination replaces
water and lipid tissues with synthetic polymers. What distinguishes
plastination in my series is that it is naturally mediated by biological events
resulting from infection. Plastination explains both how my rotters can remain
intact a decade after death, as well as retain full mobility. It's also why my
zombies are described as smelling like burnt plastic, with the added benefit
that the "synthetic" stench discourages scavengers from feeding on
them.</div>
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So, now that
you know more about decomposition than you ever wished you did, you can immerse
yourself in your next rotter book with a little more assurance that your
favorite monster will stick around to terrify you for years to come.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Some additional decomp-related terms I find interesting:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Necrobiom</i>
- the unique and often remarkably complex ecosystem which forms as a result of
the presence of a corpse (dead person) or carcass (dead animal), including
insects, the mice which prey on them, and the predators which in turn feed on
the mice (snakes and other larger animals).</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Grave wax </i>or<i> adipocere</i> - The formation of a crumbly
white, waxy substance around fatty parts of the body, such as the cheeks,
breasts, abdomen, and buttocks, caused by the reaction of fats with water and
hydrogen in the presence of bacterial enzymes (saponification, which is the
process by which soap is formed). The substance is resistant to bacteria and
can help protect a corpse, further slowing decomposition. The appearance of
grave wax begins within a month of death and can persist for years and decades.</div>
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Finally, if you'd like to check
out a short video about the Freeman Ranch body farm where the processes of
decomposition are studied, click through <a href="http://www.vox.com/2014/10/28/7078151/body-farm-texas-freeman-ranch-decay">here</a>.
It's wonderfully gory.</div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><b>WANT MORE ROT AND DECAY?</b></o:p></h3>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<o:p>Check out my Z-poaclypse series GAMELAND.</o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R5WUZO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007R5WUZO&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W28nFKf6qy4/VE5xCKioGwI/AAAAAAAAAYg/-iWtZGYvhxY/s320/coveromnibus_100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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You can get the first two books free, plus two companion books in the series, by subscribing to my newsletter, the <i><a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">Tanpepper Tidings</a></i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
I also have two new apocalyptic series, BUNKER 12, a post-apocalyptic tale of a group of survivors forced out of their protective shelter into a world filled with killers to find a potential cure for a deadly virus in a mythical place known as Bunker 12. And THE FLENSE, a pre-apocalyptic international thriller following the exploits of a medical reporter as she tries to expose and thwart the cause the of a potential extinction-scale disease.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://amazon.com/dp/B00UIODWJY/?tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xd96uTqciY/Vi5ZOKzRUlI/AAAAAAAAAgI/QkJ05Et3i7I/s200/COVER.100.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JT8CjNKo71I/Vi5Zb8wVR9I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/1dO5GygV1ko/s1600/cover.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JT8CjNKo71I/Vi5Zb8wVR9I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/1dO5GygV1ko/s200/cover.100.jpg" title="Coming Nov 2015" width="133" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/1MVc8vY" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ecyeStLxSzg/Vi5Zv0wgCVI/AAAAAAAAAgY/ITkbfEak694/s200/cover.100.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N9kjx3N-HxY/Vi5aJX_rjKI/AAAAAAAAAgo/oPBdx365huQ/s1600/cover.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N9kjx3N-HxY/Vi5aJX_rjKI/AAAAAAAAAgo/oPBdx365huQ/s200/cover.100.jpg" title="Coming April 2016 (serialized starting Feb 2016)" width="133" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * GIVEAWAY * * * *</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Leave a comment below, and one random winner will win your choice of a signed print copy of:</span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Deep into the Game</i> + <i>Failsafe </i>(GAMELAND #1+2 two-title book), or </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Contain</i> (BUNKER 12, book 1), or </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><i>China </i>(THE FLENSE, Book 1)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">To enter more giveaways and view awesome zombie posts, follow the Zombie Crawl Blog Party featuring 28 other authors and bloggers by visiting </span><a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">www.BandofDystopian.com</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-84234220187862229022015-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:002015-10-26T10:07:22.712-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://erabackupblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/z-crawl-schedule.jpg"><img alt="z crawl schedule" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19" height="150" src="https://erabackupblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/z-crawl-schedule.jpg" width="400" /></a>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Zombie Crawl 2 - Blog Party</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
October 22 - 31, 2015</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by <a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/" target="_blank">Band of Dystopian Authors & Fans</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><br /></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>How it works:</strong> Each day, the scheduled authors and bloggers will post awesome zombie-tastic content for your enjoyment along with a giveaway on their site/blog/page. You can hop around to all of the participating sites and enter as many giveaways as you like! If you would like to be emailed links to the new posts each day, join <a href="http://eepurl.com/bBRPv5" target="_blank">this Zombie Crawl Daily Digest list</a> which will ensure you don't miss a post (or join the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/974966652562897/" target="_blank">party on Facebook</a> to get notifications). Make sure to leave comments and interact with the participating sites. Thanks for joining the party!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><br /></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>The Schedule:</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><br /></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>OCTOBER 22 - Thursday</strong></div>
<a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/" target="_blank">Band of Dystopian Authors & Fans</a> (Party & Grand Prize Host)<br />
<a href="http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jo Michaels Blog</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://www.rissablakeley.com/#!blog/c112v" target="_blank">Riss</a><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://www.rissablakeley.com/#!blog/c112v" target="_blank">a Blakeley</a> (author)</span><br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 23 - Friday</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.clairecriley.com/blog" target="_blank">Claire C. Riley</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://2girlsandabook.weebly.com/" target="_blank">2 Girls & A Book</a> (blog)<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/authoremilyshore" target="_blank">Emily Shore</a> (author)<br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>OCTOBER 24 - Saturday</strong><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Author-Kathy-Dinisi-344501769073677/" target="_blank">Kathy Dinisi</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://usgirlsandabook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Us Girls & A Book</a> (blog)<br />
<a href="http://voluptuousbookdiva.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Voluptuous Book Diva</a> (blog 18+)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 25 - Sunday</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.authorcaseybond.com/blog" target="_blank">Casey L. Bond</a> (author)<br />
<a href="https://winsomekaty.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">THE KATY blog</a> (blog)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 26 - Monday</strong>
<a href="http://writersroadtrip.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Saul Tanpepper</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://www.zombie-horror.com/" target="_blank">Warren Fielding</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://www.leighgendarium.com/blog/" target="_blank">The Leighgendarium</a> (blog)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 27 - Tuesday</strong><br />
<a href="http://kodyboye.com/category/blog/" target="_blank">Kody Boye</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://rhiannonfrater.com/myblog/" target="_blank">Rhiannon Frater</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://www.erarroyo.com/blog" target="_blank">ER Arroyo</a> (author)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 28 - Wednesday</strong><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/allengamboa50" target="_blank">Allen Gamboa</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://armandrosamilia.com/" target="_blank">Armand Rosamilia</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ethan @ One Guy's Guide to Good Reads</a> (blog)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 29 - Thursday</strong><br />
<a href="http://katelmary.com/blognews/" target="_blank">Kate L. Mary</a> (author)<br />
<a href="https://aftershockzombieseries.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">aftershockzombieseries</a> (author)<br />
<a href="https://authoreliconstant.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Eli Constant</a> (author)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 30 - Friday</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.ariamichaels.com/blog.html" target="_blank">Aria Michaels</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://brianparkerauthor.com/" target="_blank">Brian Parker</a> (author)<br />
<a href="https://mamareniazen.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps</a> (blog)<br />
<br />
<strong>OCTOBER 31 - Saturday</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.cindycarroll.com/blog/" target="_blank">Cindy Carroll</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://secretlifeofatownie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">M. R. Pritchard</a> (author)<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ToniLHBoughton" target="_blank">Toni L.H. Boughton</a> (author)<br />
<a href="http://digitaldirtygirlbookblog.blogspot.com/?m=1" target="_blank">Digital Dirty Girl</a> (blog)<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To learn more about Band of Dystopian and/or to enter our Grand Prize Giveaway, visit <a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/" target="_blank">BandofDystopian.com</a> and don't forget to join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/bandofdystopian" target="_blank">group on Facebook</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-6779921985199001992015-06-07T10:15:00.000-07:002015-06-07T10:17:19.780-07:00The Loneliness of the Long Distance Rotter - Are Zombies Self-Aware?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #666666;">-posted by <i>Saul</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">The Loneliness of the Long Distance Rotter</span></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Alan Sillitoe’s short story, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1QCk1UN" target="_blank">The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner</a></i>, was required reading when I was a freshman in college, and one with which I had formed a profound and abiding intellectual connection. I was a budding scientist working on an ecology project deep in the backcountry above Santa Barbara, California. The site was quite remote, requiring a ninety-minute hike through some fiercely dense scrub along the bottom of a seasonal creek named after the cut it had dug through the rock, Rattlesnake Canyon. I often lost myself inside my own head during those hikes and would be startled upon reaching my destination having only the faintest memory of the ground over which I had just traversed. (At least until the day I stumbled upon an actual rattlesnake sunning itself in my path, but that’s different story.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Suffice it to say, there was a period of time after finishing <i>Runner </i>that I entertained taking up the sport of cross-country. Fortunately, twenty minutes later, the takeout pizza I had ordered was delivered, and sense returned to me. So ended my brief foray — well, mental exercise — into track-and-field.</div>
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Fast forward roughly thirty years and once more I find myself revisiting that story, its main character Smith, and the theme it embraced— not of what it must be like to be a working class young man in 1950s England, but the mental processes that Smith uses to escape thinking about his dismal prospects beyond petty crime. As a writer of zombie fiction, I can’t help but wonder what it must be like to be trapped inside the mind of one of the undead slogging through the apocalypse, nothing to do but to contemplate a future far bleaker than Smith’s, no hope and only the slimmest promise that the slow eternal jog through hell will eventually lead to some blessed salvation.</div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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All too often the zombies in stories are mindless, soulless creatures, machines made and molded from the flesh and spirit of man, but otherwise lacking anything human about them. Stolen from them are the very ingredients which make us human: our self-awareness, our sense of moral right and wrong, our self-control. To my way of thinking, what makes zombies so frightening — and fascinating — isn’t what they are capable of doing to the living, although there’s enough to be said about that, but in the things they are no longer able to do for themselves. In particular, it’s their lost capacity to guide their own future that haunts me. What must it be like to become a passive witness to one’s own criminal acts perpetrated by a body no longer under one’s control?</div>
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That has to be the ultimate betrayal, the worst sort of insult an individual could ever imagine. All our lives, we cultivate ourselves through our choices. We choose whether to act and how. To have that all stripped away from us robs us of our humanity. To be simultaneously aware of it and unable to stop it is a fate so much worse than death.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The idea of the aware zombie resonates deeply with me, and several of my stories touch on it in some form or another. But nowhere is it explored more deeply than in the mind of Cassie in the novella, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1In6vm7" target="_blank"><b>Velveteen</b></a></i>. Cassie first made her appearance as a minor character in my <b>GAMELAND </b>series, mentioned only very briefly during a chance encounter with the series’ main character.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.com/B00DD5TQHM/?tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sBKeJTQcWK8/VXR2yuDqx4I/AAAAAAAAAcs/CvZ_Kv3oBBs/s320/cover5.100.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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In <i><b>Velveteen</b></i>, Cassie is a zombie, turned at age six a dozen years before. She has spent the next dozen years trapped alone inside a dark bathroom with nothing to do but to think about her situation. She reflects on the events which lead to her infection and subsequent death and resurrection. She exhibits a terrifying patience, waiting until the day she believes her parents will return to rescue her, as they had promised. But the inevitable degradation of her adolescent mind, the untrustworthiness of her slowly decaying memory, and the perpetual darkness and silence, all create an otherworldly and counterfeit sense of what is real and what isn’t, yet no clear means to distinguish between the two. In the end, we are left with a heartbreaking tale that is as unnervingly horrific as it is undeniably, yet uncharacteristically, human.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Cassie so fascinated me that she became a focal character in the later prequel to the series, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1T5jsqL" target="_blank"><b>A Dark and Sure Descent</b></a></i>, although this time in her pre-infected state. The trio of stories put together provides a singular glimpse into the mind of a person who has lost everything in life and yearns for its return in death. Yet despite her decade-long run within the prison of her mind, she still manages somehow to retain the faintest traces of hope and freedom.</div>
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And to me, that is what is at the heart of the best zombie fiction, not that they are machines and monsters, but the realization that they are innately and undeniably human.<br />
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Reposted from a guest blog for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/105240559807325/" target="_blank">#SummerofZombie event</a> hosted by <a href="http://dyingdayszombie.com/2015/06/07/guest-post-saul-tanpepper-summerofzombie/" target="_blank">Armand Rosamilia</a></div>
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Please visit the event page for more information</div>
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and to meet a host of awesome zombie writers</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE GAMELAND SERIES</span></b></div>
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<b>SIGN UP TO RECEIVE A FREE GAMELAND STARTER LIBRARY</b></div>
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OR SIMPLY <a href="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/" target="_blank">VISIT MY WEBSITE</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-22019055878951127122014-10-27T09:41:00.001-07:002014-10-27T09:41:11.384-07:00A Zombie Crawl Ushers in Prizes and the End of an Epic Undead Saga<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/uploads/5/7/3/4/5734232/70450_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/uploads/5/7/3/4/5734232/70450_orig.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">October is the scariest of months, and to celebrate all things Undead, the fine folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/bandofdystopian" target="_blank">Band of Dystopians</a> have set up the <b>Zombie Crawl Blog Party and Giveaway </b>(see schedule below). Please visit them to read more and to earn chances to win some great swag.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bzOZHBcpLoA/VE5v-uTenaI/AAAAAAAAAYM/6dgenr_Q5mA/s1600/cover2.100b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bzOZHBcpLoA/VE5v-uTenaI/AAAAAAAAAYM/6dgenr_Q5mA/s1600/cover2.100b.jpg" height="200" style="cursor: move;" width="133" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qnkb3f3NXik/VE5wDNLMBaI/AAAAAAAAAYU/SG9P4jIvHy8/s1600/cover.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qnkb3f3NXik/VE5wDNLMBaI/AAAAAAAAAYU/SG9P4jIvHy8/s1600/cover.100.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">As my contribution to the crawl, I'm treating you to an exclusive inside peek at my forthcoming novel, <i><b>Dead Reckoning</b></i>, the second book in the <b>Jessie's Game</b> duology and the final installment of my <b>GAMELAND saga</b>, the epic cyberpunk, dystopian zombie series. (The final cover has not yet been decided).</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W28nFKf6qy4/VE5xCKioGwI/AAAAAAAAAYc/VJF6I65cEP4/s1600/coveromnibus_100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W28nFKf6qy4/VE5xCKioGwI/AAAAAAAAAYc/VJF6I65cEP4/s1600/coveromnibus_100.jpg" height="174" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qnkb3f3NXik/VE5wDNLMBaI/AAAAAAAAAYU/SG9P4jIvHy8/s1600/cover.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">To kick this off, I'm offering the entire first season omnibus (8 books) for only 99 cents everywhere and chance to win a personalized ecopy of <b><i>Signs of Life</i> (Jessie's Game, Book 1)</b>! Just leave a comment below. The omnibus offer is good only through Halloween, so hurry to your favorite ebook store to get it. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R5WUZO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007R5WUZO&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007R5WUZO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B007R5WUZO&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpepperwrit-21" target="_blank">Amazon.UK</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B007R5WUZO?tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a></div>
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/book/id601167258" target="_blank">Apple </a>| <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=1230000036418" target="_blank">Kobo </a>| <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?store=allproducts&keyword=2940015801262" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Saul_Tanpepper_S_W_Tanpepper_s_GAMELAND_Season_One?id=SRNnAgAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google Play</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/211254?ref=saultanpepper" target="_blank">Smashwords</a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">EXCERPT FROM <i>DEAD RECKONING</i> (JESSIE'S GAME #2)</span></b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">The lights in the cell flickered, then went off, throwing them all into a dull, gray twilight. The backup generator kicked in, along with the emergency strobes. Stu didn’t seem to notice.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Eric held up his free hand. “He needs help. We need to call someone.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The rattling of the ventilation system came to a halt. All was eerily silent for a moment. Both men looked outside the cell, as if sensing that something had changed.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Marco sputtered on the floor.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From elsewhere in the block, someone shouted in dismay. Then the racket quickly grew as the other prisoners took up the chorus.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stu turned back and stepped toward Eric again. Marco was holding onto the cuff of his pants, gawping for air. Stu tried to shake him off. “Get offa me, homes.”</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Wait a minute,” Eric said. He could see that Marco was trying to speak. He was gesturing with his other hand out through the bars of the cell. “There’s something—”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A screamed pierced through the growing clamor. The banging noises and shouts sharply increased. Then came another scream.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But Stu was too focused to hear them. He leaped. Eric hadn’t been expecting it, but he instinctively stepped back, barely managing to avoid what might have been a fatal attack, but Stu had misjudged the distance and gotten off balance. Eric grabbed his shirt and pulled him down. “Something’s happening out there! You need to stop!”</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">“It’s nothing compared to what’s happenin’ in here, f**ker,” Stu growled as he stood up again. His eyes flashed red. He backed Eric up against the bunk and laid the edge of the shiv against his nose.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“Now you gonna see what I’m gonna do to you for f**king up my friend Marco.”</span></blockquote>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">To be notified of when </span><i>Dead Reckoning</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> will be released and a heads up for the pre-order discount, as well as other news and offerings, make sure to <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">register for my newsletter, </a></span><i style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">The Tanpepper Tiding</a></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">s</a>.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN A FREE eCOPY OF </span><i>SIGNS OF LIFE</i></h2>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uz0zyATrhDk/VE50gy06E4I/AAAAAAAAAYo/2a-0dujxTZg/s1600/cover2.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uz0zyATrhDk/VE50gy06E4I/AAAAAAAAAYo/2a-0dujxTZg/s1600/cover2.100.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
VISIT THE <a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/blog/zombie-crawl-blog-party-giveaways" target="_blank">ZOMBIE CRAWL</a> SITE MORE!</h2>
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<strong>Zombie Crawl Blog Party Schedule</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
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<strong>Party Host & Grand Prize: <a href="http://www.bandofdystopian.com/">Band of Dystopian</a></strong></h3>
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<strong>October 22</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://hopetoread.com/blog" target="_blank">Hope To Read</a> | <a href="http://jamiecanosa.wix.com/author#!blog/cui4" target="_blank">Author Jamie Canosa</a></div>
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<strong>October 23</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://www.erarroyo.com/blog" target="_blank">Author E.R. Arroyo</a></div>
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<strong>October 24</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://www.christysloat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Author Christy Sloat</a> | <a href="http://nwharrisbooks.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Author N.W. Harris</a></div>
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<strong>October 25</strong></h4>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DavidMoonAuthor" target="_blank">Author David Moon</a></div>
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<strong>October 26</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://2girlsandabook.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Two Girls & A Book</a></div>
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<strong>October 27</strong></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://secretlifeofatownie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Secret Life of a Townie</a> | <a href="http://writersroadtrip.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Writer’s Roadtrip</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Haven-Series/312305898873216" target="_blank">Author Michael Halliday</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AriaMichaels.Fiction" target="_blank">Author Aria Michaels</a></div>
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<a href="http://gabriellearrowsmith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Imagine, Create, Share, Repeat!</a></div>
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<strong>October 29</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://www.preciousmonsters.com/" target="_blank">Precious Monsters</a> | <a href="http://katelmary.com/" target="_blank">Author Kate L. Mary</a></div>
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<a href="http://zplanbook.wordpress.com/home/posts/" target="_blank">Z Plan - Zombie Book Series</a> | <a href="http://www.michellemuckley.com/blog" target="_blank">Author Michelle Muckley</a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>October 30</strong></h4>
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<a href="http://rhiannonfrater.com/myblog/" target="_blank">Author Rhiannon Frater</a> | <a href="http://cameorenae.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Author Cameo Renae</a></div>
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<a href="http://angelacavanaugh.com/" target="_blank">Author Angela Cavanaugh</a></div>
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<strong>October 31</strong></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://becomingzombies.com/" target="_blank">Author Jessica Meigs</a></div>
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<a href="http://ifeeltheneedtheneedtoread.com/" target="_blank">I Feel the Need, the Need to Read</a></div>
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Hey Best Fans in the World!</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By now you'll have heard about Amazon's new subscription ebook/audiobook plan called <strong>Kindle Unlimited</strong> (KU). It adds to a segment of the market already occupied by <strong>Scribd</strong> and <strong>Oyster</strong>. But should you pay for a subscription service? And if so, which one?<br /> </span><hr />
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Are ebook subscription services worth it?</h4>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you typically consume, on average, more than about $10 in ebooks per month AND the limited catalogs currently available don't constrain your reading habits too severely, then you should definitely look into these services. But even if you're not sure, I recommend checking them out anyway (they each offer a free 30-day trial period, which I'll talk about below).</span><br />
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What do I get, and for how much?</h4>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&node=9578129011&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=KUP2DJBMOEB7MI3V"><img alt="" src="http://www8.pcmag.com/media/images/435040-kindle-unlimited.jpg?thumb=y" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&node=9578129011&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=KUP2DJBMOEB7MI3V"><strong>Kindle Unlimited</strong></a> offers access to 600,000 books for $9.99/month.<br />You're allowed to have <strong>10 </strong>books on up to 6 devices at any given time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.oysterbooks.com/join"><img alt="" src="http://juliebestry.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/oyster.png" style="height: 87px; width: 100px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><a href="https://www.oysterbooks.com/join"><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder; line-height: 24px;">Oyster</span></a></strong><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><strong> </strong>boasts a catalog of over 500,000 books which will cost you </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">$9.95/month.<br />You're allowed to have</span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder; line-height: 24px;">10 </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">books on up to 6 devices </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">at any given time</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/subscribe"><img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--JHq_c-lkDs/UJF65ojPPgI/AAAAAAAACLQ/UCMJa0oa_aE/s760/Scribd%2B%2528logo%2529.bmp" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/subscribe"><strong>Scribd's </strong></a>catalog contains ~400,000 titles and costs </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">$8.99/month.<br />You're allowed to have</span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> <strong>2</strong></span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder; line-height: 24px;">0 </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">books on up to 6 devices </span><span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">at any given time.</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /><strong>Amazon </strong>titles are currently limited to authors participating in Select (primarily indies, a few traditionally published books, and Amazon imprints), and their audiobook selection is very small (~2000 titles).<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Both <strong>Oyster </strong>and <strong>Scribd </strong>offer<span style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> ebooks only, but both include titles from <strong>Harper Collins</strong> and <strong>Simon & Schuster</strong>.<br /><br />None will likely offer new releases for the foreseeable future unless they're exclusive to Amazon. Consider these services the Netflix equivalent in the ebook world.</span><br /><br />All three services work on iPhones, iPads and Android devices. <strong>Scribd </strong>and <strong>Kindle</strong> also work on personal computers and Windows devices. Only Kindle supports webOS and BlackBerry and dedicated Kindle e-readers such as the Paperwhite.</span></div>
<h4>
So, how many Tanpepper titles are currently available in each service?</h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.8;">Kindle Unlimited: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=tanpepper&linkCode=ur2&tag=tanpewrite-20&url=node%3D9578129011&linkId=6YPMWPZ43ZNM6PGC" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.8;">2 titles</a>Oyster: <a href="https://www.oysterbooks.com/search/q/tanpepper">25 titles</a>Scribd: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/search?query=tanpepper">39 titles</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />Why the differences? Kindle Unlimited requires exclusivity, which means if I enroll my books in KU, they are no longer available through any other vendor. I dislike this practice and believe it penalizes faithful readers and shuts out whole segments of the market. The two titles I currently have have been available elsewhere and will be leaving the program in a couple weeks. I am also enrolling my latest short, <strong><em>They Dreamed of Poppies</em></strong>, for a 3-month term as an experiment, which is why I'm offering it to my newsletter subscribers for free for the week preceding its launch. All of my titles are enrolled in Scribd and Oyster through Smashwords, but Oyster appears to be very slow getting the books onto their site.</div>
<h4>
Take advantage of a free 30-day subscription</h4>
<div>
If you're curious, sign up for one or all, but make sure to mark your calendar to cancel before the 30 days is up so you won't be charged if you don't wish to continue with them. Here are the links to the free trial period pages:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&node=9578129011&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=KUP2DJBMOEB7MI3V">Kindle Unlimited</a><br /><a href="https://www.oysterbooks.com/join">Oyster</a><br /><a href="http://www.scribd.com/subscribe">Scribd</a></div>
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<br />If you've been thinking about reading all of my works, or even just the GAMELAND series, now's your chance to do so for free! And don't worry, I still get paid. Win-win!<br /> <hr />
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So, where's the free ebook you promised?</h3>
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I wrote <em><strong>They Dreamed of Poppies</strong></em> specifically with the intention of enrolling it into Kindle Unlimited to test the new program's ability to reach a broader audience. Because this requires 90-days of exclusivity, I'm offering it to you free on my website through a secret link (to get it, subscribe to my newsletter <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">here</a>). It's available in both ePub and Kindle (mobi) formats, but only until August 11, which is when it goes live on Amazon and I have to stop giving it away.</div>
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What is the story about?</h4>
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<em>Decades after an ecological disaster destroyed life on Earth, twenty intrepid individuals flee their crowded space station in hopes of resurrecting a failed terraforming experiment on Mars. What they find is an abandoned planet turned into an Edenic paradise. As they prepare to receive the last tattered remnants of Mankind, they slowly begin to realize the missing colonists who came here fifteen years earlier never actually left</em>.</blockquote>
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I hope you enjoy the story. I'd love to hear what you think. And I hope you found this post about subscription services helpful.<br /><br />All my best,<br /><strong><em>Saul</em></strong><br /> </div>
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Find my books at:</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saul-Tanpepper/e/B005KMQNK4/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" src="http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Amazon-logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/tanpepper"><img alt="" src="http://www.deborahbladon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/BN.png" style="height: 100px; width: 103px;" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=TksPCozRpJI&subid=&offerid=258185.1&type=10&tmpid=9309&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobobooks.com%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.html%3Fq%3D%2522Saul%2BTanpepper%2522"><img alt="" src="http://davidgaughran.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/kobo-logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/saul-tanpepper/id465266179"><img alt="" src="http://allthingsfadra.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Apple-icon.gif" style="height: 100px; width: 87px;" /></a> <a href="https://www.oysterbooks.com/join" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><img alt="" src="http://juliebestry.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/oyster.png" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/subscribe" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--JHq_c-lkDs/UJF65ojPPgI/AAAAAAAACLQ/UCMJa0oa_aE/s760/Scribd%2B%2528logo%2529.bmp" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/search?q=tanpepper"><img alt="" src="http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/066/a/c/google_play_icon___logo_by_chrisbanks2-d4s1i75.png" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a><br /> <hr />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-77645820217205768732014-07-23T10:06:00.000-07:002014-07-23T10:06:01.362-07:00THE CATASTROPHE THEORY - A Progressive Story in 20 Voices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Following on the heels of the wild, dystopian ride that was <a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/2014_07_17_archive.html" target="_blank">The Hunt For Tomorrow</a>, 20 of the participating authors are collaborating on a tale of disaster and hope like none other. Written over the course of three weeks, each author adding a chapter in turn, the story follows Eve, Cassie, and Jared as they reconcile their existence and learn how to survive in a dark, new world. The story title and character names were suggested by Gayle Noble, winner of the Hunt for Tomorrow contest.</div>
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Here's a teaser from the first chapter published today, written by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Turkot/e/B00A2BUJIA/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1406134280&sr=1-2-ent&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=LKTOCH44XQBM4YIE" target="_blank">Joseph Turkot, author of the post-apocalyptic series, <i>The Rain</i>, and the story collection <i>Darkin</i></a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the second time in the long dead night, the flicker came and went. Wide and bright and so quick that Eve almost didn’t have time to grab Jared so that he would see it. So that he would believe her this time. Because she was convinced he was ignoring it on purpose—that he’d seen it each time through the window and was pretending he hadn’t. Buying time for something. Stalling for hope. Hope that everything would just fix itself.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When he saw the light, just the last bit of it—and he knew she’d seen him see it—he drew up tightly against her. Everything looked so far away. Even the sidewalk and the street and the dead cars right below them, and the black windows in every house surrounding theirs. With a nervous jerk, he nodded and pulled her down from the slope of the roof. Down to where the incline wasn’t so steep, where no eyes could watch them anymore—or whatever was looking out from dark windows, or the hill that rose to the east, a ridge of pine so high it touched the first strand of space dust.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “We’ve got to go…” she said as he tugged her back to the window....</span></blockquote>
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The rest can be found <a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/2014_07_23_archive.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Check out Joe's books:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HLWOVD2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HLWOVD2&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=DCQBUXSQ4AS2IKRA"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HLWOVD2&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=tanpewrite-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=tanpewrite-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HLWOVD2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EBLDASS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EBLDASS&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=FDAE3BLQOIFOWYZH" style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00EBLDASS&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=tanpewrite-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=tanpewrite-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00EBLDASS" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; text-align: left;" width="1" /><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCG8UM4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DCG8UM4&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=QY67WN7AOBMQDQVC" style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00DCG8UM4&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=tanpewrite-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=tanpewrite-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00DCG8UM4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; text-align: left;" width="1" /><br />
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For more dystopian, pick up the 11-author box set,<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPM3PDA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HPM3PDA&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkId=ZNM7CUU6WKFP46CN" target="_blank"> A Taste of Tomorrow</a></i>. Including works by Hugh Howey, Joe Nobody, T.L. Piperbrook, Jason Gurley, and Saul Tanpepper, it's a steal!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-38149829001727295732014-06-29T08:00:00.001-07:002014-06-29T08:00:35.415-07:00Want a good laugh? Check out my Voigt-Kampff interview.<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Ever wanted to know the biggest lie I've ever told? Or if I have a police record? And what kind of sauce I would eat with children? Then check out my Voigt-Kampff interview on the Hunt for Tomorrow blog! </span><br /><br />
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<a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/2014/06/saul-tanpepper.html?spref=bl">The Hunt for Tomorrow: Saul Tanpepper</a>:<br /><br />
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HAVE YOU WRITTEN IN ANY OTHER GENRES BESIDES YA DYSTOPIAN? WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS GENRE? I actually got serious about writing in 2005,...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-22563056948007807892014-06-15T07:25:00.000-07:002014-06-21T19:17:50.166-07:0022 AUTHORS - 3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS - 1 MASSIVE EVENT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Huntfortomorrow.png"><img alt="Huntfortomorrow" class="aligncenter wp-image-1836" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Huntfortomorrow.png" height="235" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong>22 AUTHORS. 3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS. 1 MASSIVE EVENT.</strong></div>
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<strong>A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias.</strong></div>
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<strong>Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm <sub>(EST)</sub> - Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm <sub>(EST).</sub></strong></div>
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Join <a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/"><strong>THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW</strong></a><strong>,</strong> an on-line scavenger hunt, and embark on a virtual odyssey through twenty-two dystopian futures. Become an intrepid scavenger and solve clues at each of the dystopian author stops as you navigate your way to the finish line where you’ll be entered into a random draw for the <b>Grand Prize</b>.<br />
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For each correct answer collected along the way you’ll get an additional chance to win. During <i>The Hunt</i>, the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests, and giveaways at their individual stops on <i>The Hunt</i>, giving all scavengers multiple chances to win bonus prizes.
The twenty-two participating indie authors include best-selling, award-winning and emerging writers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who all have books included in three dystopian boxed sets - - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Tomorrow-May-Bring-Dystopian-ebook/dp/B00K1H0304?tag=tanpewrite-20"><em>What Tomorrow May Bring</em></a><em>,</em><em> </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Tomorrow-Dystopian-Boxed-Collection-ebook/dp/B00HPM3PDA?tag=tanpewrite-20"><em>A Taste Of Tomorrow</em></a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Worlds-Six-Dystopian-Novels-ebook/dp/B00IJYIFG0?tag=tanpewrite-20"><em>Shattered Worlds</em></a><em>.</em><br />
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In a unique collaboration of story-telling, nineteen of the authors will write a progressive short story over nineteen days following <i>The Hunt</i>. The Grand Prize Winner of <strong>The Hunt For Tomorrow</strong> will name characters and contribute the title for this dystopian world, and all participants in<i> The Hunt </i>will receive an advance copy of the story for an exclusive period before it is made available as a free download. The Grand Prize also includes a signed copy of books included in the boxed sets, an ebook of all the boxed sets, and the first copy of this one-of-a-kind progressive story.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/">THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW</a></strong><strong> </strong>begins at <strong><a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/">http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com</a></strong> on Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm<sub> </sub><sub>(EST)</sub><sub> </sub>and ends on Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm <sub>(EST).</sub><sub> </sub>The Hunt is on for one weekend only, although there is no time-limit for completing the course. The Hunt is open to scavengers around the world; there is no cost to enter and one grand prize winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.<br />
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<strong>Go to</strong><strong> </strong><a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/"><strong>THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW</strong></a><strong> </strong><strong>for details and the full list of participating authors.</strong><br />
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<strong>JOIN THE HUNT.</strong><strong> JULY 18-20</strong><strong>.</strong>
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/book-blast-button.jpg"><img alt="book blast button" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1810" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/book-blast-button.jpg" height="162" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Blast Giveaway</strong>
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 7/20/14
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from <a href="http://iamareader.com/" style="color: #a3b460;" target="_blank">I Am A Reader</a> and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0a00961315/" id="rc-0a00961315" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-51879578356862692252014-06-13T08:56:00.001-07:002014-06-13T08:56:23.445-07:00Writing from the Peak: The Serialized Novel: Part 4 - The FormulaPikes Peak Blogger and Creative Writing Coach Deb McLeod talks about serialization in her 4-part series. This final installment summarizes my strategy in serializing GAMELAND as an example.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://pikespeakwriters.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-serialized-novel-part-4-formula.html?spref=bl">Writing from the Peak: The Serialized Novel: Part 4 - The Formula</a>: by Deb McLeod In the final episode of my exploration of serials and serialization, I want to look at what makes a good serial and how t...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-56038413965712806942014-03-05T08:12:00.001-08:002014-03-05T08:14:20.670-08:00Read the 1st chapter of "A Dark and Sure Descent"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is the full 1st chapter of</div>
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<i><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A Dark and Sure Descent</span></b></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Being a Chronicle of the Long Island Outbreak</span></i></div>
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(expected publication May/June 2014)</div>
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The dried bundle of fur, bones, and leaf litter in the gutter wrenched at six-year-old Cassie Stemple’s guts, but she wasn’t actually that surprised by it. Not really. She knew about road kill, knew what it was and how it was made. She’d been in the car that one time they ran over a possum up near Riverhead. The mewling, bloody thing seemed to be vibrating, like electricity was passing through its broken body. And as her mother dragged it off the road by its tail she was shaking too. She fretted for a minute, waving her hands about and saying they needed to put it out of its suffering. “I know, I know,” she kept repeating to herself, her eyes overflowing with tears. “Breaking its neck is the merciful thing to do.” And Cassie, watching in silence, her eyes wide with horror and her hands plastered against the window, wanted so badly to look away.</div>
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But her mother couldn’t do it, couldn’t wrap her too-big hands around its too-small neck. Couldn’t snap the delicate bones. Instead, she’d had to bash its head in with a brick.</div>
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Six or seven blows, that’s how many it took to do the job. She was shaking that badly.</div>
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Cassie shivered at the memory, but didn’t draw her eyes away from the barely recognizable thing. She wondered what it had been when it was alive. A cat, maybe. Or a dog. Although a raccoon seemed just as likely. There had been more of them around the house lately, raccoons, scavenging through the trash, making trouble, bearing diseases. That’s what her neighbor said, Mister Sam. “Hen killers,” he’d said. Lots of raccoons.</div>
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And rats too, come to think of it.</div>
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The sight of the poor dead creature made her stomach hurt and her heart feel heavy with sadness, but it was better than the view that waited for her a few feet to beyond, so she stared fixedly at the ragged furry thing and whispered a silent prayer and pretended the shadow hovering over it wasn’t there.</div>
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The car nudged forward a few feet. Her mother uttered impatiently under her breath, cursing and saying something about the constant delays lately and wishing she’d taken the long way around to her father’s place. “Another damn tower,” she said to herself. Cassie knew better than to reply.</div>
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Her eyes flicked to the work crew beside them in their fluorescent green coveralls, their faces hidden behind plastic masks. On their backs was printed in black letters: PROPERTY OF THE US GOVERNMENT. Cassie didn’t like the way those people looked. She didn’t like the stiff, shuffling way they moved and the mute way they went about their work, never once speaking or acknowledging anyone, not their team members or the strangers who gawped at them as they walked past. Once, while in the car with her father, Cassie had waved at them, said hello in a tiny, timid voice. But it was like they didn’t even see her. “Don’t talk to them,” Daddy had told her. “They’re not nice people. They’re convicts, murderers. At least like this they can give something back to the society they stole from.”</div>
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She didn’t know what a convict was and hadn’t bothered to ask, but she did know what it meant to be a murderer. Looking at them after that, she couldn’t understand how they could do something so terrible. They seemed incapable of doing anything so violent.</div>
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The dead raccoon — she was thoroughly convinced by now that that’s what it was — was now hidden by the bumper of the car behind them. Why didn’t killing animals make them murderers?</div>
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On the periphery of her sight, there on the sidewalk adjacent to the curb where the carcass had come to rest during the last rainfall, too large to slip through the gaps in the drain, was the object which terrified her. It was closer now.</div>
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She wrenched her head back around to the front and scrunched down in her seat and looked forward. She became aware of her mother’s eyes fixed on her in the mirror. “Everything okay back there, honey?”</div>
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Cassie nodded stiffly, biting her lip so the whimper threatening to crawl out of her chest would stay there.</div>
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Her mother’s pained eyes lifted away from her, refocused on the scene out the back window.</div>
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“Can we go?” Cassie pleaded.</div>
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Her mother frowned but didn’t answer. The car inched forward, then jerked to a sudden stop. Behind them, someone honked.</div>
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Cassie closed her eyes. She wished she were home instead of in the car. She wished her father lived with them instead of across town. She wished Ben Nicholas were here with her. And Shinji.</div>
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And her brother.</div>
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She wondered: Was he a flattened mass of skin and bone too, now, inside of his tiny coffin?</div>
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She tried to push the memories away, both the happiness her parents had worn like cloaks in the days leading up to the day her brother Remy was supposed to come. The happiness of the drive to the hospital to pick him up. But also the sadness which smothered them when they returned a week later without him. The deep, vile sadness.</div>
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She had only gotten to see him the one time, at the hospital, behind glass. She’d sensed something was wrong even then. But the feeling had passed, washed away by her parents’ excitement. Her own heart had swelled with love for the tiny baby, if only for the happiness he had brought to her parents.</div>
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If it were possible to keep only the good memories, she would’ve. Keep the good and get rid of the bad. But they were all so intertwined with each other that it was impossible to separate them. Which is why they all had to go.</div>
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“Come on!” her mother snapped, startling Cassie. She jerked her head up, her eyes flying open and slamming shut the box which held those memories . The sound of the horn filled the car. “Damn it! Your father’s going to be angry that we’re late.”</div>
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Cassie watched her mother lean forward to call him on the dashboard phone. She heard the series of beeps which she had come to recognize as her father’s cell phone. Then the rings which meant the call had gone through.</div>
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“Lyssa?” she heard him say through the speaker. And he didn’t sound upset. “Was just going to call you. Where are you? Everything all right?”</div>
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“We’re stuck in the car at one of the construction sites. They’ve got the road dug up. They’re letting people through, but only one at a time. And we haven’t moved in, like, ten minutes.” She huffed in exasperation. “I don’t know why they have to do this all at once.”</div>
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“It’s the new mobile technology,” her father replied. “I heard that iTech— excuse me, iArc, or whatever they’re called now — wants to get everyone converted to the new devices by the end of the summer.”</div>
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Her mother growled. “Yeah, but why Long Island?”</div>
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“Hey, I agree. It would’ve been better to launch in the City. Anyway, listen, when do you think you’re going to get here? Because I have some paperwork I can do before—”</div>
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“I don’t want you working,” her mother interrupted. “Cassie needs your full attention when she’s there.”</div>
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Her father sighed. “Is that what she told you, that I ignore her? Because if she—”</div>
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“She doesn’t have to tell me anything. I know you. You’ve been too wrapped up with work lately.”</div>
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There was nothing but silence from the speaker for a long time. Outside the windows Cassie could hear the low rattle of the workmen’s tools and the muffled shouts of the men in charge, the ones wearing the yellow hardhats and the fat goggles with the black lenses and the funny-looking gloves on their hands.</div>
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She remembered the statue and wondered if it was still there.</div>
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“No doubt we’ve had a hard time dealing with all . . . this, honey,” her father said at last. “And maybe not in the best way, either. I was thinking that it might be time for us both to get some help.”</div>
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“I’m dealing with it just fine!”</div>
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Cassie cringed at the harshness in her mother’s voice and thrust her feet against the back of the seat. If she could melt into the cushion, she would. If she could push her mother hard enough to sense her frustration, then maybe they’d finally stop fighting.</div>
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They’d never argued before Remy, only once they came back from the hospital. Mom had asked her father to leave, but the fighting continued. The arguments made her father sad and her mother bitter. But worst of all, they made Cassie miss them all the more.</div>
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“Stop pushing on the seat, Cass!”</div>
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Cassie sighed and twisted her head around slowly. Maybe it would be easier to look at the scary statue if she did it little by little, like sneaking up on it. But a glint of bright sunlight thrown by the hood of the car behind them caught her eyes, blinded her. She squinted against it and turned even more.</div>
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The dancing statue wasn’t there.</div>
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“I just need time,” her mother said.</div>
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Cassie’s attention was no longer on the fight. It was elsewhere, on the sidewalk behind — not the gutter with the dead raccoon, but the sidewalk itself where the statue had been standing — so that her parents’ voices were beginning to sound far away.</div>
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Where did it go? Why was it dancing?</div>
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She turned quickly back and stared down at her lap. But she hated not knowing.</div>
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Quietly, she unlatched her seatbelt. Then, slowly, carefully, she moved to her knees. She didn’t want to see it, but what was even worse was not knowing where it had gotten to.</div>
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“I agree, honey, but I think it’s going to take more than just time to fix things. And we’d be better off trying it togeth—”</div>
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“Time and space. That’s what I need.”</div>
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“Honey, we—”</div>
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“Look, I just called to let you know we’re going to be late. And to ask you to pay attention to Cassie while she’s there. Not to fight. Just promise me: No paperwork. Or phone calls. It’s Sunday, for Christ’s sake.”</div>
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“I wasn’t—”</div>
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The call disconnected.</div>
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Cassie shielded her eyes from the glare. Where did it go?</div>
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She put her hands on the seatback and pulled herself fully up onto her knees again. The car shifted beneath her, pressing her against the seatback as they slid forward another ten feet. The motor revved. The tires crunched over something. It sounded like bones.</div>
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She kept expecting her mother to yell at her for getting out of her seatbelt. But if she could just see where the statue had gone.</div>
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The woman in the car behind them waved and smiled at her. She was an older woman, white-haired, but the car she was driving was brand new and like something a teenager might drive. sporty. A tiny dog sat on the woman’s lap, hair just as white and curly. It yapped silently at her through the windshield. Cassie returned the wave, then quickly swung her eyes back to the empty sidewalk.</div>
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She knew the intersection they were stuck in. There was the sandwich shop her father had taken her to the first time she’d come to visit him in his apartment. A couple offices in the corner. A print shop. The parking lot was nearly empty— only a couple cars. Probably because of the construction. A man stood outside the print shop and watched the workers. Cassie couldn’t tell by the look on his face what he might be thinking. It looked like nothing.</div>
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“Cassie, why are you—? Get back in your seat, young lady!”</div>
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“Why? We’re not moving.”</div>
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“Because I told you to.”</div>
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Cassie tilted her head to the side to see past the white-haired lady’s car, but a truck blocked her view.</div>
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Maybe it went back inside. It’s too hot to be dancing on the sidewalk.</div>
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She wondered why there would be a tiny Statue of Liberty here, why it would be dancing like that as people walked past. Of course she knew it was just a person in a costume, but that only raised more questions. Halloween was still months away.</div>
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Normally, things like costumes didn’t scare her. Ghosts and monsters — the costumed kind — were just dressed up people looking for candy. But it was the pale green of the statue’s face that had scared her, like the pale green of the shirts the hospital workers wore. And there’d also been something menacing in its bloodshot eyes, she was sure of it, something dark and mesmerizing in the way it stared at her, as if it were trying to look straight inside of her head. She shivered again, despite the sun baking her arms.</div>
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And she really hadn’t liked the way it was dancing like that over the mangled body of that poor dead animal in the gutter.</div>
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But it was gone now, which was only a tiny relief. Whatever it had been or meant to be, whatever reasons it had had for dancing there on the hot sidewalk, it was gone now.</div>
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But to where?</div>
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She heard her mother open her window, heard the rattle of the machines and the engines and voices outside grow louder behind her. She felt the sweep of hot air on the back of her neck and her bare legs, felt the brush of its thick fingers on her hair. With a sigh, she turned back around to get back into her seatbelt. But as her head swept toward the side of the car, toward the side she was sitting closest to, she became aware of a pale green presence filling her window. A cry rose in her throat as the terrifying stature bent down and grinned at her just inches away. She fell back, away from it, her cry coming out in a single dry, stifled gasp.</div>
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The dancing statue reached through her mother’s open window. “We’re protesting the new tax laws,” it said, and extended a printed sheet of paper. Cassie could see that it was just makeup now.</div>
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A voice yelled at them from further out on the street and gestured at them to go. The white-haired old lady behind them honked.</div>
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“Thanks,” her mother mumbled at the green man in the statue costume. “I have to go.” She took the paper and placed it on the seat next to her, rolled the window back up, and threaded the car through the gap.</div>
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As they passed, the statue man’s blood-red eyes met Cassie’s one last time. But this time, he didn’t wave or smile at her. He just nodded once, knowingly, and started to dance.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-9904189497077729602014-02-02T14:46:00.001-08:002014-02-03T15:03:40.904-08:00Good-Bye Old Friend: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By now, most of us will have heard about the tragic death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and the circumstances surrounding it. I've seen an outpouring of emotion on Facebook regarding this loss - pain, sorrow, sympathy. Philip was well known to have battled drug problems, was in and out of rehab, cleaned up and relapsed. There is also a lot of anger, and I'm confused and hurt by people who have lashed out at the actor for frittering away such talent and success, as if the lifestyle and behaviors he was known for were always completely by choice. I can say that they were not. Not always.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuKC_RkMfGc/Uu7Jg_FsNmI/AAAAAAAAAS4/S8haJr8Q30s/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuKC_RkMfGc/Uu7Jg_FsNmI/AAAAAAAAAS4/S8haJr8Q30s/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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I grew up with Phil in Fairport, NY, knew him in high school, acted with him in drama productions. He was two years behind me, but he was well liked and respected by both those ahead of him and those younger. He was an infectious personality, quick to laugh but also quick to anger. He was endowed with more than his fair share of talent, wit, and intelligence, but no one ever begrudged him any of it. He was a good friend and a kind soul.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eazbxxUVfN0/Uu7Iy-wvHUI/AAAAAAAAASo/1DNeI4HUQNY/s1600/001c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eazbxxUVfN0/Uu7Iy-wvHUI/AAAAAAAAASo/1DNeI4HUQNY/s1600/001c.jpg" height="556" width="640" /></a></div>
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Over the course of my senior year, I got to know Phil very well. Our tight-knit group of cast members spent many a long night after rehearsals and performances partying. There was a lot of drinking involved, some drugs. Phil was into both. He enjoyed living outside of himself. I think he found who he was rather boring, so perhaps it's not surprising that he became a famous character actor. I hadn't spoken to him since high school.<br />
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I fondly recall the day, many years ago, when I first realized Phil had made it big. My wife and I were watching "Scent of a Woman" and I jumped up and cried, "That's Phil! I went to high school with him!"<br />
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Since then, I've been fascinated with the idea of how the lives of ordinary people might be influenced by celebrities both before and after fame. One of my first completed novels was a historical fiction about a girl who grows up with Neil Armstrong. Just last month I pulled the manuscript out of its digital drawer to polish up. I was planning on publishing it this fall under another pen name.<br />
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I am reminded of a line John Donne wrote: "Any man's death diminishes me." While true, it is the deaths of those who touched us personally which are especially hard to witness.<br />
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While digging through my old high school year book today, I came across an issue of the school paper, the Lampion and, in it, a photo of Phil with my best friend, Jeff Keesler, from the last play we put on that year, M*A*S*H. It was 1983, and the television series was airing its final episode. (I still have a postcard kicking around somewhere from Loretta Swit kindly declining our invitation to her for the performance.)
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTRH82l789k/Uu7JGaJ4A8I/AAAAAAAAASw/6vXEhQ2UFCU/s1600/002c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTRH82l789k/Uu7JGaJ4A8I/AAAAAAAAASw/6vXEhQ2UFCU/s1600/002c.jpg" height="320" width="234" /></a></div>
<br />
Jeff died in 1992, and it's in his memory that I write under this pen name. In January, I released the paperback version of my most recent book, <i>Signs of Life</i> (<i>Jessie's Game</i>, Book One), which was dedicated to him: "For Jeffrey, who was taken from us far too soon."<br />
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My thoughts and prayers go out to Phil's family and friends. He, too, was taken far too soon.<br />
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Phil, may you finally find peace, my brother.<br />
<br />
.
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-23843865764975458512014-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:002014-01-21T00:00:03.370-08:00Goodreads Giveaway of a Signed Print Copy of JESSIE'S GAME: SIGNS OF LIFE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Giveaway begins Jan 21 and ends Jan 30, 2014.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20466458"><img alt="Signs of Life by Saul Tanpepper" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389928003l/20466458.jpg" title="Signs of Life by Saul Tanpepper" width="100" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20466458">Signs of Life</a>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5222154.Saul_Tanpepper" style="text-decoration: none;">Saul Tanpepper</a>
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Giveaway ends January 30, 2014.
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-82514161253432312442014-01-17T07:42:00.000-08:002014-01-17T07:44:50.205-08:00GAMELAND's 10-foot Sea-level Rise Isn't Wild Speculation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are those who refute my claim in this series that
ocean levels could stably rise 10 feet and, temporarily, by thirty. Think
again. Loss of ice shelf stability is the first step in destabilization of
glaciers that feed into them. In this case, the Pine Island Glacier has reached
a tipping point which could lead to a 10-16 foot rise in sea levels in the next
two decades, right in line with the GAMELAND timeline.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/massive-antarctic-glacier-uncontrollably-retreating-study-suggests-173655740.html">http://news.yahoo.com/massive-antarctic-glacier-uncontrollably-retreating-study-suggests-173655740.html</a></div>
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Saul</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-14046486160897736082014-01-08T10:55:00.001-08:002014-01-08T13:40:20.718-08:001 Million words of Dystopian Fiction, 11 Titles, and We're Giving Away over 40 Books!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Greetings, Gamers. I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday and have started off 2014 with a bang! The year is promising to be very exciting!<br />
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L<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">ast month's launch of the second season of GAMELAND with </span><i style="line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/novels.html">Jessie's Game: Signs of Life</a></i><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> was awesome! We had a ton of fun at the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/532077200217700" style="line-height: 1.6em;">Twelve Days of GAMELAND event</a>. <span style="line-height: 1.6em;">I sent out a bunch of paperback books to the winners just before the holidays.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Thanks to those who have already purchased a copy and written a review. The book has a 4.8/5.0 star rating</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1fjQZJc" style="line-height: 1.6em;">on Amazon</a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">. As a special thanks for taking the time to leave feedback, I'm giving away two personalized</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1apaETJ" style="line-height: 1.6em;">paperback copies of <i>Signs of Life</i></a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> (or ebook copies, or ebook or print copies of either of</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/collections.html" style="line-height: 1.6em;">my two story collections</a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">) on Monday, January 13, 2014.</span></div>
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<img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/uploads/8/4/4/7/8447755/9740960.jpg?234" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /> <img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/uploads/8/4/4/7/8447755/4448610.jpg?152" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /> <img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/uploads/8/4/4/7/8447755/5446176.jpg?152" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">To be eligible, just leave a link to any of your posted reviews to any of my books in a comment on this thread on my Facebook wall</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=403797826419987&set=a.133146533485119.26064.100003693206684&type=1&stream_ref=10" style="line-height: 1.6em;">here</a> before 1/13. <span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> If you've written reviews on multiple books (Thank you!), post each separately for multiple chances to win. If you're not on Facebook, reply back to this with your links and I'll make sure to add them in.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;"><b>HUGE NEWS!</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Or maybe I should say "Hugh News?" GAMELAND has been honored to be represented in an 11-book dystopian box set from some very impressive writers. The digital set includes Hugh Howey's latest series <i>Sand - The Belt of the Buried Gods</i>, as well as titles by Joe Nobody, Jason Gurley, Joseph Turkot, </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">serial kings Sean Platt and David Wright,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">and more. After only 2 days, the set has already reached rarefied air on Amazon's best-seller's list. And coming in at just about a million words, <b>the $2.99 price is a steal!</b> But here's a secret: it won't stay at this price for long. If you haven't read these other authors, RUN, don't walk to get this!</span></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/Kswy20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/q71/s720x720/1451348_403991679733935_536982017_n.jpg" style="height: 200px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Currently available at:</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Amazon (<a href="http://amzn.to/Kswy20">US</a> <a href="http://amzn.to/1cvu1xy">UK </a><a href="http://amzn.to/1lwTPOE">CA </a>...) and <a href="http://bit.ly/K2vUYk">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Even better, it's available through Saturday 1/11/14 for only 99 cents with the coupon code ML25N at</span> <a href="http://bit.ly/1koAUYo">Smashwords</a></div>
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Not yet live on B&N, iTunes, and Google Play.</div>
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Speaking of Google Play, I've just started distributing my books there. You can find them <a href="https://play.google.com/store/search?q=tanpepper&hl=en">here</a>. Only a few are live, so check back.</div>
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<b>MEET THE AUTHORS, WIN SOME BOOKS</b></div>
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Join us on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/244052475761607/" target="_blank"> Facebook this Saturday, Jan 11th, from 1-3PM (PST)</a>, to meet and chat with the authors of <i><b>The Taste of Tomorrow</b></i> box set. Everyone is welcome to join. There'll be a ton of games and prizes given away, including:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darkin-Journey-East-Saga-Book/dp/B00HI45Y3Y/?tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/612Dwsu4MwL._SL500_AA300_PIaudible,BottomRight,13,73_AA300_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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10 audiobook copies of Joe's DARKIN: A JOURNEY EAST</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ASB4GI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008ASB4GI&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ez7xP7OQL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-36,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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11 mobi or epub copies of Wright/Platt's WHITESPACE: SEASON ONE </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AG6NF8C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AG6NF8C&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41h1NJK2q9L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-63,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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2 ebook copies of Tony Betauski's CLAY (sequel to HALFSKIN; not yet out)</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FH5ZPRG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FH5ZPRG&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rAb4wZrKL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-64,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">3 ecopies of Colin Barnes's ASSEMBLY CODE (follow-up to ARTIFICIAL EVIL)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H5K0X9Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00H5K0X9Q&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41knXtsYU4L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-65,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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3 ecopies of Chris Ward's TUBE RIDERS: EXILE (follow up to THE TUBE RIDERS)</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GBJWZDE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GBJWZDE&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20"><img alt="" class="tl-email-image" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41a5eTS75QL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-69,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="height: 150px; line-height: 1.6em;" title="" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.6em;">10 epub or mobi copies of TW Piperbrook's CONTAMINATION Boxed Set</span></div>
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And I'll be giving away a slew of ecopies and print copies from several of my own books.</div>
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Hope to see you there!</div>
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That's all for now. Take care and read well.</div>
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Saul</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-81581115985111416712013-12-11T14:08:00.001-08:002013-12-11T14:08:03.659-08:00The Bookie Monster: Gameland Omnibus: Season 1 by Saul Tanpepper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEYzVAeXp6o/UnGmdOznZrI/AAAAAAAAAbU/DQMF9oP1Dhk/s1600/firestar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEYzVAeXp6o/UnGmdOznZrI/AAAAAAAAAbU/DQMF9oP1Dhk/s1600/firestar.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">FIVE FLAMING STARS FOR GAMELAND</div><div style="text-align: center;">from THE BOOKIE MONSTER</div><br />
<a href="http://www.bookie-monster.com/2013/12/gameland-omnibus-season-1-by-saul.html?spref=bl">The Bookie Monster: Gameland Omnibus: Season 1 by Saul Tanpepper</a>: Gameland Omnibus: Season 1 (Episodes 1-8) by Saul Tanpepper 746 Pages Published by Brimstone Press November 30, 2012 Genre: Hor...<br />
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I think this is the awesomest review I've ever gotten. Thanks, Shana and gang!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-55499505813195867542013-12-02T18:57:00.001-08:002013-12-02T18:57:53.372-08:00★★★★★ Review of DEEP INTO THE GAME @ The Bookie Monster<a href="http://www.bookie-monster.com/2013/12/deep-into-game-by-saul-tanpepper.html?spref=bl">The Bookie Monster: Deep into the Game by Saul Tanpepper</a>: Gameland: Deep into the Game by Saul Tanpepper 139 Pages Published by Brimstone Press April 29, 2013 Genre: Horror, Zombies, Ap...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-70812956440019243892013-11-26T10:22:00.001-08:002013-11-26T10:22:50.514-08:00Twelve Days of GAMELAND - Ready for some GAMELAND Swag?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">*This PUBLIC event is being hosted on Facebook and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.*</span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/532077200217700" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: black; color: red;"><b>Click here to join the TWELVE DAYS OF GAMELAND event</b></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3;"><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">What is the TWELVE DAYS OF GAMELAND?</span></span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">In the twelve days running up to the official launch of the next GAMELAND installment, <b><i>Jessie's Game</i></b>, on December 13th, I'll be giving away a horde of fun and valuable zombie goodness.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3;"><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Each day I'll post a series of trivia questions from the series and associated books (<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4W5R96/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00C4W5R96&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Infected</a></i>, <i><a href="http://amzn.com/B00DD5TQHM/?tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Velveteen</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OWNFMM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007OWNFMM&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Golgotha</a></i>) and points will be awarded to those who join, reply and share, with more points goi</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">ng to those who answer early and correctly. At the end of each day, points will be converted into entries and the winner(s) of that day's prize(s) will be randomly selected and announced the next day. <u>Chances of winning are proportional to the points earned that day.</u> </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></span>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Even incorrect answers earn entries!</span></b></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">There will also be a Rafflecop raffle hosted on this page for a Kindle Fire with the winner chosen on December 13!</span></b></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">BUT HERE'S WHY YOU WANT TO ENTER EARLY AND OFTEN</span></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Every entry earned during the twelve days accumulates and will be added to the final raffle of a KINDLE FIRE on December 13th!</span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br />Current and new subscribers to my mailing list (as well as those joining this event) will automatically be entered and eligible to win, so if you're not subscribed to the TANPEPPER TIDINGS, do so now here:</span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3;">https://tinyletter.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>SWTanpepper</span></a></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">(Subscribers get advance notice of new titles, sales, exclusive discounts and giveaways, too.)<br /></span></span><br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DAILY GIVEAWAYS DECEMBER 1-12 INCLUDE:</span></span></h4>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Autographed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481176471/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tanpewrite-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1481176471" target="_blank">GAMELAND Omnibus paperback</a> (Season One)</li>
<li>Character naming rights & manner of death in next book (<i>A Dark and Sure Descent: Story of the Long Island Outbreak</i>), due out late winter/early spring 2014.</li>
<li>Autographed paperback copies of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1492777943/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1492777943&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Velveteen</a></i></li>
<li>Autographed paperback copies of <i>Jessie's Game</i> (official launch Dec 13, 2013)</li>
<li>Lines of dialog in the (<i>A Dark and Sure Descent: Story of the Long Island Outbreak</i>)</li>
<li>Autographed paperback copy of the <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615580483/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0615580483&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank">Shorting the Undead</a></i> collection containing <i>Golgotha</i></li>
<li>Bookmarks, postcards, limited edition "Survivalist" card</li>
<li>Autographed paperback copies of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1479177555/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1479177555&linkCode=as2&tag=tanpewrite-20" target="_blank"><i>Deep Into the Game</i></a> (S.W. Tanpepper's GAMELAND Book One)</li>
</ul>
</span></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #ffe599; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">TRIVIA CONTEST:</span></h4>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Each day from December 1-12, I'll post a set of 3-4 questions at 8AM PST on the Facebook event page wall. All but one question will require a correct response. To make it a little more fun, one question will be next to impossible to get right, so if you're not the first to answer the others (correctly), you could still earn THE BIG POINTS. (Example of a tough question: "How many times does the word "Gameland" appear in the actual story of Season One?) The first to answer everything correctly/closest will<b> win 10 entry points</b>.<br /></span></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><br /></span></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">HOW POINTS ARE AWARDED:</span></span></h4>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">One-time points:</span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">3pts: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/532077200217700" target="_blank">Join the event</a> (these points eligible only for 12/13 raffle)<br />5pts: <a href="https://tinyletter.com/SWTanpepper" target="_blank">Subscribe to my newsletter</a> (these points eligible only for 12/13 raffle)<br /></span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Daily points:<br />2pts: Share event/posts on Facebook (must include #TDoG tag) (no limit)<br />2pts: Tweet event/posts on Twitter (must include #TDoG tag) (no limit)<br />10pts: first correct/closest response<br />5pts: subsequent correct/closest responses (limited to 5pts)<br />1 pt: ANY response to a daily trivia post, even if it's to just say "Hi" (limited to 2pts)</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-5442785585714532252013-09-20T21:50:00.001-07:002013-09-20T21:50:51.399-07:00Of Gyres and Trash Vortices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/saul.tanpepper/posts/356698044463299">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saul.tanpepper">Saul Tanpepper</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-62286136850194056572013-06-04T14:48:00.001-07:002013-06-04T14:54:36.375-07:00Amazon May Not Be Sinless, But Apple Sure As Hell Ain't No Angel<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.macobserver.com/imgs/teaser_images/20120820applescalesofjustice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.macobserver.com/imgs/teaser_images/20120820applescalesofjustice.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: http://bit.ly/19GyJHL</span></td></tr>
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Just read a <a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/706511-doj-opening-powerpoint.html#document/p1" target="_blank">timeline released by the Department of Justice</a> over the court case regarding <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/02/apple-ebook-trial_n_3374376.html" target="_blank">Apple's alleged collusion with publishers</a> to fix ebook prices in a war waged against <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Fascinating stuff. How anyone could possibly argue this isn't collusion is beyond me, but we'll see how it plays out.<br />
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In any case, I'd really hate to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Cue" target="_blank">Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/706511-doj-opening-powerpoint.html#document/p1" target="_blank">Here's the timeline</a>.<br />
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What do you think? Will Apple be made to suffer for this, or will they pay their fine and gallop off into the sunset? And what have we really learned about all this?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212961869656221548.post-55748919918259451662013-04-11T09:48:00.003-07:002013-04-11T09:57:54.448-07:00GAMELAND Challenge Pre-launch Quiz<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE GAMELAND CHALLENGE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the next few weeks, I'll be putting
together a fun event for GAMELAND fans, a series of contests testing your
knowledge of the series. <b>There will be prizes.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">To kick things off informally
here, I'll start with a fun and easy challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Match the six main characters
on the cover of Book 1: <i>Deep Into the Game</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bGpZCLWVvLc/UWbopESGGMI/AAAAAAAAAOs/cUMSjbWg2wY/s1600/GL+Cover+E1v2.characters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bGpZCLWVvLc/UWbopESGGMI/AAAAAAAAAOs/cUMSjbWg2wY/s1600/GL+Cover+E1v2.characters.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll give you a hint: their names are Micah, Reggie, Jake, Kelly, Ashley, and Jessica.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10044692169482248808noreply@blogger.com1