Selkies' Skins

Selkies' Skins
Current book in series Temple and Skinquest. Enjoy Castle and Well from Amazon, B&N and Smashwords while waiting for that and the prequel's audiobook "Pearls of Sea and Stone: Book of Seals".

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Interview of Jen Selinsky

I recently was interviewed by Jen Selinsky for her blog. Knowing that she was an author as well I asked her to share about herself, answering the same questions that she asked me. If you'd like to read her interview of me on her blog then please feel free to follow this link. It will open up in a new window.

Shall we get to Jen's interview?


Interview of Jen Selinsky


How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a writer?
I think I had a feeling as young as age twelve, but I didn’t take my writing seriously until I was fifteen.  From there, my passion grew, and it continues to grow as I set out to achieve my dream.

Who are your favorite authors? (Please limit your answer to five or ten.)
Some of my favorite authors are: Stephen King, Victor Hugo, Janet Evanovich, Sylvia Plath, Jim Morrison, Emily Dickinson, James Patterson, and Mark Twain.  Of course, it’s hard to limit myself to only five or ten.

What are your greatest sources of inspiration?
One of my biggest sources of inspiration is music.  Even though I am very picky about my tunes, I have written various pieces while listening to some of my favorites over the years: Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, The Doors, Duran Duran, Deep Purple, and Genesis just to name a few!  Of course, that list goes on as well!

What genre(s) do you write?
I started out writing poetry, but I have expanded to include many different genres.  I have even self-published two coloring books which I drew myself.  I am also working on a third one.

 Do you have any current or future projects?
I have too many to name!  The one I just mentioned is my third coloring book.  I also have three cookbooks in the works, as well as a few novels, short stories, and many more poems.

Do you have an author website?
My author website is Jen Selinsky, which is my official site. It includes links to all my books, as well as direct URLs to some of my interviews and other published works.

Do you have any blogs?
I have this blog, which is one thing I am very glad to have started.  I also have one on my Goodreads page, as well as two other WordPress blogs, Jen’s Good Reads and Genesis: Inside and Out.

Where can people find your work?  (to purchase or just to read)
People can search my name to find my work on the following sites:

If you could just feature one title, what would it be? 
I would like to feature Bunny’s Song because it is my first traditionally published title.  People can purchase it through Amazon or Pen It! Publications. It’s a great book, especially for children.

Do you have any pseudonyms?
Nope, I like to use my real name whenever possible.

Do you have any other hobbies besides writing?
I like to exercise, draw, paint, listen to music, play video games, and spend time with my family and friends.

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I’m related to the late stage and film actor, Robert Prosky, on my father’s side.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I’m glad that I have started this blog.  My main aim is to help authors discover each other while drawing others to view their work.  I also want to thank each and every one of you for helping me achieve this!

Big Candle sale and a supplier swap

Regarding JIC Nation
THG StarDragon Illuminations (the candles and things added through JIC Nation AKA Jewelry In Candles) will soon be transferring to JewelScents and Gemstra. Once my sales account with them is set up I will redirect WWW.THGStarDragonIlluminations.com to that store for ease of finding things. For now until the 30th it stays pointing at my JIC rep store. I was not given very much notice that JIC is closing.

Take advantage of the 50% off now while you can. Everything needs to go. I will have what physical candle and tarts stock from the candles until I either buy them from myself to keep, or if someone wishes to buy them at the Logger Fiesta in late July.

For anyone that was interested in the weight loss coffee, THAT is one of the items that I know will be moving over to Gemstra as a partner. If you hadn't gotten the opportunity to try that stuff yet, this is a good time to.

Regarding THG StarDragon Publishing
This speed bump should not harm my publishing company in any way. The candles and coffee were intended as a branch anyway, and having sold as a rep meant that I personally was responsible although I was also keeping things clear as to the association by carrying over the brand name with my chosen supplier. I am still available for editing, proof reading, website proofing/testing, illustration, narration, retyping, and being a publisher for those interested in being published by THG StarDragon Publishing. Bookmarks for now will remain available only in person, although I do intend to later have them up in Etsy or another storefront possibility I have heard about. WWW.THGSstarDragon.com carries on with Rowan Wookey being my ever gracious web developer.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Some old art for "The Shadow Chronicles"

While looking for images to represent the three series that the Hounds world building essay is for I came across this image of Angelina (whose Cowan name is Willow Sanchez) that was done for use with "The Shadow Chronicles" by The Ingram for Solstice of 1999. Here Angelina is crowned as Great Shadow, having been awakened to being the reincarnation of the founder of an order in a whole other world than her own and manifestation of the Creator Goddess of that world. This is a very long way from the Cowan Willow Sanchez, who could never figure out why her father became so jumpy whenever magic was brought up and was raised in a normal US home, going to a normal backwoods public school, and brought to the knowledge that magic was real by visits from Singing Serpent, white dragon of Mount Shasta and her past incarnation's advisor Flightessa, a two legged sphinx.


This and images for "Dragon Shaman" and "Selkies' Skins" will be incorporated into the in Second Life image for my essay, to provide the link from the Astral Sector Alpha Art Fair in the quarter sim plot in Calm Ocean.

I will provide a slurl link for the art fair once I have the landmark for the location.

Later I am going to find time to archive some old scans of old drafts of the first novel for "The Shadow Chronicles" for those in my Patreon. I believe those old works will stay Patron Only.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Book Review: Naked

Book Review
Title: Naked
Author: Alexandra Christian
Where to get: https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Phoenix-Rising-Book-1-ebook/dp/B071CRSKV2
Star Rating: 5
Age Rating (IMO): Rated Rrrrr

Fair warning, Naked is an erotica. One would hope that one would deduce it to probably be an R rating just from the title itself. It is more than an erotica though. It is also adventure, spy, mystery, romance, and scifi. Our story takes place in a future, perhaps a not so distant one. We are also given explanation about some past disasters.

In this book we have shifters, some are were animals, some are dragon, and there are vampires. It reminded me in some ways of a story that one of my friends wrote as there was a creature called an “ultra” and she had once talked with me about ultras long before this particular book came in front of me. I can only assume that the ultras are also a shared thing in the shifter subgenre books, so now I am simply going to have to look for more shifter stories to find out if my thoughts are correct.

There is also a little bit of magic, but it is not gone into in detail as to how the ONE person that is encountered can do magic actually gets down to it. I would have liked to know more about that character due to my interest in magic.

I enjoyed the conspiracy theory in this and having to figure out who may or may not have been a double or perhaps triple agent. I enjoyed the genetic aspect to the shifting and how the characters grew. Since it was an erotic book I expected from the beginning that the lead man and woman would fall in love, or at least lust. I was glad to see them as complex characters though and not cookie cutter, which is all too easy to do. Derek Machine to me felt a little flat though, but it is super hard to make a good 3D villain. I wanted to know what made him so crazy, what drove him to such greed and disrespect. Was he simply a psychopathic narcissist or had something happened in his past?

I also have to point out that I greatly liked that Phoebe became a phoenix. I did have to groan though as I know someone that often gets called Phoebe, helps in a virtual library reading aloud, and has a rather fiery avatar in Second Life. I couldn’t help the chuckles. I very much doubt that Phoebe in the book had anything to do with this person, but I’m forever going to giggle about the coincidence.


It was a good book, I definitely enjoyed it, and I will be very likely to look for more. This book leaves an opening for another, so I am indeed curious about what happens with Cage and Phoebe next.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Ame Reads: Patreon Poetry May 2017





Guest readers and guest posts are welcome. If you have a reading you would like shared on this blog or posted to the Youtube channel please email me the details and we can arrange it. The same goes on if you have content you would like shared on the publishing blog, such as book launch blogs. You will need to forward the content to me and the name you wish it released under, and it will be posted with a byline, similar to how the SLNewser runs their blog.

World Building: The Hounds, On Patreon for Patrons



I recently finished gathering together all of my thoughts on the Hounds of Hearne, werewolves in general, and the other Hounds in the shared world of Selkies' Skins, Dragon Shaman, and The Shadow Chronicles. Some of this will later be made public, but not all of it. I do want to keep some things as insider bits for patrons, at least until all of the series are complete to my satisfaction.




This essay HAS been submitted to Astral Sector Alpha's multi discipline Art Expo as an example of world building behind the scenes work. It may be read live by myself or a volunteer at the reading portion, but I need to find out again what day and time that will be. Astral Sector Alpha currently resides in Calm Ocean, in a plot with looks rather similar in my opinion to how Seal Point looked at one point in it's history. I have absolutely no idea if that was the intent, as everyone was in a rather piratey mood when the move from Computer was made.

McCloud Fire Muster 2017 Parade Footage

I love our fire department. A large portion of my family volunteers on the department as well. We are in a rural community, so our department of volunteers also works with other departments around the county. THG StarDragon was not able to donate to help support the Muster financially, but we do plan to renew our annual space on the Community Calendar through the McCloud Firemen's Association to help support the department.

This Saturday was the annual Fire Muster in gorgeous McCloud, California. It was extremely fun, and my sunburn was worth it. We started with a parade of different departments that gathered, some from beyond our local area even. Afterward it was a trek to Hoo Hoo Park to watch the firefighter games. There were hamburgers and hot dogs, and several types of beer. I even had a beer, a very rare event, and I can recommend that Blackberry Blonde. There was a raffle and a silent auction for a wood carved yeti (the artist is shown in this video during the pre-parade windup). The Prizes were awarded and this year the trophy stays in McCloud, shared by McCloud CalFire and the McCloud Explorers. Following all of this was a Tri Tip dinner and then a dance.

Here is the parade footage below. I am working on getting footage from the games ready. I filled two cameras.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Candle Flash Sale and a Raffle

Candles go great with books. This is why I've also started selling candles with JIC Nation, or Jewelry in Candles. These candles are 100% soy based, sourced from soy that has been grown completely within the USA. These candles do not tunnel as easily as paraffin candles and do not soot unless you trim the wick incorrectly, meaning less black stuff to get into your lungs and soil your books.

Right now there is a sale going on. Using code FLASH at checkout discounts items from the Jewelry in Candles line, the Basics, and the JIC Naturals items. There is a lot more than JUST candles in the THG StarDragon Illuminations store, but the candles are tarts are what got me deciding to go with this particular company.

I do wish they offered votive candles too though.

Please go and look at what is on offer by clicking the graphic below, pick a favorite scent, and if you get one with jewelry I wish you luck as you could potentially receive a piece worth thousands of dollars.



Additionally, I am holding a raffle. Each candle purchase counts as an entry into my raffle for a Pink Flame candle. If you do not feel you can afford a candle you can also purchase a raffle ticket for $5 directly from me. The winner will receive a Pink Flame candle out of my stock on hand, or I will buy and send the scent the winner wants if I do not have it in my personal stock. My raffle will go until the last day of July. August first I will choose the winner and contact them. 

Raffle tickets are purchasable in person or via Paypal. Remember, every candle purchase from the candle store will also count as an entry!
The Raffle is a three pronged activity, and is in part a benefit drive. 1) I want to share how cool these candles are. 2) The Pink Flame isn't a cheap candle, and I know there are lots of people out there that might like the opportunity to have one of their own. 3) My daughter and I are taking my son to Disneyland for his 8th grade trip. He is autistic and needs to have several adults in case of over-stimulation. This is his first major trip since the passing of his grandfather (on my side) in December of 2008 so we expect it to bring up a lot of additional things for him to deal with. We have met our minimum to take him. However that is just our minimum, and my mother is wishing to extend the trip so that he can have time on the way back up the entire state of California to see some other places as well. This will help fund the extension. Anything left over would be split between a fund to prepare for his high school graduation in 4 years (Disney World is that goal) and toward a fund to pay Illya Leonov up front to record the first book of the Dragon Shaman series. When I contracted him to record Selkies' Skins he also was interested in recording the Dragon Shaman books. I want to make sure that he gets sufficient funding up front this time as the royalty share is taking longer than I had wished to give him a good return for his time.