#S.T. Rucker

[strucker]

Updates 9/20

You might be wondering what I’ve been doing recently: 1) I decided not to attend the National Black Book Festival this year since its date conflicts with my niece’s birth and other challenges. 2) By the end of October, I expect to complete The Village Hidden in The Vale (Oracle, Book 2). I made a lot of progress on it in recent months–look forward to more on this novel soon. 3) This November,…

[weirdletter]

Apostles of the Weird, edited by S.T. Joshi, PS Publishing, 2020. Cover art by John Coulthart, info: pspublishing.co.uk.

Weird fiction is an incredibly rich and varied genre, running the gamut from supernatural horror to imaginary-world fantasy to psychological terror. This anthology seeks to exhibit the wide range of themes, motifs, and imagery that weird fiction allows, as embodied in the work of some of the leading contemporary writers in the field. The ghost or revenant is a venerable motif, and stories by John Shirley, Lynda E. Rucker, and Reggie Oliver ring fascinating changes on it. Allied to the ghost is the haunted house, and stories by Gemma Files and Jason V Brock present highly ingenious variants on the idea. The resurrection of the dead is treated in strikingly different ways by Clint Smith, Jonathan Thomas, Michael Aronovitz, and W.H. Pugmire. Weird fiction has always exploited topographically remote areas of the world as a potent setting for horror. Here, tales by Cody Goodfellow, Lynne Jamneck, and Stephen Woodworth take us to unfamiliar realms where the weird can manifest itself. From a very different perspective, Richard Gavin and Darrell Schweitzer infuse their tales with elements of fantasy that allow for the maximum play of the imagination. Science fiction has always been allied to the weird, and in this volume Nancy Kilpatrick and George Edwards Murray take us to a post-apocalyptic environment where the preservation of our very humanity is brought into question. Psychological horror, as represented here by the work of Steve Rasnic Tem and Michael Washburn, focuses on the dread that stems from mental aberration. The eighteen stories making up Apostles of the Weird demonstrate that weird fiction is a multifaceted genre whose emphasis on fear does not preclude pathos, poignancy, and a brooding rumination on our place in this fragile world.

Contents: Introduction – S. T. Joshi Death in All Its Ripeness – Mark Samuels Sebillia – John Shirley Come Closer – Gemma Files Widow’s Walk – Jonathan Thomas The Walls Are Trembling – Steve Rasnic Tem Trogs – Nancy Kilpatrick The Zanies of Sorrow – W.H. Pugmire This Hollow Thing – Lynda E. Rucker The Outer Boundary – Michael Washburn Black Museums – Jason V Brock The Legend of the One-Armed Brakeman – Michael Aronovitz Lisa’s Pieces – Clint Smith Everything Is Good in the Forest – George Edwards Murray Three Knocks on a Forsaken Door – Richard Gavin The Thief of Dreams – Darrell Schweitzer Axolotl House – Cody Goodfellow Night Time in the Karoo – Lynne Jamneck Porson’s Piece – Reggie Oliver Cave Canem – Stephen Woodworth

[oraclenovel]

What is magic? Where does it come from? Answering this question is your first assignment. --Professor Earithean

From Oracle--Chapter 13. Professor Earithean commands the classroom.

Oracle by S.T. Rucker  is currently being serialized on Jukepop. Read. Comment. Vote. Follow. Enjoy!

[theeverclevermsstitch]

And another long while later, I reappeared! A lot is going on, I’ve had some life changes and challenges.

One of the things that went on was me once again tabling at the Fresno High Flea in April. I used my canopy (awesomely purple by the way) for the first time so it was a little shady. You should still be able to see all the amazing stuff I shared with the crowd and the vendors (I’d have visited them but I couldn’t leave my table so I chatted with my awesome neighboring vendors)

      One of the things going on now is that I’ll be a vendor at Fresno’s Juneteenth Celebration, sharing both my authorship and my craft work.

I am both nervous and excited. I have never shared my writing with the public in this way before so I’ve decided to bribe potential readers and patrons with cold bottled water and candy. Legit.

  Curious about something other than yarn? You can support me by buying Oracle by S.T. Rucker on Lulu.com or reading it for free on Wattpad and Pressbooks.

Please continue to support a fellow crafty, author, and artist.

People fought over this one.

  Juneteenth & Updates And another long while later, I reappeared! A lot is going on, I've had some life changes and challenges.

[strucker]

From The Muse to The Medium to The Reader

From The Muse to The Medium to The Reader

Just like the idea for this post that you’re reading right now, usually when I write a story inspiration has struck me. It has delivered to me the general idea of the story that I want to write, and more, and continues to flow as I write my hopefully copious notes for that story. As the writer, almost like a prophet, I am the medium through which “Divine Inspiration” is choosing to speak. All I…

[strucker]

Surprise! Halloween Publication

Halloween is upon us and I decided to begin serializing Alexandria’s Knight for the occasion. Soon-to-be demon Queen of the Underworld, Alexandria has one little problem standing between her and the crown–and his name is Adriel. Dria has loved Adriel since she was a teenager and there’s no one else she wants by her side and in her bed. However, having been her protector for years, it seems…

[strucker]

My Interview at the 2021 National Black Festival

My Interview at the 2021 National Black Festival

I said I was going to post last year’s interview but I’m not sure where it is and its kind of a hassle to find your time stamp in a video that has a bunch of other author interviews in it. I’m making up for not posting last year’s by posting this year’s on time. In no way was I prepared to talk to a person live tonight but I did my best. You can see my interview for the 2021 National Black Book…

[strucker]

2021 National Black Book Festival

2021 National Black Book Festival

It’s that time of the year again! Time for National Black Book Festival. Its virtual again this year because of Covid-19 and ready to go. I will be presenting virtually Friday, October 22nd at 9:25PM Central Standard Time via Zoom. Here’s a link to the fabulous lineup of my fellow authors and presenters. To be completely honest, I had no intention of participating this year. Buutttt, as the…

[strucker]

Typos, typos, typos

Wearing all the hats–author, editor, proofreader, cover artist, publisher–is hard. My friend says I’m being hard on myself. The trouble is I went into writing my novel, Oracle, wanting it to exceed expectations for a self-published novel, especially since I’ve always gotten the impression that the publishing industry and reading audiences tend to think and operate as if self-published work is of…

[strucker]

Update

This month I am participating in National Novel Writing Month. Writers around the world are writing 50,000 words this month, donating to the cause and participating in virtual events (all virtual this year because of Covid-19). Last year, I wrote about breaking an almost 10-year streak writing and winning. I “lost” by about 7,000 words and I was devastated. This year I’m not doing so good either…

[strucker]

'Oracle' by S.T. Rucker at the National Black Book Festival 2019

‘Oracle’ by S.T. Rucker at the National Black Book Festival 2019

I am pleased to announce that this year I will in be in Houston, Texas at the National Black Book Festival exhibiting my novel, Oracle.

  Special Limited Edition Cover

Oracle by S.T. Rucker is available to read for free online at Wattpad or you can get your copy on Lulu.com.

[strucker]

'My Dearest Darling', a winter wonderland fantasy romance

‘My Dearest Darling’, a winter wonderland fantasy romance

This November during NaNoWriMo, as my main work in progress, I started writing My Dearest Darling.

My Dearest Darling is a fantasy romance that takes place in a winter wonderland with a dash of sultry heat and sand from Ancient Egypt.

Here’s the 411:

In the small town of Black Santa where it’s winter all year around, Daniel Snow is looking for love and instead finds a furry friend who turns out…

[strucker]

Infinity Second by S.T. Rucker, serializing on JukePop and Wattpad

Infinity Second by S.T. Rucker, serializing on JukePop and Wattpad

Everybody knows that everybody dies. But how many people can say they live twice but die only once? Nikelle Evans discovers she is a special kind of human called a Mortality. They are human in almost every way…except before they die and see their life flash before their eyes, they have one very long second in which to live an entirely separate life as a different person. After joining the…

[strucker]

Yep, I was there. It was a good learning experience for me. The turnout wasn’t all a Black author (especially a Black fantasy author) looking for exposure could have expected and paid for. Still, I think I’ll give it another shot next year.

Most of the writers this year were children’s author so it was cool to see so many writers talking to Black children and children in general. Including myself, there were three other fantasy fiction authors at NBBF this year. I had at least two people ask if we were the mystery section!

I think I learned to pitch Oracle pretty well and a lot of readers seemed interested in addition to those who actually bought the book. It was very nice to meet A.L. Riley, the author of Eerth Awakening, who was sharing her fantasy/sci-fi book on my right which I’ve had the pleasure of reading after the Festival.

It was a little difficult to get around the room and meet other authors since I had to watch my table by myself without an assistant. Half the time I looked up, someone looked like they might be stopping at my table to look at or talk about my book. The other half of the time I was too nervous I’d miss someone if I left the table. BUT I did manage to meet other authors and publishing professionals.

A.L. Riley,  Eerth Awakening

Mwalim, Land of The Black Squirrels

Dr. Deitrick Gorman, Relaxed & Ready

Ernest M. Fountain, Songs of Poetry From the Heart

Keturah Kendrick, No Thanks

Angela Monay, The Test of Time

Angela Adley, Growing Up Without my Daddy

Edwina Fort, Redemption

Linda Murray, Stop Being The Apple That Fell From The Family Tree

Traci Byerly, Unapologetically Gray

Freddie Smith, Your Birth Is Not In Vain (audio)

I met A LOT of authors and business folks so I’ll name a few more: Claudette Milner, Roderick D. Talley, Julia Royston, Rhonda Lawson, Myran Jones.

One thing I seriously thought about: I have a Kindle and have had an Amazon account since 2001 if I’m not mistaken. Most of the books I read are from the Kindle store though I’m fairly critical of Kindle’s literary content, particularly its romance genre. But KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) does reach a lot of readers so I’ve considered publishing there, just for the sake of outreach.

Don’t forget! Oracle by S.T. Rucker is available to read for free online at Wattpad or you can get your copy on Lulu.com.

National Black Book Festival 2019 Yep, I was there. It was a good learning experience for me. The turnout wasn't all a Black author (especially a Black fantasy author) looking for exposure could have expected and paid for.

[oraclenovel]

“Hey! Is that what you think all vampires are? Don’t liken me to some common, pasty night-strolling vampi! I am a daywalker! This beautiful brown skin does not catch fire when sunlight touches it. I eat food and imbibe the same liquids you do with one exception: I drink blood as well.” --Bossa, Oracle--Chapter 21

Oracle by S.T. Rucker  is currently being serialized on Jukepop. Read. Comment. Vote. Follow

[oraclenovel]

“What does a bird do when the door of its cage is suddenly and finally left open?”

“I don’t imagine that it continues to meander around in there waiting for seeds,” Caprice said wryly.

From Oracle--Chapter 11. Caprice meets Deturra Nanah, a very unique Magical Humanities professor and flight instructor.

Oracle by S.T. Rucker  is currently being serialized on Jukepop. Read. Comment. Enjoy!