Welcome to Silent Screaming
The Annette Gisby newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:
News
Book Reviews
Feature Article
Qoute of the Month
Bad Joke of the Month
Contests/Offers
Sites etc.


NEWS
~~~~

Well, the very good news is that my new book is out! That's right,
Drowning Rapunzel is now available from the Barnes & Noble website
www.bn.com and hopefully will be on the other online stores soon. :-)

And to celebrate the release, I've designed a small website for the
book, which is here:
http://www.freewebs.com/agisby

Also on the site you will find extracts from Beth's journal (the heroine
of my book), this will be updated infrequently (in other words, when
I get some time to do it!)

Just a reminder that the webzine Twisted Tales has moved, you can
now add your own stories, press releases etc. here:
http://twistedtales.portal.dk3.com

Archived material can still be found here: www.twistedtales.n3.net

Congratulations to two of our subscribers whose work was featured on
Twisted Tales, Elizabeth A Merz's book, Bentoni's Prophecy has just
been released by a traditional publisher, and the story "White" by
J.M. Heluk has been accepted for an anthology. Way to go, both of
you!

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BOOK REVIEWS
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Passage
by Connie Willis
Voyager Books
ISBN: 0-00-711825-2

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams
and Drowning Rapunzel.
www.annettegisby.n3.net

Psychologist Dr. Joanna Lander has spent the last two years at Mercy
Hospital studying those patients who have "died" and come back, those
who have had a near death experience, or NDE.

She isn't the only one, the hospital corridors are also haunted by
a spiritualist, and Joanna suspects, fraud. He is convinced that the
NDE's are totally spiritual, is it coincidence that he also writes
books with such titles as The Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Joanna thinks that NDE's might be caused by chemical reactions as
the brain dies, or maybe it's some type of survivial mechanism, and
when Dr. Richard Wright asks her to become part of his scientific
study, where he can induce NDEs with chemicals, Joanna jumps at the
chance.

Volunteers and funding soon dry up, and Joanna becomes the guinea
pig herself, feeling a sense of wonder that she will get to experience
what she's been hearing second-hand.

But although Joanna expereinces what most people have reported, the
light, the tunnel, she discovers something else as well. A part of
her knows why everything seems so familiar, and why she has every
reason to be afraid...

Every so often a book a book comes along and just sweeps you up and
you forget everything else in your quest to finish it. Passage is
such a book, it is a fairly long book, but it only took me two days
to finish it, I needed to see the next part.

Ms. Willis has the knack of leaving something hanging at the end of
each chapter, and you have no option but to read on to discover what
is going to happen next. You cared about the characters and needed
to know what adventures they were going to get into next.

A book you may not want to put down.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feminine Writes
Compiled by Sheri McConnell
Edited by Angel Brown and Julie Ann Halick
National Association of Women Writers, 2002
Excerpt/More Info Link: http://www.NAWW.org


Women, Wisdom and Writing are three very big Ws. This is an apt
subtitle for "Feminine Writes," a kind of writing genre all its own.

Compiled by Sheri' McConnell, president and founder of the National
Association of Women Writers, this book is a little of many things.
This could be the kiss of death for a book--the very path to self
destruction; in this case it works very well.

The first five chapters are composed of inspirational works culled
from essays by members of NAWW--a huge organization that is growing
every day. Covering subjects like "The Identity of a Woman" and
"Passion and Creativity" they appear in this book by invitation and
Sheri' has been careful to include only the best. These are lovely
pieces that should be read by any writer, whether she journals only
for her own needs, is a hardworking reporter or writes creatively.
These pieces may be read one by one and savored or devoured nonstop.
Intended for women, many would be of value to men.

The second section is designed to give a writer experience but also
to "Ignite the Woman Writer's Soul."

Section three is all (or almost all) about the practical. It answers
25 commonly asked questions about the writing life. A woman writer may
find something here that she had thought to ask but never had, or a
new slant on an answer that she long thought she had the answer to.

At the end is a "Directory of Wisdom." There is a surprise here that I
shall not reveal. It may be sufficient to say that wisdom does not
always spring from expected sources.

"Feminine Writes," edited by Angel Brown and Julie Ann Halick, is
available at no cost to a writer who chooses to become a member of
NAWW; it is one of many perks. Or it may be ordered on Amazon with the
rest of this spring's reading.

I highly recommend this book. It is, in part, a mass memoir. Women
share their innermost selves with other writers. It is a workbook
extraordinaire. All in all, it is a book full of camaraderie. If I
used a star system for rating, I would wave a flag full of them for
"Feminine Writes." A pretty pink flag, for women writers everywhere.

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, "This is the Place," has won
eight awards. Her newly released "Harkening: A Collection of Stories
Remembered" has won two. She has contributed to another book of wisdom
from writers called "Musings: Authors Do It Write." It is available
FREE at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emails from the Edge
by Kristie Leigh Maguire
Pagefree Publishing
ISBN: 1-9302524-6-3
http://clik.to/Kristie

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams
and Drowning Rapunzel
www.annettegisby.n3.net

Some things are very private, diaries, phone calls, letters and emails
between friends. Emails from the Edge is a most unusual book, it
details the relationship through emails of two friends, Margie who is
living in Japan while her husband works there, and Sandy who is living
in Texas with all her family around her.

Margie finds it difficult to live in a place where she doesn't know
the language, finds the culture so different to what she's used to. How
would you feel to get lots of bills and you don't even know what they
are for or for how much? There is no-one to talk to while her husband
is out at work and she finds herself getting more and more depressed.
Sandy comes to the rescue with almost daily emails of what life is
like for her back in the 'real world.' In return, Margie writes about
her time in Japan and other places.

A true story, the friendship between these two women shines from the
page and you feel as if you've eavesdropped on a private conversation,
but accidentally and then they smile at you and welcome you into that
circle of friendship.

The writing is real and down to earth, as only emails to good friends
can be.

An excellent read.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keeping Ahead of Winter: 4100 Nautical Miles Inside America
by Ruth Silnes
Xlibris

Review by Nina M. Osier, author of Mistworld, Granite Island and more
http://www.geocities.com/nina_osier

This book is far more than an exciting account of theauthor's sailboat
journey from Chicago to Florida's Gulf coast. Its second theme, the
inner journey she takes while adjusting to life with her new husband
(and learning how to be "first mate" on a 38-foot sailing yacht!), is
such a perfect match for the more obvious one that I would hesitate to
designate one as primary and the other as secondary. Along the way
Ruth and Torger Silnes learn many things about their country, but Ruth
learns just as many about herself.

This is a well-told story of a woman's transition from her life's
first half to its second, rich in detail and emotion. It deserves to
be read. Do give it a try!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Gate to Women's Country
by Sheri S. Tepper
Voyager Books

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams
and Drowning Rapunzel
www.annettegisby.n3.net

Set in a dark future, in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, society
is in the hands of women. Men live in garrisons and wage war with each
other, they are not allowed to involve the women or children in their
feuds, but they are jealous of the knowledge that the women have.
There is one way the men can become like the women, come through the
gate to Women's country and live as a servant, and they can have all
the knowledge they want.

But what warrior would want to do that? The men who go through the
gate are ostracized by the warriors, they can't be real men if they
don't want to fight. Gradually more and more men are going through the
gate at fifteen, the age when they have to decide whether or not they
want to remain as warriors. The warriors wonder why more and more of
their number are returning to women's country, but only the women and
servants know why and they're not telling.

This is an imaginative, unusual story and I was hooked from the very
first page. Told from both the women's and men's point of views, it is
a very interesting take on the battle between the sexes, and how
things need to change if humanity is to survive without destroying the
world again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feature Article
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are not a REAL WRITER!
By Kristie Leigh Maguire


"You are not a real writer," they say.

"Why," I ask, "do you say that I am not a real writer? I have written
a novel. Would that not classify me as a real writer?"

"You have written a novel," they reply, "but that still does not make
you a real writer."

"How can you possibly say that? I have written a novel. I have
published my novel. My novel was on my publisher's Best Seller List
for three months straight after it was published. Does that not make
me a real writer?" I ask in amazement.

"No it does not," they reply.

"Well, you've got my curiosity aroused now," I reply. "What is your
reason for thinking that I am not a real writer?"

They laugh sarcastically. "Your novel is published with a Print on
Demand publishing company," they reply, "not with one of the big
traditional New York publishing houses.

I stare at them, appalled at their audacity. "So that is why you don't
consider me a real writer? Because I did not publish my novel with one
of the big traditional New York publishing houses?"

"Yes, that is exactly why I say that you are not a real writer. You
are not considered a real writer unless one of the big New York
publishing houses chooses to publish your book," they reply.

Now I am really incensed. "Well, let me ask you some questions
regarding traditional publishing. Does the traditional publishing
houses allow an author to publish their book the way the author wants
their story told? Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think the
traditional publisher makes the author do rewrite after rewrite and
edit after edit until sometimes the author no longer recognizes their
own story."

"Of course the big publishing houses makes the author do revisions
before the manuscript actually becomes a book," they reply.

"Don't you think an author is capable of telling their own story
without someone telling them how to do it?" I reply. "After all, the
author is the one who came up with the idea for the story in the first
place. The author is the one who sweated blood writing the story and
getting it just right. I would think the author would be capable of
knowing when the story is finally the way they want it."

"Well, that's just not the way it's done," they reply.

"Let me ask you this question then. Why would I want to rewrite my
story just to fit some publishing house's idea of what they think will
sell? With Print on Demand publishing, I can write my book as I want
to and not have to try to fit it into some mold that the big houses
think will sell. I am not trying to imitate some already famous author.
I have my own unique style of writing. I don't want to write my story
to fit some preordained mold that the big publishing houses say will
sell."

"You are so naïve," they laugh. "I told you that is not the way it's
done."

"Well, that's the way I choose to do it," I reply. "I am in charge of
my own writing and my own destiny. I can tell my story the way I want
my story to be told. I maintain complete rights to my novel. It is
published in both paperback and e-book format. I can market my book to
the world through the internet or it can be placed in brick and mortar
stores. I am not paid a royalty upfront like with the big houses but
my royalties are higher per book sold than with the traditional
houses."

They look at me as if I am some child who just does not understand the
ways of the world. They shake their head and turn and walk away.

A writer is a writer is a writer whether they are published or never
published. An author is an author is an author whether they are
published the traditional way or an alternate way. But the end result
is the same. A writer writes a book, publishes it and sells it.
Whether the writer chooses to go down the traditional path or strike
out on an alternate path, they are real writers.

Not everyone chooses to travel down the same old worn path. Sometimes
a person chooses to strike out on their own path in order to accomplish
the goals they have set for themselves. They keep striving towards
reaching that goal. They reach beyond the imaginary limitations that
have been set by the powers that be in the writing world.

There are many other paths available now for writers that were not
available too many years ago. A writer can now choose the path they
want to follow in order to reach that goal of getting that manuscript
they have sweated blood over to be published.

Remember, it wasn't too terribly many years ago that personal computers
were not available in the average home. The internet for the average
person was an unheard of thing. Now with computers being readily
available and with the internet changing the world, the publishing
business will not stay the same forever. Surely it cannot be too much
longer before the traditional publishing world recognizes the writers
that have the courage to follow a different path to reach their goals.

I have sat at my computer for hours and hours for days and months on
end writing my novel. I have published my novel. I am selling my novel.
My novel has been on my publisher's Top Ten Best Seller List since it
was first published. I am a REAL WRITER and I did it MY WAY, to
paraphrase Elvis.

If you don't like the status quo, change it! Have the courage to do it
YOUR WAY!

Kristie Leigh Maguire, Published Author
http://clik.to/Kristie
Copyright @ 2001 Kristie Leigh Maguire


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QOUTE OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Write something to suit yourself and many people will like it; write
something to suit everybody and scarcely anyone will care for it." -
Jesse Stuart.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BAD JOKE OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How did the pig get to hospital?

In a hambulance!!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONTESTS/OFFERS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flash Fiction Contest
URL: http://www.wordsmitten.com/storycove.html
Prize: $150 and web publication
Reading fee: $10
Deadline: 1st May 2003
More details and guidelines on website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speculative Fiction Contest
URL: http://www.tyrannosauruspress.com/Newsletter/Contest.html
Prize $100 and publication in The Illuminata
Reading fee: $10
Deadline: September 1st 2003
More details and guidelines on site

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Millenium Writing Contest
URL: www.mach2.com
Reading fee: $17 per story, non-fiction or per 5 poems
Prizes: $1000 each for best fiction, non-fiction and poem.
Deadline: 17th June 2003

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The site below has details of lots of screenwriting contests:

http://www.hollywoodlitsales.com/cf/contest/contestlist.cfm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Win free books with Curled up with a Good Book:
http://www.curledup.com/win.htm


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEATURED BOOKS/SITES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FACETS Magazine seeks excellent original fiction, nonfiction, and
poetry. Fiction/nonfiction up to 5,000 words/3-5 poems. Send as E-mail
text (attachments will not be opened) to prose@facets-magazine.com or
poetry@facets-magazine.com Please visit our site first,
www.facets-magazine.com, to see what type of writing we publish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NUW Bookclub May's top five picks
and browsable book


HEY DOROTHY, YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
by Karen Mueller Bryson (Romance/Humor)

A poignant and funny story about a young woman coping with
the death of her father, and her mother's subsequent involvement
with a strange cult

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE KEEPER OF THE WIND
by Charolotte Boyett-Compo (Fantasy/Romance)

Conar McGregor: Prince Regent of Serenia; the Chosen One. From early
childhood he has experienced the brutal, crippling excesses of a mad
sorcerer's insane obsession. Unable to love, to feel, to exist in his
own world, he courts death with every draw of the sword

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KISS OF THE GEISHA
by Deborah Kemp (Mystery/Romance)

Recently married, Kenji and Page must dealm with culture clash
and the knowledge that someone wants Page dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANGER AND ANXIETY
by Dr. Bob Rich (Non-fiction)

Let experienced psychologist and award-winning writer Dr Bob Rich
become your friend as he guides your battle towards freedom from
suffering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DIVERTING THE BUDDHA
by Bob Swartzel (Fiction/Mainstream)

Set in the turbulent Vietnam War, Bob Swartzel's 'Diverting The Buddha'
is a highly recommended political thriller.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


May's Browsable Book:

TRUE NATURE
by Dehanna Bailee

Suffering from terrible seizures ever since a young girl, Kaileen
James travels to New Orleans to try and find the cure. But once
she discovers what is wrong with her, can she accept her True Nature?

For more information on these and other NUW books, please visit the
website:
http://clik.to/NUWAuthorsBookClub

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Par for the Course
by Janet Elaine Smith

A new time travel romance from best selling author Janet Elaine
Smith. Is life just a game or can history be reveresed?

http://www.janetelainesmith.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anna-Versery: The Poetry of Anna Maire Fritz

Poems for all occasions.

http://bookstotreasure.net/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Last Gate Series
Book 1: Bentoni's Prophecy
by Elizabeth A. Merz

The Last Gate Series chronicles the history and political intrigues in
an alternate world, where the actions of a selfish ruler impacts over
one hundred generations of his people and causes a special race of
beings to die off to near extinction.

http://elizabethamerz.homestead.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Authors, would you like your book featured in my next newsletter?
Then please just email me the title, author and a short blurb
(2-3 sentences) along with your URL or ordering details and I will put
it in for you.

Email me at penguin2@blueyonder.co.uk

There is no charge. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take care till next time,
Annette

Drowning Rapunzel
Obsession, insanity, murder:
www.freewebs.com/agisby