Posts filed under ‘Elmo’s Sojourn’
ELMO RETURNS
AN INTRODUCTION TO ELMO’S SOJOURN
If you read my novella, Elmo’s Invention, previously posted on my blog, you know that Elmo was a scientist working at Los Alamos and have come to be familiar with his quirky personality. Elmo’s Invention was written after Elmo’s Sojourn and as a prequel to that novella. In Elmo’s Invention while working at Los Alamos, his interest was in time travel. In Elmo’s Sojourn he is retired, and his interest is in space travel.
He has a theory that it is possible to travel through space with the use of wormholes. He builds a device, and it works! However, Elmo goes nowhere. But a creature appears in his cellar lab after his first use of the machine. Elmo being Elmo, decides to return with the creature to its home. Thus, an adventure for Elmo, in a strange world begins.
Elmo’s Sojourn has a long history. The novella was first published online by Bewildering Stories in 2006. Later, it was published by Mélange Books as an eBook and in a print anthology, Curious Hearts, in 2010. Then, purely by accident, I discovered the first two chapters of the novella were published in China in an English-language science fiction publication in 2008.
ELMO IS COMING
ELMO IS COMING
Elmo is soon arriving for your reading enjoyment. He is the main character in my two novellas, Elmo’s Invention and Elmo’s Sojourn.
In Elmo’s Sojourn, written first, he is a retired Los Alamos scientist but has never strayed from his love of science. He has a theory that it is possible to travel through space through wormholes. He builds a device, and it works! However, Elmo goes nowhere, but a creature appears in his cellar lab. Elmo being Elmo, decides to return with the creature to its home. Thus, the adventure for Elmo, in a strange world begins.
Elmo’s Sojourn has a long history. The novella was first published online by Bewildering Stories in 2006. Later, it was published by Mélange Books as an eBook and in a print anthology, Curious Hearts, in 2010. Then, purely by accident, I discovered the first two chapters of the eight-chapter novella were published in China in an English-language science fiction publication in 2008.
Elmo’s Invention, written as a prequel to Elmo’s Sojourn, has only been published on my blog. In this novella Elmo is working as a scientist in Los Alamos and has the idea to build a time machine.
He builds it, and it works, but not in the way he intended. His discovery is made public and causes an uproar for Elmo and his wife in their community, and beyond.
After things die down and Elmo is using his machine to raise chickens it ceases to work. In the process of repairing it, he stumbles upon the reason why it was not working as intended. But as a true time machine, more problems lurk in the future.
I had a great deal of fun writing these two novellas and I hope you have as much fun reading them.
I will begin publishing Elmo’s Invention a chapter at a time every three days on by blog. When completed, Elmo’s Sojourn will make its appearance.
ELMO’S SOJOURN
ELMO’S SOJOURN
Elmo’s Sojourn is a novella I wrote awhile ago and was first published by Bewildering Stories in 2007. Since then, it has been published by Mélange Books (no longer publishing) in an anthology, Curious Hearts, and as a stand-alone e-book.
The story involves Elmo, a retired Los Alamos retired scientist who accidentally discovers the ability to travel through space using wormholes. With this new knowledge he travels to a distant planet and discovers an alien civilization with a devastating problem. A problem for which he stumbles upon a solution.
I was checking Google to see what was being done with my published work when I stumbled upon the fact that the first two chapters of the novella has been published in China.
Just now I have also found that Elmo’s Sojourn is still available for sale. I’ve provided a link if anyone is interested.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elmos-sojourn-walt-trizna/1118770303
FROM GOOGLE
I just received this email from Google. I have no idea of it,s importance, or whether I’m being ripped off ( which happens these days, but has always been the practice of a certain element of society, i.e., losers).
https://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/mail?app=mail#5
I’m also including the sit they reference.
To be honest, I would prefer you purchase my story from Melange Books. I make money, and more in important, my publisher makes money.
As a side note, I occasionally check my name on Google. It’s not an ego thing, I just want an update on what of my work has been published. Interestingly, I did discover one of my stories publish. That knowledge was new to me. I also found that the first two chapters of Elmo’s Sojourn has been published in China. I waited for the money from millions of sales to roll in. Of course, I knew that China has little use for our copyrights, but the next time I visit the Orient, I expect a huge outflowing of love.
In spite of my age, I still dream.
SUBMITTED: ELMO’S INVENTION
A few days ago, after many rewrites, I finally finished my novella, Elmo’s Invention. This 16,500 word work is a prequel to my first published Elmo novella, Elmo’s Sojourn, available from Melange Books.
Completing this current novella took quite longer than it should. Life’s been rough but that’s part of the experience. But once finished, off it went to Melange Books hopefully with a happy outcome.
Not to give too much away, Elmo’s Invention is the story of a Los Alamos scientist, Elmo, who tinkers in his cellar with ‘off the wall’ ideas that no one would pay him to pursue. In the course of his tinkering, he invents the perfect prison, but that was not the result he was after.
If this stirs your interest, I’ll let you know if it is published and you interest can be satisfied.
Here are some links where you may purchase my work.
Melange Books
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/index.html
Barnes & Noble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/walt-trizna?store=book&keyword=walt+trizna
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=walt+trizna
BOOK SIGNING
This coming Saturday, 2/14/15, I will be joining a group of local writers at the Atglen Public Library in Atglen, PA. The address for the library is 413 Valley Ave., Atglen, PA and will be from 12PM – 3PM.
I will be signing my novel, New Moon Rising, along with two anthologies, Curious Hearts and Spellbound 2011, where my stories appear. For those on a tight budget, I will also be giving away my short story, The Gig of a Lifetime, published in Toasted Cheese Literary Journal.
Come meet the authors and perhaps buy a book.
See you Saturday.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: HOW MUCH OF ‘YOU’ IS IN YOUR CHARACTERS? CONTINUED
Continued as promised…
Okay, sit back from the edge of your seats.
Here’s some hints as to who the character is and the reward I’m offering.
First, as you all know by now, I have a profound love for books. In New Moon Rising the character shares the same love and, in the story, is on my dream vacation. What’s his name?
As for the prize, it is twofold. Now you’re back to edge of your seats again. I can feel it.
First, you will receive a signed copy of my e-book, Elmo’s Sojourn, mailed to you as a printout. Also, you will receive a copy of my, as yet, unpublished manuscript, Elmo’s Invention, which is a prequel to the e-book.
That’s it, my friends. I’ll alert Amazon to expect the rush to buy my novel.
Good luck!
To ease your buying enjoyment, here’s a link to my work for sale by Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=walt+trizna
ELMO’S SOJOURN, FINAL QUESTIONS
9. This would make a great series – have you considered writing the next adventure?
Glad you asked this one, it’s already written. Elmo’s Invention is a prequel to Elmo’s Sojourn. In Elmo’s Invention Elmo is working at Los Alamos and here sets out to build a time machine using an old iron lung, but things do not go as planned.
This novella is longer than Elmo’s Sojourn and still needs a lot of editing, and then out it goes. I’m sure there will be other stories fermenting in my brain, but they have yet come to the surface.
10. What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m doing a great deal of editing. I have two novels written but are in need of a rewrite.
The Beast Awaits is the most complete. It deals with a monster created through stem cell research. It escapes into the Everglades and its destruction leads to enhanced global warming. How’s that for ‘hot button’ issues?
Sweet Depression is a novel which is a cross between the work of James Patterson and Robin Cook, a very sinister thriller set in a pharmaceutical company.
11. In your point of view, what is the most difficult part of the writing life?
Imagining story ideas I find to be the easiest part. The writing can be difficult and the editing is, I find, even more difficult. But the part of writing I find the most difficult is trying to get the work published. I agonize over writing query letters.
12. Do you outline your stories before you sit down to write?
For short stories, I mull over the plot before I put pen to paper. I write all my first drafts by hand. So when I begin writing the story, it’s already fully formed in my mind.
For novels I use an outline but keep it fluid. In a steno pad, for each novel, I form an outline to include scenes and dialog when the characters start talking.
13. What plans do you have for your writing going into the future?
If I can publish Sweet Depression I have plans to write at least one sequel.
I’ve also published a short story, Martian Rebirth, which I want to develop into a novel.
And of course, my brain keeps on cranking out short story ideas.
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/elmossojourn.html
ELMO’S SOJOURN, MORE QUESTIONS
5. Your time machine seemed very well thought out – is it based on something in theoretical science.
The time machine is a product of my imagination.
While I was in college, there was a guy in the dorm who built a tesla coil. You could pull something like a quarter million volts to your finger, but since the amperage was low, you survived. I had to get that thing into a story.
6. How do you personally relate to your main character in your story?
I was a scientist for 34 years, but a biologist not a physicist. I love science and the opportunity it gives you to discover something new, when all the parts of a puzzle suddenly come together. I share the wonder Elmo has for science.
7. How challenging was it to build your alien landscapes and creatures?
I have a very active imagination so it was really quite easy. But the creatures changed along the way. The first creature that comes through Elmo’s machine was going to be the dominant creature on Roth, but of course that changed. Then Valmid was going to be a sinister being and that changed. Since I needed some conflict, Gylex came into being and I could just picture what it looked like.
8. What theme do you want to convey to your readers?
I think, as with most science fiction, I want to create adventure and the wonder of the unknown.
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/elmossojourn.html
ELMO’S SOJOURN QUESTIONS
A few weeks ago Jill Bisker was kind enough, through Melange Books, to ask me questions about my eBook, Elmo’s Sojourn.
I posted a link to those questions, but in case you missed them, I thought I’d post the questions directly to my blog.
I’m also posting the link to buy Elmo’s Sojourn with the hopes that this will cause my sales to skyrocket.
Yes, even at my advance age, I still dream.
1. Please tell me a little about yourself – Where you come from? What led you to writing?
I was born and raised in Newark, NJ, but since then lived in the Midwest, LA, Miami and now in Pennsylvania.
I’ve always been an avid reader, feel naked if there is not a book close by. I began writing poetry in college and pursued that for about thirty years while I pursued a career in science. About 14 years ago I began writing fiction.
2. What books and authors influenced your career?
I’ve read a great deal of science fiction by Arthur C. Clark, Asimov, Ray Bradbury among a host of others.
For horror I’ve read H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King and Algernon Blackwood.
3. Your story, Elmo’s Sojourn, is a space jumping sci-fi story. Do you write other genres?
I also write horror and the occasional poem.
4. How did you come up with the premise of your story?
I belong to a writers group, The Wordwrights, and one of the members writes children’s books. She told us she had to write a story beginning with someone yelling that they have a problem. Couple that with a Far Side cartoon where a wife is looking from a door down into a cellar. In the cellar is her husband with the head of a fly. She’s yelling, “Lunch. Are you still a fly?”
With that in mind I had intended to write a story, Cellar Science, but enjoyed the story so much that I continued and the result was the novella, Elmo’s Sojourn.
