Tag Archives: fantasy

Wednesday Writerly Update #2

Posted on May 13, 2015 | 9 comments

Hello everyone!

It’s amazing what goals can do! I stated last week that I had been terrible for keeping up with my writing goals, and then I pledged to write 2,500 words, and gosh darn it: I did it! So that puts my new Inception-meets-Darren-Shan’s-The-City, New Adult speculative fiction novel at 56,000 out of 65,000 words!

So, new goal: I’d *like* to write another 2,500 words by next Wednesday, but next week is looking extremely busy, so I’ll be happy with anything over 1,500 words.

I’ve also decided to have my Wednesday Writerly Updates focus on my actual book releases. Some weeks there may not be much to report, but with “The Black Oracle” due out in 12 days (12 DAYS!!), I wanna keep everyone up to date.

And it’s a good thing too. This was a HUGE week for The Black Oracle promotion. Check out release updates below. And while you’re at it, check out other authors involved in this Writing Wednesday blog hop:

Jessica Gunn
Suzanne van Rooyen
Emma Adams

Wednesday Writerly Update for THE BLACK ORACLE!

  • “The Black Oracle”, my debut New Adult post-apocalyptic fantasy novel, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Order it today and have it auto-delivered to your Kindle on May 25, 2015. If you do, be sure to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads once you’ve finished. I want to know if you hate it. Seriously: let me have it!
  • Speaking of Goodreads, you can enter to win a free copy of “The Black Oracle”. The same review rules apply. The draw will be done on June 7, 2015.
  • On May 31, 2015, I will be at T by Daniel in Brampton, Ontario for The Black Oracle Book Launch! If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area, come drop by to grab a copy of the book, have delightful (and mind-numbing 😉 ) conversation with me, and enjoy Daniel’s world famous tea (it’s the best. For real)!

Whew! So busy. How are your writing goals going? Until next week!

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Wednesday Writerly Update #1 (THE BLACK ORACLE Available for Pre-order!)

Posted on May 6, 2015 | 3 comments

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Before we begin, I am crazy excited to announce that “The Black Oracle”, my debut post-apocalyptic New Adult novel, is available for pre-order on Amazon! One click gets it auto-delivered to your Kindle on May 25th, and if you haven’t added it to your Goodreads list, do so here.

excited-baby

Whew! Sorry, I’m a little overwhelmed. I may need a little time-out.

Okay, the excitement has passed. Moving on.

So, I’m part of a group of New Adult Speculative Fiction writers on Facebook (yes, the genre exists, and you should join us), and a bunch of us are taking part in a weekly blog hop about our writing progress (or in my case, lack thereof). I’ve decided to call mine Wednesday Writerly Update, and each week I’ll give you all the low down on how much or little fiction writing I’ve gotten done. I’m not sure if anyone will care, but it’ll be a nice way to hold myself accountable to my word counts (and maybe even see what headway I’ve made on my 2015 writing goals).

Without further ado, here we go!

I am happy to announce (mostly to myself) that I have finished a short story and submitted it for consideration into an anthology! It’s a dark fantasy piece with horror elements, and I’ve had the draft sitting on my computer for years (almost 5, I might guess), so it’s nice to see it polished and sent off.

As for any potential WIPs, I am currently trying to add 15,000 words to my newest NA Speculative Fiction (I like to think it’s Inception meets Darren Shan’s The City Trilogy). Long story short, I thought it was finished at 50,000 words, but then it wasn’t so I wanna pump it with more words and then edit and submit and *hopefully* see it in print in 2016. There! I said it: my first 2016 goal.

In any case, I’ve written 3500 words in the past three weeks (I’m slow, okay?!), but I would like to see me writing 2500 words a week so that I can start editing by July.

So new goal: write 2500 words by next Wednesday. Wish me luck!

Got any goals? How do you hold yourself accountable to them?

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Authors for Indies Day Recap

Posted on May 4, 2015 | Leave a comment

Hey everyone,

Just a short post with some photos from this past Saturday’s Authors for Indies Day. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out this post about the Canada-wide, annual event.

All in all, it was a great day! The bookstore was pretty quiet, but in a way, I’m glad. For my first event, I didn’t want hundreds of people to swarm and ask my-awkward-self a billion questions. Instead, I got to hang out with some other awesome writers and meet *hopefully* a few readers for when The Black Oracle comes out.

Check out these photos!

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Look! My name!

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My Mamma and I.

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Derp.

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Me and Roxanne from Roxanne’s Reflections in Fergus.

By the way, the Black Oracle is being released in 21 days!

If you haven’t yet added on Goodreads, check it out now! Do it!

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Cover Reveal for The Black Oracle!

Posted on March 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

I’m happy to announce that today is the cover reveal for my novel The Black Oracle!

So, without further ado, check it out!

The_Black_Oracle_Cover

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Release Date: May 25, 2015
Cover Art: Alexandria N. Thompson

On a post-apocalyptic Earth, humans are not alone.

Joachim is a hunter. Though generations have passed since the Great Death, something has evolved in the trees beyond the giant glowing mushrooms, mutants that want to see human entrails spread along the jungle floor.

And now they’ve taken Joachim’s wife.

To get her back, Joachim will have to give the leader of these demons something in return: immortality. A creature knows when he is going to die, after all. Plunged into a world of magic and darkness, Joachim must find the only woman who knows where the ingredients are. She is a prophetess known as the Black Oracle living in the realm of Zalm, but she’s a little preoccupied at the moment. She leads a rebellion against the ruthless High Council, and when Joachim seeks her out, he too finds himself consumed by her struggle.

In a story of betrayal, prophecy, and bloodshed, Joachim has ten days to retrieve the ingredients and return to Earth all while evading the High Council’s army, one that wants the Black Oracle and her associates killed — Joachim included.

Add it to your to-read list on Goodreads!

——-

Bio_PictureMichael Cristiano is a Canadian writer. His relentless obsession with fiction began long before he could even spell the words ‘relentless obsession’. Growing up in endless suburban sprawl, he spent most of his childhood getting lost in fantastical masterpieces and attempting to be published by the age of thirteen.

When he isn’t writing or reading, he can be found planning his next backpacking trip around the world. He is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto with studies in Foreign Language and Linguistics. Previously, he attended a Regional Arts high school where he majored in drama. He is fond of all things dramatic.

Michael currently resides in the Greater Toronto Area and he is using his years as a twenty-something to establish what he hopes will be a long career in writing. The Black Oracle, his debut novel, is due for publication on May 25, 2015.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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The Black Oracle is Now on Goodreads

Posted on March 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

Hey everyone!

Just a quick post before I give my review of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five within the next few days. I am happy to announce that my debut novel, The Black Oracle, is now up on Goodreads. Further, I am ecstatic to finally say that it will be released on May 11, 2015!

Stay tuned for my cover reveal later this month and for ordering details, but for now, check it out and add it to your to-read list on Goodreads! I’ve attached a description of the novel below.

THE BLACK ORACLE

On a post-apocalyptic Earth, humans are not alone.

Joachim is a hunter. Though generations have passed since the Great Death, something has evolved in the trees beyond the giant glowing mushrooms, mutants that want to see human entrails spread along the jungle floor.

And now they’ve taken Joachim’s wife.

To get her back, Joachim will have to give the leader of these demons something in return: immortality. A creature knows when he is going to die, after all. Plunged into a world of magic and darkness, Joachim must find the only woman in who knows where the ingredients are. She is a prophetess known as the Black Oracle living in the realm of Zalm, but she’s a little preoccupied at the moment. She leads a rebellion against the ruthless High Council, and when Joachim seeks her out, he too finds himself consumed by her struggle.

In a story of betrayal, prophecy, and bloodshed, Joachim has ten days to retrieve the ingredients and return to Earth all while evading the High Council’s army, one that wants the Black Oracle and her associates killed — Joachim included.

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Freedom 25! (Wherein I Divulge Some Cool News)

Posted on March 6, 2015 | Leave a comment

You’ve heard of Freedom 55, right? It refers to the idea that one can retire from work at the age of 55 instead of the more probable age of 65 (or older, depending on financial situations and pension). But what if I told you I was aiming for freedom at the age of 25? I’m 23 now, and 25 is in reality only one and a half years away, so have I lost my mind?!

Not really. I’m not looking to retire at the age of 25. Not only is it entirely NOT possible unless I win the lottery, but I’m not even sure if I could just stop being productive altogether (but sometimes it’s a nice thought though, isn’t it?)

For me, Freedom 25 means that I will be at a stage of my life when I am happy with where I’m at, what I’m doing professionally, and where I’m going at the time I am age 25. I’ve been struggling with this a bit lately, but I can finally say I’m on track. So, without further ado, I have something to announce.

Along with having my first novel The Black Oracle released in the spring (official release date to come!), I have also been taken on as an Acquisitions Editor by Curiosity Quills Press!

Starting within the next few days, I’ll be on the front lines tackling the slush pile and looking for gems that are suitable to be published. Curiosity Quills Press, publisher of my novel The Black Oracle, is a small hybrid press that specializes in everything from science fiction and fantasy to contemporary romance and everything in between. They’re a legitimate publisher (no reading fees), and my experience with them has been amazing! You can check out more information about them here.

But what does that mean for you? Well, if you have a finished manuscript and you’re looking to have it published, consider sending your query to me! You can do so by going to this website, reviewing the submission guidelines, filling out the webform, and marking the submission “For Michael Cristiano“. So, would your project interest me, you ask?

First and foremost, I like reading anything that’s good, and by good I mean well edited and well thought out and polished. I generally read fantasy, so that includes but is not limited to epic fantasy, magic realism, urban fantasy (I’d die for an awesome urban fantasy — think The City Trilogy by Darren Shan). I dabble in science fiction, especially dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction. Some of my favourite sci-fi/fantasy authors include Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Goodkind,  JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Lem0ny Snicket. I also like horror and paranormal novels, but I’m more into a slow creepy build than blood and guts and murderers. Not big on romance, but I am a fan of literary fiction — I adore Margaret Atwood, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, and Kurt Vonnegut. As for age groups, I’m open to all age groups from upper middle grade to adult fiction (as per Curiosity Quills’ guidelines).

In doubt? Send it along. If it’s not something I’d read but I think the premise is good, I’ll send it to another Acquisitions Editor.

Happy weekend and happy writing, everyone!

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