Write Stuff: October 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: The Chemistry of Fate part duex

While hunting around on Pinterest for a pic for this post,
I came across this one and happened to click through
to the rest of this random couple's engagement shots.
Can I just say they are THE cutest pics I've ever seen?
Frigging adorable!

Last time, I shared a little of the start of my forthcoming novel, The Chemistry of Fate, but from only one of the MC's point of view, Tom. Today, I thought I'd introduce you all to Ari, the Sary in the story :)

(This is the unedited version, so, yeah, changes may/will happen...)

Chapter 2: Ari

“It was my choice to join the Sary. I died and was left with two options: join the Sary or never obtain a body of flesh and blood. Never know taste, touch, sound, smell. It wasn't a difficult choice, but I sometimes believe I may have been too hasty in my decision.”

He can’t honestly know the truth. It was impossible. Leaving him behind in the classroom, it was too easy to convince myself.

Without thinking, my fingers reached for the index-cards crumpled in my front pocket. They outlined my job here—not the kind of job I got paid for, unless you counted that I was allowed to stay on earth to complete it. I didn’t.

“Assignment: Thomas (Tom) Henniker, age 18. Freshman at the University of Montana, majoring in genetics. Concerns: has recently found possible source of information regarding the Sary. You are to investigate what he knows. If he knows the truth, you are to ensure he has no means to prove this to anyone. If assignment is unwilling to be dissuaded from the truth, and is a possible leak of information, then you are to report back immediately so fate can take its course.”

Translation: figure out if he knew anything about the Sary.

A little Halloween costume help?

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:20 AM

I've never really been a huge Halloween person--as a kid I did enjoy dressing up and all (mainly because there was candy involved :), but as an adult, well, I honestly can't remember the last time I tried to put together a costume.

Of course, this year I have to teach on Wednesday--my big lecture class. So, there's absolutely no way that I'm going to don anything embarrassing. Wings, wigs, masks, make-up, yeah, it's probably not going to happen. BUT, I was still thinking I could swing an understated costume. Like, you know, a book character that wears fairly normal clothes?

Only problem? I have NO idea what to do! I've been thinking maybe dressing as a member of the Erudite faction from Divergent (fitting, in a pathetic sort of way), or maybe Evie from the Paranormalcy series (hmm, a pink taser in class??). Anyone have any suggestions?? I'm all ears! :)

What are you dressing up for this year?

Science Sundays: Early Modern Human Cultural Revolution?

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:02 AM

Welcome to Science Sundays everyone! One quick side note: I had a fun little interview yesterday which was all kinds of fun--stop on by if you're so inclined :)

Today I thought I'd tackle a topic that I've been learning more and more about lately. I have to teach a whole class on it next semester, so I've been gearing up to do that (and in all honesty, kind of freaking myself out!). I normally hit on this topic for about one lecture every year, and it's a personal favorite. And, what might that be? Well, the emergence of modern human culture of course!

Okay, so here's the big mystery: modern humans show up ~150kya--and by that, I mean they look like modern humans do. They have chins (random fact--no other species that is ancestral to humans had a chin, and we really don't know why modern humans do), have our same limb proportions, look like us, have the same brain size, etc etc. But it's not until ~60kya, or almost hundred thousand years later, that we see this massive explosion of things that *culturally* look like modern humans.

What do I mean by that? Well, I mean more advanced tools, jewelry, art, cave paintings, exploiting new and more difficult resources (like fishing), and the list goes on and on. Before this cultural explosion there seemed to be very little of this stuff associated with the human remains and archaeological sites.

The question then is: what changed at this time? Why do we suddenly see so much cultural activity? Was there a shift? Or was it just a gradual accumulation of technology over a long period of time that just became more visible because at ~60-50kya people were leaving Africa and we have a better archaeological record?

Attempts to explain this shift tend to fall into two general camps:

The atlatl--a much more effective early tool :)
Also, illegal in some states!

1. Gradual accumulation of cultural traits. This school of thought has been gaining steam recently with lots of new archaeological findings. Basically what the researchers are saying is that modern humans emerged and had the ability for complex, symbolic thought, and it slowly grew and grew over time. Early finds of art-like artifacts, more complex tools, and other traits that have been deemed to "only" come later in human history have bolstered this thinking. So, there was no cultural "revolution" but a slow and steady growth of modern human traits.

Early beads.

2. Cognitive shift allowing for complexity. This school of thought sees the shift in cultural traits in archaeological sites as being quite dramatic and much more complex than anything that came before (they do have a point--but there are also quite a few more sites that date to this time period, too). They suggest that what happened was that there was some kind of mutation or other change in modern humans that allowed for them to use more complex symbolic items (art) and technology. Suggestions for this have included a mutation in the FOXP2 gene, for example, as we know that when a person had a mutation in this gene they are unable to use higher cognitive function, so possibly ancient humans had a different form of this gene. (Ancient DNA analysis has shown that Neanderthals had the same form of FOXP2 as us, however we don't know if it was regulated differently than our own.)

The jury is still out on what exactly happened with this cultural shift. It is still a really interesting thing to consider though, and I can't help but be drawn to the allure of there being a mutation that explains modern human cultural understanding, though the gradual accumulation of traits probably has a more firm (and simpler) explanation for what occurred.

So, tell me, what do you think? Which seems more likely?

After Reading: The Iron King

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:19 AM

by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I have been meaning to pick up this series for ages and ages. I have heard so many good things! And it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this one! The world that Kagawa creates is intricate and delightful and absorbing. I especially loved the twist with the Iron Fey--very cool.

On a more random side note: why is is that I have read like a billion books (okay, hyperbole, I know) that have a girl with a perfectly wonderful best friend, who is obviously into them, and then the girl goes for someone else? I see this ALL THE TIME. And it kind of annoys me. I mean, really? Are girls really that blind? Is the friend-zone that hard to break out of? Maybe I just like the whole situation on The Office with Pam and Jim too much :) Anyhow, seriously, I want a book where the girl actually picks her friend over the hottie, because I actually do think that would make for a better relationship!

Off my little soap-box: this was a fun read and I'm curious as to what happens next. Can't wait to grab the rest of the series! (And it's nice not to have to wait for ages for the next one to come out for once, haha!)

Thankful Thursdays: The Photo Edition

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:35 AM

Another Thursday already? Dang the weeks go fast! So, yeah, I definitely need to count some blessings today :)

And, pretty please, go vote for me here? I'm #5! (I know, shameless begging, but I can't help it!)

1. I'm thankful for the awesome bloggers that have been helping me promote lately. There are a lot of them, but just yeterday I was hanging out at Mom In Love With Fiction, and Beth Overmyer's. Lovely ladies, both!

2. The fall here is amazing, hense all the photos today. It's started really getting cold though, so I don't know how much longer we'll get to see any color. And then, the snow will really start. Cue the shivering!

3. My husband. He's off for a little while right now, but left all these cute little notes around for me to find. It's adorable. And *almost* made up for the destroyed kitchen he left behind (how could one man use so many dishes??)

This guy has the best expression :)

These are my main things for today, though I'm undoubtely missing a few things! Enjoy the pics and tell me what you're grateful for today!

Best place to grab some great ice cream
so long as it's not too cold out!

My first video interview (aka: how to completely embarrass myself!)

By: Meradeth Houston on 8:22 AM

Hi everyone, welcome to Tuesday. I'm going to share with you all this awesome little clip of me talking about my books, though, let's be honest, there's a big part of me that really thinking I ought to hide it and ensure no one ever sees it :) But, I really did have a blast doing this interview, and my host Dorothy Mercer was a total sweetheart! Anyhow, if you want to see what I "look" like, and realize how random I can be while chatting about my books, here you go:

Also, please, pretty please, go vote for me (#5, Colors Like Memories)!!

After Reading: Geek Love

By: Meradeth Houston on 5:00 AM

by Katherine Dunn

Geek Love is the story of the Binewskis, a carny family whose mater- and paterfamilias set out–with the help of amphetamine, arsenic, and radioisotopes–to breed their own exhibit of human oddities. There’s Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and Elly, the lissome Siamese twins . . . albino hunchback Oly, and the outwardly normal Chick, whose mysterious gifts make him the family’s most precious–and dangerous–asset.

As the Binewskis take their act across the backwaters of the U.S., inspiring fanatical devotion and murderous revulsion; as its members conduct their own Machiavellian version of sibling rivalry, Geek Love throws its sulfurous light on our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene. Family values will never be the same.

At times I really realize that I need to branch out and read more books that are A) written for adults, and B) considered more "literature" (whatever that's really supposed to mean :P). Anyhow, this was one of those books, and after picking it up at the library book sale in Davis, the lady ringing up my giant stack of books paused to glance at the book, then back to me. "You know, my daughter loved this book, but I hated it!" she told me. I grinned, surprised at her reaction, and made some random comment about how I'd have to see how it struck me. Well, honestly, I think I fall more onto the side with the blue-haired lady who rang up my purchase...

See, I just couldn't get behind any of the characters. They all kind of irked me, especially Arty, who I couldn't understand why anyone was going along with At All! Much less, why the MC, Oly, loved him. He was a monster. Some of the minor characters, Chick & the twins especially, were interesting, but then it all just kind of wound apart and left me wondering why I was bothering. Other thing I generally like in my books? Some kind of end goal--it doesn't have to be big, but there needs to be something that's being worked toward or I'm going to wonder why I'm bothering.

Anyhow, the concept of this book is fantastically original and interesting, but I honestly didn't care for it much.

Have you read it? Thoughts?

Science Sundays: Natural Selection and Pigmentation

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:14 AM

Welcome back to Science Sundays! Before I launch into to today's topic I'm going to make a shameless plea for votes on my book's cover :) If you have two seconds, go to the You Gotta Read book cover contest here, and vote for #5, Colors Like Memories. Pretty please??

Okay, so today we're going to talk about the distribution of skin color across the globe. Last week we discussed how we ended up with so much variation in coloration due to continuous traits (didn't get to see that post?). What I didn't go over was the fact that, in general, the distribution of different skin colors is distributed clinally. And by that, I mean that the distribution of more concentrated amounts of melanin is generally closer to the equator, and the farther away from the equator, the less melanin there is in skin/hair/eyes. Now, this is a general trend, but there are plenty of exceptions, however there does seem to be some natural selection at work to explain why this is patterned this way.

Human skin color has undergone some interesting changes over the past few million years, ever since we split with chimps around 6 million years ago (give or take a million years--the date is pretty tentative). At that time our hominin ancestors had light skin covered by dense body hair that protected them from the sun. However about 1.5 million years ago, due to environmental reasons, we were in the sun more and needed to cool off easier (probably through sweating to cool ourselves, though there are a lot of theories on exactly how this happened). Anyhow, we developed dark skin color in response.

So, the ancestor of all humans (Homo sapiens) who arose around 150,000 years ago (again, give or take on the date) had a lot of melanin in their skin. When they started to migrate into other parts of the world, lighter skin color started to either be selector for, or was a shift that was neutral and in general not selected against, so it just kind of happened (there's been a lot of debate about this). Anyhow, there are lots of theories regarding how these changes occurred and the selective forces behind them. Here are a few:

1. Most people have heard about the Skin Cancer Hypothesis. Because having more melanin in the skin protects from UV exposure and therefore damage and skin cancer (a major killer), dark skin is selected for in regions closer to the equator where we have more direct UV exposure.

2. The Nutrient Photolysis Hypothesis is another important one. Vitamin B folate is extremely important in the body, especially for pregnant women (those horse pill vitamins pregnant women take have lots of folate in them). Folate is also sensitive to UV exposure, so more melanin in the skin protects the folate within the body.

3. The Vitamin D Hypothesis works the opposite as the first two, in that it selects for lighter skin. Vitamin production is catalyzed in the body through UV exposure, and without enough vitamin D, we can't absorb calcium from our diet, so we start to take calcium from our bones. This results in rickets, which is pretty nasty in that is bows the long bones in the body, and can reduce the birth canal region of the pelvis by 30% or so (um, ouch!). So, with less melanin in areas where there is less UV exposure, like away from the equator, it is possible to absorb more UV and therefore make enough vitamin D. (Random side note: women who are culturally kept indoors a lot often don't get enough sunlight and suffer from rickets too.)

Don't google images of frostbite
without a strong stomach!

4. The Cold Hypothesis. There is a lot of evidence that melanin is really sensitive to cold, and can lead to greater amounts of frostbite or other problems. Again, this would select for less melanin in the skin in regions where it's colder, just to be able to survive the cold easier. (I won't go into the studies that have been done to look into this, but let's just say melanin and liquid nitrogen don't mix well...unless you want a really interesting pattern on your pet.)

There are actually more theories/hypotheses regarding how skin colors has been operated on by natural selection, where having a specific amount of melanin in the skin--a little or a lot--has been advantageous to an individual and therefore they have spread their genes to more of the population. However, this post has seriously gotten super long!

Questions, sing it out in the comments! And please, please go vote!

Thankful Thursdays

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:23 AM

It's yet another Thursday where I need to take a second to list a few things I'm thankful for. Please jump in and let me know what's on your list today!

I'm thankful it's Thursday, my prep day, and hopefully I'll be able to tackle my giant pile of work and wrangle it into something more manageable :)
That my drive to work is spectacular right now. The leaves are just amazing. I so adore fall!
Hot chocolate. I've been living off of it lately. Love it! If I'm really feeling it, I'll share my recipe for Peruvian hot chocolate with cheese (I swear it's *amazing*!).
That I can go to the eye doctor this morning. Thank heavens they can make me see clearly so I can read. It sucks wearing glasses forever (I'm randomly far-sighted), but at least I live somewhere where that can be fixed.
That my belly is full and I'm warm. I probably take this for granted far far too often. It's good to remember that there are many who are not.

Whatcha grateful for this fine Thursday?

Giveaways!

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:40 AM

Okay, before this week completely swallows me whole, I want to let you all know about a couple of giveaways for copies of Colors Like Memories that will be ending shortly, and if you like free things, you should swing by to check them out :)

Tribute Books has a random little interview with me and a giveaway!

And the book tour from last week also has a nice little giveaway going on still. Check it out at this stop!

Source: icanhascheezburger.com via Heather on Pinterest

Just for kicks and giggles!

Monday Morning Roundup!

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:30 AM

Source: 9gag.com via Hilary on Pinterest

I hope you all found that as amusing as I did. Okay, maybe you didn't, but I swear, if one of my students did that in class I'd be all "You better save some of that bacon for me!"

Today I'm talk about how the Sary were created on PW Creighton's Paranormal Perception blog. Here's a little teaser:

"The Sary are of my own creation, so googling them probably won’t yield much, however they have their roots in several different concepts. The first of these is stillbirths. I don’t know why this caught my attention from a young age—probably visiting the cemetery that was around the corner from my best friend’s house. We would sneak in through a hole in the fence that let out right in the middle of the child’s burials. I was always struck by those children with a single date listed, and how they had died before they even had a chance to live. I couldn’t, and can’t, fathom the pain of their parents, or what that soul must have gone through."

Curious? Check out the rest of the post here :)

I'm also hanging out at Jen McConnel's blog here!

Science Sundays: Human Pigmentation

By: Meradeth Houston on 11:41 AM

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Science Sundays. Before I launch into this, I should point out that I'm hanging out at A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books today, talking about scary books :) Pop on by and tell me the scariest book you've ever read!

Okay, this post requires a small disclaimer: I know human pigmentation (and by that I mean skin color, hair color, eye color), can be a bit of a touchy subjects. I'm going to do my best to explain it from a scientific point of view, and note how the arguments that have been used for discrimination are totally unfounded.

So, to kick this off, I need to talk about some background info, namely Continuous Traits. Like the name suggests, these are traits that are continuous in nature--they don't have separate, discrete categories that are distinct from one another. A good trait to use as an example is height: in humans there are short people, tall people, and every possible height in between. It's impossible to segregate people into tall/medium/short without a whole lot of people falling into the "grey" area in between. On the other extreme, a human discontinuous trait would be attached and unattached earlobes (even though there is some discussion on this point...).

The thing with continuous traits is that they are coded for by lots and lots of genes, and there are many variants of each of these genes (called alleles). The reason why we see so much variability in continuous traits is that there are so many different combinations of these many genes and alleles. A person of medium height might have several gene allele's for tall height, and several alleles for short height, so they end up right in the middle. People who are taller might have more alleles for greater height, and the opposite for short people. I hope that makes sense :)

Now, the same thing works for human pigmentation. The amount of melanin (the color-conferring protein the body produces) that is produced is subject to many different genes (nine main ones, and a lot more that we don't know about completely yet). Depending on how many alleles for more melanin production, or less melanin production, we end up with the wide range of human coloration we see. There are of course other elements to coloration too: tanning, the amount of blood vessels just under the skin, and the thickness of the top layer of skin cells (along with many others) that also lead to added variation.

To get a little more detailed, there are two different types of melanin: eumelanin and phaeomelanin. The former is a darker brown color, and the latter confers a more reddish color. So, a person who has a specific mutation in their MC1R gene actually doesn't produce much (if any) eumelanin, leading to the very pale skin, red hair, and often green eye coloration we see.

The genes that lead to pigmentation production effects both eye and hair color, too, however there are several different genes that play into both of those areas. In eye color alone, there are at least 15 genes that play a role, and probably more. Some of these genes are in common with skin color (like MC1R), and some are not. So eye color is partly linked to skin color, but not completely.

So, while there is a general trend for people with dark hair to have dark eyes and hair, the different genes, and different alleles they carry for each gene, influence the hair/eye/skin coloration differently. This is how we end up with those individuals with dark hair and/or skin and strikingly light eyes (this is so one of my favorite combos--it's strikingly beautiful!). This is also how one can have offspring with coloring combinations that are a bit different from their parents--it all depends on which alleles get passed on, and the combinations they make!

Thanks a million to Juliana Neumann for suggesting this topic! Shout out questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them :)

Last Days for Colors Like Memories on sale for $1.99!

By: Meradeth Houston on 9:53 AM

I'll admit that I probably sound a little like a broken record saying this about Colors being on sale, but bear with me--I don't do it very often :) But, yeah, if you're looking for a great fall read that is cheaper than a latte, check it out! Amazon, Smashwords (coupon code LW83J), and of course my publisher MuseItUp.

It's also pretty nice to wake up on a Saturday morning to a lovely 5-star review from Michelle's Paranormal Vault. Check it out here! There's also a giveaway going on, so you should swing on by to enter :)

Few things get an author's heart soaring than things like this: "Wow, this was one of the most interesting reads I have read in awhile. From the moment I fell in love with the beautiful cover, until I started the first page. I was captivated right from the start."

Though, I am a big fan of brown eyes still :)

Annnnd, just because this made me laugh my butt of this morning:

Source: korkerhairbows.blogspot.com via Jacob on Pinterest

Funnies, Reviews, Links, Giveaways, and the Fall Season

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:45 AM

So, it's Friday. This week has beat me up and down with a 2x4 and the little space under my desk is looking better and better :) I do hope your week has been better! I'm going to share a few quick things, then get ready to go give a nice, 10 page midterm exam and pray I don't have a class-wide mutiny!

Mom with a Kindle has given Colors Like Memories one of the sweetest reviews! Check it out here!

Book Addict has a little post I wrote about the Fall Season. Swing on by and tell me what's your favorite part about autumn.

Starry Night Book Reviews also has a nice little post about Colors :)

Oh, and did I mention that stopping by any of these places will allow you to enter the GIVEAWAY? You know you want to!

Now, to brighten the last few hours before the weekend:

Source: tasteofawesome.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: funnyordie.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Guest Post by Angela Brown & Gwen Gardner, authors of NEVERLOVE & GIVIN' UP THE GHOST: giveaway included!

By: Meradeth Houston on 3:00 AM

I'm please to bring to you all today two awesome authors: Angela Brown, author of NEVERLOVE, and Gwen Gardner, author of GIVIN' UP THE GHOST. They have a really awesome post for you all today, totally in keeping with this Halloween season! (Oh, and I'm hanging out at What's Beyond Forks today if you want to stop by and say hello!)

A Ghost of a Chance

If you’ve never experienced the tingle of a butterfly kiss upon your cheek in the middle of the night when no one lay nearby, or a gentle chill upon your shoulder while resting quietly all by yourself, I wouldn’t doubt those who have.

Here’s a truth for you. Neither Gwen Gardner nor myself find ourselves running to the theater to catch the latest ghostly horror or scurrying to the nearest haunted house to see if we can spot a real paranormal presence. Honestly, I have no idea how I’d react to encountering what Indigo Eady deals with regularly in Givin’ Up The Ghost, what Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character deals with in Ghost Whisperer, or what that poor kid deals with in The Sixth Sense. Really, I don’t want or need to see dead people. Have enough work on my hands dealing with living, breathing beings J

Paranormal activities are believed in by many people. Why? My own theory is that there’s just too much all around to fit every little thing into a tiny category that fits snuggly into a box. Too many things that can’t be explained with the basics of logic – or the complexities of logic.

Alcatraz is often mentioned as a place long haunted by evil spirits. Even before its legacy as the most terrible prison in the United States, the island was used as a place of banishment. With that kind of history, it’s no surprise a spirit or two may lurk about with a chip on its apparition shoulder.

Ghost hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson have gathered their cases into Ghost Files, a collection of investigations where they were called in to authenticate paranormal activities. They weren’t just called in to notable haunted homes and hotels, but also warehouse/industrial locations and even a National Guard armory where a first sergeant hanged himself. From recordings of voices picked up in white noise to ghostly photos, this duo and their hunting team made some interesting paranormal discoveries.

And you can get a chance to check them all out.

Before you run off to sign up for the giveaway, have you ever experienced something that just couldn’t be explained? Maybe you’ve experienced a ghost of a chance.

Givin' Up The Ghost - Indigo Eady's life erupts into mischief and mayhem when a ghost enters her teen abnormal life demanding answers for his death.

Buy link: Amazon.com

Neverlove - For Abigail and Basil, there is a choice they both fear making. Duty or love? There can be only one.

Buy links: Amazon.com, Amazon.fr, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk, B&N

Don't both these books sound friggin awesome?!?

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

College Students, Interviews, and all kinds of fun on a Wednesday

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:34 AM

So, I teach college students. Lots of them. I've done so all through graduate school, and now I'm a professor. Most days, I totally adore my job. There's nothing better than getting someone really interested in a topic that I love :) However, this is midterm week, and I'm pretty much at the tear-my-hair out stage. I do not do well with students who are lazy or don't take initiative. Don't expect me to put in effort because you won't or don't. It seems to me that things here are much much worse than the school I taught at before, and it's making me bonkers (and SO not helping my ulcer).

Seriously, these are my students lately:

(I love, love this meme, mainly because it was NOT me at all in college, graduate school, or any time in my academic career, but because I knew so many people who were like this....and, well, that's all I'll say on the matter :)

So, what's a professor to do? Dole out extra help to slackers? Help those who are willing to put in the effort? I don't want to be a "parent" and tell these kids to suck it up and realize this is real life, but the temptation is certainly there!

Also, there's an interview of me here, on Arianne Cruz's fun blog. Stop on by and say hello, and find out if I've ever had any crazy fan experiences (though, probably, you can guess the answer to that just from reading this post).

Oh, and tomorrow, I have my first radio interview. I'm SO beyond nervous!!

Remember, Colors Like Memories, on sale this week, only $1.99--that's cheaper than a latte!

Teaser Tuesday from The Chemistry of Fate

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:31 AM

I haven't done a Teaser Tuesday in for-Eh-ver, so I thought today I'd have a little fun sharing from The Chemistry of Fate, set to release next April. Should be sorta fun :)

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.”

I should have said the seat was taken before she sat down. I should have gotten up and moved. But there she was, already getting comfortable, pulling a notebook from her bag, and I couldn’t bring myself to be rude enough to switch to another seat.

I was staring. I couldn’t help it. She was less than a foot away and fidgeting with her pen. She glanced up and smiled at me, the kind of grin that made her eyes scrunch and told me she’d probably start talking during class. I looked away.

When she dropped her bag next to her feet, she managed to tip my backpack over in the process. My assortment of pens skittered under the seats ahead of us, hiding behind chair legs and other’s shoes.

“Oh, sorry!” She hurried to grab what things she could, slender hands reaching under seats to catch pencils and paperclips.

My heart almost stopped when she reached for the journal. Why hadn’t I left the stupid thing at home? Her fingers curled around the edge of the small book and she paused for a moment to meet my eyes; I hoped she couldn’t see the panic in mine. It hadn’t fallen open, but I didn’t even want her touching my grandfather’s notebook. Or any of my stuff, but especially the book.

Also, today, I'm chilling at Sara in Bookland's blog, and YA Reads. Come swing by and check things out :)

Guest Post at Beauty and Books, interview with Marcy from Colors Like Memories!

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:54 AM

The Bewitching book tour has begun! Today, I have an interview with Marcy over on Beauty and Books. Check it out! Marcy is one of my favorite characters of all time. See, I even made a silly little pic:

Marcy's Christmas lights. You know this makes you curious :)

Anyhow, Colors Like Memories, still on sale for $1.99 at Amazon, and BOGO free at MuseItUp!

Science Sundays: Human Mating Systems

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:19 AM

Welcome back to Science Sundays! (I feel like that should have some theme music or something.) Today, I thought I'd go a little more anthropological and talk about mating systems and the different ways they are represented in human societies. Basically, the way humans form bonds and pairings to raise a family. But before I do that, I am going to share a tiiiiny little bit of promo, okay?

My novel, Colors Like Memories, is currently on promotion for $1.99 because this next week I'm doing all kinds of promo stuff with a Bewitching Book Tour. Personally, I think it makes for a great fall read, especially with all the leaves turning colors. The other cool thing is that if you pick up a copy at my publisher's site (MuseItUp) you can get a second book ($1.99 or less) for FREE. Nice, right?

Check it out on Amazon, MuseItUp, or Smashwords!

Okay, back to mating systems :) When most people think about this, the pair-bond that is most common in Western society is what often comes to mind, but there is actually quite a bit of variety. When primates are studied, this becomes even clearer (especially as primates are so closely related to us evolutionarily). The main reason for the variety that exists is that environments are not all created equal. It is much easier to make a living in a rich valley than the desert. And because primates, and humans, especially in the past (pre-agriculture) are so reliant on how much food we can obtain to survive, this makes it a big deal.

So what kind of mating systems are there? Well the most commonly known is monogamy. This is where there is a pair-bond between two individuals (usually male and female, but we'll get into homosexuality another day--it's a huge topic that totally deserves its own Science Sunday). There are actually two main categories within this:

Serial monogamy: our Western version of polygamy?

-Ecologically imposed monogamy: this is where monogamy is the main form of marriage/pairing/etc. because the environment doesn't allow for any one male to obtain the necessary resources to care for an additional wife and kids. The couple have enough trouble feeding themselves (see what I mean about the environment playing a role?).

-Socially imposed monogamy: this is where a society for whatever reason (usually religion) has laws against taking more than one wife. So, while there may be part of the society that wants to practice another form of marriage or social structure, it is against the law (with varying forms of punishment). In the States, I'm sure everyone can think of a few groups that have had run-ins with the law over taking multiple wives.

Not modern Mormons, or LDS people,
contrary to dumb TV shows and
popular culture.

Other forms of mating systems? Polygyny, which when there's a single male and multiple females. This is actually the most common kind of mating system in humans, at least when looking at different societies world-wide (and not just population). 83% of populations (our of 800+ that have been studied) allow and have instances of a single man taking multiple wives. A lot of the time polygyny is sororal, where sisters wed the same guy. The statistics on this one always make me think, ya know? It's pretty amazing!

Polyandry in Tibet.

The last one I'm going to talk about here is the most interesting, I think: polyandry. This is where a woman has multiple husbands. It is the least common system in humans (only found in 4 societies) and primates. However, in terms of resources and protection for the female, it's the best deal for her. For males, on the other hand, it's generally pretty unpalatable. In a few instances where this occurs (such as among the Yanomamo in Brazil/Venezuela), low status males will form these kinds of matings as they don't have a chance at getting a bride on their own. It's also found in conjunction with polygyny (the male/female split is still around 50/50 and the extra people want mates too). In Nepal, one of the other places this occurs, a family of brothers will marry a single woman, and it's been argued that this is a means of keeping the precious arable land in the family.

There are quite a few different situations where these kinds of mating systems can play into stories. A dystopian novel with a dramatic shift in sex ratio might lead to all kinds of interesting situations. Or, what about exploring a different population with a different type of system? What do you think? Any good story ideas?

Guest Post by Hildred Billings, author of DAISUKI

By: Meradeth Houston on 3:00 AM

Hildred is back!! She's got such fun guest posts that she's here to join us again today, this time talking about DAISUKI, her novel (set in Japan, which is awesome). I hope you enjoy this awesome post, and a bit about her book!

That Awkward Moment When Your Characters Aren’t Speaking English

My debut novella, “DAISUKI.”, not only takes place in Japan, but it almost exclusively features Japanese characters. A few speak English, (one minor character speaks it natively), but for the most part, they’re all speaking Japanese to each other and thinking to themselves in Japanese. This created a sort of “...” moment for me when I was writing dialogue and internal thoughts, knowing full well that in “real life” everyone was speaking Japanese instead of English, as I presented it. There were a lot of points I had to consider, including but not limited to:

· How would I approach it? Do I do literal translations of what I imagine they’re actually saying in the dialogue? Or do I do a liberal translation, where I convey the same meaning using English (American) slang, which may result in perceived cultural flummoxes?
· Would I include any Japanese at all? Or would it be English all the way, as if the entire thing had been dubbed?
· If I did use Japanese, how would I go about validating it? How many validators? How much Japanese?

In the end I think I came up with the best balance and compromises possible. I had to sit down and consider my audience, while also thinking about what was best for the actual story.
I decided to include some Japanese. Now, here’s the thing: I did it while assuming that a majority of my readers will not know a lick of Japanese language or culture outside of loan words in English. (Ex: Kimono, Tatami, Typhoon, etc.) This meant that context and quick, embedded explanations were key. If I introduced a new stock Japanese phrase, I tried to make sure the reader would know what it would mean from context, or even a (gasp) “said”ism. Here’s a quick, two-second whip-up example:

(A and B meet at a train station to go out for breakfast.

“Ohayou gozaimasu,” A said.
“Good morning to you, too.” B said.)

No, not the best writing in that example, but I hope you see what I did. By echoing what A said in English, B is conveying the meaning of the phrase while keeping the culture involved.

Of course, it could be done in a different way. Looking at it again:

(“Ohayou gozaimasu,” A greeted.
B waved back. “Where do you want to get breakfast?”)

I usually mixed and matched depending on the scene. However, this is a very basic example, and you have to be careful not to completely throw the reader out of the story with a language/culture lesson.

It also depends on the language you’re using. I’m pretty much only used to working with Japanese, so here’s another way things can get hairy, but still offer great cultural connections: in Japanese, style of speech means everything. How formal one speaks reflects both on their personal character and on their relationship with others. In the example above, “Ohayou gozaimasu,” is a formal way to say good morning. You would say it to coworkers, strangers, or anyone else you’re not overly friendly with. On the other hand, just saying “Ohayou” is much more informal. You’d say it to close family members and friends. So, in that respect, I have to be careful with what Japanese actually comes out of my characters’ mouths. Even if many readers may not know what it means, I still want to make sure it’s true to the characters. (Because somebody will always know what it means, and make sure they tell you!)

Another facet of Japanese is titles. In English, we call people by “Miss,” “Mr.” and even things like “Professor” and “Dr.” In Japanese, the titles go after the name and are denoted by a hyphen in English Romanization. For example, Mr. Tanaka becomes Tanaka-san. I decided to keep the naming conventions for an extra layer of authenticity, and because they’re very easy to pick up via context. This is another area, however, where you want to make sure you use the right titles. “Sensei” is associated with teaching and education, but it’s also the common title for doctors. “Kun” is reserved almost exclusively for underage boys, or as a joke to tomboy girls. “Chan” is often associated with girls and young women, but be careful, because sometimes not even the closest of friends will call each other such informal things. Formality is a huge part of Japanese society, so it’s key to make sure it fits the characters and that they face the appropriate consequences for verbally stepping out of line.

The last linguistic hurdle was the translation feeling. My Japanese is advanced enough that I could more or less guess what my characters were saying (and how they said it) in their native language. But since I was writing it in English, I had to “guess” how it would translate. This usually requires using Westernisms, including slang and idioms. For the most part, idioms do not translate directly between cultures. What we say as “somebody has a big mouth” is said in Japanese as “somebody has a light mouth.” Now, that’s pretty similar, right? How about a completely different idiom: while we say “slow and steady wins the race,” the Japanese might say, “sit three years on a big rock before it becomes warm.” So, what to do? In this case I just substituted with the English idiom/proverb. Literally translating the Japanese ones would create a bigger mess of confusion for most readers.

As for the validation aspect, I am fortunate enough to have enough Japanese friends to ask questions regarding how natural phrases I wanted to use were. Not everyone is this lucky. There are a lot of places on the internet to seek help from native speakers and those who have been studying for years: forums, blogs...my only warning is to avoid things such as Google Translate or Babelfish. The odds of getting a natural translation for something are slim to none, and while most readers may not notice, many would and probably comment on it.

Anyone wanting to write a story with characters predominately speaking another language have got a lot to keep in mind, especially since concerns may change from language to language. What makes sense in German may not work in Mandarin. There are also other layers to consider, such as cultural factors, gendering, and levels of formality. But in the end, only you the author knows what works best for your work. For me, it was trying to incorporate as much as the language as possible without confusing the reader. Language can bring in extra layers of culture and characterization that may not even exist in English.

Have you ever written a story that included characters not speaking in the language you’re writing in? How did you decide to handle it?

How about a little bit about the book:

Aiko and Reina have been together for almost 20 years, yet one thing remains unsaid between them: "Daisuki," or, "I love you." As they approach their anniversary, their relationship comes to an impasse as Aiko the Japanese housewife begins demanding "I love you" with a side of marriage and romance.

But Reina doesn't understand complex concepts like "love" or other heavy emotions. She's spent years supporting her girlfriend via a soul-sucking salary job and tending to their mutual needs in the bedroom. Isn’t that sufficient? In a culture demanding Reina choose between the "feminine" and the "masculine" worlds, it's bad enough she's trying to find her role without Aiko adding extra pressure.

Some words need not saying, but "I love you" is about to destroy a relationship already surviving strange side-lovers and even stranger exploits.

Available At:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords

After Reading: Embrace

By: Meradeth Houston on 5:00 AM

by Jessica Shirvington

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Alright, I'll admit it, the absolute best part about this book? Totally Lincoln. I kind of want to just move into his house and be all "hey, man, you can train me!" Because I think that would be cool. So, yeah, this was a fun read, and I am probably going to have to go purchase ENTICE this afternoon so I can keep reading. I'm a major sucker for angel books (gee, I wonder why?) and I decidedly liked the spin on this one. Looking forward to seeing more of the characters in the next couple of books and getting to know the world a little better!

Have you read Embrace? What did you think?

COVER REVEAL for Concilium: The Departure by Michelle K. Pickett

By: Meradeth Houston on 7:00 AM

One of my fellow Muse writers, and all around awesome writing buddies, has her second book coming out shortly and I'm super stoked to get to share in revealing her cover! It's it pretty!?!

And doesn't it sound freaking awesome:

Her nightmare is back. Evil. It’s alive, and it’s back for her.

Six months ago Leslee’s life was turned upside down when she was hunted by the Cruor Imbibo. Now, they’re back and no one knows why. But it’s clear – they’re out for blood.

Working for the Concilium, Miller was assigned to protect Leslee the first time the Imbibo entered her life. He saved her life and stole her heart. But when the Imbibo left, so did Miller, ripping apart Leslee's dream of a happily-ever-after. Now Miller’s back to protect Leslee and rekindle their romance. But she makes it clear, she wants no part of him or his romantic gestures.

Thrown together despite their tense and sometimes hostile relationship, Leslee and Miller fight to uncover the reason the Imbibo have returned and end their killing spree. Because if they fail, Leslee is next on the Imbibo’s hit list.

Stay out of the dark.

The Imbibo are back.

Title: Concilium: The Departure (Concilium Series #2)

Author: Michelle K. Pickett

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing (http://museituppublishing.com)

Cover: Lex Valentine of Winterheart Design

Release Date: November 2012

Format: e-book