by Vanessa Brown

When you're a fan of a particular television show, movie or novel sometimes what the creators provide you with is never enough. As a fan you want to know what happens once the TV screen goes dark, you read "The End" in a series of novels you've been following, or worse still, the show you've been watching for years comes to an unexpected or unwanted end. Thankfully we can now turn to the internet and once again get involved in the lives of our favourite characters through such things as fan fiction (fanfic) and fan art.

Whether it's a much loved TV character, novel or even an Xbox hero or villain there's bound to be something online in your chosen fandom to satisfy your need to keep in touch with your character. From fiction stories that take what you see, or have seen, on TV in a totally new direction to incredible art montages that depict images of your favourite show, novel, movie or game etc. The supply of fan related work is endless.

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reported by Daniella Gutenberg, FictionFanatic.com

Acclaimed game creator James Wyatt continues his streak of big news for the month. Two weeks ago, Wizards of the Coast announced the upcoming release of the highly anticipated D&amp 4th Edition, for which Wyatt is a lead designer. Today, Wyatt’s novel "Storm Dragon" goes on sale, much to the delight of fans. Attendees at the Gen Con show in Indianapolis earlier this month lined up for first editions signed by the author.

The book marks the beginning of a new trilogy for publisher Wizards of the Coast. The company is particularly proud of the book–not just because the budding author comes from within its ranks–but also because it’s the first book in The Draconic Prophecies series for the EBERRON line.

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by Randy Ingermanson

What's the dirtiest word in a writer's lexicon? Think about that for a minute before you read on. What's the worst thing you can call a fellow writer?

Here's what many writers would say: "Unpublished."

I've met a ton of writers at writing conferences. To break the ice, I usually ask them what they're working on. They'll spend ten minutes telling me all about their novel. Then, if they've not sold a book yet, they'll hang their heads like they're admitting to being a drug dealer or a congress-critter and mutter, "But I'm (shudder) unpublished."

Let's just dump that word. I've got a better one. When I was in college, I knew a lot of students who were hoping to get into med school. Some of them eventually made it. Some didn't. But here's the thing: I never heard any of them saying they were "unmedical" students. They said they were "pre-med."

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by Sandra Haven

Words are plentiful--and free. Just look in the dictionary! So how does a writer take these bare essentials and create a real, honest-to-goodness, worth-the-time-to-read, or better yet, worth-an-acceptance-from-a-publisher story? Here are four simple--yet powerful--rules used to create a story. Let's go over the rules first, then discuss how they can work for you.

WHAT

1. First, a story needs to have a main character, usually a person (sometimes an animal or even a machine in some instances) whom readers care about. Readers need to feel some kinship or fascination with the character--enough to make them want to stick with the character to see what will happen to him or her.

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reported by Jordan Frantz, FictionFanatic.com

Fans have gotten together in Toronto, Canada in anticipation of the release of the final Harry Potter novel. Sixteen volunteers have created a Potter Party in Casa Loma (http://hp-casaloma.virgin-designs.net) for July 20th, which has many fans buzzing in excitement.

With Casa Loma being an actual castle built in the early 1900s, the location already gives the sense of a Canadian "wizard school." This was one of the main inspirations which triggered the event's organization.

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reported by Brian Scott, FictionFanatic.com

The Grey School of Wizardry has launched the 2007 Apprentice Wizard Essay Contest. The theme of this year's Contest is "Why I Want To Be A Wizard." The Contest is open to all aspiring Wizards between the ages of 11 and 17 years old (as of October 1, 2007). Contestants do not have to live in the United States of America; entries are welcome from all countries worldwide. The purpose of the Contest is to promote magickal scholarship in young people, and it is free to enter and submit an essay.

All Essays must be typed (not handwritten) in English, and be between 400 and 500 words long. Contest entries must be new, original, and unpublished essays. Essays will be judged on how well they fit the theme, how convincing they are, and the overall writing skill.

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reported by Jim Delaney, FictionFanatic.com

The swelling popularity of the fantasy fiction genre has fit right in with M.B. Weston’s aspiration to publish fantasy novels. Years of writing have culminated in the publication of this para-dimensional fantasy fiction book, entitled A Prophecy Forgotten, published in April 2007 through ArcheBooks Publishing (www.archebooks.com). A Prophecy Forgotten is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy.

Weston has a heart for children, and though her original audience for A Prophecy Forgotten was the adult reader, she found that her book resonated with younger readers as well who were excited by the fantasy world she created with undertones of good versus evil. "I’ve written since I was small, and it has been very gratifying that I am able to reach the younger readers."

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reported by Dianne Newberry, FictionFanatic.com

On This Side of Heaven, a confessing novel about the church wins Atlanta author and speaker, Pamela Jackson, the prestigious Georgia Author of the Year Award for fiction first time novel. The award was announced June 2, 2007 at a banquet held at Kennesaw State University.

The Georgia Author of the Year Award (GAYA) is the oldest literary award in the Southeast and is sponsored by the Georgia Writer's Association. Created in 1964, the awards recognize the literary talents and accomplishments of the Peach State's authors and are given in conjunction with Kennesaw State University. Judged by published and award-winning authors from across the country, the works are judged on their distinctive voice, enduring value, imagination, ability to evoke emotion, and satisfactory resolution. Among past winners are former President Jimmy Carter, Ken Foskett, Emily Giffin and Bruce Feilder.

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reported by Jeremy Polin, FictionFanatic.com

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Universal Orlando Resort are partnering to create the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros. Envisioned as a "theme park within a theme park" and titled "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," the new environment will become part of the experience within Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort.

Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films – "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" will provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the magical world of Harry and his friends. The fully immersive, themed land will enable guests to visit some of the most iconic locations found in the books and the films including the village of Hogsmeade, the mysterious Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts castle itself.

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reported by Edward Wilson, FictionFanatic.com

Hola! Romance readers. Now you can try a little salsa with your romance fiction! MyRomanceStory.com, the premier online romance graphic novella site, is launching a Spanish section of its site in time for hot days and sultry nights. The new section is called Queridamia.com, and will feature novellas and lifestyle columns.

The totally illustrated romance stories in vibrant color have captivated millions of readers worldwide. "Spanish language adaptations have long been planned," says managing editor, Tom King. "We just thought this was the right time to release them."

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reported by Dianne Newberry, FictionFanatic.com

New Mexico Poetry Tangents, the state’s newest and fastest growing poetry organization, has released the next chapter in the ever growing evolution of the state’s unique and diverse poetry scene, including special selections from Jimmy Santiago Baca, Sandra Cisneros, Ana Castillo and several of the state’s premier writers under age eighteen.

Earthships: A New Mecca Poetry Collection is the first anthology to be published by Horse and Tiger Press, which is the publishing arm of NM Poetry Tangents.

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reported by Jeremy Polin, FictionFanatic.com

Alongside the rise of consumer generated media has been the blossoming of writer entrepreneurs who are better able to cultivate audiences with the wide reach of the internet and grow a business. Founder of Falbe Publishing, Tracy Falbe, considers herself to be a writer entrepreneur who is learning to capitalize on her individual desire, creativity, and technical savvy.

Among her many projects, Falbe’s Chico, California publishing company has just significantly increased the content at its website "Dragon Ride." As a publisher of websites, ebooks, and trade paperbacks, Falbe Publishing straddles both the print and digital mediums, and is currently in the process of enlarging its online presence through the development of websites on various topics meant to inform and entertain.

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reported by Ivan Messier, FictionFanatic.com

Turns out, we aren't so scared of spiders after all.

According to a survey of U.S. consumers released today, Spider-man ranks as the most influential super-hero, edging two other heavyweight crime-fighters, Batman and Superman.

While Batman is the best-known super-hero among Americans, Spider-man is tops in terms of appeal, notice, and influence, according to the Davie Brown Celebrity Index (DBI), an independent index for brand marketers and agencies that determines a celebrity's ability to influence brand affinity and consumer purchase intent.

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reported by Sarah C. Drake, FictionFanatic.com

SIGGRAPH 2007 announced the selection of Scott McCloud as the next Featured Speaker at the 34th International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, 5-9 August 2007 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, USA.

McCloud has been writing and drawing comics since 1984. His book "Understanding Comics" was a New York Times notable book for 1994 and is available in 16 languages. His new book, "Making Comics" explores the art and craft of telling stories visually. He is well known throughout many industries. In fact, "Sin City" and "300" creator Frank Miller, called McCloud "just about the smartest guy in comics."

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reported by Jeremy Polin, FictionFanatic.com

In The Traitors' Gate, Newbery Medal-winning author Avi returns to Victorian London as the setting for a fast-paced adventure enriched by fascinating period detail. The novel was inspired by the life of the young Charles Dickens, whose father was put into debtor's prison while Charles was forced to make his way in the world. Avi, who is known for his successful exploration of diverse literary genres, believes that the Victorian novel's style is ideal for telling a story for young readers. The short chapters, cliff-hanger endings, and larger-than-life characters help to make The Traitors' Gate a suspenseful page-turner full of action and surprises.

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reported by Bob Sterling, FictionFanatic.com

Chris Meadows has interviewed fantasy author P.C. Hodgell on his live talk show podcast The Biblio File. The interview was recorded live, on Saturday, May 5th at 1 p.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Pacific time.

The interview, available at http://terrania.us/biblio/, cover many areas of Hodgell's academic and literary career, as well as the recent publication of her Kencyr series as ebooks through Baen's Webscription program and how she is affected by the recent news that publisher Meisha Merlin is closing its doors.

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reported by Brian Scott, FictionFanatic.com

For the first time since they began ravaging the New York Times bestseller lists 353 weeks ago, the books in A Series of Unfortunate Events are being released in paperback next Tuesday, May 8, 2007. If you know anything about Lemony Snicket's chronicles of the Baudelaire orphans, you know they are filled with treachery, misery, murder, legal research, kidnapping, hook-handed henchmen, and itchy clothing. Despite this, over 55 million copies of A Series of Unfortunate Events have been sold around the world.

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reported by Robert Sperling, FictionFanatic.com

Double Dead, the debut murder mystery by Charlotte, NC-native Terry Hoover, has received more rave reviews from publications like Crimespree Magazine, BellaOnline, I Love A Mystery and Dorothy L.

"Hoover does a masterful job of drawing the reader into the Kennedy years, and has written a finely crafted, suspenseful mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page," says Crimespree Magazine.

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reported by Jeremy Polin, FictionFanatic.com

Fox News Fox & Friends announced yesterday that music and fashion mogul Russell Simmons is leading an effort to eliminate the "n-word, h-word, and b-word" from hip hop and rap music. This raises the question if urban fiction will be impacted by the controversy centered on hip hop language. Author Kevin M. Weeks found himself in the middle of this national controversy after releasing in September 2006 his debut Urban Fiction novel titled: "The Street Life Series: Is It Suicide or Murder?" A contributor to Wikipedia.org defines Urban Fiction as "a literary genre set, as the name implies, in a city landscape; however, the genre is as much defined by the race and culture of its characters as the urban setting." Urban Fiction is also known as Hip Hop Fiction or Street Lit.

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A new fiction magazine will debut January 1, 2008.

Noctem Aeternus will be a FREE quarterly PDF magazine where the reader will find science fiction, fantasy, western, or even mystery stories...but all tales will have an element of horror.

"The horror genre sometimes gets a bad reputation for being the shock jocks of the literary field," Editor Michael Knost said. "You can find plenty of blood and guts, but sometimes there is no story among the gore. Noctem Aeternus will be a quality fiction magazine, focusing on the story and its characters."

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reported by Nancy Sperling, FictionFanatic.com

Christine Whitmarsh and her family are coming out with a collection of poetry written during the 1940s and 1950s by Whitmarsh's grandmother Allene Pitman, published posthumously.

"Publishing this book of my grandmother's poems has been a goal of ours for a long time. We're so pleased that this dream has finally become a reality," said Whitmarsh.

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reported by Jordan Frantz, FictionFanatic.com

Rosenblum Productions, Inc., owners of the exclusive television and motion picture rights to the George Orwell novel "1984", said today that it is monitoring closely the controversy surrounding a political ad posted on You Tube that, according to one Chicago newspaper, is "a takeoff on George Orwell's 'Big Brother' 1984 theme used in an Apple ad."

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reported by Paula Lindsey, FictionFanatic.com

Extracts from a long-lost interview with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams prove he was way ahead of his time in understanding how his work must span many different media, from radio to movies. And a huge overnight surge of viral word-of-mouth activity in blogs and social networking media has brought tens of thousands of readers this week to the website of Darker Matter, the free online science fiction magazine that has published these unique insights from the time before Adams found fame and fortune.

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reported by Seth McDorman, FictionFanatic.com

Doorways Publishing has released the premier issues of Doorways Magazine: A Journal of Horror and the Paranormal.

Fans of Dark Fiction will find new tales of terror by, and interviews with, today's best-selling Horror Writers and Authors.

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reported by Danielle Gordon, FictionFanatic.com

Zeta Centauri, Inc. has released the first issue of its science fiction and fantasy short story magazine, All Possible Worlds.

The premiere issue features stories by some of today's emerging authors including Daniel Ausema, John N. Baker, Bruce Golden, Greg Jenkins, Kurt Kirchmeier, Edward Muller, Michael Pignatella, John B. Rosenman, Justin Stanchfield, and Gene Stewart.

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reported by Jordan Frantz, FictionFanatic.com

The iPulp Fiction Library announced the exclusive publication of Wizard's Boy by the award- winning children's author Bruce Coville. Mr. Coville is a versatile writer and editor of books and stories for young readers. His works range from fantasy, such as "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher," to the retelling of Shakespeare. "I love the idea of iPulp," Mr. Coville said. "I cut my teeth as a reader on pulp fiction, he best of which has great storytelling energy. I'm all in favor of finding new ways to bring this kind of story to young readers."

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reported by Richard Harrisburg, FictionFanatic.com

Chicago author Tim Broderick isn?t just a mystery novelist. Nor is he just a graphic novelist. He is a pioneer in the fiction arena with a flair for the diverse. Once again combining his dramatic talent as an artist and his clever storytelling ability, Tim Broderick will see the publication of his third mystery graphic novel from Echelon Press in January 2008. "Cash & Carry" is the next installment of the tales of David Diangelo, the main character of Broderick?s Odd Jobs series, referred to as "Serious Mystery." Book one in the Odd Jobs series, "Lost Child" is currently available in an electronic version, while book two, "Something to Build Upon" is available in paperback from Twilight Tales. He also has a story in the ?Wall Street Noir? anthology from Akashic Press, coming in June.

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reported by David Jones, FictionFanatic.com

A complete costume worn by Christopher Reeve in his first Superman film, (*$50,000-$70,000), a Bat Suit worn by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (*$50,000-$70,000), an extremely rare Wicked Witch of the West "Winkie" guard costume from The Wizard of Oz,(*$100,000-$120,000), Marilyn Monroe's gown from There's No Business Like Show Business, (*$80,000-$100,000) along with her personal hand-annotated script from The Seven Year Itch (*$60,000-$80,000) are just a few of the items Profiles in History will offer for sale on April 5, 2007 starting at 11:00am. Other coveted items that will be up for bid as part of their 27th auction include Producer Ilya Salkind's Superman collection, featuring Yvonne Blake's costume designs for Reeve as "Superman" and Marlon Brando as "Jor-El," the original, unpublished archive of transcripts of his brainstorming meetings with writer Mario Puzo discussing the "Genesis of Superman," and his personal Superman script.

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reported by Barry Dunning, FictionFanatic.com

In the midst of many transparent antics ranging from the Internet to Hollywood, fans and enthusiasts of horror and psychological flair are pretty much at a loss concerning where to find that next great title. Luckily for them, over the past year there has been a literary development taking place that is certain to knock everyone's heads back into place while shaking the scene ecstatic.

Devil'z Hide, the all-new Psychological/Survival Horror Novel elated in trimmings of Crime, Drama, Mystery, & Thriller elements roars atomically onto the book-scene with a story and setting unlike anything ever experienced before?

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reported by Peter Wyle, FictionFanatic.com

Extracts from a long taped interview with Hitchhiker?s Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams ? recorded 28 years ago and never before published ? have given a huge boost to the launch issue of Darker Matter, a new online science fiction magazine.

The long lost interview dates back to the days when Douglas Adams was tasting the first fruits of fame ? and celebrating by taking out a ?20,000 mortgage to buy his first apartment.

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reported by Nancy Sperling, FictionFanatic.com

After selling thousands of copies of his debut novel, The Elder Staves, Sci-Fi Fantasy author Steven Oliverez changef focus.

In the year and a half since The Elder Staves hit the market, it has consistently surprised industry watchers with its continued success, despite a reading audience reluctant to trust work from self-published authors. Since becoming available on Amazon.com in August of 2005, The Elder Staves has constantly found its way onto Amazon's Top 100 Bestseller List for Fantasy, breaking many barriers for self-published works. The book has been the topic of much debate, especially among publishing circles, precisely because self-publishing isn't supposed to work.

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reported by Tim Garrison, FictionFanatic.com

Double Dead, the debut murder mystery by Terry Hoover published by Gale/Five Star, has been called a "standout by any standard" by Mystery Scene Magazine.

"Terry Hoover is a newcomer to the mystery scene, but Double Dead, her first novel, does not read like the work of a novice," writes Lynne Maxwell for Mystery Scene Magazine's Winter 2007 edition.

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reported by Debra C. Gordon, FictionFanatic.com

A colorful, unique children's book from author and illustrator Alberto DeMello, The Girl Who Lived Inside a Snake tells the story of a "little girl with a big temper" living in the depths of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Originally from Macao, China, DeMello has chosen folklore from Brazil as the inspiration for this story, making this first foray into children's illustrated fiction both fun and educational for young readers.

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reported by Darrel Cusack, FictionFanatic.com.com

Ian Taylor, author of the critically-acclaimed cult novel Spindle, has optioned the film and TV rights to Spindle to Sandcastle Films of New South Wales, Australia.

Spindle, a multiple-award-winning comedy-science fiction novel, tells the tale of hapless Space Force cadet Peter Turner, whose first week in the Space Force proves frustrating, terrifying, educational, and enlightening as he meets alien beings, struggles to get along with his misanthropic partner, saves Earth from destruction and learns the difference between law and justice.

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reported by Julie Miller, FictionFanatic.com

Kathy Porter's futuristic book, Gray/Guardians, is a sci-fi look at a very real problem: the earth's diminishing resources and polluted environment. In the book, two very different alien races offer help, but trusting the wrong one could lead to disaster.

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reported by John Gallagher, FictionFanatic.com

Seven years after retiring from a career in international consulting, Louis Fried has launched a new career as an author of short fiction and fantasy with his book ?Other Countries/Other Worlds.? His fiction appeals primarily to adults who have a broad viewpoint and who may enjoy stories set in Paris, Kilkenny, San Francisco, and other places in the world (or out of it).

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