Took a break from word making to sling steel this week. Created fights Monday (In the heat and the rain) for the web series Tamberlaine with a fantastic group of fighters- including long time student Henry Burby and my pal and colleague Mike Fass. Then today was slinging steel and telling tales at the Bayonne Renaissance Faire with the Knights of Avalon. Had a great time- even if we did get drenched at the end of the day...seems to be a pattern!
Back to writing this week...

Little of the variety of Toni Sweeney's work

Grandma Vs: the Klingons, or " the adventure of the guest post!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to my friend Toni V. Sweeney,  A fabulous writer and fun person.  Here is a few words by her that I hope will introduce you to her writings...

Grandma versus the Klingons

We arrived at OSFest 6 around 10:30 am, Central Standard Time.  This year, as always, it was held at the Ramada Inn Convention Plaza in Omaha.

So there we were…one emo grandparent with flaming red and white-streaked hair, the granddaughter with equally blonde and blonder stripes, and the upstairs neighbor, loaded with oxygen tanks to tide her over as we trekked up and down going from room to room.

The Joker, resplendent with emerald green pony tail and a snappy purple pinstriped suit, roared up on his motorcycle. We spent a few moments chatting about how he’d escaped from Arkham Asylum.

“No place can hold me,” he boasted.

“I know that,” I replied. “But there are a few who think otherwise.”

He shook his head, ponytail swinging, and glided off, for nefarious purposes, no doubt.

Dr. Who sailed by, scarf flapping, his curly top reminding everyone he was the Tom Baker version, the one some people consider the quintessiential Doctor no matter how many came before or since.

I dodged a couple of Ghostbusters, reminding them not to cross the lines.  They waved and scurried on, probably in pursuit of a certain little green slimer.

There were steampunkers, Jedi knights, furries, and various creatures interesting to look at, impossible to describe, and unknown as to who or what they were supposed to be.

And then…I saw them…

At a table sat the Klingon Assault Group.  Each at least 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide, all in black and silver armored uniforms, with individual touches of nailheads here and there, moustachioed, long of hair, fearsome of eye… They were laughing and talking. No doubt boasting of some deadly battle they’d been in and survived, as they lifted their cans of…whatever…in toasts.

Steer clear of those guys, I thought.

The neighbor, the grandchild, and I wandered around, looking in on the dealers’ room, stopping in the filming room to watch documentaries made by UNO students of Speculative Literature.  History of Science Fiction.  They were informative, entertaining, and enjoyable.

Too soon, however, it was time to leave.  The neighbor had used up two of her oxygen tanks. I suggested she open the other before we left so we wouldn’t have to do it while on the highway.  That’s when potential disaster struck.

“I forgot my key,” she said. 

The key to unlock the tank had been left sitting on her kitchen counter in Lincoln. She now had 5 minutes of oxygen left. We’d be on the road for at least forty-five. Forty minutes before that, she’d be heading for the nearest hospital, instead of returning to Lincoln.

As Douglas Adams urges, Don’t Panic.  

“Could a pair of pliers get it open?” I asked. She thought so.  “Then I’ll find one.” I left her with the admonition to stay put and did the only thing I could think of.

I hailed a Klingon.

“nugheH…” I began. I didn’t intend it to sound so timid but—hey—when you’re confronting someone of that ilk, you tend to become a little timorous if you’re a plain ol’ Earthling.  Besides I wasn’t certain how he was going to react to a hur’q accosting him.

He stopped, looked down at me and scowled.  Or maybe that was just his natural Klingonish expression. Or maybe he didn’t speak the Htlhlngah Hol dialect.

“Uh…” I began brilliantly, then realized he probably was going to think even less of me if I admitted I needed help. My limited of knowledge of Klingonese failed me. I changed what I’d been about to say to, “I need assistance. I’ve a lady here who needs oxygen and doesn’t have her key. Can you get me a pair of pliers so I can open the tank?”

Frown deepening, he appeared to be translating what I said.  In a rumble, he replied, “I don’t have one, but I’ll get one. Stay here.”

I stayed.

In a short time, he returned with the concierge of the hotel, who presented a multi-tool which easily opened the tank.  Qapla’! (Success.) The neighbor breathed again. So did I. 

The Klingon asked solicitiously, “Blplv’a’?” (Are you healthy?)

She replied she was fine.  

“I’m with the Klingon Assault Group,” Apparently he wanted to chat. 

I was willing.  

I learned his particular group did more than just fight with their Federation peers (of course, a Klingon doesn’t really have a peer but I’m using that term because I can’t think of an equivalent.)  They also do community services such as gather toys for children at Christmas, adopt families during holidays, and help with local blood drives.

“We find out how much blood was donated, translate that into gallons, and boast how we spilled X-amount of human blood that day,” he said, with what might’ve been a laugh, Klingon-style.  (It sounded more like a growl from where I stood. 5-feet-1.)

I gave him my business card. He directed me to their website.  (They also have a Facebook page).  KAG, it’s called, for obvious reasons.  Their motto:  The faint of heart need not approach.

To quote from the site:  

“The KLINGON ASSAULT GROUP is an international, not-for-profit STAR TREK fan organization. There are NO DUES here, and our growth is based on communication and cooperation. Klingon Uniforms aren't required, but to advance within our ranks a uniform will be necessary. Promotions are based solely on merit, level of involvement.

KAG has Fleets built from members working together to form individual warships(shipboard-type local groups). All it takes to get a scoutship up and running are a few interested and involved Klingons.

To those that would command such a vessel: you will need drive, determination, and organizational skills. Upon joining, KAG COMMAND will place you aboard the nearest KAG vessel, or assist you in starting one of your own.

If you know little of the Klingon Empire, or live in an area where there are no KAG ships yet, you can still learn about the arts and language of the Klingon Empire, and meet your fellow Klingons, by joining in the conversation on KAG's various forums.

The first step is to determine whether you have the KLINGON SPIRIT in your heart and soul. If so, fill outo the form, and send it in. If not, step aside, meek one.”

What KAG does:

KAG has FUN.
Our members go to fan conventions and intimidate other species.
We help charities with food and blood drives.
We win costume contests at conventions and march in parades.
We host events like excellent parties, weekend getaways, and conventions.
We share in the richness of Klingon culture and the Klingon Language...
...and did I mention conventions?

All I have to say is:  if not for this specific Klingon, our weekend jaunt would’ve ended in disaster.  I wanted to say “qatlho’” to thank him, but was certain he’d consider gratitude a weakness, so I simply saluted and said, “yIghoSDo’” ("Go onward with fortune").

Now, however, all kidding aside, I’ll say it in English, “Thank you, KAG, you literally saved my friend’s life.”

None of this has anything to do with my new series which will be released beginning in September, 2016, but I thought it was an interesting anecdote.

The Arcanian Chronicles is a two-part series.  Part 1, the Narrative of Riven the Heretic,  in a pre-history era, in what is now called Goth or Dark-Age but I still like to refer to as Sword and Sorcery.

A young glen dweller from the Shadowed Isles is told by a Drune priest he’s to become the father of kings. He takes kindly to the idea and proceeds to leave home and bring about the prophecy.

There are seven novels in Part 1.

Part 2, The kan Ingan Archives is set in the far-distant future, when the descendants of Trygare kan Ingan, the man from Cymene, proceed to bring about the downfall of the kingdom they’ve ruled for 3000 years.  That section of the series contains eight novels.

It’s gotten some good beta reviews and a couple of fans who’ve fallen in love with Aric kan Ingan, the protagonist in Part 2.  Crown prince…exile…revolutionary…margrave…deposed ruler…Aric’s done it all.  We’ll see how the general public likes him…

About Toni V. Sweeney

Toni V. Sweeney was born in Georgia after the War between the States but before the Gulf War. She has lived thirty years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a

decade on the Pacific Coast and now she’s trying for her second thirty on the Great Plains. An accomplished artist as well as writer, she has a degree in Fine Art and a diploma in Graphic Art.

Since the publication of her first novel in 1989, Toni divides her time between writing SF/Fantasy under her own name and romances under her pseudonym Icy Snow Blackstone. Her novels have won commendations from Preditors and Editors Readers’ Poll and the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewers Choice awards, as well as the Maryland Romance Writers, Critique Your NoveI, and the National Writers Association.

In 2013, she became publicity manager for Class Act Books (US) and also Double Dragon Publishing (Canada) until 2016. She is also on the review staff of the New York Journal of Books and the Paranormal Romance Guild, and recently received a Professional Reader commendation from www.netgalley.com.

Find out more about Toni at:

https://www.facebook.com/tvsweeney and follow her on

Twitter at: @ToniVSweeney

Maxi & Moxie are back!!!

Moxie Donovan and his actress wife Maxi are back in the third book of their mystery adventures!
http://booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_16/tabloid-terrors.html

It has been a while!!!

Months of not blogging --because I have been busy as heck-- reedited my two Altiva Novels : Dragonthroat and Quest of the Sister Warrior will be coming out soon from Sky Warrior Books.
I've sold short stories to Crimson Streets, Spinetingler, Drams of Blood and Steel, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Strange Sorcery, Silverblade Quarterly, Pulp Corner, Weird West, and Dreams of Steam!!

and this came out: