Barbara V Evers

What were your gateway books to your preferred genre? I participated in a panel at Atomacon last month that explored this question. I was amazed at the broad spectrum of answers AND the impact television and movies had on some of my fellow panelists. First, we answered the question from the panel's title, so on my turn I told them I didn't originally read fantasy. In fact, I didn't start reading fantasy until I was in my early 30s. More about that in a moment. I'm an eclectic reader and enjoy most fiction and some non-fiction. My brother read science fiction when we were growing up, and, although I read a few books in that genre for school, they never grabbed me. Plus, those were the books my brother read, so I didn't have much of an interest in pursuing his interests. Childish? Sure. Hey, I was a kid. So I grounded myself in mystery, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, biographies, chick lit, and yes, I read bodice rippers while in my teens. At some point, I

On Tuesday, June 21, the world celebrates World Giraffe Day . Yes, it's a recognized day with a variety of events scheduled throughout the month to bring awareness to the giraffe's silent extinction and the efforts to save them. My local zoo is holding a Longneck Breakfast  on June 21. Sadly, I can't afford the $1000 donor package that this comes with. There are smaller donor levels you can check out with the link. I just wish I could do that breakfast! They're raising money to build a giraffe feeding station, so I'm excited about that and will contribute. A great way to celebrate World Giraffe Day is to contribute to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF). I'm holding a GCF fundraiser on my Facebook Author page , so you can check that out if you want to contribute to save giraffe. I'm going to draw a name from those who do contribute between now and June 28, and that person will win a book-related gift. I promise it will be great and worth $25 or more. O

Last weekend, I attended ConCarolinas in Charlotte, NC. This always feels like my home conference since I've attended this one many times over the years. Afterall, it's almost in my back door. Which reminds me of a question I received when I appeared on WriteOn SC, a writing podcast hosted by my friend and fellow member of South Carolina Writers' Association , Kasie Whitener. Kasie has known me for quite a few years now, and she asked me why I go to science fiction and fantasy conferences (SFFCons) to promote my books.  It's a fair question. The speculative fiction genre offers a lot of opportunities to meet and talk with potential fans through SFFCons. People who love the genre flock to these weekend events. Granted, not all of them are readers, but a large percentage do love to read. These cons offer programming for all aspects of enjoying the genre including discussions about movies, TV, books, and comic books. There are cosplayers and workshops on making your own c