Next POLAIK: The Tall Teller Of Tales...James Wymore

If you're at a convention and it's packed, there's a good chance you'll see James Wymore--if he's there, that is. Just stand on your tippy toes and look above the crowd. That's your best chance to spot him. 

I've written about James before. He was one of the first local authors I met when I began this writing adventure a few years ago. I was attending my first conference, the Salt City Steamfest in 2013 and I distinctly remember James walking in the door and checking out our books. I had a single story published in an anthology (about which I was stoked...) and a few of the authors from Xchyler were selling our goods. James came up, checked out the books and we talked. He even gave me his business card.

Fast forward a few months and I saw him again. We talked and I was impressed that he not only remember me and our books, but he was very approachable. I don't know what I was expecting--maybe some distant person who didn't want to be bothered by someone with just one published work in an anthology. No, he was anything but. And after a few years, we've become friends. This is another POLAIK (profile of local authors/artists I know).

Last week I finished one of James's novels, Exacting Essence. I enjoyed it very much. I want to read more of his stories. And, by the way, there are more titles listed on James's Goodreads page. I only chose two. You can access information on these and all his books on his website: HERE.

Wherever James goes, you can count on him to be the life of any party. He is one of the founding members of the Space Balrogs comedy troupe and if you ever get the chance to see them perform at a convention, do not pass up the opportunity. It's quite the experience!

So, if you find yourself at a writing symposium like LTUE or at a Salt Lake Comic Con, stand on your tippy toes and see if you can spot Mr. Wymore. Chances are if he's there, you'll see him. And, for the record, he almost never acts like a street tough...

James Wymore's "Exacting Essence"...A Book Review

I met James Wymore in the spring of 2013. It took me this long to get around to reading one of his books. I finished Exacting Essence yesterday.

I shouldn't have taken so long.

I had no idea what this book was about when I began reading it. The cover shows us some spooky woods behind a girl holding an axe that's reflecting the face of a scary-looking clown. The book pretty much had all those elements and a lot more contained within its pages.

The girl, Megan has been suffering from extreme nightmares for years. They're so bad she wakes up with physical injuries and blames them on the dreams. Turns out, they're not just dreams--they have an element of reality to them that could prove deadly if you cross the wrong people while in the dreams.

Dreams fascinate a lot of people--probably why so many stories have dreams as either a subject in a story or a main plot point. Exacting Essence deals with the latter. The story begins with Megan and her nightmares. She is soon joined by Rose, a doctor who is hired to help Megan deal with terrors that come at night. In a separate storyline, we are introduced to Carrie, someone who is literally trapped in a dream. The two subplots continue until both stories merge and each victim is helped by the other.

And because this is a book about dreams, anything goes when it comes to what happens to them while they dream. The book is a quick read--a couple of hundred pages--and it opened my mind as to the possibilities that could exist in a dreamworld.

I was given the book by James last year at a convention. He wanted us to have us, mostly because the girl on the cover resembled my teenage daughter. I hope to never experience my daughter holding an axe with the reflection of a scary clown while in a spooky wood, but you never know. Good book! I enjoyed the read very much!

FanX-Perience Preserved In Pictures...

 

My friend's been bugging me about posting some of my Salt Lake Comic Con 2014 FanX photos. Truth be told, I didn't take a lot of pictures--I usually take a lot more at such an event, but my mission at the conference was a little different. I was trying to meet people, sound somewhat intelligent (which is another word for "qualified"...) on the panels and strengthen relationships. And besides, if I took a picture of every cool thing I saw over those three days, I wouldn't have had time to do anything else.

So, here are some photos! Thanks goes to Kenn Johnson for sending me the only photo of me at a panel (that I know of, anyway...). Thanks to Dave and Candice for the table space! And a HUGE thanks to Blake Cassleman for the invite. I had a fantastic time!

 

Author James Wymore...Double Cover Reveal!

I remember the day when I first met author James Wymore. At the first literary/themed convention (Salt Valley Steamfest Steampunk Convention) I ever attended, the company that published my stories had a table in the convention lobby. Since it was my first experience in this new amazing world, I really didn't know how things worked. I was just stoked to be there. 

James walked in and looked at our setup. I had no idea who he was. Our table was outside the vendor room. I thought it was a good location because everyone coming in the room would see us, but I think being inside the vendor room might have been better for us. 

But James stopped. I remember him standing there, quietly checking out our books. We talked for a  while and he gave me his card. During the three-day event I saw him several times (a regular occurrence at conventions....). We'd say hi and go on our way. I didn't realize until after the convention and I read his bio for the upcoming Salt Lake Comic Con that James is quite an accomplished author. You can access his author website: HERE.

Since Comic Con last year, James and I have chatted several times, and each time I speak with him, I'm more impressed. He is a very "down-to-earth" guy, always willing to talk and help. So when James asked if some of us would be willing to help create a buzz for not one, but two new novel covers, I said I would. Here is the awesome artwork and a little information about each book!

Exacting Essence

Release Date: June 12. 2014

Exacting Essence

Remember waking up late in the night after a nightmare?  Your mother holding you tight and whispering everything would be all right?  She lied.

Evil clowns haunted Megan’s dreams for years.  Even though nobody ever said she was crazy, she knew they were all thinking it.  With her life falling apart, she turns suicidal until a new therapist suggests the impossible: dreams are real.  Nightmares are living, breathing predators, feeding off dreamer’s fears by exacting essence.

Most, of course, forget theirs as soon as they wake up.  Megan is not so lucky.  She is also not so powerless.

But is even a power nurtured in her dreams enough to fight off the horrors lurking just beyond the veil of sleep?

Salvation

Release Date: May 16, 2014

Salvation

A man wakes on a frozen battlefield when a scavenging couple finds him among the dead. As they nurse him back to health, he is struck with the horrible realization he can’t remember who he is or anything about his past. Taken in by the kind pair, he begins helping with their farm. She even takes him to meet her family, especially her single sister. The ideal life offered in the high mountains of Winigh is shattered when he sees a transport bringing enemy monsters to the shores below. 

Cut off by high snow on the pass, their fate will soon be the same as the town his company failed to protect in the last battle, if this estranged soldier cannot help them fight off the next wave of invaders. Even worse, the people of the town don’t trust this Selene soldier. He has a strange resistance to their folk magic which some say make him as dangerous as the enemies preparing to destroy them.

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Looks like Jame's going to have a busy year, and, for an author, that's the best kind of year to have. Congrats, James and good luck! 

* Photo used without permission from: http://saltlakecomiccon.com/portfolio/james_wymore/#prettyPhoto 

All other photos, I'm happy to report, are used with permission!