Welcome

~*~Since Zellie's passing September 5, 2010, this site is being maintained by her JenTwin aka Madeline. Postings will ONLY be about what's going on with her book Lightning Spliced, which we were able to get published through LuLu  a couple of days before she died (buy a copy! All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society). If there is any other news about her life, legacy, etc, I will post about that too.  For quick viewing, I have made a Posthumous Postings section on the sidebar where her links are so you can see what other people are posting about our Beloved Zellie who left us far too early. ~*~

Welcome to my awesome-possum cave of kickass speculative fiction. I'm Zellie Blake, the author of this domain.  I like rappelling into cenotes, video games, bellydancing, and I spend more time writing than breathing.

In addition to the second volume of LIGHTNING SPLICED, I'm currently working on THE DEEP WITHIN, an urban fantasy set in the future and a how-to guide for starting a grooming business.

Scroll down for my blog of writing tips and globe-trotting adventures.

Check out the Store for links to stories that inspire me.

You're welcome to contact me via facebook or email:  zellieblake-at-gmail.com (-at- really means "@"  It's my ghetto spamblocker)

Enjoy your visit!

A year ago today, Zellie became a heavenly star

Dear Zellie Fans:

As we all know, Sept 5 2010 was the day we lost Zellie to cancer.

In this year, a lot of things were accomplished!

As soon as her book was published and acccessible, people began buying like crazy, but then we realized there were problems with the book.

Thanks to her love Chris who designed the cover and  a group of amazing copyeditors, her book was reprinted. The new version included a wonderful dedication from her favorite author J.C. Hutchins.

Two decent sized checks have been sent to the American Cancer Society thanks to the proceeds to this book.

Lightning Spliced was approved for distribution and can now be found on a few major retail websites (Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, Amazon….)

Her book is still in queue for LuLu's iBookstore (still waiting on word for this)

Longwood University, our alma mater, agreed to buy 5 books to sell in their bookstore (something I wanted to mention on a separate blog a few weeks ago).

And  Lightning Spliced turned a year old.

She still lives among us in Spirit. I know we can all feel her. I know when something silly happens we imagine her laughing with (or at) us. When we're going through hard times, we know she is there to pull us through. Years will pass that we no longer have her with us, but we will never forget her.

I want to open the rest of this blog to your favorite memory (or memories) of her. Please put them in a comment (whether you see this on her actual page, her Twitter or her Facebook page).

As for me, I loved our times playing video games and making pizza together. She would always find the craziest websites. I posted one on her Facebook page. The other ones she found were Making Fiends (I was Charlotte and she was Vendetta- make sure you watch the Original Web episodes- we watched those all through college) and Muffin Films. And who can ever forget her laugh and smile. :)

So now it's open to you- tell everybody your favorite memory of her, whether you know her in person or knew her online. All comments and memories are welcome.

September 5 will forever be Zellie Blake day- a day of blowing bubbles, playing Nintendo, spending time writing, or doing anything Zellie would have done on a typical day :)

Much love everybody!!!!

WHEW that was close

So this blog died, and now it's back to life. I have something to share and will share it soon- it might have been mentioned on her Facebook page, but when I get a chance and when I can get my brain together, I will post it all later. But for now, this blog is back up and running! YAY!

About Chimera Critiques

Hello Zellie fans-

For those of who who have joined Chimera Critiques, I am sorry to say the account has been deleted. I feel heartbroken about it because I know Zellie (and her writing team) put a LOT of work into it, but alas, the stupid host billing people kept emailing her zellieblake address DESPITE the kickback that asks 'urgent matters' to be sent to ME, and by the time they DID get to me, the account was already suspended. Regardless, I would have let it go anyway, (after consulting with Zellie's Right Hand Gal/Chimera Critique team member about it). I just wish it was a free domain so it could be kept up FOREVER.

Sorry Angel Zellie about this :( I just hate that all that work is gone :(

Please continue to promote Lightning Spliced!! The next payment to the ACS is in May.

2 Updates

1) Zellie's 2nd royalty check was submitted to the ACS

2) Lulu is giving existing members with projects a FREE service to have books converted to the iBookstore! It's not guaranteed Applew will accept it (Lulu says most books ARE accepted), but if so, that's another venue for LS to reach the world!!

When i get more info on that I will let you know.

Take care, my precious Zellie fans!

December sales update

Hello! I hope you are all doing well, and that you are keeping your New Year's Resolutions :)

So I finally have information about how many books were sold in December, more so regarding books sold outside of Lulu: 2!  Which is great because it's still so new on that venue- I am sure that number will grow for January sales. At least it's something!  But now that I have a record on it, I can tell you how revenue looks when people buy the book outside of Lulu-

When you buy her book of Lulu, $5.30 goes to the American Cancer Society. When it's bought elsewhere, $1.27 goes to the ACS. So a LOT more goes to the ACS via Lulu; however, I am sure more people (those who didn't know Zellie or didn't evne know someone who knew her) are more willing to go to more 'familiar' sites, so if we can get more people buying, I am sure the numbers will even out eventually.

Anyway, here are the numbers:

2 sold outside of Lulu (it doesn't specify Barnes and Noble, etc, it just says 'Distribution-US')

26 print

3 download

I wonder what it takes to get the book sold as a kindle/nook version…I think that would be really cool. What do you guys think?

Orin mentioned in the last entry's comment section about making cards with the book's information and then putting it inside other books so people find it by chance. I love the idea. Zellie actually mentioned we should do something like that when we first got the book online.

How else can we spread the word?

Anyway- just wanted to update you!

Madeline

some business of sorts

Just FYI- I put a new link bar on the rlght side called "Buy Lightning Spliced" so it's easier for anyone who is interested in buying. That way, if you tell your friends, you can refer them to the link bar instead of having to go through previous entries to get the links.

Only a few more books have been sold. I won't know anything about the online retailer sales until a month after the first purchase (information comes to lulu in montly chunks)- so far I haven't seen anything.

Thank you for those who wrote reviews- they are BEAUTIFUL and all non-zellie-knowers who read those reviews will see just how amazing and wonderful she was (is!).

I am going to try to talk to someone at Borders to see how Lightning Spliced can be sold through them. Zellie had talked to her "Hurricane Street Team" about making business cards with an image of her book, some information about it (the ISBN, and perhaps where it can be found online, a brief description) and giving it to local bookstores (small, independent ones). If any of you were interested in helping promote her book (I totally understand life gets busy)- that's something you can do: make a business card and talk to the managers at those smaller bookstores. If any of you are brave,you can go to Barnes and Noble and Books a Million and get them to put it on their shelves. Post links wherever you can on Facebook or whichever other blogging communities you use. Her biggest goal was to have the word spread about it!

Finally, i thought I'd post a updated picture of her doggy Blazer- he got a hair cut! Photo credit to Zellie's mom. Take care!

Become a fan of Lightning Spliced on Facebook!

Click here and be awesome

More blogs to come with ideas to help promote this book. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, I'll post them!!!

ZELLIE’S BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF LULU.COM

Attention attention Zellie fans-

LIGHTNING SPLICED IS ON AMAZON.COM, BARNESANDNOBLE.COM, BOOKSAMILLION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hadn't heard anything from Lulu regarding approval for distribution to the other retail outlets, so I just went on Amazon and did a search- it was there! And then I went on those others and did a search!!!!! It's not on Borders as of yet…BUT THIS IS SUCH GREAT NEWS!!!

Next step- getting the actual book on the shelves!!!! But this is a good stepping stone! I'll write a separate blog with ideas (from Zellie herself) on how to get this into actual bookstores.

TELL EVERYBODY!!!

Much love,

Madeline

Don’t forget!!! Promotion ends soon!

Don't forget! Tomorrow, December 15 (by 11:59 pm) is the last day to use this promotion code for a 15% discount off of Lightning Spliced!!!! SPREAD THE WORD AND THE ZELLIE LOVE! You have more than 24 hours! :)

STOCKING305

Ebay Auction in Memory of Zellie

Hey hey everyone, some news on the homefront!!!

But before I go on, one last shoutout for a 15% off discount for her book through December 15th!!!

Purchase Lightning Spliced with 15% off with coupon code STOCKING305

By one for yourself if you haven't already, buy one for your friends, get your friends to buy it, etc etc! :)

Now, onto exciting news:

One of Zellie's biggest fans, Orin, has set up an e-Bay auction in her honor. The products: a Fresh copy of Lightning Spliced and a 'Fuck Cancer' bracelet like the one made for Zellie when she first got sick.

100% of the sales proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society!!

Tell your friends!!!!!!!!

This is the nice backstory Orin wrote for perspective auctioners:

I had the pleasure of calling the author of Lightning Spliced, Zellie Blake, my friend.  She was sunshine, always throwing her heart and soul into her own projects and encouraging others.  When she loved something it was completely over-the-top adoration, and she always wanted to share it.  She was a gamer, a Ninja Turtles fan, and a writer amongst so many other things.  She was so excited about writing, and we were all excited about seeing her published one day, certain that we would all be begging for signed copies and asking her about her latest worldly travels.

And then she got sick.  It was a very long, difficult illness, and there were eventually several doctors seen before it was finally pinned down as cancer.  Her reaction?  She wasn't about to let a minor detail like that get in her way.  All the more reason to get more work done.  To encourage more people.  To be an even brighter ray of light.  And what she needed from us was the same.

My personal bit of encouragement just happened to be a little different.  Don't get me wrong, there's a time for sympathy cards with puppies and butterflies.  But there comes a point when you gotta stand up and say, "You know what?  F*ck you, cancer."  What you see in this auction is a "structurally improved" and re-colored replica of the original "F*CK CANCER" bracelet/choker that I made just for Zellie.  Laughter is good medicine.  It isn't perfect, though–and that's why this charity auction exists.

Zellie died on September 5, 2010.  Just a few days after her book, Lightning Spliced, was finally published through Lulu.com.  None of us ever got the chance to ask for a signed copy.  She never even got to hold her own book in her hands.  She did not lose a battle with cancer.  Cancer fights dirty, uses cowardly, underhanded tricks.  Cancer is a liar and a thief.  Cancer takes.  Little by little, we need to take back.  F*ck you, cancer.

'm Orin Drake (of Shiny Things by Orin Drake); an artist, and a fellow geek and writer who was endlessly encouraged by Zellie.  We shared a sense of humor, I think.  Enough to know that she would appreciate a "F*CK CANCER" combination bracelet and choker.  As a working artist who is blessed with neither fame nor fortune, I can't afford to give much in the way of money–but I can give this.  With a bit of luck, I'm hoping to make it an annual tradition.  Should you find yourself interested in the book and not the jewelry, then please do hop by Zellie's Lulu.com page and snag a copy for yourself.  All proceeds from her book sales go to the American Cancer Society, as well.  That was the kind of person she was.  That's the kind of person she inspires us to be.

Whether the jewelry and book are for yourself or someone you love very much (or two someones, even), please enjoy them.  Those of us who knew Zellie Blake want to share her adventure with the world.  And proudly tell cancer to get f*cked.

Thank you Orin! <3

By the way- 25 copies sold, 3 downloads so far (for the second quarter, which ends in February)