Month: January 2013

Facebook’s Big Announcement? Social Search is Here … Sort of

Sample Graph Search

Well here we are, a few days since the big Facebook announcement. Has your life changed yet? Yeah, just what I thought.

We talked about Social Media and Search last week and you can find that story here. Facebook sorta did what I was talking about, but the market and the social world were a little underwhelmed by the announcement. Shares of Facebook took a hit after the announcement and as for the social world, well, you’re not quite invited, yet.

Facebook did announce a new search tool, Graph Search, that CEO Zuckerberg described as the third pillar alongside Timeline and News Feed. Continue reading “Facebook’s Big Announcement? Social Search is Here … Sort of”

Flash Fiction Challenge: Og Returns

Photo by K.S. Brooks

Og is not the greatest hunter in his tribe. Sometimes he sneezes or steps on a stick at just the wrong time. That is what happened when the Sabre-tooth ate Kronk.

Sometimes, Og would get excited and throw his spear too early. That is what happened when the mammoth squished Nu.

The rest of the tribe started to think Og was bad luck. They drove him out. Now Og must find his own place. Og needs a cave. This little bear is too young to have its own cave. Og will drive the little bear away and take the cave. What could possibly go wrong?

In 250 words or less, tell us a story incorporating the elements in the picture. The 250 word limit will be strictly enforced.

Please keep language and subject matter to a PG-13 level.

Use the comment section below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until 5:00 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013.

On Wednesday morning, we will open voting to the public with an online poll for the best writing entry accompanying the photo. Voting will be open until 5:00 PM Thursday.

On Friday morning, the winner will be recognized as we post the winning entry along with the picture as a feature. Best of luck to you all in your writing!

Entries only in the comment section. Other comments will be deleted. See HERE for additional information and terms.

Book Brief: Shepherd’s Moon

Shepherd's Moon by Stacy MantleShepherd’s Moon
by Stacy Mantle
Genre: Fantasy/Thriller
Word Count: 103,000

It’s taken twelve years to earn the official title of Shepherd but she’s now mostly trained, fairly effective, and the first female in over two centuries to hold the position as protector of animals. All animals…

The Territorial Council isn’t thrilled with her new title of Shepherd, but they don’t have any more control over the appointment than they have over her. All they can really do is wait for her to screw something up – which Alex is determined not to do.

Everything changes when a chance encounter with a genetically modified Shifter leaves Alex shaken and initiates a quest to locate its maker. In a desperate bid to save her pack, Alex must infiltrate the Parallax Corporation – an international organization attempting to breed the perfect weapon.

Despite years of training, Alex finds herself woefully unprepared to tackle the new threat. To make matters worse, she must work with a mysterious man who’s been trying to kill her since the day they met. Together with her pack, they must learn how to stop the biological cloning before it really does become a global threat.

Shepherd’s Moon is available for the Kindle on Amazon.com and in print from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Continue reading “Book Brief: Shepherd’s Moon”

Video Trailer: Grave Is the Day

In October of 1957, more than Sputnik fell to Earth… Set against the back drop of the Space Race and the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union have a new issue to deal with, aliens from outer space. Both the Braannoo and the Muurgu are at war with each other and Earth becomes the newest battleground in their struggle. Spanning time from the launch of Sputnik to the near future, the interplay of historical events from a new light make you ask the question, could this all be true? The capture of aliens near small town USA unites three players from different quarters, Commander Kraanox of the Braannoo, First Lieutenant Wayne Bucknell as his captor and seven year old Justin Spencer, the first to make alien contact.

Grave Is the Day, the science fiction novel  by Michael Drakich, is available through Amazon.com and Amazon UK. 

Don’t forget, you can cast your vote for trailer of the month on January 26, 2013 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.