A. L. Kaplan

Tag: Star Touched

  • Everything Tastes Better With A Good Book

    Come find some great reads and meet fun authors.

    The Chocolate Town Book Festival 

    Hershey Public Library.

    October 1, 2022

    1 – 5 PM

    701 Cocoa Ave

    Hershey, PA 17033

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • Book Signing at Hyperspace Rocket Designs and Tea Bar

    Swing by Hyperspace Rocket Designs and Tea Bar

    Sunday, September 18, 2021

    I’ll be reading and signing books

    4 pm – 6 pm

    Pick up a cup of tea and a copy of my latest story, Mark of the Goddess.

    Hyperspace Rocket Designs and Tea Bar

    400 N. Center St. Westminster, MD 21157

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • Sunday, September 4th at Chicon

    Chicon 8

    Here is your last chance to connect with me in Chicago.

    Saturday 11:30 AM CDT

    Legacies and Traditions: Looking at the Past for the Future You – Discussion

    Room: Field Duration: 60 mins

    What is the origin of your geek identity? Was it through an introduction of a parental figure, a sibling, or a friend? How do you continue to uphold such legacies and traditions? Join in on this discussion to share your perspective and learn about others.

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • Saturday, September 3, at Chicon 8

    Here is my schedule for today at Chicon

    Chicon 8

    Saturday 10:00 AM CDT

    Autographing – A. L. Kaplan

    Pick up a copy of my books in the dealers room and come to the autograph table. I’ll be there until 11:00

    Saturday 4:00 PM CDT

    Readings: Anthony W. Eichenlaub, A. L. Kaplan, Emily C. Skaftun

    Room: Dusable Duration: 60 mins

    The only thing better than reading a book is listening to the author read it out loud.

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to sacrifice in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • Friday, September 2, 2022 at Chicon 8

    Looking for something to do today at Chicon? Here is where you can find me:

    Chicon 8

    Friday 10:45 AM CDT

    3-D Paper Craft (Intermediate) – Workshop

    A. L. Kaplan Mary Prince Pat Virzi

    Room: Comiskey Duration: 60 mins

    Make-and Take paper crafting, tween to adult. Use preprinted images, coloring, cutting, gluing to create 3-D popups.   Starting with several project samples and preprinted pages, build your own little world that can fit in your pocket or be mailed to someone in another dimension.

    Friday 1:00 PM CDT

    Yoga and Juicing Isn’t Fixing This – Panel

    Room: Michigan 3 Duration: 60 mins

    Disability and chronic illness don’t just “get better.” At some point, people are forced to live with their ailments while working to figure out how to cope and enjoy life. Panelists share their stories, including the amusing anecdotes and surprising challenges they experienced while learning to live with their daily difficulties. Join in the discussion as they share coping strategies that aren’t framed as attempts to “fix us.”

    Friday 4:00 PM CDT

    Teen Table Talk – A. L. Kaplan

    Room: Crystal Foyer Duration: 60 mins

    Come chat with author A L Kaplan about all the ways she’s destroyed life on Earth and rebuilt civilization. Okay, not all of her stories involve blowing up the world. A L is the author of several short stories and the novel Star Touched.

    Teen table talks are a space for Chicon members aged 13-20 to engage with a host and their peers. To sign up for this Table Talk, visit https://chicon.org/tabletalks All sign up are available starting Wednesday August 31st at Noon central, and you will be notified at least 12 hours before the Table Talk time if you were chosen for a spot. More details available at https://chicon.org/tabletalks

    MARK OF THE GODDESS

    Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

    Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • New review of Star Touched

    Check out this great review of Star Touched by Rea Keech.

    Blending Genres

    Review by Rea Keech

    Star Touched is a dystopian novel that takes place after a terrible Cataclysm has destroyed much of the country. It is also a fantasy novel in which some survivors of the Cataclysm have received magical powers. And it is a young adult novel with the theme of accepting others who are different and a focus on teenage and young twenties characters, with older characters depicted as caring parental figures or cruel bullies.

    Read the rest of the review on Real Nice Books:

    Star Touched, by A.L. Kaplan

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • I Am Officially A Full Member Of SFWA

    For many years I’ve been working to earn a membership to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Until recently, the only way to join was to be published by specific qualifying markets. Publishing today is a vastly different animal than it was even a few years ago. Many talented and highly successful authors have self-published or have been published through small presses. In March of 2022, SFWA updated is membership qualifications to accommodate this changing environment.

    I am a science fiction and fantasy author who has been published through small press. (Star Touched – Intrigue Publishing & several anthologies through other small press.) I’ve also self-published some of my short stories. (Look for Mark of the Goddess this fall) Sales have been good, but with the old SFWA membership requirements I didn’t qualify to join.

    I am happy to say that now I do.

    On May 30, I received a wonderful email saying that my application was accepted. Welcome to SFWA.

    I read this at 1:30 AM Sunday morning at Balticon. On Saturday, I had moderated a panel on Getting the Most Out of Your Writing Organization, where we discussed SFWA’s new changes. Most of the other people on the panel were already SFWA members and I mentioned that I had applied. Needless to say, after two days of excitedly greeting people I hadn’t seen in three years, and reading that email, I didn’t fall asleep any time soon.

    My first instinct was to announce to the world. First, I wanted to tell my family and a few authors at the con who I really liked and respected. All of them were excited for me as I bounced up and down while sharing the news. (They could have been laughing, which is still okay.) Several gave suggestions on how to navigate this brand-new open door to resources and networking. There was one person who made it clear that they thought SFWA had lowered their standards to let the riff-raff in. I tried not to let that bother me too much.

    Now I’m sharing this wonderful news with you. Sorry it took so long.

    Happy writing and reading.

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    HUMMINGBIRD

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • Another 5 Star Review for Star Touched

    Check out what Michele Chynoweth said about Star Touched!

    5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Read

    Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2022

    “This novel grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go! The characters and setting were richly developed, especially the main character, Tatiana. I found myself rooting for her and the townspeople she encounters along the way, holding onto the edge of my seat along a roller coaster ride of a story. Bravo, I can’t wait for A.L. Kaplan’s next book!”

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

  • HAPPY THANKSGIVING

    STAR TOUCHED

    WOLF DAWN

  • November 2021 Self-Promotion Party!

    Charles French started a November Self-Promotion Party. The link to his original post is below.

    Don’t be shy. Tell us about your books.

    Here are some of mine.

    HUMMINGBIRD: A Star Touched Story

    Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

    One step toward understanding.

    One stride toward survival.

    One leap toward flying free from the past.

    STAR TOUCHED

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

    November 2021 Self-Promotion Party!