“I was lucky enough to recieve a signed copy of the novel from my Auntie in Canada and struggled to put it down from the moment I got it in the mail!

Nina writes in such a way that you are transported from your chair directly into the story. Her selection of language and delicate descriptions enable you to envisage every location in exquisite detail, keeping you fully involved with the action from cover to cover. By the closing chapters I felt as though I knew the characters on a personal level; as if I knew them in the real world! Again, another brilliant skill that Nina has developed through her career.

The main story itself is quite possibly one of the best I have had the pleasure to read.

I found myself up until the early hours of most mornings reading chapter after chapter in a bid to uncover more of Ms Crane’s story! All I can say is that if you like a good Sci-fi read then ‘Darwin’s Paradox’ shouldn’t be missing from your shelves!”–Toby Rottner, UK

Thanks, Toby! We’re very glad you enjoyed Darwin’s Paradox.

Angel of Chaos, its prequel, follows the story of how Julie Crane got to where she was in Darwin’s Paradox. It’s a medical eco-thriller not to be missed by fans of Julie Crane.

Finalists in the SF category include:

• 2012 The Awakening by Bill Douglas
• A Dangerous Weapon by Charlton Clayes
• Angel of Chaos by Nina Munteanu
• Curse of the Legion by Marshall S. Thomas
• Destiny’s Blood by Marie Bilodeau
• Guardians of the Crystal Skulls by Lina Arena
• Our Jewish Robot Future by Leonard Borman
• Quick Fall of Light by Sherrida Woodley
• The Presence by Paul Black

Representing more than 350 publishers, the finalists were selected from 1400 entries in 56 categories. Finalists were determined by a jury of judges consisting of editors and reviewers of ForeWord Reviews, booksellers, librarians, and other industry professionals.

First, second, and third place winners will be awarded in each category. A $1,500 cash prize will also be awarded to Best Fiction and Best Nonfiction as determined by the editors of ForeWord Reviews. Finalists were announced in their weekly email newsletter, ForeWord This Week, in March 2010.

Winners in each category and overall fiction and nonfiction prize winners will be announced at Book Expo America and on the Foreword website.

Angel of Chaos is the prequel to Nina’s award-nominated ecological thriller Darwin’s Paradox, featured and discussed on this website.

In 2095 Darwin’s Evolution Kills… Darwin’s Disease is tearing apart the ordered peace of North America. Julie Crane is a brilliant data handler with a unique talent for finding the impossible fast, and getting into trouble even faster. Her relentless search for a cure leads her to a horrifying discovery that incriminates her in a heinous conspiracy to recast humankind.

“Nina Munteanu’s Angel of Chaos is a gripping blend of big scientific ideas, cutthroat politics and complex yet sympathetic characters that will engage readers from its thrilling opening to its surprising and satisfying conclusion.”—Hayden Trenholm, Aurora-winning author of the Steele Chronicles.

Hal-Con is Halifax’s yearly prime science fiction convention that attracts over a thousand SF fans and participants in the motion picture industry as well as TV and literature. This year, special guests include Walter Koenig who played Chekov in the original Star Trek,  Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar in Star Trek the Next Generation), and Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol in Battlestar Galactica), among others.

Nina will be giving a workshop on “the Hero’s Journey” Friday, October 29th at 4 pm. Angel of Chaos will be launched Saturday morning followed by a reception. Nina will also serve on several panels and looks forward to seeing you there.

Shakespeare and Company in Paris

Some good friends of Nina were strolling along the Seine in Paris France recently and were lured into a quaint bookstore on the Left Bank, Shakespeare and Company. The independent bookstore lies just across the magestic Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cite and steps away from the trendy cafes of Place St. Michel.

Shakespeare and Company resides in a building that served as a monastery in the 16th century. It’s located on Rue de la Bûcherie and serves as both a bookstore and a reading library, specializing in English-language literature. The bookstore was opened by George Whitman under Le Mistral then changed to its current name  in honour of an earlier store which closed during World War II. The bookstore served as a focal point for

Darwin's Paradox in Shakespeare and Company

 literary culture in Bohemian Left Bank Paris. Customers have included the likes of Henry Miller and Richard Wright. The store  was a base for many writers of the Beat Generation like Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and William S. Burroughs. Whitman’s daughter, Sylvia, now runs the shop and regular activities include Sunday tea, poetry readings and writers’ meetings.

The bookstore houses young writers, known as “tumbleweeds”, who earn their keep by working in the shop for a couple of hours each day. The current store is named after and in honour of an

Autographed copy of Darwin's Paradox on the shelf

earlier store which closed during World War II. George Whitman calls the bookstore “a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore”.  The bookstore includes sleeping facilities, with 13 beds, and Whitman claims as many as 40,000 people have slept in the shop over the years.

As Nina’s friends pored over the eclectic assortment of international and local English and French books they stumbled upon a copy of Darwin’s Paradox! They had to take a picture and here it is.

That Darwin sure gets around!

And thanks, Chuck and Jane, for telling us!

Nina the writing coach

Are you looking to get published? What’s stopping you?

Join me for a FREE Webinar through Writer’s Digest University on how to improve your writing and succeed in getting published. 

I join journalist and editor Vernon Oikle on “Toolkit Talks“, a conversation in which we share great tips on how to get published. We answer some commonly asked questions provided by Writer’s Digest Magazine editors; questions faced by writers getting started as well as those finding their career stagnating. Learn some of the secrets writers use to jumpstart and keep their career in upward motion. Get the answers you need to get published.

What’s the difference between a writer who publishes and one who isn’t publishing? It’s often not talent or storytelling ability; it’s more often attitude, organization and drive. For instance, do you suffer from any of the following?

• You have cool ides but have trouble getting started
• You’ve been writing forever but can’t finish
• Time & schedules are getting in the way
• You’re lost in a sea of plot & characters
• You’re scared of getting rejected & being ridiculed
• You’re scared of living a dream

Join my free webinar where I answer frequently asked questions that came straight from Writer’s Digest! Questions that will help you get published:

• What resources and tools do you recommend for writers?
• Which do you think aren’t worth the time?
• How do I make sure I maintain the right level of objectivity when I’m writing about things I’m passionate about?
• How do you balance plot and characters in your story?
• What are the elements of a strong hero? What are the elements of a strong villain?
• How do I know if my story moves too slowly or too quickly? How do I fix it?
• How do you weave in theme within a story?
• How do you choose the right point of view for your story?
• Should I outline before I begin writing a story?
• Where should I begin when I’m revising?
• How do you promote your work?
• How do you know when your story is ready to submit?
• How do you know which markets are best for your work?

Register for my free webinar to view this on-demand webinar and you may have access to additional materials and be eligible for additional perks.

Hope to see you there!

Nina with a workshop student

“The Writer’s Toolkit” DVDs Coming Soon!

For those of you waiting to purchase my DVD set of “The Writer’s Toolkit“, a 3-set DVD collection based on “The Writers Toolkit” workshops, your wait is soon over! These three  major workshops cover ”How to Get Started and Finish”, “Craft of Writing” and “Marketing” your writing. The DVDs will be available shortly for purchase on the Passionate Writer. Here’s what students of “The Writer’s Toolkit” said:

“I felt inspired to look at my writing again…I found my ideas unlocked, problem areas exposed and strengths endorsed.”–Jane Morrell

“Nina was very relaxed, informal, very knowledgeable and interesting…She gave a lively presentation and gave lots of examples to relate to.”—Lauren Seaton

“Nina encouraged me to actually start my novel. She is very good, easy to understand.”—Patricia Slauenwhite

 “Nina was engaging and inspiring… I was able to use specifics that were discussed to immediately improve my writing.”—Susie Buck

 “I found what I had been searching for a long time.”—Candice Croft

“What you’ve done for me, Nina, is you’ve just opened up a whole new world. You’ve shown me how to put soul into my books … You’ve transformed me from what I considered an oddball to somebody special and for that it’s worth a fortune.”–Hectorine Roy

Guests of Nina’s Writer’s Digest Webinar may be eligible for a special price

Here’s Nina’s story: 

“When I began to vitamin b12 for dogs
teach college and university biology courses (some years ago…) I was struck by a major observation: many of my students were borderline literate. Many couldn’t spell (I’m one to talk. But even I could see the glaring errors). Many used poor grammar, fragmented and scattered language, and ineffective construction. They didn’t know what a paragraph was. Others couldn’t string a sentence together or make convincing arguments, let alone provide clarity of thought. Their ability to communicate in the written form was downright appalling. Convinced that their knowledge of science was severely compromised by their inability to communicate it, I dedicated myself to include literacy in the science courses I taught. As my students applied themselves to relevant tasks using my feedback, their writing skills eventually improved."  

Simply put, literacy is the ability to read and write (in all its facets) and essentially comes down to the ability to effectively communicate. Here are some startling facts:

Four out of 10 adult Canadians, age 16 to 65 - representing 9 million Canadians - struggle with low literacy (Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) Survey, Statistics Canada and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2005). They fall below level 3 on the prose literacy scale (of 1 to 5), which is equivalent to high school completion, and the desired threshold for coping with the rapidly changing skill demands of a knowledge-based economy and society (International Survey of Reading Skills (ISRS), 2005).

Now, some twenty years later, Nina has written a guide to writing that is not only fun and entertaining but enjoyed by youth and adult alike. It celebrates effective writing (in all its forms) and the power of literacy.

Students, young and old enjoy The Fiction Writer:

“We use this book weekly in my Writer's Workshop class, and it gives us all the right tips to write like a professional author. It is written with a direct, clear style that enhances our understanding and helps us to truly grasp the concepts presented. The chapters are brief and concise, and really help us write both fiction and nonfiction. We have learned how to properly use dialogue, create characters, and find our "muse." I would highly recommend this book for anyone hoping to enhance their writing.”—Mark J. Bujold, high school English student

“I have six book shelves at home (and about as many at work) devoted to books on writing and the teaching of writing covering all the writing genres. Before Nina's book, I was getting rather bored with them.” D. Merchant, English Instructor

If you’re a Canadian, you have the chance to “vote for literacy”. Nominate “The Fiction Writer” for an Aurora. The Aurora is a prestigious award and provides good exposure for works recognized. If you think that the world can benefit from this entertaining and easy to use (and youth-friendly) literary aid, nominate The Fiction Writer using the online form below. You have up to February 15^th to submit your nominations for the Aurora online:
http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/English/AwardProcess/nominationForm.php

ANY CANADIAN or permanent resident of Canada can nominate a work for the Aurora Awards. You don’t have to be part of some organization or pay any fee; you just have to be a Canadian. The top five works in each category with the most nominations will be short listed on the final ballot.

There is no fee to nominate and selections are given equal weight. A full list of all eligible works for the Aurora can be found here: http://canadiansf.com/node/42

Nina’s SF ecological thriller Darwin’s Paradox was selected by Edgar Dunning of the Delta Optimist for a dog nutrition supplements
good Christmas read: "If you haven't selected the books you want as gifts for friends or yourself, here are some suggestions you might find suitable...Darwin's Paradox by Nina Munteanu, published by Dragon Moon Press of Calgary, is an engaging read that makes the reader think. When a virus and an intelligent machine conspire to seize North America's largest city, then threaten to spread world chaos, the only person who can save humanity is the woman who started it all. The author created an inventive future and an indomitable hero. It's an interesting read."

Merry Christmas! And happy reading!

Nina’s fiction writing guide, “The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now!” is currently on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca (in Canada) and Amazon.uk (in England). Go see it there and give it a review and/or tick off tags to help others find this very useful writing guide.

Nina drew from her many years experience in writing and publishing and includes personal examples of queries and synopses that worked, actual rejection letters and hilarious but educational stories about her publishing misadventures.

Nina borrowed from the wisdom of many experts in writing and publishing, notably Robert J. Sawyer, Elizabeth Lyon, Jack Bickham, Sol Stein, Janet Fitch, Tobias Bucknell, Ansen Dibell, Margot Finke, Marg Gilks, Crawford Killian, Ralph Keyes, Victor Frankl, among others. She mixes their erudite advice with her own educational experiences to produce a guidebook that fills a rare niche: a guidebook that seriously educates but is entertaining and fun to read.

We are delighted to report that The Fiction Writer and natural cat supplements
its associated course materials have been adopted by schools, colleges and universities throughout North America. Here’s what writing instructors, published authors and writing students had to say about The Fiction Writer so far:

 “I’m very impressed…Nina shares the hard-won knowledge she’s accumulated…I’m thoroughly enjoying the book!”—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of Wake.

 “Nina is…lively and knowledgeable…approachable, relevant and humorous.”—Pamela Richardson, Professor at University of British Columbia

 “Although aimed at the writing student, this is a handy book for the emerging or mature writer as well…a great resource to refresh one’s mind on every aspect of the writing process…I am keeping this book at my desk as I plunge into the writing of my next chapter.”—Shane Joseph, author of After the Flood

“Thanks, Nina! My songs, stories, and screenplays…can all benefit.”—Colin Wiebe, musician/writer

“We use this book weekly in my Writer's Workshop class, and it gives us all the right tips to write like a professional author. It is written with a direct, clear style that enhances our understanding and helps us to truly grasp the concepts presented. The chapters are brief and concise, and really help us write both fiction and nonfiction. We have learned how to properly use dialogue, create characters, and find our "muse." I would highly recommend this book for anyone hoping to enhance their writing.”—Mark J. Bujold, writing student

“Great writing lessons! They are practical and simple for any budding writer.”—Graham Seager, writer

“Nina Munteanu’s The Fiction Writer is the book I wish I had 15 years ago. Writers young and old can find ways to improve their work, with the book’s fun, easy to read format.”—Theresa Vinson, bookseller

“Nina Munteanu’s book, The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now is a terrific resource in my professional library. I started reading it almost as soon as I got home after purchasing it. Nina shares tips and techniques from many great writers and I loved soaking all that up. I highly recommend it.”— Zoe M. Hicks, author of The Women’s Estate Planning Guide and Dream Catcher, the Power of Faith

“The Fiction Writer improves with each read. it reminds me of those ‘For Dummies’ books, back when they first were great – except without the ‘you are a dummy’ humor, which I greatly appreciate”—David Merchant, Instructor at Louisiana Tech University

The Fiction Writer packs twenty-six chapters of relevant, well-researched and easy to read instruction that encompasses virtually all the topics one needs to get published: beginnings and endings; characterization; dialogue; exposition; setting; plot; scene; metaphor & language; grammar; voice and point of view; research; query letters; rejection letters; synopses and outlines; showing vs. telling; writer’s block; attitude, inspiration and passion in writing.

You can purchase The Fiction Writer at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk, or at www.ThePassionateWriter.com.

montreal at night

Several weeks ago, Toulouse and nupro dog vitamins
I got onto a jet plane and travelled to Montreal, Quebec (my old digs when I went to university). We went there to participate in the World Science Fiction Convention.

These guys put me in  a pile of cool panels on top of doing my regular readings and signings. I participated in science/ecology, writing and SF panels with rock stars like Tom Doherty, Julie Czerneda, and new faces like Bruce Rockwood, David B. Coe, Peter Cohen, John Kessel, Jason Tuell, Kristin Norwood, Bob Sojka, Mike Gallaher, Michael Sestak and many others.

The panels were lively, contentious in some cases, erudite and fun. But I measure the success of a con through its surprises as well as by how many old friends I visit with and new friends I make. This one was a resounding success because I met so many wonderful people and encountered many thrilling surprises.  The list is too long to give here but I'll include some unexpected highlights.

• The rockin' Tor party (held at a penthouse suite in the Delta Hotel): where the bathroom had been converted into a wine and beer celar...
• meeting L.E. Modesitt and his wife at the rockin' Tor Party
• sharing an awesome world-building panel with Julie Czerneda
• the rockin' Tor party (where rumor has it that the bathroom was raided by strange ladies intent on having a shower)
• seeing Cory Doctorow in a tux (for the Hugo Awards)
• the rockin' Tor party (where someone who shall remain nameless jumped on the bed and didn't spill a drop of his drink!)
• being "abducted" by a group of Romanian writers who took me to an "Old Montreal" cafe to interrogate me using devious means like roasted wild duck and local cider (they were successful, btw)
• the rockin' Tor party (well, I won't go there--you'll have to attend the next con to find out for yourself!) 

Join Nina and fellow Vancouver authors, Ariadne Sawyer, Diego Bastianutti, and Alex Winstanley at Chapters, Metrotown in dog supplements uk
Burnaby (British Columbia) on September 18, 2008 from 7pm until closing for a reading and question/answer period. Refreshments will be served. Nina will be reading from one of her Aurora-nominated short stories and talking about her current novel, a historical fantasy set in medieval Prussia and modern-day Paris, France. She will also be sharing her newest project, The Alien's Guide to Cool Writing, a cool writing guide for beginning writers ideal in this and any other galaxy. The Alien guidebook, published by Pixl Press, is scheduled for December 2008 release and is available for pre-order at Pixl Press.

Ariadne Sawyer - is a creativity specialist who teaches Performance Plus training. She is the co-founder of the World Poetry Reading Series, co-host of the World Poetry Cafe Radio Show on 102.7 FM, World Poetry Media, and the author of The Best of Creativity Rocks.

Diego Bastianutti -is a published author and a former professor at Queen’s University and former Vice Consul of Italy for Eastern Ontario . Award winning-poet, his translation of the works of Ungaretti received the John Glassco National Prize.

Alex Winstanley - is a twenty-two year old poet living in Vancouver . He has been writing and winning prizes in national poetry contests since the age of ten. Alex has self-published a book of poetry, entitled Vancouver’s Sunday Mornings.

This event is hosted by Lucia Gorea, founder of Poetry Around the World, as part of the series on featured artists called Poets and Writers of the New Millenium.  Lucia is also the author of Journey Through My Soul.

For over fifty years, the bookshop has housed numerous writers and hosted readings by published and unpublished authors. Run by Sylvia Whitman, daughter of the legendary George Whitman, the bookstore looks like something in a Harry Potter movie, with stacks upon stacks of all sorts of literature. Upon entering, you’ll find yourself in a place Henry Miller described as “A wonderland of books”.

Shakespeare and Company is open evey day from 10:00 to 23:00. If you’re touring Paris go check it out. The selection of English books is impeccable, with many by local writers.

If you’re a young traveling writer looking for a place to crash, Sylvia might put you up too!
While I was there, we briefly toured the city, including the impressive Tuillerie Gardens on the Right Bank.

Nina took me to vitamin b12 dogs
her "outdoor" office, located in Place Saint-Michel on the Left Bank with a great view of Notre Dame Cathedral. I asked her how she liked Paris over a pastis (anise-based liqueur) and cafe creme.

"I love Paris," she said. "I love everything about it, the food, the people, the architecture, the streets...The street performers who sing with feeling...the couples kissing on every street corner...that quiet reserve that just melts once they recognize that you are lost... their reverence for art and literature... Parisians know how to live. They have no problem waiting at length in line for fresh croissants at their favorite patisserie or will linger over lunch at a cafe to discuss the finer points of life over an espresso or cheese and wine. They are so civilized."

I asked her how her research was going.

"I confess that I have done some of my best work here... that pastis can be very inspirational!" Nina confided to me with that typical impish smile of hers.

Of course, it’s named after the Aurora Borealis, which has become a glowing symbol of Canada’s beauty and magnificence. Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are latin for ‘the dawn of the north’, and were first used by Galileo in circa 1620 to describe the red northern lights phenomenon. Aurora is, in fact, the Roman goddess of the dawn—again, an apt icon for an award that could very well launch some new careers.

This will be the 28th year that the Canadian SF and Fantasy Association awards will be presented. Each year a different convention or group has hosted the awards. The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“the Auroras“) have been presented annually since 1980 with the exception of 1984. In 2008 they will be presented in May at a ceremony hosted by Keycon 25 held in Winnipeg, May 16-19.

On a per-capita basis, the Aurora Awards have the largest voter turnout of any national SF award in the world, exceeding that of the American-dominated Hugos, the Japanese Seiuns, the British Arthur C. Clarke Awards, and the Australian Ditmars.

This year, for the first time, Canadian fans will be able to nominate and to vote on-line at the Prix Aurora website. In addition, over two thousand nominating and voting ballots will be distributed through Canadian SF specialty bookstores (such as Vancouver’s White Dwarf, Calgary’s Sentry Box. and Toronto’s Bakka-Phoenix); with subscription copies of Canadian SF magazines (including the English-language On Spec, Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine and the French-language Solaris…); to pet nutrition supplement
all members of various associations for SF writers and many flavours of SC & F Clubs and groups; and at over a dozen science-fiction conventions coast-to-coast. Any Canadian resident may nominate and vote for the best Canadian-authored works of Science Fiction and Fantasy published the preceding year in either of the official languages.
Science-fiction conventions and occasionally other groups bid to be designated the year's "Canadian National Science Fiction Convention," or "CanVention," where the Aurora Awards are presented.

So, if you’re a Canadian (or even if you aren't) and you like science fiction, take a look at the list then read and then vote. This is a good opportunity for readers anywhere to see what’s out there in Canadian science fiction and fantasy.

Posted in Press Room; Tags: aurora award, award, Bakka-Phoenix Science Fiction Books, books, Darwin's Paradox, prix aurora award

Book Review: Darwin’s Paradox
November 19, 2007 — Tricia Ares
Munteanu, Nina. Darwin’s Paradox. Dragon Moon Press. 320 p. ISBN-10 189694468X (ISBN-13 9781896944685) $19.95

If you read the natural pet vitamins
acknowledgements at the front of Nina Munteanu’s latest book, you’ll realize Darwin’s Pradox is more than just a fast paced eco-thriller. Among others she thanks her high school English teacher, A.E. Whittal, for teaching her “the importance of metaphoric writing.”

The Victor Frankl quote at the front of the book, “What is to give light must endure burning,” is the first indication of the numerous paradoxical references you’ll find throughout the book, as Munteanu sets the stage for a story on the verge of transcending its genre.

In Darwin’s Paradox, Julie Crane is civilization’s darkest pariah and only hope. The alpha patient who carries a highly evolved virus, she is blamed with the death of thousands and the murder of law enforcement officials who tried to detain her.

We first meet Crane in the wilderness where she ekes out an existence with her husband and daughter. However, her reoccurring nightmares and the desire to protect her family agitate her growing sense of restlessness. When her highly evolved senses warn her that they are being followed, watched, perhaps even hunted, Crane decides she has no choice but to face the past.

Returning to a populous devastated by the virus that still resides deep within her, Crane finds a civilization struggling in the grip of a new uprising. Proteus is not a passive virus but an intelligent one, and it has joined forces with the ‘artificial’ intelligence that keeps the city running. In order to save her family, Crane must join forces with the manipulative individuals who ruined her life.

Like any ambitious eco-thriller, there is a lot of science underscoring the plot, but Munteanu does a great job of breaking it down into bite size portions that even the uninitiated can swallow.

The page turning pace subtly weaves expositional elements through a storyline propelled by action and mystery. Blurring the line between good and evil, Munteanu creates characters as paradoxical as the storyline itself.

Darwin’s Paradox also boasts a cast of exceptionally strong and complex women whose relationships intertwine and evolve like the deadly virus that binds them together. From the chair of the governing body, to Julie’s daughter, each of these characters serve pivotal roles throughout the book.

To give it depth, Munteanu has built her eco-thriller on a solid foundation of natural philosophy and symbolic allusions that meld pulp fiction with literary sensibilities. In doing so, Darwin’s Paradox delivers a story that is both entertaining and metaphoric, creating a layered effect that will engage even finicky readers.

Allusions to the French utopian movement founded by Etienne Cabet and the 19th century anti-industrial movement in Great Britian, underscore the conflict between nature and technology, while references to cooperative rather than competitive evolution hints at possible resolution.

Munteanu’s vision of the future is both frightening and inspiring, embracing the dark/light dichotomy dominating Darwin’s Paradox. Icaria’s vee-set wearing society, with their mechanical movements and vacant stares, resembles the disconnected iPod population of today. The contrast between the sterile environments of glass towers and the rubble of the inner city mirrors our own growing economic tensions. But just as Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortal man, Julia Crane carries the key that can transform civilization as we know it.

Darwin’s Paradox is a fascinating look into the future where man ceases his attempt to subjugate nature, while embracing its ability to adapt.

Darwin’s Paradox is on sale now at leading bookstores and at amazon.com. Visit us tomorrow for a one on one interview with the author, Nina Munteanu.

Posted in Book Reviews. Tags: Book Reviews, Darwin, Darwin's Paradox, Evolution, Nina Munteanu, Science Fiction, SF, speculative fiction.

You can visit her inspiring blog here:

http://modernmatriarch.wordpress.com

Worldwide Release

DARWIN’S PARADOX IS OUT TODAY!

It’s been an incredible journey bringing Darwin’s Paradox to light!  It has just been awe-inspiring to watch this project develop into a global affair… 

Please join us in celebrating!

The book is currently being sold at:

Amazon United States

Amazon Canada

Amazon Germany

Amazon United Kingdom

Amazon France

Amazon Japan

The book can be found throughout North America (both at stores and through their online webstores) at:
Barnes & Noble United States
Borders.com United States
Chapters-Indigo Canada
White Dwarf Books Vancouver, B.C.
The Sentry Box Calgary, Alberta
Blackwell Books United Kingdom

It is also being offered through various online bookstores as an ebook!

You can also buy or order the book at Target , one of the major department stores in the U.S. as well as India and Malaysia.   It can also be purchased through Wal-Mart, a major retailer, or online at Buy.com, yet another major retail store.

It’s been only half-a-day and cats supplement
I noticed that it's ALREADY temporarily out of stock/sold out at most stores. YOU did that! Thank you so much! Those of you who haven't ordered it yet; not to worry...go ahead and order...more are coming!

Here is the Press Release from PRWeb:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/darwins-paradox/nina-munteanu/prweb568631.htm

Shine on SFgirl, shine on!

~~~~~~~~~~~

One day away from “Darwin’s Paradox” launch at Amazon (and other bookstores around the world)…I’m kind of beside myself, looking on and whispering: “Hey! Comb your hair, girl!”…

Oh, in honor of the book, Karen Mason created the dog vitamin k
really neat widget of "Darwin's Paradox" over to the right there. If you like the book, or what I write here, or just plain like "me" (embarrassed grin) ... and want to support/advertize the book, please go ahead and put the widget on your site. I thank you so much for your support, dear reader.

Press Release

Darwin’s Paradox: Runaway Bestseller from Acclaimed Author Nina Munteanu

A World on the Brink of Violent Change… When an intelligent virus and an intelligent machine community conspire to threaten the world with destruction and chaos, the only person who can save humanity is the woman who caused the cataclysm in the first place.

Chicago, IL (Bluehost/PRWEB ) November 16, 2007 — Darwin’s Paradox–a book that explores humanity’s evolution through our relationship with nature and machine … What would happen if they came together?

In today’s multiplex world of rapid planetary change, the lines between biology and technology are swiftly blurring in wondrous and equally terrifying ways. We are witnessing an increase in studies that link a growing infertility in humans to industrial activities and urban lifestyles. Yet, those of us who are born today can expect to live with enhanced intelligence, longevity, and health thanks to technological advances such as neuromorphic engineered implants, nano-A.I. medicine and other biotechnological advances.

Co-evolving with our exploitation of young at heart dog supplement
the world's ecology is the spread of emergent and resistant diseases. Futurist Michio Kaku suggests that because of the rampant use of anti-biotics "our own bodies have become a Darwinian battleground where only the nastiest mutant strains of bacteria thrive." Yet, Doctor Lynn Margulis proved the notion that cellular evolution of virus and host cell may evolve through cooperation, often into a single symbiotic entity (e.g., evolution of eukaryotic cell). Virologist Frank Ryan states that "every monkey, baboon, chimpanzee and gorilla is carrying at least ten different species of symbiotic virus." And, while Lynn Margulis argues that a virus is intelligent, Transhumanist Ray Kurzweil predicts the inevitability of self-aware sentient robots.

In her book, Darwin's Paradox (Dragon Moon Press) ecologist, educator and acclaimed author Nina Munteanu explores the frightening prospect of an intelligent self-organized virus joined with a self-aware A.I. in a world preoccupied with issues of infertility and the residual effects of an industrial plague.

Driven by an ambitious virus stirring inside her, Julie Crane sets out on a quest to save her family from the clutches of a terrified government. Instead she's abruptly caught in a web of intrigue...one that will betray her identity as Darwin's Paradox and define the evolution of humankind.

Says Doctor Rhonda Low, host of "Your Health"--CTV News, and Clinical Associate Professor in the Dept. of Family & Community Medicine, University of British Columbia: "Loved Darwin's Paradox! ... A good neurology refresher for me! ... The story is intricate ... imaginative, and intelligent ... The medical and scientific (premise is ... completely plausible and perhaps our fate ... Sign me up for 'neurgery'."

"Munteanu [has created an inventive and exciting future ... a mystery virus ... unsettling artificial intelligences ... and an indomitable hero," says Kay Kenyon, SF author of Bright of the Sky.

Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Rollback, calls Darwin's Paradox "a thrill ride that makes you think and tugs the heart."

Darwin's Paradox is Nina's third novel. Her previous fiction was nominated for the Gaylactic Spectrum Award, Ecataromance Reviewers' Choice Award, the Aurora Prix, and the Foundation of Speculative Literature's Fountain Award. Praise for her previous fiction has been generous.

Tangent Online calls Angel's Promises "A stunning example of good storytelling with an excellent setting and cast of characters." Of her first novel, Collision with Paradise, Romantic Times says, "Munteanu presents a very intelligent story, with fantastic world-building...an intriguing tale." Another Book Review Site said, "Munteanu asserts her mastery of the sensual SF romantic thriller. An unforgettable read that's immensely alluring, surprising, and heart throbbing. The vivid intimate details, colorful descriptions, and wonderfully drawn characters leave one breathless and asking, when and where is the next book coming out?"

Nina holds a Masters Degree in Ecology from Concordia University (Montreal) and has taught university courses at Simon Fraser University, Douglas College and the University of Victoria. She has published over fifty scientific papers, technical reports and guides, including a controversial paper on "creative destruction", which uses chaos theory to explore nature's intelligence. Nina conducts research in risk analysis, pollution abatement and environmental protection as senior scientist with an environmental consulting firm in Vancouver, B.C.

A Book Tour is planned for Darwin's Paradox, starting with a launch in Vancouver November 15 through 24. The tour will move to the Toronto area between November 28 and December 3. Nina's New Year Tour kicks off in Seattle, WA in January, 2008; with stops in 12 major U.S. cities.

Darwin's Paradox audiobook will be available Spring 2008, featuring Heather Dugan: The Voice of Darwin's Paradox.

Nina's award-winning blog, The Alien Next Door provides lively discussion on elements of science and science fiction, philosophy, and futurism, as well as spiritual and metaphysical issues.

Press Contacts:
Karen Mason
Darwin's Paradox
502-428-7667
armonelyon@yahoo.com

Publicist:
Justyn Perry, Marketing Manager
Hades Publications, Inc.
403-254-0160
justyn@hadespublications.com

Executive Producer:
Karen Mason
Starfire World Syndicate
502-428-7667
armonelyon@yahoo.com