Steve Alten Newsletter


February 2009
In This Issue
New Angel's Lair E-Store now open
New book for sea monster lovers
Living Tips: Self-Induced CPR
Living Tips: Pet Owners
Steve Alten to be in new MONSTER QUEST Episode
MEG: Hell's AQUARIUM - release date & cover contest
RECIPE of the Month: Hot Mussels Marinara

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Several years ago, I started a program for serious writers called WRITING COACH. For a fee, I would help guide a manuscript, edit where necessary, and offer storyline suggestions. I also helped edit a 2 page query letter to submit the project to agents. Because the program is so time consuming, I was limited to only a few clients which I selected based on their writing ability and the subject matter. Of the first five clients, two (so far) have received offers to be published. Unfortunately, I became so busy with my own writing that I had to stop the program.

My present schedule now allows me to restart the program, but only for two new clients. Before you rush to submit your story, know that this is NOT a free program. The fee is $4,500, which covers six months worth of coaching. (I paid $6,000 to an editor back in 1996 when I wrote MEG). Obviously, this is for serious candidates only. You should either have a manuscript started or finished. There are no guarantee you will be published (there is no guarantees when I write a novel that I will be published) but I will work as hard as you work to achieve that goal.

If you are interested, send me (in the body of the e- mail, not as an attachment) a one-page synopsis of your story to my e-mail at MEG82159@aol.com . Mark the subject line: WRITING COACH SUBMISSION. I will respond to all submissions. If I am interested, I will ask for a sample chapter to evaluate your writing ability. If I see promise then we'll move ahead. Payment is up front. I will consider two payments, but I have been burned too many times to consider any other schedules. If you don't have the money please don't submit your story. Remember, there are free WRITING TIPS posted at www.SteveAlten.com . This program is completely different.

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled newsletter!

New Angel's Lair E-Store now open
There are some very cool new MEG clothing and souvenirs at www.SteveAlten.com under the E-Store. All new logos and items, using top quality U.S. manufacturers. The new MEG poster for 2009 is also available. Proceeds from items sold support the Adopt-An-Author program, a free nationwide non-profit that encourages teenagers to read. SPECIAL IN FEBRUARY: Buy one poster and receive a FEEDING TIME poster free!

See the new store...

New book for sea monster lovers
I often hear from readers asking me to recommend new authors and their work. Jeremy Robinson is a rising talent, his new novel, KRONOS worth a look:

When Atticus Young, ex-navy SEAL turned oceanographer, goes scuba diving with his daughter in the Gulf of Maine, a day of bonding turns into a nightmare. Something as massive as it is ancient rises from the deep and swallows his daughter whole, launching him on a quest for vengeance. As Atticus pursues the creature he makes a startling discovery that redirects his mission in a new and even more dangerous direction that raises the question: what is Kronos?

"Jeremy Robinson's latest is a Moby Dick meets James Bond thriller with an amazing twist, offering page-turning results."
-- Steve Alten, N.Y. Times best-selling author of MEG & The LOCH

Living Tips: Self-Induced CPR
Let's say you're driving home alone. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? Many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint could potentially lose consciousness. WHAT TO DO: If this happens to you, COUGH REPEATEDLY & VIGOROUSLY! A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives!

Living Tips: Pet Owners
From a reader:
On June 22, 2008 , my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws, Inc., produces. The toy I'm referencing is the pimple ball with bell (Item #20227- 001, UPC Code #0 4566320227 9). While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. On June 26, 2008, Chai had his tongue amputated. To date, my veterinary bills total over $5,000 and I will have regular follow up appointments for some time. Additionally, Chai now requires a much more expensive form of food because of this injury, averaging approximately $200 per month. Four Paws, Inc.'s position is that there just aren't enough instances to do anything about this. Beware!

Steve Alten to be in new MONSTER QUEST Episode
Last week, producers from HISTORY CHANNEL'S Monster Quest came out to South Florida to tape me for a new episode MEGALODON. The show should air around April-May. As soon as I know the details I will post it in an e-mail.

MEG: Hell's AQUARIUM - release date & cover contest
The official publishing date of the fourth and BEST installment of the MEG series is May 19, 2009. You can order the book from your local book store or at Amazon and receive it a little earlier. Because the cover art contest was so close, Variance Books has decided to do BOTH COVERS as first edition collector's items! BRAVO!

RECIPE of the Month: Hot Mussels Marinara
This is so simple it's almost embarrassing. 1 bag Mussels (farm raised, New Zealand, any kind.) Tug off any little "beards" they may have, but the bagged mussels are usually pretty clean. 1 jar Fra Divolo Sauce (I use Rao's brand, slightly more money, but worth every bit.) Little butter (1 tbs?), olive oil, White Wine (Optional), Crusty French or Italian bread. Melt the butter and a little olive oil in a large fry pay that has a lid to fit. Put mussels into pan (be sure to remove any broken ones or any that won't close. Any mussels which are slightly opened can be rubbed by hand to close them - sometimes they "sleep" when they are cold and the rubbing will warm them slightly to close again.) Pour jar of sauce over the mussels. Add some white wine - this is optional, I'm Italian so wine goes in everything. Put cover on pan and cook over medium to low flame. You don't want to boil the sauce, just heat it slowly and the mussels will open up from the steam created in the covered pan. When all the mussels are opened, take off flame, discard any that didn't open. Plate to a large shallow bowl or platter and serve with crusty bread to soak up sauce. You can vary this by adding any of the following: Chopped onion, chopped or whole garlic, some heavy cream turned into the sauce when almost finished (thus making a "pink" sauce. Diced pepper, chopped Kalamata olives (pitted, of course). Diced Tomato Crushed Red Pepper (the dry spice) to make them spicier!

These can also be cooked in Lager Beer (instead of Sauce and wine)

Enjoy! Joanne Van Loo

*IF YOU HAVE A RECIPE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, please e-mail me at MEG82159@aol.com Put RECIPE in the subject line.

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That's all for now. Stay well, stay safe and know this author appreciates you very much

Sincerely,

Steve Alten