That's mah enthusiasm. I sneezed it up.
Bobblehead cat says look at mah tiny feets.
I sleep therefore don't close the window.
I can bend water with my mind!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday Cat Blogging
Hey Baby, wanna see mah etchings?
That's mah enthusiasm. I sneezed it up.
Bobblehead cat says look at mah tiny feets.
I sleep therefore don't close the window.
I can bend water with my mind!
That's mah enthusiasm. I sneezed it up.
Bobblehead cat says look at mah tiny feets.
I sleep therefore don't close the window.
I can bend water with my mind!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sean's WisCon Schedule
I'll only be down for about half of the con this year--got stuck at work through mid-day Saturday, so I won't get down to Madison until Saturday evening. That said, here's my schedule for the con--I decided to take it light this year.
Being in a Writing Group
Sunday, 10:00-11:15 am, Conference 5
S. N. Arly (Moderator), F.J. Bergmann, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Naomi Kritzer, Sean M. Murphy
How do writing groups work? What are their pros and cons? How does one handle envy and excessive competition? How does one maintain one's one vision, when the rest of the group does not agree?
Wyrdsmiths Publication Party
Sunday, 8:45 pm-Monday 3:00 am, Room 634
Celebrating the Publication of Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick, Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, and Almost Final Curtain by Tate Hallaway
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. Join us as we celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Being in a Writing Group
Sunday, 10:00-11:15 am, Conference 5
S. N. Arly (Moderator), F.J. Bergmann, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Naomi Kritzer, Sean M. Murphy
How do writing groups work? What are their pros and cons? How does one handle envy and excessive competition? How does one maintain one's one vision, when the rest of the group does not agree?
Wyrdsmiths Publication Party
Sunday, 8:45 pm-Monday 3:00 am, Room 634
Celebrating the Publication of Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick, Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, and Almost Final Curtain by Tate Hallaway
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. Join us as we celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Doug's WisCon schedule
If the following looks familiar, it's because my WisCon schedule is exactly the same as Kelly's. Not to fear, though: I have no plans to shave my head, and am still somewhat taller than Kelly, so the odds of confusing us for one another at these functions remain small. :)
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm Great Lakes Urban Graverobbers, Inc. Reading, Michelangelos
Saladin Ahmed, Will Alexander, Barth Anderson, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough
Readings by writers from the shadowy hoodoo-holes and soggy nether-reaches of the Upper Midwest.
Sun, 8:45 pm–Mon, 3:00 Wyrdsmiths Publication Party: Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick and Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, Room 634
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. We'd like to celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am Being a Resilient Writer, Conference 5
Moderator: Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump Writing is a line of work full of setbacks. What are these setbacks? How does one bounce back and keep writing? How does one find ways around setbacks and blocks in the road?
Mon, 11:30 am–12:45 pm The SignOut, Capitol/Wisconsin
Alex Bledsoe, K. Tempest Bradford, Richard Chwedyk, Alan John DeNiro, Moondancer Drake, Timmi Duchamp, Pamela Dean, Carol F. Emshwiller, Matt Forbeck, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Hiromi Goto, Anna Black, Eileen Gunn, Andrea D. Hairston, Jacqueline Houtman, Douglas Hulick, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Vylar Kaftan, Ellen Klages, Josh Lukin, Kelly McCullough, Neesha Meminger, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Sarah Monette, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Nnedi Okorafor, Mark D. Rich, James P. Roberts, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Mary Doria Russell, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump, Fred Schepartz, Nisi Shawl, Jennifer Stevenson, Kathryn Sullivan, Lynne M. Thomas, Sheree Renée Thomas, Amy Thomson
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm Great Lakes Urban Graverobbers, Inc. Reading, Michelangelos
Saladin Ahmed, Will Alexander, Barth Anderson, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough
Readings by writers from the shadowy hoodoo-holes and soggy nether-reaches of the Upper Midwest.
Sun, 8:45 pm–Mon, 3:00 Wyrdsmiths Publication Party: Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick and Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, Room 634
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. We'd like to celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am Being a Resilient Writer, Conference 5
Moderator: Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump Writing is a line of work full of setbacks. What are these setbacks? How does one bounce back and keep writing? How does one find ways around setbacks and blocks in the road?
Mon, 11:30 am–12:45 pm The SignOut, Capitol/Wisconsin
Alex Bledsoe, K. Tempest Bradford, Richard Chwedyk, Alan John DeNiro, Moondancer Drake, Timmi Duchamp, Pamela Dean, Carol F. Emshwiller, Matt Forbeck, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Hiromi Goto, Anna Black, Eileen Gunn, Andrea D. Hairston, Jacqueline Houtman, Douglas Hulick, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Vylar Kaftan, Ellen Klages, Josh Lukin, Kelly McCullough, Neesha Meminger, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Sarah Monette, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Nnedi Okorafor, Mark D. Rich, James P. Roberts, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Mary Doria Russell, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump, Fred Schepartz, Nisi Shawl, Jennifer Stevenson, Kathryn Sullivan, Lynne M. Thomas, Sheree Renée Thomas, Amy Thomson
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Naomi's WisCon Schedule
WisCon really sneaked up on me this year.
Being in a Writing Group
Sunday, 10-11:15 a.m., Conference 5
S. N. Arly (Moderator), F.J. Bergmann, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Naomi Kritzer, Sean M. Murphy
How do writing groups work? What are their pros and cons? How does one handle envy and excessive competition? How does one maintain one's one vision, when the rest of the group does not agree?
Fiction Writing in the Age of Fast Information
Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm, Caucus
Fred Schepartz (moderator), Gwynne Garfinkle, Theodora Goss, Andrea D. Hairston, Naomi Kritzer, Ann Leckie
You're sitting at your computer writing your novel or short story. A question comes to mind. In days of yore, you would head to the library to get your answer. Now, you just Google it. A treasure trove of information is right there at your fingertips, but does it ever become a barrier to good writing and storytelling? Will writers skip the process of exhaustive research before they write a single word in favor of a process done on a need to know basis? Is that a problem? And with so much readily available information, are writers in danger of loading their work with trivia that adds little to the actual story?
Is Science Fiction the New Reality?
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am, Caucus
K. Tempest Bradford (moderator), Richard Chwedyk, James Frenkel, Naomi Kritzer, Shira Lipkin
Star Trek offers a vision of the future that includes personal, networked communicators, talking, intelligent computers, and the tricorder, a portable, hand-held networked computing device. Today we have cellphones, IBM's Watson,and the iPad. Are we already living in the science-fiction future? What does this mean for writers of speculative fiction?
There's also:
THE WYRDSMITHS PARTY
Sunday night, 8:45-ish until the last Wyrdsmiths standing says, "OK, everyone out. I wanna go collapse into a bed."
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean Murphy. (Lyda, alas, is not going to make it.)
I'm not going to the Sign Out; I decided two years ago that I would bypass it until I once again had something to sign. I do, as it happens, have two self-published short story anthologies ... but they're e-books. (I've heard discussion of how it might be possible to autograph an e-book but in a "they could do it THIS way" context.) Anyway, if you want me to sign something, just flag me down and I'll sign whatever, whenever (but not at the Sign-Out because I won't be there.)
Being in a Writing Group
Sunday, 10-11:15 a.m., Conference 5
S. N. Arly (Moderator), F.J. Bergmann, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Naomi Kritzer, Sean M. Murphy
How do writing groups work? What are their pros and cons? How does one handle envy and excessive competition? How does one maintain one's one vision, when the rest of the group does not agree?
Fiction Writing in the Age of Fast Information
Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm, Caucus
Fred Schepartz (moderator), Gwynne Garfinkle, Theodora Goss, Andrea D. Hairston, Naomi Kritzer, Ann Leckie
You're sitting at your computer writing your novel or short story. A question comes to mind. In days of yore, you would head to the library to get your answer. Now, you just Google it. A treasure trove of information is right there at your fingertips, but does it ever become a barrier to good writing and storytelling? Will writers skip the process of exhaustive research before they write a single word in favor of a process done on a need to know basis? Is that a problem? And with so much readily available information, are writers in danger of loading their work with trivia that adds little to the actual story?
Is Science Fiction the New Reality?
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am, Caucus
K. Tempest Bradford (moderator), Richard Chwedyk, James Frenkel, Naomi Kritzer, Shira Lipkin
Star Trek offers a vision of the future that includes personal, networked communicators, talking, intelligent computers, and the tricorder, a portable, hand-held networked computing device. Today we have cellphones, IBM's Watson,and the iPad. Are we already living in the science-fiction future? What does this mean for writers of speculative fiction?
There's also:
THE WYRDSMITHS PARTY
Sunday night, 8:45-ish until the last Wyrdsmiths standing says, "OK, everyone out. I wanna go collapse into a bed."
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean Murphy. (Lyda, alas, is not going to make it.)
I'm not going to the Sign Out; I decided two years ago that I would bypass it until I once again had something to sign. I do, as it happens, have two self-published short story anthologies ... but they're e-books. (I've heard discussion of how it might be possible to autograph an e-book but in a "they could do it THIS way" context.) Anyway, if you want me to sign something, just flag me down and I'll sign whatever, whenever (but not at the Sign-Out because I won't be there.)
Happy Geek Pride
According to Wikipedia, today is Geek Pride Day.
So... what are YOU going to do to get your geek on??
So... what are YOU going to do to get your geek on??
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Long Book
I get questions from new authors, as I think all professionals do. When I get them I strive to answer to the best of my ability, both the question asked and the questions not asked but implied by the rest of the message. Today I answered some questions about guidelines for novel submissions, I also wrote a long digression based on the fact that the person asking mentioned that their first book came in at 564,000 words. Since I've run into a number of people over the last few years who've written quite long books I thought I would put my thoughts on the subject our where people could see them, so that the next time someone asks, I can point them at this post.
The question you didn't ask, but probably would have had you known you needed to. Book length. And this one is a good news/bad news kind of answer.
Bad first. 564k is going to be a problem for pretty much all of the traditional paper publishing houses. A typical paperback runs from 80-110k and selling longer than that is really really tough for a new writer. Up to 150-170 is possible if you've done something that everyone agrees is amazingly commercial. I know of sales up to 250k for established professionals whose name isn't Martin or Rothfuss or Stevenson, but other than late series books in huge commercial block-busters, I don't know of anyone selling over that. It's mostly a production problem in that manufacturing costs go up a lot for anything over about 125k. If you could find a good way to break a long book into two or three or however many smaller books, you might be able to sell it that way, but you'll have to really make book one outstanding and fully complete in itself. I don't know what kind of book you've written, so I can't say whether that;s possible or something you even want to try.
Now for the good news. The advent of e-publishing is, imho, going to create options for books of that length, though I don't yet know what those are going to look like. If I were just starting my career at this point and had written something of that length I'd be looking very hard at self-publishing it directly through Amazon, B&N and other venues. If you'd asked me if I thought that was a good idea even two years ago, I'd have said a flat "no," but the industry is changing so much and so fast, that's looking like an increasingly promising option, and one that I might take myself with a few older books that I haven't yet sold to any of the mainstream presses. If you do go that route, please take some time to read Kris Rusch and Dean Smith on the topic, they've both been doing major blogging on the changes. Kris: Dean Think Like a Publisher and Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing.
The question you didn't ask, but probably would have had you known you needed to. Book length. And this one is a good news/bad news kind of answer.
Bad first. 564k is going to be a problem for pretty much all of the traditional paper publishing houses. A typical paperback runs from 80-110k and selling longer than that is really really tough for a new writer. Up to 150-170 is possible if you've done something that everyone agrees is amazingly commercial. I know of sales up to 250k for established professionals whose name isn't Martin or Rothfuss or Stevenson, but other than late series books in huge commercial block-busters, I don't know of anyone selling over that. It's mostly a production problem in that manufacturing costs go up a lot for anything over about 125k. If you could find a good way to break a long book into two or three or however many smaller books, you might be able to sell it that way, but you'll have to really make book one outstanding and fully complete in itself. I don't know what kind of book you've written, so I can't say whether that;s possible or something you even want to try.
Now for the good news. The advent of e-publishing is, imho, going to create options for books of that length, though I don't yet know what those are going to look like. If I were just starting my career at this point and had written something of that length I'd be looking very hard at self-publishing it directly through Amazon, B&N and other venues. If you'd asked me if I thought that was a good idea even two years ago, I'd have said a flat "no," but the industry is changing so much and so fast, that's looking like an increasingly promising option, and one that I might take myself with a few older books that I haven't yet sold to any of the mainstream presses. If you do go that route, please take some time to read Kris Rusch and Dean Smith on the topic, they've both been doing major blogging on the changes. Kris: Dean Think Like a Publisher and Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing.
Kelly's WisCon Schedule
Here's my schedule for this coming weekend at WisCon
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm Great Lakes Urban Graverobbers, Inc. Reading, Michelangelos
Saladin Ahmed, Will Alexander, Barth Anderson, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough
Readings by writers from the shadowy hoodoo-holes and soggy nether-reaches of the Upper Midwest.
Sun, 8:45 pm–Mon, 3:00 Wyrdsmiths Publication Party: Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick and Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, Room 634
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. We'd like to celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am Being a Resilient Writer, Conference 5
Moderator: Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump Writing is a line of work full of setbacks. What are these setbacks? How does one bounce back and keep writing? How does one find ways around setbacks and blocks in the road?
Mon, 11:30 am–12:45 pm The SignOut, Capitol/Wisconsin
Alex Bledsoe, K. Tempest Bradford, Richard Chwedyk, Alan John DeNiro, Moondancer Drake, Timmi Duchamp, Pamela Dean, Carol F. Emshwiller, Matt Forbeck, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Hiromi Goto, Anna Black, Eileen Gunn, Andrea D. Hairston, Jacqueline Houtman, Douglas Hulick, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Vylar Kaftan, Ellen Klages, Josh Lukin, Kelly McCullough, Neesha Meminger, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Sarah Monette, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Nnedi Okorafor, Mark D. Rich, James P. Roberts, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Mary Doria Russell, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump, Fred Schepartz, Nisi Shawl, Jennifer Stevenson, Kathryn Sullivan, Lynne M. Thomas, Sheree Renée Thomas, Amy Thomson
Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm Great Lakes Urban Graverobbers, Inc. Reading, Michelangelos
Saladin Ahmed, Will Alexander, Barth Anderson, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough
Readings by writers from the shadowy hoodoo-holes and soggy nether-reaches of the Upper Midwest.
Sun, 8:45 pm–Mon, 3:00 Wyrdsmiths Publication Party: Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick and Resurrection Code by Lyda Morehouse, Room 634
Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Naomi Kritzer, Kelly McCullough, Sean M Murphy
Members of the Wyrdsmiths writing group are going to publish four novels in 2011. We'd like to celebrate this, and especially celebrate the publication of Doug Hulick's first novel.
Mon, 10:00–11:15 am Being a Resilient Writer, Conference 5
Moderator: Eleanor A. Arnason, Douglas Hulick, Kelly McCullough, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump Writing is a line of work full of setbacks. What are these setbacks? How does one bounce back and keep writing? How does one find ways around setbacks and blocks in the road?
Mon, 11:30 am–12:45 pm The SignOut, Capitol/Wisconsin
Alex Bledsoe, K. Tempest Bradford, Richard Chwedyk, Alan John DeNiro, Moondancer Drake, Timmi Duchamp, Pamela Dean, Carol F. Emshwiller, Matt Forbeck, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Hiromi Goto, Anna Black, Eileen Gunn, Andrea D. Hairston, Jacqueline Houtman, Douglas Hulick, Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Vylar Kaftan, Ellen Klages, Josh Lukin, Kelly McCullough, Neesha Meminger, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Sarah Monette, Nancy Jane Moore, Pat Murphy, Nnedi Okorafor, Mark D. Rich, James P. Roberts, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Mary Doria Russell, Catherine M. Schaff-Stump, Fred Schepartz, Nisi Shawl, Jennifer Stevenson, Kathryn Sullivan, Lynne M. Thomas, Sheree Renée Thomas, Amy Thomson
Cover Art
Since Tate usually speaks for me, I thought, this time, I'd speak for her! Tate's Februaruy 2012 release ALMOST EVERYTHING can haz cover art. Check it out:
The back copy says:
The back copy says:
Whoever said vacations were relaxing?
To say half-vampire, half-witch Ana Parker has boy trouble is putting it lightly—something her text messaging bill can attest to. Her rocker ex-boyfriend Nikolai is trying to heat things up again, and high school hockey star Mathew wants her to try out with him for the Renaissance Festival. At least her sort-of boyfriend Elias isn’t hounding her cell—considering the vampire knight is currently living in her basement.
Ever since her father banished Elias and Ana from the court of the Northern vampires, Ana has been trying to live a normal life. But when the Prince of the Southern Region vampires informs Ana that they’re on the brink of war and she accidentally offers up Elias as a peace offering, the princess knows that she’s going to need some help to get out of the situation.
With Ana’s boy drama meter hitting an all time high, summer in St. Paul is heating up for all the wrong reasons…
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday Cat Blogging
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Plus Bonus Princess Cat
Look, I'm a gargoyle!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Wait, you woke me up to take my picture? %$#^* you!
Plus Bonus Princess Cat
Look, I'm a gargoyle!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Broken Blade Cover Art
I am absolutely in love with my cover for Broken Blade.
And no it's not just because the cover is beautiful. Which it is. It's not just because it could easily illustrate a scene from the book. It's also not just because it's very close to what I asked for when my editor asked me what I thought would be an ideal cover, but with some wonderful improvements. Though I love those things, I could happily have lived without them if the cover did one other thing really well.
Advertise the book.
More than anything else, a book's cover is a promotional poster for the book. It needs to attract the reader's eye. Most especially it should attract the eye of the sort of reader who would love the book the cover is fronting. Basically what you want is something that will express the contents of the book in a really eye catching way.
A cover needs to a tell a story that goes a little like this: This ___________ book is AWESOME with AWESOME sauce on the side! You want to read this! And that blank spot should be filled with whatever type of book it is. Big Machines SF, or Pulse Pounding Adventure, Or Noir Assassin Fantasy. Every other thing the cover can or should do is secondary.
The fact that this cover manages to do that while also being beautiful, accurate to the contents, and just exactly what I would have hoped for is why I love this one with a deep and abiding passion. And I owe everyone involved with it a big thank you.
So, to Cover artist: John Jude Palencar, Art Director & cover designer: Judith Lagerman, and of course, my editor: Anne Sowards.
THANK YOU
And no it's not just because the cover is beautiful. Which it is. It's not just because it could easily illustrate a scene from the book. It's also not just because it's very close to what I asked for when my editor asked me what I thought would be an ideal cover, but with some wonderful improvements. Though I love those things, I could happily have lived without them if the cover did one other thing really well.
Advertise the book.
More than anything else, a book's cover is a promotional poster for the book. It needs to attract the reader's eye. Most especially it should attract the eye of the sort of reader who would love the book the cover is fronting. Basically what you want is something that will express the contents of the book in a really eye catching way.
A cover needs to a tell a story that goes a little like this: This ___________ book is AWESOME with AWESOME sauce on the side! You want to read this! And that blank spot should be filled with whatever type of book it is. Big Machines SF, or Pulse Pounding Adventure, Or Noir Assassin Fantasy. Every other thing the cover can or should do is secondary.
The fact that this cover manages to do that while also being beautiful, accurate to the contents, and just exactly what I would have hoped for is why I love this one with a deep and abiding passion. And I owe everyone involved with it a big thank you.
So, to Cover artist: John Jude Palencar, Art Director & cover designer: Judith Lagerman, and of course, my editor: Anne Sowards.
THANK YOU
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Boo-yah!
Congrats to Douglas Hulick for going into a second printing for AMONG THIEVES: A Tale of the Kin in the UK a month after publication.
Dude!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Catch of the Day
"Imagine the publishing world as it might look in a dystopian universe in the distant future. In this world, college English majors—call them 'Englies'—aspire to write only one kind of book: the dystopian young adult novel set in the distant future. (Englies of a certain status are permitted to write about dystopias populated by vampires.) Another subset of the population—'the Fans'—provides a kind of slave labor, posting endlessly to dedicated blogs and recording podcasts, providing free marketing for an unceasing succession of aspiring best-seller trilogies."
—From the children's book section of today's
New York Times Book Review
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Bits & Pieces
My new novel is mentioned very briefly (but favorably!) at the end of this post by Cheryl Morgan.
Resurrection Code is also reviewed at Teaholics Anonymous.
Resurrection Code is also reviewed at Teaholics Anonymous.
Look Ma: I'm on the Internets!
I'm guest blogging today about getting reviewed as a new writer over on Aidan Moher's A Dribble of Ink.
Roll on by and check it out!
Roll on by and check it out!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wyrdsmiths Sighting -- UPCOMING
What: Speculations Readings Series -- NAOMI KRITZER
When: Friday, June 3, 2011 6:30 PM
Where: DreamHaven Books
2301 E 38th St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
On Friday, June 3, NAOMI KRITZER reads her fiction. Ms. Kritzer's short stories have appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Strange Horizons, and Tales of the Unanticipated. Her novels (Fires of the Faithful, Turning the Storm, Freedom's Gate, Freedom's Apprentice, and Freedom's Sisters) are available from Bantam. Since her last novel came out, she has written an urban fantasy novel about a Minneapolis woman who inherits the Arc of the Covenant; a science fictional shipwreck novel; and a children's fantasy novel about illegal immigration. She has two e-book short fiction collections out: Gift of the Winter King and Other Stories and Comrade Grandmother and Other Stories.
Each Speculations Reading includes a reception with free soda pop and cookies.
Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multi-cultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a mid-summer convention, Diversicon, the 19th edition of which will be held July 29-31 at Best Western--Bandana Square, St. Paul with Guest of Honor David G. Hartwell; Special Guests John Calvin Rezmerski and Lyda Morehouse; and Guest Scientist Joan Slonczewski.
www.dreamhavenbooks.com
----
Information from Michael Mirriam and MinnSpec
When: Friday, June 3, 2011 6:30 PM
Where: DreamHaven Books
2301 E 38th St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
On Friday, June 3, NAOMI KRITZER reads her fiction. Ms. Kritzer's short stories have appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Strange Horizons, and Tales of the Unanticipated. Her novels (Fires of the Faithful, Turning the Storm, Freedom's Gate, Freedom's Apprentice, and Freedom's Sisters) are available from Bantam. Since her last novel came out, she has written an urban fantasy novel about a Minneapolis woman who inherits the Arc of the Covenant; a science fictional shipwreck novel; and a children's fantasy novel about illegal immigration. She has two e-book short fiction collections out: Gift of the Winter King and Other Stories and Comrade Grandmother and Other Stories.
Each Speculations Reading includes a reception with free soda pop and cookies.
Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multi-cultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a mid-summer convention, Diversicon, the 19th edition of which will be held July 29-31 at Best Western--Bandana Square, St. Paul with Guest of Honor David G. Hartwell; Special Guests John Calvin Rezmerski and Lyda Morehouse; and Guest Scientist Joan Slonczewski.
www.dreamhavenbooks.com
----
Information from Michael Mirriam and MinnSpec
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tooting my Own Horn
Check out this AMAZING review of Resurrection Code at Tor.com (by Alyx Dellamonica): A Necessary Apocalypse.
Dang.
Dang.
Monday, May 09, 2011
New E-Book!
Wyrdsmith Naomi Kritzer has published a new collection of her short stories on Kindle. This one, Comrade Grandmother and Other Stories, includes the title story which is one of my personal favorites. It was originally published in Strange Horizons and then was picked up for Year's Best Fantasy.
She's blogged about her process of making this Kindle book on her livejournal, http://naomikritzer.livejournal.com. You can start with this post and go backwards.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
May 7 Is Free Comic Book Day
So while you're out and about for Tate Hallaway's signing at Uncle Hugo's from 1:00 to 2:00 this afternoon, drop by your local comic book shop—today is Free Comic Book Day!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Friday Cat Blogging
Roast cat under sun beam:
You woke me up, I'm totally going to laze you
I…taste…like…nose… Yep, nose.
Halp I'z bein' eaten by the blanket monster!*
I'z the blanket monster, fear me.
*previously seen on twitter, but I wanted the set. An additional Isabelle pic has been inserted at the front of the post so no one feels cheated.
You woke me up, I'm totally going to laze you
I…taste…like…nose… Yep, nose.
Halp I'z bein' eaten by the blanket monster!*
I'z the blanket monster, fear me.
*previously seen on twitter, but I wanted the set. An additional Isabelle pic has been inserted at the front of the post so no one feels cheated.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Local (and At Large) Signing
If you're in the Twin Cities area, please drop by on Saturday (May 7) to see me at Uncle Hugo's from 1:00 - 2:00 pm.
I'm going to say it again, though I can count how many times I mention this, and people still say, "Sorry! I don't live near you!!" -- Uncle Hugo's does book orders. What this means is, if you want a personalized, signed copy, you can contact them before Saturday and I will sign it FOR YOU and they will send it TO YOU no matter where you live.
Yes, even there!
Why consider placing a mail order? For several reasons.
1) It's nice to support independent, locally-owned, brick and mortar bookstores, generally. Specifically, Uncle Hugo's is one of the oldest science fiction/fantasy specialty bookstores in existence. AND they're always super-duper supportive of me and my work.
2) It will boost my sales at the bookstore and possibly get me on the LOCUS bestseller list. More importantly, it will encourage the fine folks at Uncle Hugo's to invite me back!
3) A signed book is kind of cool. It takes no more time to order from Uncles than it does to order from Amazon.com.
4) I'm not a big star. This means I will NOT be coming to your state any time in the foreseeable future, unless I win the lottery and decide to book the venues MYSELF. So, this is one way to actually get a signed book from me.
Have I convinced you? I hope so!
I'm going to say it again, though I can count how many times I mention this, and people still say, "Sorry! I don't live near you!!" -- Uncle Hugo's does book orders. What this means is, if you want a personalized, signed copy, you can contact them before Saturday and I will sign it FOR YOU and they will send it TO YOU no matter where you live.
Yes, even there!
Why consider placing a mail order? For several reasons.
1) It's nice to support independent, locally-owned, brick and mortar bookstores, generally. Specifically, Uncle Hugo's is one of the oldest science fiction/fantasy specialty bookstores in existence. AND they're always super-duper supportive of me and my work.
2) It will boost my sales at the bookstore and possibly get me on the LOCUS bestseller list. More importantly, it will encourage the fine folks at Uncle Hugo's to invite me back!
3) A signed book is kind of cool. It takes no more time to order from Uncles than it does to order from Amazon.com.
4) I'm not a big star. This means I will NOT be coming to your state any time in the foreseeable future, unless I win the lottery and decide to book the venues MYSELF. So, this is one way to actually get a signed book from me.
Have I convinced you? I hope so!
Neil vs. The Bully
Did everyone see this response to the whole Neil vs. Matt Dean thing? Thanks to Kelly who linked to it on Twitter.
Bill (and other comicbook fans), I think you'll appreciate this particularly.
Bill (and other comicbook fans), I think you'll appreciate this particularly.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Matt Hates Neil
Republican House majority leader Matt Dean calls Neil Gaiman "a pencil-necked little weasel." Via Galleycat.
Shameless Selfless Promotion
Just so's ya know, I might talk smack about my fellow writers, but, at the end of the day, we're the same tribe, dig?
To that end, I'm pleased to announce that my friend and fellow Wyrdsmith Kelly McCullough's newest series' first book is available for pre-order on Amazon.com. It's called Broken Blade. How shall I describe it? It's awesome, first off, but you should expect that from anything by Kelly. It fantasy, but it's noir, kind of like "Burn Notice" meets Thieves' World... only even better.
So, go bookmark it. I know you spent your money for new books on me yesterday, but you should consider buying it ASAP.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
ALMOST #2 Launch!
Today is the official launch date of the second book in my vampire princess of St. Paul series, ALMOST FINAL CURTAIN.
The back cover copy says:
Craving the spotlight is in her blood.
Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix.
But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehearsal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last...
And, you can read the first chapter here: www.tatehallaway.com
----And this just in: an interview with the Booki3
Monday, May 02, 2011
Monday Duck Blogging
This morning I woke up to some unusual visitors to the front yard. (Sorry the picture is bit blurry, but I was taking it through my window in order not to disturb Mr. Drake Mallard, though he clearly is eyeing me suspiciously anyway.)
We normally don't get ducks, but the "wild bird" seed we bought at Menards yesterday was cheap and had a LOT of cracked corn in the mix, which is evidently a duck fav.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Interview with Amberkatze and Series News
Check out Amberkatze's Book Blog for an interview with me!
And don't forget! On Tuesday Almost Final Curtain officially goes on sale!
Also, I just heard some sort-of bad news from my agent. I turned in three proposals for new Ana books, which my editor had requested. HOWEVER, she's going to sit on her decision about whether to buy more based on how well the early sales of ALMOST FINAL CURTAIN are. The bad news about this is that it means the sales for #1 weren't strong enough to automatically greenlight the continuation of the series. So, if you want more books in the Ana series -- please, please consider buying the book within the first couple weeks of #2's release.
Having been burned by series ending prematurely before, at least I wrapped a tidy bow on #3. So, if that ends up being the last book, should feel intentional. Sigh.
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