a mini promotional post

I was going to rant about TV shows today, but a couple of things came up, so I’m doing a mini promotional post instead.

Daniel Abraham’s story about Curveball, “When We Were Heroes,” is live on Tor.com.   One of the fun things about working on Wild Cards is a) getting to play with other authors’ characters, and b) seeing what other authors do with your characters.  This story marks a big step in Curveball’s life, and I have to be honest, I’m kind of glad I wasn’t the one writing about this.  I would have tried to be a little too nice and polished.  But Daniel did a great job.  I get teary, reading this story.

A reminder:  the e-book of my collection Straying from the Path is available on all platforms.  (This link goes to Kindle.)  Go forth and read!

My writing has been a bit manic over the last week.  I’m working on three different things, pretty much simultaneously.  I’m revising Dreams of the Golden Age (aka Age of Tin), but because I don’t want to lose forward momentum on two other projects I’m working on, I’m trying to get new words down on them as well.  It’s a little frenetic, but I finally feel like I’m getting stuff done, after lurching out of the holiday season.  I’m going out of town at the end of the month — let’s see if I can wrap one or two of these up before then, shall we?

It’s that time of year again…

It’s the time of year when nominations open up for various SF&F publishing awards, and the debate rages about whether or not it’s okay, or terribly gauche, for authors to put up lists of what they published in the last year that’s eligible for said awards.

I’ve gone ahead and posted a list the last few years because:  a) people ask what I’ve done, and it’s nice to have a place to point them.  and b) I wonder what all I’ve done, and it makes me feel pretty good to list it all out.  So, here’s what I published in 2012 that’s eligible for award nominations.  (In the next week or so I may do something crazy and list stuff by other people that I think is worthy for nomination.  I’m fully on board with the “Let’s get something other than Doctor Who winning the Hugo for Best Dramatic Short, shall we?” project.  Yes, I’ve finally caught up with Doctor Who, and I still don’t like Matt Smith’s Doctor, and I can’t help but think that after that last episode, Amy and Rory are secretly thinking, “Well, that finally got us clear of him, didn’t it?”  But that’s probably best left for another post/rant.)

Novels

Kitty Steals the Show  (After having something like eight novels out over the last three years, these seems a bit light.  It also seems, how shall I put this…relaxing.)

Novelettes

“Astrophilia,” Clarkesworld, July 2012. (This story is set in the same world as my Hugo-nominated “Amaryllis.”)

“The Arcane Art of Misdirection,” in Hex Appeal, ed. by P.N. Elrod.

Short Stories

“Harry and Marlowe and the Talisman of the Cult of Egil,” Lightspeed, Feb. 2012

“Don Quixote,” Armored, ed. John Joseph Adams.

“Now Purple with Love’s Wound,” Brave New Love, ed. Paula Guran.

Poem (I published a poem this year!)

“Caverns of Science,” Apex Magazine, Feb. 2012

 

A pretty good year, yeah?  And what’s up for 2013?  Well.  At least one, possibly two novels.  Two short stories coming out in February, and at least 2-3 others through the rest of the year.  Possibly more as I get publication dates.  Things do appear to be going quite swimmingly!

Steampunk! and Knitting!

The anthology Steampunk Revolution is now officially out!  It includes my first Harry and Marlowe story, “Harry and Marlowe and the Talisman of the Cult of Egil.”  The book is getting some marvelous reviews.  This is the third installment of steampunk anthologies edited by the VanderMeers, and you could find no better education in the written side of the genre than reading these.  I’m so pleased to be a part of it.  This book is at the top of my to-be-read pile, as soon as get through more reading for the Andre Norton Award (blog tour about the award going on now!) and some research reading for the next book.  (And more Harry and Marlowe stories are on the way. I’ve just sold “Harry and Marlowe at the Dawn of the Adventure” to Lightspeed.  Huzzah!)

So much going on right now!  Holiday shopping!  Holiday baking!  Two novel drafts to revise!  Ack!

And then I realized that taking on three more knitting projects before the holidays is probably not the best idea I’ve ever had, and while the projects might make great gifts, I maybe ought to plan on finishing them for next year.  Especially considering I’ve already got two sewing projects on deck for gifts.  I really love being ambitious.  But I do need to remember to indulge in a bit of realism every now and then.

Miscellaneous

Re: the previous post.  I held an election night party.  The best way to watch election returns is with friends and alcohol.

Last week seemed very long.  This week seemed very short.  I think because I’m leaving on a trip next week, and so my time to get everything done before I leave on the trip is shrinking.  I’ve finished a couple of projects, I’m on track to finish a couple more over the weekend.  And I’ve started three others, because apparently that’s how I roll.

This has been a good couple of weeks for short stories.  I’ve sold several reprints, and a couple of new ones.  I’ll let you all know when and where those are going to show up.  Because of course I will!

I also saw Wreck-It Ralph last weekend, and here’s my belated review:  It’s fun.  It’s geeky.  And it’s kind of disturbing, because I left the theater thinking, “So wait a minute, the message is that you should never aspire to anything greater in life, because if you do, you risk destroying the world and everything you love?  And getting thrown off the roof is okay as long as your oppressors bring you cake afterward?  WTF?”  Granted, there are also messages of “Every kid should get to ride the go-karts,” and “Don’t be a jerk.”  But I just kept thinking how this is also a  movie about how Ralph learned to be happy living in the junkyard, and that seemed off to me.

Also, it didn’t have enough references to Tron.

 

steamcon! and stuff

Steamcon IV is upon us!  I’ll be there, in costume, on various programming items, and generally having a good time.  I hope to see you there.

Epic, a reprint anthology by John Joseph Adams, is out now.  It includes my story, “Strife Lingers in Memory.”  So is Steampunk Revolution, edited by Ann VanderMeer, which includes “Harry and Marlowe and the Talisman of the Cult of Egil.”  (I’ll be reading a brand-new Harry and Marlowe story at Steamcon!)

Other projects:  I have a couple of short story rough drafts that need revision.  I have a couple of novel drafts that need revision.  So that’s what my next couple of months of work are looking like.  But I’m also working on outlines and proposals for a couple of new projects that should be a ton of fun.  I’ll know soon where they’re going to go.  So exciting, working on brand-new things!

While I’m in the northwest, I’ll also be visiting my brother and his family, including almost tenth month old niece Emmy.  Is it too early to get her a magnetic poetry kit?  How about fairy wings?  Because I am the kind of aunt who will supply my niece with fairy wings.  I’ll try to get some pics…

MileHi Con this weekend

This weekend I’ll be at MileHi Con with all the usual peeps, having a good time talking books and stuff.  I won’t be hosting the live Midnight Hour this year — taking a break, to recharge.  But I will be emceeing the masquerade on Saturday, which I’ve never done before so that ought to be a hoot.  Maybe I’ll wear my frockcoat.  Cherie Priest and Steven Brust are two of the guests, and I’m fans of both and haven’t yet met either, so I’m looking forward to it.  See you there?

working in the word mines…

Another scattered post, because it’s that kind of week.

First, I would like a pat on the back for not drunk-posting to Facebook last night.  I took the day off yesterday because I finally sold my old condo, came home exhausted, celebrated with a bottle of champagne, and collapsed into a hot bath.  I could feel the stress boiling out of my system.  I’m feeling much better now.

Those e-book links I promised are now available!  Kindle, Nook, and iTunes.

NPR ran a great story yesterday on research about what happens to our brains when we read.  Preliminary data show that when reading in a good book, parts of the brain involving touch and movement were also activated, suggesting that “readers were physically placing themselves within the story.”  Which we all kind of knew, right?  Don’t we all love how a good books makes us feel like we’re “right there?”  I love that it turns out that isn’t just a metaphor.

e-books, self promotion, more links, all that stuff

SO MUCH TO SHARE!

Remember the limited edition story collection WFSA Press did for me lat year, Straying from the Path?  The e-book version is just about ready to go.  It’s currently available on iTunes and should be up for Kindle and other platforms by the end of the week.  I’ll post those links as soon as I have them.  Wooo!   WSFA Press still has signed/numbered copies available for sale.

The anthology, Unfettered, edited by Shawn Speakman, is now available for preorder.  This includes a new story by me, “Game of Chance.”  This is a benefit anthology to help pay for Shawn’s medical bills after his bout with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and has some pretty huge names in it.  I can’t wait to see it.

If you missed my story “Rooftops” in Songs of Love and Death, it’s been repackaged with a few other stories from the anthology for a $1.99 e-book, Songs of Love and Darkness.  This story ostensibly takes place in the Commerce City of After the Golden Age, but I haven’t figured out exactly how yet, and I may leave it out there as one of those things that eternally annoys people who like to work out story continuities.

George R.R. Martin has donated copies of Wild Cards: Inside Straight to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for fundraising, in recognition of Banned Books Week. (Which was last week.  I’m late.  But the books are still available.)  These are signed by all the authors except SL Farrell.  A good book for a good cause!

Strange Horizons is having its annual fund drive this month.  I’ve contributed a copy of Kitty Steals the Show plus playlist CD as a prize. (It’s not on the list yet, but they know about it!)

And yesterday, I finished a very rough draft of Age of Tin.  At 99,000 words, it’s the second-longest thing I’ve ever written. (The longest being one of my trunk novels from back in the day.)  Celebration!

Steamcon Ahoy!

I think I’ve mentioned it previously, but I’ll mention it again now, in greater detail, that I’m attending Steamcon IV — and I’m on programming!  I’ll be reading part of a new Harry and Marlowe story, signing books, and appearing on several panels:  Frankenstein, Paranormal Steampunk, Werewolves of London (natch), and The Spiritualist Movement of the 19th Century (which I know more about than the average monkey, but am far from an expert on, so I think I’ll be doing some brushing up on the topic).  So interesting!  I get to put on my Victorian lit scholar hat for a weekend!

I have a confession:  I’ve been feeling like a bit of a dilettante, jumping on the steampunk bandwagon and foisting myself upon programming when I really only have one published steampunk short story to my name right now (soon to be two, honest!).  But several people have e-mailed me to say they’re happy I’m coming, which gave me a boost, and I’ve realized I just need to dive on in and be a fan about the whole thing.  I’m not just a steampunk author, I’m a costumer and a reader and a literature scholar, and no one’s going to be checking my steampunk ID at the door.  I’m going to Steamcon to have a great time, and I can’t wait.

Which leaves only one remaining concern:  What on earth am I going to wear?  Because it’s become entirely clear to me that after just a few years of steampunk costuming, on top of twelve years of SCA costuming, not to mention years of general Halloween and theme party costuming, I have one hell of an excellent collection of clothing.  I have more outfits than I can ever possibly wear in a weekend.  Just look:

Corsets.  Oh yes.  Corsets.  Nothing says, “You are not from this time and place” like a well-fitted stripey or leather corset or bodice.  (I made the two blue ones.  The leather and red one were purchased.)

Also, hats.  Why oh why did hats ever go out of style?  I’m telling you, half the fun of steampunk costuming is the marvelous HATS.

Not to mention the various skirts, shirts, trousers, and jackets I have, none of which are specifically steampunk, but you put them together with a choice corset and a hat and the right leather belt and pouches and such, and ta-da!  There you go.

Herein lies the true trick of steampunk costuming:  everyone has a steampunk outfit hiding in their closet.  Do you have khaki pants?  A white dress shirt?  A vest or jacket from a suit?  A silk scarf to tie jauntily around your neck?  A pair of slick boots or dress shoes?  Leather gloves?  Then you have the basic steampunk costume, which you can wear to a steampunk convention like Steamcon IV.

And then you know what I made for myself this summer?  A frockcoat.  I am definitely bringing the frockcoat to Steamcon for its first public outing.

Alas, I believe I may have revealed my secret.  As much as I like talking about Victorian literature (I really hope we can talk about the novel’s frame story on the Frankenstein panel!), how much more fun is it when I can do so while wearing a frockcoat!

So, how many of you will I be seeing in Seattle at the end of the month?

various and sundry, i.e. still juggling

Tonight, I’ll be doing a Twitter interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Chat via my avatar, @KittyNorville1.  You can participate by following the hashtag:  #sffwrtcht.  Starts at 7 pm MT/9pm Eastern.

Kickstarter thoughts:  I’ve been on a bit of a Kickstarter, erm, kick the last month or two, mainly because some things I love have launched Kickstarters:  My friends at Ildanach Studios were successful; Monte Cook’s Numenera RPG has been vastly, wildly successful; and Zombie Orpheus studio’s new The Gamers movie has also successfully funded (since I completely adored The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (OMG the bard!), I jumped on this one early).  I’m developing thoughts.  I’ve only supported the Kickstarters of people with established track records — people I know can deliver what they’re promising, people whose products I already have experience with.  I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  On the one hand, I think it’s wonderful that creative people whose work I love have a source of direct crowdfunding.  On the other hand, brand-new creative people who are just starting out may be a bit handicapped by lack of name-recognition.  I’m not sure what it would take for me to contribute to the campaign of someone I’ve never heard of.  Would I ever launch a Kickstarter campaign?  I don’t know.  If I do, it would probably be for something completely unrelated to writing and publishing — I mean, I have outlets for that already.  It would probably be for something wild and frivolous — like funding a steampunk masquerade ball.  My town has some great historic buildings/ballrooms that would be perfect for a ball, and Kickstarter seems like an excellent way to collect the seed money to a) rent the hall, b) pay a couple of bands and a DJ, c) do the place up right.  A masquerade ball lends itself well to the stepped goals/rewards of a Kickstarter campaign.  One level gets you a ticket, the next gets you a pass to a VIP section, another level maybe doesn’t get you a ticket, but gets you a cool token to say you contributed, that sort of thing.  So I’m thinking about it but no where near launching it yet.

Last night’s episode of GI Joe had three, count them three, subplots running.  In a twenty-minute episode.  That’s just crazy!