Filling the Well

Here it is, via Eat Our Brains, the group photo of the Wild Cards Consortium from Saturday’s signing.

Much fun was had, many books were signed, and sangria consumed. Huzzah!

So, who will be the next American Hero?

I know, but I’m not telling.

Now, I drive. Drive like the wind!

1. Tomorrow, I hit the road for Albuquerque for Saturday’s Wild Cards: Inside Straight event at Page One Books. 2 pm! Meet many authors! Get books signed!
2. Lovevampires.com has posted a new interview with me.
3. It snowed yesterday! Real, big, fluffy, pretty snow! Then it stopped! Today it’s sunny and beautiful. This is why I love Colorado.
4. Tuesday at fencing practice, I got smacked by an epee, right on the funny bone. I couldn’t move my arm for like a minute. Everyone laughed. That was when I realized why it’s called the funny bone — it’s because everyone else thinks it’s funny.
5. I got nuthin’. I’m in that state of trying to get done everything I said I was going to get done by the end of the month. Guess what? It’s the end of the month! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Today is the official release day for Wild Cards: Inside Straight. Yay! My copies arrived last week, and it’s a very pretty book, inside and out.

February 2nd, 2pm, there’s an Inside Straight release event/party/shindig at Page One Books in Albuquerque. Eight of the nine authors are planning to be there. Should be a fabulous time. Important note: We’re asking people who want other books signed (like Kitty, for example) to please buy a copy of Inside Straight and get that signed as well, since that’s the whole point of the event. You’ll make eight writers (and the editor, who will also be there) very happy.

Check out the new Wild Cards website. It promises to be a growing, morphing, cool endeavor with lots of secret goodies. I know, because I’m writing some of them right now.

I saw the link for “Network” and thought I was going to be let in on a galaxy-wide alien conspiracy. No such luck. And does that make me a Wild Cards geek or what?

• I have in my possession (until I send it back, at least…long story) a copy of Kitty and the Silver Bullet. Not long now.
• Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist has a 9-way interview with the writers of Wild Cards: Inside Straight. And you thought that chat was chaotic.
• Led Zeppelin is on the cover of Rolling Stone this month, looking middle aged and surprisingly distinguished. For some reason, this does my heart good.
• It’s snowing.
• I’ve booked my Big Trip for 2008: Belize in March. The snow might have influenced my decision a little.
• Two weeks til Christmas! Yeehaa!

Thanksgiving was great. I hit some interesting snowy driving on the way home, but all is well. I’m trying to get some work done today, then going to watch “Battlestar Galactica: Razor” with friends tonight. I love BSG. At least I did until about halfway through last season. I’m hoping the show can pull out of its flat spin.

In the meantime, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist (a great friend to Kitty, if I may be so bold. He gave me his “Unexpected Surprise of the Year” award twice, one for Midnight Hour and one for Washington. I’m just that surprising!) is giving away advanced reader copies of Wild Cards: Inside Straight — signed by all nine authors (scroll down for contest info). Which is really cool. I may have to enter the contest myself. Would that be considered gauche? Anyway, check it out. The first reviews have been coming in and they’re very nice indeed.

Yeesh, I’ve got pre-pub stage fright on TWO books right now. So not fair.

Sort of. I do stick figures. Because sometimes, a picture says oh so much more than words. Like here. I did this when I finished my story for Wild Cards, now I’ve finally got it online.

“A Wild Cards Fangirl Writes for Wild Cards”

I can’t decide which I like better: stick figure Dr. Tachyon or stick figure Doctor Who.

And now you know how much of a geek I really am.

I’ve been drawing stick figure stuff almost as long as I’ve been writing. When I was really young, I did quite a lot of all kinds of art. My parents’ house is filled with it (and my brother Rob’s — but he actually did grow up to be an artist). I keep meaning to ask Mom, “Do you keep that stuff up because it’s good, or because it’s by your kids?” But I think she’d probably just say, “Yes.” Then I decided I wanted to be a writer and just stopped with the art. (I’m not one of those ultra talented writers like Janny Wurts who paints her own covers. Wow!) I sometimes wonder, if I put as much energy into art as I did into my writing over the years, would I be really good? Instead of being forced to resort to stick figures?

Here’s another one I did about 10 years ago:

Derived Comedy

For the next, oh, few years or so I’m going to periodically blather on about Wild Cards. These are books about a world very much like ours, except for the alien virus that infected the planet shortly after World War II and created superheroes (among other things).

The next book, Inside Straight, is due out in January (same time as Kitty 4!), and my story, “Chosen Ones,” is included. Series editor George R. R. Martin has just posted the cover art on his website. Woot!

Here’s the thing: I’m not just a Wild Cards writer. I’m also a fan. I’ve read about 2/3 of this book, and about 1/3 of the next, Busted Flush. As a fan, this is very cool. But it’s also killing me that I can’t read the whole thing. Argh!