All I can say is, wow, those are some plug-ugly pictures of me in that chat. I need to learn to close my mouth.
Er… I meant to say: “Much wisdom contained within!”
harvest of fire
Book Day followup post
StandardSo!
Today is Book Day. The thing I’ve spent the last 35 plus years working for has happened today. It’s crazy and wonderful and terrifying all at once.
A couple notes: later today, I’ll be having a chat with Betsy Mitchell, editor-in-chief at Del Rey (also my editor), on Suvudu. Start time is 2 pm EST/11 am PST, and everyone reading this is welcome to drop by. Also, you can email a question ahead of time to info@suvudu.com. The main focus of the chat will be my journey from unpublished to published writer.
Also, today my Big Idea essay went up at Whatever, John Scalzi’s blog. I talk about constructing stories out of creative choices I wanted to avoid.
Next, my interview with Sherwood Smith is up on her blog, too. She asked me some really chewy questions and I tried to do justice to them. (At some point I’m going to have to blog about fantasy and atheism.) If you don’t read Sherwood’s books, you’re missing out.
I revamped my website a bit. I put links to online booksellers in the right margin, along with a cover, and I broke them out by country. I’ve had a number of people ask if my book would be available in England or Australia, and it took me until now to realize I could simply look up which sellers would be listing my book and link to them. Duh. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s what I had time for.
Long time readers know I’m something of an NPR junkie–we supported our local station by purchasing a day sponsorship. I’ll be loitering by the radio before noon and 9pm to listen for our message.
I’ve also changed my default LiveJournal icon to the book cover. I don’t care if it’s tacky! I don’t care today, at least.
The Amazon.com page for Child of Fire has a number of reviews on it already, courtesy of their “Vine” program. Of the twelve reviews posted there, eleven are four or five stars. That gives me a warm, happy feeling.
Anyway, after my chat, I’ll be heading downtown with my wife and son to admire the book on the bookshelves. Expect pictures later! And in true Seattle fashion, rain clouds are rolling in. Until then, I’m going to log off the computer and spend some time with my family.
Folks: if you read the book and you like it, let people know, okay?
Today
Standard
Holy crap!
StandardTomorrow is book day.
!!!!!
In a couple hours, my son and I will be going downtown for a little swim-time. After, I do not… not plan to drag his little behind to the Borders to see if the book is on the shelf yet. We’re planning to all do that tomorrow, on the actual day, and I don’t want my wife to feel left out (since she’ll be working at that time today.)
In other news, my pre-taped radio interview will air later today, if Fictional Frontier’s website is any indication. The radio station is WNJC 1350 AM in Philly, but the show will be webcast simultaneously starting 5pm EST. Here’s a link.
Don’t ask me how I’m doing, though. I’m feeling weird.
Randomness for 9/25
Standard1) B&N demands authors link to their site or they will not order their books. Which… really, people? I should say that, months ago, my editor emailed me asking me to link to as many online booksellers as possible on my bookpage, which I had already done. However, unlike Amazon.com, B&N makes you go through Google to set up an affiliate account, and in general is a pain in the ass.
Still, link to our site or we won’t sell your book to our customers? What if their customers actually want that book?
2) Thorin Oakenshield as Nigerian phishing scammer.
3) Powell’s Books has only one copy of my book “left in stock at $5.50!” … four days before it is published.
4) Who knew? The London Review of Books has personal ads… and some are hilarious.
5) Our local library is having their semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale. I will not be going. Part of the reason I’m learning to read faster is to clear off some damn shelf space.
6) Finally, a confirmed sighting of Child of Fire in a brick-and-mortar bookstore. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Randomness, personal edition, addendum
StandardFifth things fifth: Del Rey is giving away ten copies of Child of Fire. Here’s the money quote:
Send an e-mail with your name and address to delrey@randomhouse.com with Child of Fire in the subject line. E-mails must be received by Wednesday, October 7th. We’ll select ten e-mails at random to receive a special Advance Reader’s Edition of Child of Fire. Good luck!
It sounds like this isn’t the finished version, but the uncorrected “Docksiders” galley. It’s practically a collector’s item. And it comes pre-signed by me.
Sixth things sixth: Next Tuesday, 9/29, I’ll be participating in a live chat on Suvudu.com. Check it out.
Of course, everyone reading this is invited.
Seventh things seventh: My short essay on appearing at the San Diego Comic Con is featured in the latest Del Rey Internet Newsletter (but I can’t find it on the web site, so no link right now–mebbe later).
Randomness, personal edition
StandardFirst things first: I earned my three-gallon pin today. Folks, if you can give blood, please do so. It saves lives. Plus you get snacks.
Second things second: Child of Fire has a Kindle edition. I’ve seen Kindles on the bus and they aren’t for me, but maybe there’s someone reading this who would love to get a discounted electronic copy of the book.
Third things third: According to the Internet, I read 300 wpm (approx) with 91% comprehension. My Complete Idiot’s Guide to Speed Reading says that’s “above average” but only barely. Come on, self-improvement!
Fourth things fourth: I’m willing to let people hate me. Just sayin’.
Nervous? Me?
StandardLess than a week until Child of Fire officially publishes, and I’m in a confused, detached state of anxiety. Today, sending an email to someone, I fussed with the text of it so much that I ended up sending a completely blank message. Seriously, there was nothing in it at all.
Blah blah about a first novel and stress behind the cut. Continue reading
Interview today, and other stuff
StandardI had my interview with Sohaib Awan at http://www.fictionalfrontiers.com today. It went pretty well, I think. I was damn nervous, but I didn’t stammer too much, and I don’t think I did the quiver-breathing thing I sometimes do.
It will probably air next Monday (or the Monday after that) between 5-6 pm, on WNJC 1360AM Philadelphia, simultaneously webcast on http://www.wnjc1360.com/. After that, there’ll be a podcast to listen to, if you can’t catch it live. I’ll post a link when it’s available.
Also, the first thing I did this morning was to give one last read-through of my Big Idea essay for John Scalzi’s blog. Good thing, too, because Christ was that opening paragraph stilted. It’s been sent off now. Hopefully, it’ll be well-received.
Today I mailed out the first batch of books, too. I called Random House to order more, but I’m thinking I need to have some sort of plan targeting where I’m going to send the rest.
And, finally, I had a morning meeting with my director buddy, about the movie we (mostly he–I just wrote it) made, and what the next step for him was going to be. He has another one of my scripts, a vampire script about infidelity and bad marriages, which he’s hoping to set up somewhere, but he first needs to find out what he can get from the walking-dead-on-TV movie we already shot. In any case, it was good to see my friend again.
Randomness for 9/21
Standard1) Parasite eats fish’s tongue, then lives in its mouth feeding off its food. This one gives me goosebumps.
2) For The Love Of Scottie McMullet — Romance novels retitled to match their covers. I wish they’d do some sf/f/h novels.
3) PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, a micro-budget horror film from a few years ago, is finally going to get a release. Check out the trailer, too.
4) Making your own video game monsters. I don’t know a thing about Bioshock, but even I know this is cool.
5) OMG, one week until Child of Fire‘s book release day.