Welcome to Biting-Edge, a blog shared by authors and vampire experts, Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein. We’ll cover urban fantasy, vampires, pop culture, and all things Joss Whedon. Unlike other fantasy blogs, we don’t insist on body cavity searches (unless you ask politely). Snarkiness is most welcome...though we won't promise not to bite back!
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
A Little Pimping Music Please...
New Month, New August Releases (including one from yours truly)
Here are some new books due out this month from our pals in the League of Reluctant Adults:
Seawitch by Kat Richardson
Amazon Book Description: Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases.
A quarter century ago, the Seawitch cruised away from her dock and disappeared with everyone on board. Now, the boat has mysteriously returned to her old berth in Seattle and the insurance company has hired Harper to find out what happened.
But Harper is not the only one investigating. Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn’t comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper’s lap. As they explore the abandoned vessel, Harper and Solis discover a cabin containing symbols drawn in human blood, revealing the ghost ship’s grave history.
Blood Bath and Beyond by Michelle Rowen
Amazon Link : Sarah Dearly is adjusting to life as a fledgling vampire, satisfying her cravings at vampire-friendly blood banks. But when her fiance Thierry takes a job with the Ring—the secret council in charge of keeping vampires in line—Sarah’s about to get more than a taste of danger…
All Seeing Eye by Rob Thurman
Amazon Book Description: Picking up a small, pink shoe from the grass forever changed young Jackson Lee’s life. Not only did its presence mean that his sister Tessa was dead—murdered and stuffed in the deep, black water of a narrow well—but the shoe itself told him so. Tessa’s death triggers an even more horrific family massacre that, combined with this new talent he neither wants nor can handle, throws Jack’s life into a tailspin. The years quickly take him from state homes to the streets to grifting in a seedy carnival, until he finally becomes the cynical All Seeing Eye, psychic-for-hire. At last, Jackson has left his troubled past behind and found a semblance of peace.
That is, until the government blackmails him. After Jackson is forced to help the military contain the aftermath of a bizarre experiment gone violently wrong, everything he knows about himself will change just as suddenly as it did with his little sister’s shoe.
A Wolf at the Door by Kari Stewart
Amazon Book Description: Jesse James Dawson was once an ordinary man until he discovered that demons were real, and fighting them meant putting his own soul on the line. His new case is a beauty: Gretchen Keene, a Hollywood starlet who's become an unwitting catalyst in an all-out demon war. It's not her soul Jesse needs to protect, but the two-hundred-and-seventy-six others she's carting around--all the souls sold to spend just one night with the blonde bombshell. That's a lot of baggage, although it might explain her meteoric rise to fame. And it's all up for grabs by the demon world.
All Jesse has to do is keep her safe until New Years. Sounds easy. But darkness is casting a nasty shadow in the California sun--a new unseen enemy is closing in and leaving Jesse to wonder, how do you fight something you can't see coming?
Haunted by Jeanne C. Stein (now where have you heard that name before?)
Amazon Link:
Now for convenience, I have included an Amazon link for each book, but your local indies and/or brick and mortar stores should also have copies available.
Stephen King was on Craig Ferguson the other day-- Here's the interview!!
Followed by the very last appearance by the Rock Bottom Remainders
I was thrilled to get a review of Crossroads from Charles de Lint in the Sept/Oct Edition of the Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. de Lint is the award winning author of 36 fantasy novels and 35 books of short fiction. He liked Crossroads, ending the review with this:
The prose has a nice cadence, the dialogue rings true, and the characters feel like people rather than constructs on paper. Some of the elements of the plot were expected but there were enough surprises that I was kept guessing about many of the various mysteries right up to the end. When I get a little time I’ll definitely be looking into some of the earlier entries into this series.
Wow! Talk about praise from the master. The full review will be up on this website after Sept. 1
One last item of BSP - RT Book Review Magazine gave Haunted 4 1/2 stars! From the review:
...Haunted offers true edge-of-your-seat drama, as friendships are tested and the specter of past deeds threatens to bring danger and death. Buckle up, because megatalented Stein is heading into severely hazardous (and unputdownable) territory!
Music to a writer's ear...
Here are some new books due out this month from our pals in the League of Reluctant Adults:
Seawitch by Kat Richardson
But Harper is not the only one investigating. Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn’t comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper’s lap. As they explore the abandoned vessel, Harper and Solis discover a cabin containing symbols drawn in human blood, revealing the ghost ship’s grave history.
Blood Bath and Beyond by Michelle Rowen
All Seeing Eye by Rob Thurman
Amazon Book Description: Picking up a small, pink shoe from the grass forever changed young Jackson Lee’s life. Not only did its presence mean that his sister Tessa was dead—murdered and stuffed in the deep, black water of a narrow well—but the shoe itself told him so. Tessa’s death triggers an even more horrific family massacre that, combined with this new talent he neither wants nor can handle, throws Jack’s life into a tailspin. The years quickly take him from state homes to the streets to grifting in a seedy carnival, until he finally becomes the cynical All Seeing Eye, psychic-for-hire. At last, Jackson has left his troubled past behind and found a semblance of peace.
That is, until the government blackmails him. After Jackson is forced to help the military contain the aftermath of a bizarre experiment gone violently wrong, everything he knows about himself will change just as suddenly as it did with his little sister’s shoe.
A Wolf at the Door by Kari Stewart
All Jesse has to do is keep her safe until New Years. Sounds easy. But darkness is casting a nasty shadow in the California sun--a new unseen enemy is closing in and leaving Jesse to wonder, how do you fight something you can't see coming?
Haunted by Jeanne C. Stein (now where have you heard that name before?)
Amazon Link:
Anna Strong—kick-ass bounty
hunter and vampire—has made some enemies in her time. But it’s not just her old
foes she should be worried about…
Anna’s shape-shifting friend,
Culebra, finally opens up to her about his life before owning Beso de la Muerte,
a bar catering to supernatural clientele. As if summoned by the conversation,
Culebra’s past stumbles into his bar in the form of an old buddy cashing in on
a favor.
Soon Anna, Culebra and her ex,
DEA agent Max, find themselves deep in Mexico,
dealing with drug cartel infighting,
old vendettas, and missing girls. Mexico may just
prove to be Anna’s best match
yet…
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Stephen King was on Craig Ferguson the other day-- Here's the interview!!
Followed by the very last appearance by the Rock Bottom Remainders
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Odds and ends-- the first picture of Mars from the Curiosity Lander. How cool is this?
There are more here - So where is John Carter?
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I was thrilled to get a review of Crossroads from Charles de Lint in the Sept/Oct Edition of the Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. de Lint is the award winning author of 36 fantasy novels and 35 books of short fiction. He liked Crossroads, ending the review with this:
The prose has a nice cadence, the dialogue rings true, and the characters feel like people rather than constructs on paper. Some of the elements of the plot were expected but there were enough surprises that I was kept guessing about many of the various mysteries right up to the end. When I get a little time I’ll definitely be looking into some of the earlier entries into this series.
Wow! Talk about praise from the master. The full review will be up on this website after Sept. 1
One last item of BSP - RT Book Review Magazine gave Haunted 4 1/2 stars! From the review:
...Haunted offers true edge-of-your-seat drama, as friendships are tested and the specter of past deeds threatens to bring danger and death. Buckle up, because megatalented Stein is heading into severely hazardous (and unputdownable) territory!
Music to a writer's ear...
Labels: Fantasy and SciFi Mag, Haunted, Kari Stewart, Kat Richardson, Michelle Rowen, Rob Thurman, Rock Bottom Remainders, Stephen King
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:34 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Snow, Snow Everywhere...
In case you missed it, we here in Denver were socked by a snowstorm last week. This is my back yard...23" of snow...the chiminea is buried, the birdbath is covered. Took us about eight hours over two days to dig ourselves out to the road. Did I mention how I love winter????
In case you missed it, we here in Denver were socked by a snowstorm last week. This is my back yard...23" of snow...the chiminea is buried, the birdbath is covered. Took us about eight hours over two days to dig ourselves out to the road. Did I mention how I love winter????
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For you writers out there:
Only days left to enter The Sandy! The contest is sponsored by the Crested Butte Writers and the deadline is Feb 12.
From the website:
Don't miss out on a chance to impress these amazing editor and agent final judges. Especially the editors who only take agented submissions. Experienced writers, this is your chance to slide in the back door!
Low submissions on all categories except C/YA, so not a ton of competition--at least not yet.
Tell your critique partners--spread the word!
2012 Sandy Final Judges:
Romance - Sue Grimshaw, Editor at Large & Category Specialist for Ballantine & Bantam Dell
Mainstream Adult Fiction - Kevan Lyon, Agent at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Suspense / Thriller / Mystery - Kat Brzozowski, Assistant Editor at Thomas Dunne Books
Fantasy / Science Fiction - James Frenkel, Editor at Tor / Forge
Children's & YA - Mary Kole, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Only days left to enter The Sandy! The contest is sponsored by the Crested Butte Writers and the deadline is Feb 12.
From the website:
Don't miss out on a chance to impress these amazing editor and agent final judges. Especially the editors who only take agented submissions. Experienced writers, this is your chance to slide in the back door!
Low submissions on all categories except C/YA, so not a ton of competition--at least not yet.
Tell your critique partners--spread the word!
2012 Sandy Final Judges:
Romance - Sue Grimshaw, Editor at Large & Category Specialist for Ballantine & Bantam Dell
Mainstream Adult Fiction - Kevan Lyon, Agent at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Suspense / Thriller / Mystery - Kat Brzozowski, Assistant Editor at Thomas Dunne Books
Fantasy / Science Fiction - James Frenkel, Editor at Tor / Forge
Children's & YA - Mary Kole, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency
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Two classes you might be interested in-- one taught by my buddy Kat Richardson and the other by yours truly:
Creating Your Urban Fantasy World
Sunday, March 4, 2012
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Kat Richardson
ClarionWest One Day Workshops
This special-focus workshop will help you learn how to choose, establish, and write a setting (real, alternate, historical, or allegorical) appropriate for Urban Fantasy. You'll learn how to block out and write action that utilizes whatever magic, occult, or paranormal system you're establishing, and how to develop and write characters for Urban Fantasy by integrating their power(s) and skills--or lack of them--with their setting and interactions.
Kat Richardson is the bestselling author of the Greywalker paranormal detective novels. A keen fan of hardboiled fiction, Kat models her stories on the work of iconic detective writers such as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, with added dashes of whimsy and horror, and the occasional ferret.
Attendance is limited to 12 students on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cost is a nonrefundable fee of $125. Full-time students are eligible for a $15 rebate at workshop session.
If you live in the Seattle area, check this one out.
And I'll be teaching my UF class on line sponsored by the Carolina Romance Writers:
The Carolina Romance Writers Chapter of RWA is pleased to announce our April Online Workshop
WORKSHOP: So You Want to Write Urban Fantasy?
INSTRUCTOR: Jeanne Stein
DATE: April 2nd to April 30th, 2012 Regular Workshop
TYPE: Regular, (Month-long) classes, consisting of at least 2 lessons per week for CRW and HCRW members is $15, all others $25
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
What we’ll cover in this course will apply to not only Urban Fantasy, but to all genres. While some topics are specific to UF, world building, for instance, most pertain to crafting a good a story. I’ll also include lessons on the business of writing, something often neglected but very important. The publishing world is changing daily. You need to be aware of how those changes affect you. So, what is Urban Fantasy? Why has it become the hottest new genre to hit the market in decades? Is it too late to tap in? What elements do you need to write UF? These are some of the questions we’ll be addressing in this course.
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Jeanne Stein is the national bestselling author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. Her character, Anna Strong, received a RT Reviewers Choice Award for Best Urban Fantasy Protagonist in 2008 and was nominated again for the 2011 book, Crossroads. Jeanne also has numerous short story credits including most recently the novella, Blood Debt, from the New York Times bestselling anthology, Hexed (2011). Her series has been picked up in three foreign countries and her short stories published in collections here in the US and the UK. The eighth in the Anna Strong series, Haunted, debuts in August. Jeanne lives in Denver, CO where she is active in the writing community, belonging to Romance Writers of America, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime and Horror Writers of America. She has taught at numerous conferences and on-line academies.
Registration Deadline: April 2 Register here
February 7th was the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. To see how it's being celebrated in the UK go here
To test your Charles Dickens literary expertise, take this quiz
It's a toughie...at least it was for me!
So, got big plans for Valentine's Day?
I've been reading this little book called The Secret of Shelter Island - Money and What Matters by Alexander Green. It was recommended to me by my husband who mostly reads nonfiction and while I can see why the title appealed to him (he's the family investor) I was surprised to find what the book was about. It's a series of articles Green wrote about the pursuit of a good life.
Okay, I'm not spiritual. I don't have deep religious feelings. I'm agnostic, at best. I think there needs to be only one guiding principle: love one another. It's the only commandment we need. But in this book Green quotes a "prayer" by the author of Today Matters, John Maxwell that appeals to me. Here it is...you can substitute the goddess or gods or whatever for the Dear Lord...
So far today, I am doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or self-indulgent. I have not whined, cursed, or eaten any chocolate (Jeanne: we can forgive him this one though I'd leave it out.)However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that. Amen.
Amen.
Creating Your Urban Fantasy World
Sunday, March 4, 2012
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Kat Richardson
ClarionWest One Day Workshops
This special-focus workshop will help you learn how to choose, establish, and write a setting (real, alternate, historical, or allegorical) appropriate for Urban Fantasy. You'll learn how to block out and write action that utilizes whatever magic, occult, or paranormal system you're establishing, and how to develop and write characters for Urban Fantasy by integrating their power(s) and skills--or lack of them--with their setting and interactions.
Kat Richardson is the bestselling author of the Greywalker paranormal detective novels. A keen fan of hardboiled fiction, Kat models her stories on the work of iconic detective writers such as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, with added dashes of whimsy and horror, and the occasional ferret.
Attendance is limited to 12 students on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cost is a nonrefundable fee of $125. Full-time students are eligible for a $15 rebate at workshop session.
If you live in the Seattle area, check this one out.
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And I'll be teaching my UF class on line sponsored by the Carolina Romance Writers:
The Carolina Romance Writers Chapter of RWA is pleased to announce our April Online Workshop
WORKSHOP: So You Want to Write Urban Fantasy?
INSTRUCTOR: Jeanne Stein
DATE: April 2nd to April 30th, 2012 Regular Workshop
TYPE: Regular, (Month-long) classes, consisting of at least 2 lessons per week for CRW and HCRW members is $15, all others $25
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
What we’ll cover in this course will apply to not only Urban Fantasy, but to all genres. While some topics are specific to UF, world building, for instance, most pertain to crafting a good a story. I’ll also include lessons on the business of writing, something often neglected but very important. The publishing world is changing daily. You need to be aware of how those changes affect you. So, what is Urban Fantasy? Why has it become the hottest new genre to hit the market in decades? Is it too late to tap in? What elements do you need to write UF? These are some of the questions we’ll be addressing in this course.
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Jeanne Stein is the national bestselling author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. Her character, Anna Strong, received a RT Reviewers Choice Award for Best Urban Fantasy Protagonist in 2008 and was nominated again for the 2011 book, Crossroads. Jeanne also has numerous short story credits including most recently the novella, Blood Debt, from the New York Times bestselling anthology, Hexed (2011). Her series has been picked up in three foreign countries and her short stories published in collections here in the US and the UK. The eighth in the Anna Strong series, Haunted, debuts in August. Jeanne lives in Denver, CO where she is active in the writing community, belonging to Romance Writers of America, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime and Horror Writers of America. She has taught at numerous conferences and on-line academies.
Registration Deadline: April 2 Register here
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February 7th was the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. To see how it's being celebrated in the UK go here
To test your Charles Dickens literary expertise, take this quiz
It's a toughie...at least it was for me!
# # # #
So, got big plans for Valentine's Day?I've been reading this little book called The Secret of Shelter Island - Money and What Matters by Alexander Green. It was recommended to me by my husband who mostly reads nonfiction and while I can see why the title appealed to him (he's the family investor) I was surprised to find what the book was about. It's a series of articles Green wrote about the pursuit of a good life.
Okay, I'm not spiritual. I don't have deep religious feelings. I'm agnostic, at best. I think there needs to be only one guiding principle: love one another. It's the only commandment we need. But in this book Green quotes a "prayer" by the author of Today Matters, John Maxwell that appeals to me. Here it is...you can substitute the goddess or gods or whatever for the Dear Lord...
So far today, I am doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or self-indulgent. I have not whined, cursed, or eaten any chocolate (Jeanne: we can forgive him this one though I'd leave it out.)However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that. Amen.
Amen.
Labels: Alexander Green, Carolina Romance Writers, Clarion Writers Workshops, John Maxwell, Kat Richardson
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 2:07 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Talking (Trailer) Trash
Okay--so that sounded much cleverer in my head then it looks on the page...but I came across trailers for some of my favorite programs--most starting in a month or two--that I thought I'd share. First, though, a word about my birthday trip to Havasu. Thanks to my daughter Jeanette and her significant other, Steve, we had a wonderful time. I took about three hundred pictures but haven't had a chance to go through them. You know how it is with digital cameras...you just keep snapping. I even took some video and if I can figure out how to post those, I will. Thanks to all of you, too, who shared birthday wishes on Facebook. And to my critique group for the cake last night and to Mario for this great book:
Okay, on to the videos. First, the new Torchwood trailer:
Debuts on Starz 9 PM July 8
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Okay, on to the videos. First, the new Torchwood trailer:
Debuts on Starz 9 PM July 8
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Chicks Kick Butt
featuring a host of authors including Rachel Caine, Lilith Saintcrow, Jenna Black and many others. My story, Superman, is a story taken from an episode in Crossroads. Max and Anna track down a rogue vampire on the Mexican border.
For the wordsmiths among us, what do you think is the most used word in the English language? Any guesses? Post your guess in comments and then check here to see if you're right!
Oooooo..True Blood Season IV
Watch for the new season on HBO June 26
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Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2, to be released on July 15
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From Blastr.com : The embarrassing moment Superman met Doctor Who
# # # #Did you see this magazine on the stands?
Here's a first look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in "The Hunger Games" from EW
June 7th is the release date for two anthologies in which I have stories.
Here's a first look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in "The Hunger Games" from EW# # # #
Bits & Bites...
Bits & Bites...
June 7th is the release date for two anthologies in which I have stories.
HEXED -
with Ilona Andrews, Yasmine Galenorn and Allyson James. My novella, Blood Debt, introduces a new love interest for Anna. But first she has to save his life, and her own.
with Ilona Andrews, Yasmine Galenorn and Allyson James. My novella, Blood Debt, introduces a new love interest for Anna. But first she has to save his life, and her own.
and
Chicks Kick Butt
featuring a host of authors including Rachel Caine, Lilith Saintcrow, Jenna Black and many others. My story, Superman, is a story taken from an episode in Crossroads. Max and Anna track down a rogue vampire on the Mexican border.
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Dark Shadows finally gets a synopsis--from cinemablend.com
Johnny Depp has been talking about making a film version of the late 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows for nearly four years. A tale of witches, vampires and other assorted creatures of the night, the project fits in perfectly with Depp's and director Tim Burton's sensibilities, but has taken a long time to actually get made, the two pairing on Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland in the interim. Today the duo's dream is realized.
Warner Bros. has sent out a press release announcing that production on Dark Shadows has begun. Also included in the release is a full plot synopsis and cast list, which includes the previously unannounced Jonny Lee Miller, who will be playing Johnny Depp's bad-seed brother Roger, and Gulliver McGrath, who will be playing Roger's son. The full plot synopsis is below. If you don't wish to know anything about this project, then you probably shouldn't have clicked on this article.
As you can see, I didn't include the spoilers but you can check it out if you're curious...
# # # #Johnny Depp has been talking about making a film version of the late 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows for nearly four years. A tale of witches, vampires and other assorted creatures of the night, the project fits in perfectly with Depp's and director Tim Burton's sensibilities, but has taken a long time to actually get made, the two pairing on Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland in the interim. Today the duo's dream is realized.
Warner Bros. has sent out a press release announcing that production on Dark Shadows has begun. Also included in the release is a full plot synopsis and cast list, which includes the previously unannounced Jonny Lee Miller, who will be playing Johnny Depp's bad-seed brother Roger, and Gulliver McGrath, who will be playing Roger's son. The full plot synopsis is below. If you don't wish to know anything about this project, then you probably shouldn't have clicked on this article.
As you can see, I didn't include the spoilers but you can check it out if you're curious...
For the wordsmiths among us, what do you think is the most used word in the English language? Any guesses? Post your guess in comments and then check here to see if you're right!
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All I have to say about this next one is hmmmm...I know the economy is bad but you have to be really hard up for a job to let somebody do THIS to you!
By Chris Morran on June 1, 2011 12:15 PM
The job interview process can be quite taxing to the applicant's mind, body and wallet, but at no point should it involve being tied up, flogged and tortured... right?
Authorities in suburban New York have arrested a man who did the above-mentioned things, and more, to men who thought they were applying for high security gigs in the intelligence-gathering industry.
The jobs were fake, but the pain was real.
According to the AP, between 2008 and 2010, a man recruited a handful of men for these imaginary jobs, saying he would help train them for their eventual work overseas. That "training" included stripping them down, whipping them and sticking needles under their fingernails.
Police found a kit in the man's car that included rope, needles, strapping tape... and vegetable oil. No mention of whether it was corn, canola or peanut oil.
The man was arraigned on 29 counts, including assault, criminal impersonation and forcible touching, and ordered held on $250,000 bail.
By Chris Morran on June 1, 2011 12:15 PM
The job interview process can be quite taxing to the applicant's mind, body and wallet, but at no point should it involve being tied up, flogged and tortured... right?
Authorities in suburban New York have arrested a man who did the above-mentioned things, and more, to men who thought they were applying for high security gigs in the intelligence-gathering industry.
The jobs were fake, but the pain was real.
According to the AP, between 2008 and 2010, a man recruited a handful of men for these imaginary jobs, saying he would help train them for their eventual work overseas. That "training" included stripping them down, whipping them and sticking needles under their fingernails.
Police found a kit in the man's car that included rope, needles, strapping tape... and vegetable oil. No mention of whether it was corn, canola or peanut oil.
The man was arraigned on 29 counts, including assault, criminal impersonation and forcible touching, and ordered held on $250,000 bail.
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One last thing from pal Kat Richardson. She's looking for minions...interested? Get details here. Sounds like a great idea. I think I'll enter. Maybe I'll even try it myself...any potential Anna Strong minions out there?
Labels: Chicks Kick Butt, Dark Shadows, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hexed, Kat Richardson, Torchwood, True Blood
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 1:13 PM 8 comments
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
A Kat, A Nook, Star Wars and a new Steampunk convention...
Some good news from my League pals -- First of all, from Kat Richardson who writes the Greywalker series, a walking tour of Harper Blaine's Neighborhood in Seattle. This is very cool
Then in further good news for Kat, from Publisher's Marketplace, her next three urban fantasies in the Greywalker series about a private inspector, who is forced to risk the hard-won love and stability she has finally found in order to protect the world and the Grey, and defend those caught where ghosts roam and magic sings, (was sold) to Anne Sowards at Ace, in a good deal, by Sally Harding of The Cooke Agency.
Then in further good news for Kat, from Publisher's Marketplace, her next three urban fantasies in the Greywalker series about a private inspector, who is forced to risk the hard-won love and stability she has finally found in order to protect the world and the Grey, and defend those caught where ghosts roam and magic sings, (was sold) to Anne Sowards at Ace, in a good deal, by Sally Harding of The Cooke Agency.
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Next, a new contract for another Leaguer, Michele Bardsley: Michele Bardsley writing as Michele Vail's THE REAPER DIARIES, introducing a girl who wanted to keep her part in the family zombie-raising business quiet - until her 16th birthday when her boyfriend-to-be dies, she brings him back to life, then finds herself immediately shipped off to necromancy school, where her first assignment is reaping the soul of the very same boyfriend-to-be; and her reaping tutor? the same hot but very angry reaper whose work she undid in the first place - and that's the least of her new problems, to Natashya Wilson at Harlequin Teen, in a three-book deal, by Stephanie Rostan at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (World).
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Star War fans-- wish this was coming to Denver...
From the Star Wars DK Publishing site
Beginning in early May, a group of DK's talented Star Wars authors and illustrators will hit the road, visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries for the DK Star Wars 'Attack of the Authors' East Coast Tour. Events will run from May 7th through May 15th, from Massachusetts, all the way down to Florida.
Tour guests include Ryder Windham, Chris Reiff, Chris Trevas, Jason Fry, and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein (the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Co-sponsored by Mimobot and Her Universe, the 'Attack of the Author' events will also feature guest appearances by the costumed characters of the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion, members of the R2 Builders Club, as well as raffles, giveaways, and Star Wars activities.
A full-sized R2 droid replica will be coming along for the ride, collecting signatures of attending 501st Legion and R2 Builders Club members at each event, which will be raffled off to benefit a national charity organization after the tour. A full list of dates and author appearances can be found here.
From the Star Wars DK Publishing siteBeginning in early May, a group of DK's talented Star Wars authors and illustrators will hit the road, visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries for the DK Star Wars 'Attack of the Authors' East Coast Tour. Events will run from May 7th through May 15th, from Massachusetts, all the way down to Florida.
Tour guests include Ryder Windham, Chris Reiff, Chris Trevas, Jason Fry, and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein (the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Co-sponsored by Mimobot and Her Universe, the 'Attack of the Author' events will also feature guest appearances by the costumed characters of the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion, members of the R2 Builders Club, as well as raffles, giveaways, and Star Wars activities.
A full-sized R2 droid replica will be coming along for the ride, collecting signatures of attending 501st Legion and R2 Builders Club members at each event, which will be raffled off to benefit a national charity organization after the tour. A full list of dates and author appearances can be found here.
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Everyone seems to be working on this:
Barnes & Noble to add autograph function to Nook
Posted By Chris Meadows On April 27, 2011 @ 10:35 pm
A couple of weeks ago I covered Autography [1], a prototype system for autographing digital books involving an iPad 2. Now Barnes & Noble is about to release an upgrade to the Nook reader that will allow Nook owners to have authors sign their e-books using a stylus [2]. (Presumably via the touch-sensitive color LCD screen portion of the reader.)
Interestingly, eReader (which Barnes & Noble bought) long allowed authors to do something similar using an Easter Egg function of the Palm PDA reader client. I wonder if that’s what gave B&N the idea?
At any rate, for Nook owners this could be a rather better way to do book autographs than the complicated Autography system that would involve social networking and downloading and various rigamarole on the part of the author. Nook owners could just activate the autograph function, hand the stylus over, and get the signature. Just like with a paper book.
Which in turn makes buying a Nook start to look more attractive to “serious” e-bibliophiles. The wi-fi model is becoming available for $80 refurbished now and then, after all…
So how do you Nookies feel about this?
Barnes & Noble to add autograph function to Nook
Posted By Chris Meadows On April 27, 2011 @ 10:35 pm
A couple of weeks ago I covered Autography [1], a prototype system for autographing digital books involving an iPad 2. Now Barnes & Noble is about to release an upgrade to the Nook reader that will allow Nook owners to have authors sign their e-books using a stylus [2]. (Presumably via the touch-sensitive color LCD screen portion of the reader.)
Interestingly, eReader (which Barnes & Noble bought) long allowed authors to do something similar using an Easter Egg function of the Palm PDA reader client. I wonder if that’s what gave B&N the idea?
At any rate, for Nook owners this could be a rather better way to do book autographs than the complicated Autography system that would involve social networking and downloading and various rigamarole on the part of the author. Nook owners could just activate the autograph function, hand the stylus over, and get the signature. Just like with a paper book.
Which in turn makes buying a Nook start to look more attractive to “serious” e-bibliophiles. The wi-fi model is becoming available for $80 refurbished now and then, after all…
So how do you Nookies feel about this?
# # # #
A nice Steampunk article touting the first ever Southern California steampunk con.... from San DIego CityBeat :
"Aurelia and her Jelly Cruiser" by Winona Cookie
Nancy and James Hay say they’re striking while the steampunk iron is hot. The two are helping program and promote the Gaslight Gathering, the first-ever Southern California steampunk convention, happening at the Town & Country Hotel in Mission Valley May 6 through 8.
“Steampunk has been around since ’87,” says James, wearing a mad-scientist, Victorian-era costume complete with brass goggles and a futuristic-looking time-travel watch. “But it was just kind of a low-lying thing—not really a big part of science fiction. Then, I eventually heard about the first steampunk convention, and I went, ‘Oh, OK, when did it become a movement, and why the heck didn’t anyone tell me?’”
The couple knew the steampunk zeitgeist was strong when talk of it left the fan sites and entered the mainstream. Locally, there was the steampunk art show at the Oceanside Museum of Art and a steampunk-themed fund-raiser at Sushi Performance & Visual Art in East Village, so they figured it was a good time for a convention in San Diego.
The affair will include how-to panels on things like making your own carpet bag and designing vintage shoe coverings, plus literary talks, a masked ball, concerts and tea time.
“Making this an annual convention is the aim,” Nancy says. “And as long as Time magazine doesn’t put steampunk on the cover, then we’re probably OK, because once that happens, it means the thing has peaked.”
More at the link above. Also check out Winona Cookie's site. Some great stuff.
“Steampunk has been around since ’87,” says James, wearing a mad-scientist, Victorian-era costume complete with brass goggles and a futuristic-looking time-travel watch. “But it was just kind of a low-lying thing—not really a big part of science fiction. Then, I eventually heard about the first steampunk convention, and I went, ‘Oh, OK, when did it become a movement, and why the heck didn’t anyone tell me?’”
The couple knew the steampunk zeitgeist was strong when talk of it left the fan sites and entered the mainstream. Locally, there was the steampunk art show at the Oceanside Museum of Art and a steampunk-themed fund-raiser at Sushi Performance & Visual Art in East Village, so they figured it was a good time for a convention in San Diego.
The affair will include how-to panels on things like making your own carpet bag and designing vintage shoe coverings, plus literary talks, a masked ball, concerts and tea time.
“Making this an annual convention is the aim,” Nancy says. “And as long as Time magazine doesn’t put steampunk on the cover, then we’re probably OK, because once that happens, it means the thing has peaked.”
More at the link above. Also check out Winona Cookie's site. Some great stuff.
# # # #
Okay, sports fans, that's it for this week. What's going on in your world that I should know about? Or that I shouldn't know about. I'm not picky. Anytime you spot an article of interest about a favorite author or book or whatever, let me know. I'm always on the lookout for good stuff. My life right now is butt in the chair, hands on the keyboard as I finish up the eighth Anna Strong adventure. This one is shaping up to being much darker than any of the others. Lots of asses for Anna to kick. Mario really loves that. I have a working title--Haunted--but that may change, Just not sure yet.
Let me hear from you!
Let me hear from you!
Labels: Greywalker books, Kat Richardson, Michele Bardsley, Nook, Star Wars, Steampunk Con
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 1:49 PM 11 comments
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Are we not men...or cavemen?
Mario here:
We'll start with the pimpage. Shout out to Colette Duke, who gives us sensual science fiction romance. Here's her giveaway to celebrate Emerald 3 hitting #1 Science Fiction Romance Short Story:
"Emerald 3 is my entree into the science fiction romance world. A short story, just to get my feet wet in the genre. I was tickled enough when it was #1 in an incredibly obscure category of Amazon's bestseller lists. March 23 the category wasn't so obscure. Emerald 3 hit the #1 spot for 'science fiction romance short story' on Amazon. Holy moly.
To celebrate, I'm giving away a free copy of the full story (yep, including the nocturnal goings-on of Fioran and Alohxi) to the first five people who leave a comment on this post and send me their contact information via my Contact page. You'll need to specify which format you prefer. I can send HTML, EPUB, and PDF.
Thank you for celebrating with me, and I hope you enjoy meeting Fioran, Alohxi, and the tree people of Emerald 3."
And now...
To be a novelist you must be a student of human nature. Makes sense. We write stories about people and to be credible, our characters must act like real people. But our stories have to be interesting so we put the emotional screws to our characters and watch them react. So how should they react?
What fascinates me is that while we like to pretend that we're open-minded, rational, and sophisticated, the truth is that we're pretty identical to our caveman ancestors. In fact, for most of the 200,000 years that homo sapiens have been around, people much like us wandered naked in the wilderness, hunting and gathering, building fires, and no doubt trying to scramble up the food chain. Coping behavior was encoded into that inherited part of human consciousness responsible for survival--aka, the lizard brain. It could be little things. We like bling because shiny baubles remind us of water, a necessity for survival. We eat sweets because in nature, sweet foods gave us nutrients missing in woolly mammoth meat.
Outsiders were rivals and today, we're wary of anyone who doesn't look or act like us. Sex? Think about it, our ancestors had to get their freak on regardless of plague or ruin, otherwise that would've been the end of us as a species. They even had prehistoric sex toys and porn. Considering that soap wasn't invented until Roman times (or maybe it was the Babylonians), our boinking caveman forebears must've been some rank motherfuckers.
Having said that, we're not animals, meaning we understand in the abstract the consequences of what we do. Success as a writer may be ingrained in our desire for greater esteem within our tribe, but the discipline of writing requires that we muffle our lizard brain, sit our ass down at the keyboard and work. The caveman inside us can never be used as an excuse for our individual failings.
Andddddd...more pimpage...
Our blessed Kat Richardson shares a gooey enchilada with her thoughts on the ongoing e-publishing ruckus. Trust me, she is as brainy as she is easy on the eyes.
And BFF to the Biting-Edge, J.A. Kazimer continues her contest. It's free swag, people!
We'll start with the pimpage. Shout out to Colette Duke, who gives us sensual science fiction romance. Here's her giveaway to celebrate Emerald 3 hitting #1 Science Fiction Romance Short Story:
"Emerald 3 is my entree into the science fiction romance world. A short story, just to get my feet wet in the genre. I was tickled enough when it was #1 in an incredibly obscure category of Amazon's bestseller lists. March 23 the category wasn't so obscure. Emerald 3 hit the #1 spot for 'science fiction romance short story' on Amazon. Holy moly.
To celebrate, I'm giving away a free copy of the full story (yep, including the nocturnal goings-on of Fioran and Alohxi) to the first five people who leave a comment on this post and send me their contact information via my Contact page. You'll need to specify which format you prefer. I can send HTML, EPUB, and PDF.
Thank you for celebrating with me, and I hope you enjoy meeting Fioran, Alohxi, and the tree people of Emerald 3."
And now...
To be a novelist you must be a student of human nature. Makes sense. We write stories about people and to be credible, our characters must act like real people. But our stories have to be interesting so we put the emotional screws to our characters and watch them react. So how should they react?
What fascinates me is that while we like to pretend that we're open-minded, rational, and sophisticated, the truth is that we're pretty identical to our caveman ancestors. In fact, for most of the 200,000 years that homo sapiens have been around, people much like us wandered naked in the wilderness, hunting and gathering, building fires, and no doubt trying to scramble up the food chain. Coping behavior was encoded into that inherited part of human consciousness responsible for survival--aka, the lizard brain. It could be little things. We like bling because shiny baubles remind us of water, a necessity for survival. We eat sweets because in nature, sweet foods gave us nutrients missing in woolly mammoth meat.
Outsiders were rivals and today, we're wary of anyone who doesn't look or act like us. Sex? Think about it, our ancestors had to get their freak on regardless of plague or ruin, otherwise that would've been the end of us as a species. They even had prehistoric sex toys and porn. Considering that soap wasn't invented until Roman times (or maybe it was the Babylonians), our boinking caveman forebears must've been some rank motherfuckers.
Having said that, we're not animals, meaning we understand in the abstract the consequences of what we do. Success as a writer may be ingrained in our desire for greater esteem within our tribe, but the discipline of writing requires that we muffle our lizard brain, sit our ass down at the keyboard and work. The caveman inside us can never be used as an excuse for our individual failings.
Andddddd...more pimpage...
Our blessed Kat Richardson shares a gooey enchilada with her thoughts on the ongoing e-publishing ruckus. Trust me, she is as brainy as she is easy on the eyes.
And BFF to the Biting-Edge, J.A. Kazimer continues her contest. It's free swag, people!
Labels: caveman, Colette Duke, J. A. Kazimer, Kat Richardson, prehistoric sex toys
¶ posted by Mario Acevedo @ 1:39 PM 7 comments
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Reflections
Writing is a crazy business. It's fraught with anxiety and self-doubt and stomach-turning worry about how your new book will be accepted. Sales-figures turn your hair gray. Reviews (or lack of them) turn you into a raving lunatic. Your family and friends learn to tiptoe around you in the weeks before a release.
Then you have an evening like last night.
Good friend Pat Andreatta hooked me up with aspiring writer Rhonda Skallan. The three of us met for drinks and conversation at YaYa's-- a great place in Greenwood Village. For three and a half hours, we talked about writing. Rhonda's enthusiasm and determination to follow a dream reminded me how I felt when I was starting out. She reminded me of how wonderful it was to have achieved (even modestly) what I set out to do when I took those first steps on the path to becoming a published author. She reminded me of the passion.
I want to thank Pat and Rhonda for something I'd almost forgotten in the furious flurry of activity before a new release--I love what I'm doing. If Chosen turns out to be the last book I ever write, I DID it. My books are out there in the world. I'm very lucky.
And that brings me to another writer pal whose book was just released. Kat Richardson's Labyrinth, Book Five in the acclaimed Greywalker series, is available now on Amazon or at your favorite book store. Check it out.
On to other stuff.
Main book news this week was Dorchester's decision to go all digital. Here;s a good summary from Publisher's Weekly:
Dorchester: Digital, or Desperate?
Dorchester Publishing has switched to subsistence mode, though they have tried to sprinkle some digital fairy dust over the move. The mass market publisher has struggled for some time, now. At the beginning of the year they sold both frontlist and backlist titles from many of their top authors to Avon--an imprint of their distributor, HarperCollins. Earlier this summer, the Romance Writers of America reportedly cancelled Dorchester's participation in their annual conference because the company was "past due in fulfilling contractual obligations to some of their authors." And company president John Prebich confirmed to the media last Friday that their retail sales fell 25 percent in 2009 (before they sold off top properties.)
So the company is giving up on functioning as a traditional print publisher. In a last-ditch effort to subsist, they will now issue all titles to the trade as ebooks only. Dorchester has laid off their sales force of seven people, and will work with Ingram Publisher Services to distribute POD versions of some titles. Romance titles have been successful for years in ebook form, so the company may find some strength there. But for now this a story about a genre mass-market publisher retreating rather than a bold digital initiative.
Hard Case Crime owner Charles Ardai tells the WSJ he may move his imprint's distribution as a result, which makes sense. "It's been a good run, but if they aren't publishing mass market paperbacks, we'll have to decide what to do."
Full article here .
Jane Mount will do it for you. Order here .
Or how about new wallpaper?
From Anthropologie .
Ever heard of motion comics? I hadn't. Here's a definition I found:
Motion comics look like traditional comic books, but incorporate voice acting and a musical score. And only certain elements of the “page” are animated: a zoom-in, a pan, someone raising their arms.
And an example from Angel: After the Fall:
New trend? What do you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down?
Then you have an evening like last night.
Good friend Pat Andreatta hooked me up with aspiring writer Rhonda Skallan. The three of us met for drinks and conversation at YaYa's-- a great place in Greenwood Village. For three and a half hours, we talked about writing. Rhonda's enthusiasm and determination to follow a dream reminded me how I felt when I was starting out. She reminded me of how wonderful it was to have achieved (even modestly) what I set out to do when I took those first steps on the path to becoming a published author. She reminded me of the passion.
I want to thank Pat and Rhonda for something I'd almost forgotten in the furious flurry of activity before a new release--I love what I'm doing. If Chosen turns out to be the last book I ever write, I DID it. My books are out there in the world. I'm very lucky.
And that brings me to another writer pal whose book was just released. Kat Richardson's Labyrinth, Book Five in the acclaimed Greywalker series, is available now on Amazon or at your favorite book store. Check it out.
# # #
On to other stuff.
Main book news this week was Dorchester's decision to go all digital. Here;s a good summary from Publisher's Weekly:
Dorchester: Digital, or Desperate?
Dorchester Publishing has switched to subsistence mode, though they have tried to sprinkle some digital fairy dust over the move. The mass market publisher has struggled for some time, now. At the beginning of the year they sold both frontlist and backlist titles from many of their top authors to Avon--an imprint of their distributor, HarperCollins. Earlier this summer, the Romance Writers of America reportedly cancelled Dorchester's participation in their annual conference because the company was "past due in fulfilling contractual obligations to some of their authors." And company president John Prebich confirmed to the media last Friday that their retail sales fell 25 percent in 2009 (before they sold off top properties.)
So the company is giving up on functioning as a traditional print publisher. In a last-ditch effort to subsist, they will now issue all titles to the trade as ebooks only. Dorchester has laid off their sales force of seven people, and will work with Ingram Publisher Services to distribute POD versions of some titles. Romance titles have been successful for years in ebook form, so the company may find some strength there. But for now this a story about a genre mass-market publisher retreating rather than a bold digital initiative.
Hard Case Crime owner Charles Ardai tells the WSJ he may move his imprint's distribution as a result, which makes sense. "It's been a good run, but if they aren't publishing mass market paperbacks, we'll have to decide what to do."
Full article here .
# # #
Want a portrait of your favorite books?
Jane Mount will do it for you. Order here .
Or how about new wallpaper?
From Anthropologie .
# # #
Contest for aspiring YA writers:
Delacorte Books announces its 29th Annual Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel. First prize is a book contract with $1,500 cash and $7,500 advance against royalties. You’re eligible to enter if you haven’t previously published a book-length work or young adult fiction. Enter the complete manuscript of a contemporary novel suitable for readers aged 12 to 18. Manuscripts should be between 100 and 224 typewritten pages. Entries must be postmarked after October 1 but before December 31, 2010. Find all the rules here .
# # #
Ever heard of motion comics? I hadn't. Here's a definition I found:
Motion comics look like traditional comic books, but incorporate voice acting and a musical score. And only certain elements of the “page” are animated: a zoom-in, a pan, someone raising their arms.
And an example from Angel: After the Fall:
New trend? What do you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down?
Labels: Chosen, Dorchester, Kat Richardson, Labyrinth, motion comic
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 6:01 AM 12 comments
