Authorial, agently and personal ramblings

I kid you not

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:00:55 GMT

First, I'm over today on Barbara Vey's excellent Beyond her Book blog for Publishers Weekly, answering questions et. al. Hope you'll stop by.

Second, I came across this Huffington Post piece this morning and that it was too good not to share. The headline? "City Councilman Argues Against Removing Public Garlic Plants for Fear of Vampires." Check it out.

False start

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:07:32 GMT

I got off to a false start on the article I'm writing, realizing it was probably gratuitous, so I decided to post here instead. Please feel free to add your own comments.

It’s my segment and I’ll rant if I want to….

If you’re anything like me, well, first, lord help you and second, the holidays have mellowed you out. Eggnog has quenched the fire in your belly and you’re having trouble getting out of sweetness and light mode. Show of hands? Obviously, this is a problem for hard-bitten agents and editors everywhere. So, I thought I’d start out the new year with a little riff on things that hold us back.

#1: Conventional wisdom – Okay, the whole problem with “conventional wisdom” is that it’s, well, conventional. A.k.a. not progressive. It’s not forward thinking or innovative or outside the box. It’s based on the idea that the way things have been is the way they will be. A few years ago, you couldn’t give away urban fantasy. If no one had taken a chance on anything different, we wouldn’t have had the massive successes that have led the way for the ascension of the subgenre.

Here’s another example of conventional wisdom I’ve heard in rejections, “Greek gods don’t sell.” And now, for my next feat of debunking, I give you Rick Riordan’s excellent and bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Greek gods made fun, but not dumbed down for the middle-grade audience.

The truth is that trends come and go. Popularity and public interest ebbs and flows. You can analyze the market to your heart’s content, but imitation is not really the sincerest form of flattery (oh look, another myth busted). It’s the next big thing that will be, well again, BIG. This is not to say that you can’t write vampires or werewolves or elves and give them a fresh spin, your spin, but it does mean thinking outside the box.

#2: “Literary” vs. “Commercial” fiction – The designation of some fiction as “literary” and other fiction as “commercial” implies a judgment of worth, as if commercial fiction can’t be literary and is, in some way, pandering. I don’t know about you, but without breaking a sweat, I can reel off a list of authors whose work is highly literary and yet has enjoyed commercial and genre success. Let’s talk Sharyn McCrumb, Caleb Carr, Michael Chabon, Stephen King, Ken Follett, Julliet Marillier, Marjorie M. Liu and a few hundred others. If we’re going to go with some reverse snobbery, designating something literary as opposed to commercial might imply that it won’t sell more than a few dozen copies to the highbrow literati, the ones you try very hard not to get cornered by at cocktail parties.

“What about things like The Historian?” you ask. Clearly literary and yet a sales success. I will admit right here that I haven’t read it. I was turned off by the hype that suggested The Historian was something completely unprecedented, as though no one had ever done vampires before. I don’t think I need to preach to the choir about that. No slur to Ms. Kostova. I’m sure she’s written a very fine novel. If the marketing slant hadn’t seemed to deny an entire subgenre, it might have been right up my alley.

#3: “Transcends the Genre” – Perhaps a continuation of my previous point, this implies that genre has a glass ceiling and that anything truly exceptional shatters it into a million little pieces. Why can’t we hold the same work up as an exemplar of the genre and not behave as though it should inspire a new religious rite? Personally, one more holiday, particularly in winter, and I’ll be popping the buttons on all my pants.

#4: “SciFi” – I had no idea before I got into publishing that “SciFi” was considered derogatory in the book world. Then I saw Mansquito. Suddenly, the distinction between “sf” or “science fiction” and “scifi” made total sense.

So, what makes gets your motor running?

Fabulous New Releases

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:03:57 GMT

Some fabulous new releases!

WOLF HUNT by Doranna Durgin (Silhouette Nocturne, Jan. 1)
A new Sentinels novel! Read the first chapter here.

A DOCTOR’S WATCH by Vickie Taylor (Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Jan. 1)
A year after the death of her husband, single mother Mia Serrat finally got herself back on track…when a mysterious accident left her fearing for her life—and her heart. Mia knew that Ty Hansen, the hotshot psychiatrist assigned to her case, was the last man she should be falling for. Yet their professional relationship quickly became personal. Very personal. Their forbidden romance screeched to a halt when Mia's son went missing and she was named as the prime suspect. Could she convince Ty of both her sanity and her innocence before it was too late?

THE SPIRIT LENS by Carol Berg (Roc, January 5)
"Superbly realized leadoff to Berg's quasi-Renaissance fantasy trilogy.... As in her widely praised Breath and Bone, Berg shapes her well-worn elements of epic fantasy into a lush, absorbing narrative. Even her minor characters, caught up in fiendish plots and deathly secrets, ring regally true, and Portier oscillates between rueful, reluctant, ethics-bending service and painful but necessary revelations while his old world collapses and a new one struggles to be born." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

FIRESPELL by Chloe Neill (Berkley JAM, Jan. 5)
Wonderful kick-off to the authors Dark Elite YA series. Read the first chapter here.

BLOOD CROSS by Faith Hunter (Roc, Roc, Jan. 5)
The second in the fabulous Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series.

"In a genre flooded with strong, sexy females, Jane Yellowrock is unique. A skinwalker, a shifter who hunts rogue vampires and shares her body with a mountain lion she calls beast, her bold first-person narrative shows she's one tough cookie but with a likable vulnerability. Appealing characters, action and a touch of romance provide thrills. Hunter expands on the world she built in book one and sets her characters on a pulse-pounding, page-turning adventure." —Romantic Times, four and a half stars

DARKSHIP THIEVES by Sarah A. Hoyt (Baen Books, Jan. 5)
"DARKSHIP THIEVES is an exciting and appealing space opera – so fast-paced, the reader will reach escape velocity." -- Kevin J. Anderson, bestselling author of "The Saga of Seven Suns"

THE DEATH OF BRIDEZILLA by Laurie Brown (Little Black Dress, Jan. 21)
Rachel Gibson meets spine-tingling suspense in this fabulous romantic thriller from debut Little Black Dress author, Laurie Brown. First in a chick-lit mystery series

New Year, New Cover, New Cons

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:36:20 GMT

If I haven't said it earlier, HAPPY NEW YEAR, everybody!

I'm still excavating my inbox from the vacation, but guess what was in the envelope I just opened? Well, because I'm not evil...much...I won't keep you in suspense. Here's the great cover that just arrived for Elise Hyatt's second Daring Finds mystery, FRENCH POLISHED MURDER.

Along with the first,DIPPED, STRIPPED AND DEAD the series is so laugh-out-loud funny that I highly recommend it for curling up under the covers with a cup of warm tea or hot cocoa (or, in my case, espresso) and reading the day or night away.

In other news, I'm still finalizing my complete 2010 schedule, in which I'll be doing less insane traveling than last year. For the early part of the year anyway, you can find me:

February 20th at the Friends of the South Holiday Library's inaugural Local Author Fair, South Holiday Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, Holiday, FL

April 10th-11th at the DFW Conference in Dallas, TX

April 28th through May 2nd at the Romantic Times Conference in Columbus, OH

Beside the Norm poll

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:37:03 GMT

Beside the Norm is having a poll of your favorite book reviewed there in 2009. Vamped is up! Along with really great books by Rachel Caine, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Patti O'Shea and others. Vote for your favorite here. In other news, Vamped has sold in Hungary as well as Poland now. (Suddenly, Gina's plans for world domination seem within her grasp *grin*.)

Happy New Year, all!

A Happy Holidays kick in the pants

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:37:54 GMT

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have heard me mention a historical vampire novel that’s been teasing at me. The idea hit me this summer, but I was in the middle of something else and didn’t have the time to commit to it then. Now it’s spiraled into something truly ambitious, something I’m afraid I won’t be able to pull off. Every author feels these fears at times, I know, but I’ve read a few books over the holidays that seem effortless, though I’m certain they weren’t, and they give me an “I’m not worthy” feeling in the pit of my stomach. That too seems a creative universal.

But what inspired me to blog today was something I came across in the research for my new historical series, from the preface to INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL by Linda Brent (1861). “…Since I have been in the North, it has been necessary for me to work diligently for my own support, and the education of my children. This has not left me much leisure to make up for the loss of early opportunities to improve myself; and it has compelled me to write these pages at irregular intervals, whenever I could snatch an hour from household duties.” What a kick in the pants. To think that this woman, who’s been through so much and is now working harder than I can even imagine (I’ve just noted that I’m taking about her in the present tense, because she seems so immediate to me) is making the time to write her story…regardless of her situation and doubts. It’s humbling. I want to point everyone who’s ever said, “As soon as I find the time” toward this narrative. We don’t “find” the time to write. It’s not hiding behind our storage boxes or in a puzzle box at some bazaar waiting for us to unlock its secrets. We make the time. Nor do we write because it’s easy. If it is, you might be doing it wrong. Writing is a compulsion, a need, a drive. Linda Brent says here that “I have not written my experiences in order to attract attention to myself; on the contrary, it would have been more pleasant to me to have been silent about my own history.” She writes because she’s compelled to testify to the abominations she’s seen and survived, to evoke a response from her readers—the conviction that slavery must be abolished. Wow. Again, humbled.

The point is, writing is hard. Not just logistically – finding the time and resources – but emotionally. Writing will take you some places you don’t want to go, utilize memories and feelings you’d rather keep buried. A good friend taught me that, dragged me kicking and screaming to the realization really. If you’re writing because it’s fun, knock yourself out. Writing should be fun. Like puppies and children, it makes up for the times when you’ll be tearing your hair out and wondering why it piddled all over your carpet. But if you never get past the pleasant, the writing as the mood strikes and not digging deep enough for the difficult scenes, hoping no one will notice the info dumps or coincidences that bog down the story, you’re not growing as a writer and you’re not really doing it for the readers, you’re doing it for yourself. That’s fine, if that’s what you want. But if you have a message that you want to get out, whether it’s about the intricate world of faerie you’ve created or something darker, like racism or abuse, your blood, sweat and tears have to make it onto the page.

In a way, I guess I’ve been giving myself a needed kick in the pants with this blog (and hopefully it will do something for others as well). I need to not shy away from my new idea because it’s going to be big and ambitious, because I don’t have a writers group currently breathing down my neck to produce, because it will be HARD.

Please excuse me, I think I need to go put on my big girl panties and deal with this.

Awesome and worthy review!

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:24:50 GMT

I know it's after 9 p.m. the day after Christmas and likely very few people will see this before next week, but I had to share the very awesome review for an incredible debut novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (forthcoming in February 2010 from Orbit). And I quote, "This is an astounding debut novel. The worldbuilding is solid, the characterization superb, the plot complicated yet clear. Yeine is a fantastic protagonist and her journey is compelling and memorable....Look no further for an original and thought-provoking novel." Romantic Times, Top Pick Gold rating! This after a rave from Publishers Weekly as well. An incredible start to an amazing series.

Future-history holidays with Sarah A. Hoyt

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:06:00 GMT

I asked Sarah A. Hoyt if she'd like to guest blog for me, anything relating to the holidays, and, as usual, she's put her own very unique spin on things, and so I present to you future-history holidays:

I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Ahead, there are spaceports, and strange, different worlds. Ahead, in the far off future, if we squint, the worlds spread out like decorations and humans are in them. And humans celebrate Christmas. Or Winter Solestice. Or a holiday without name that symbolizes a hope of rebirth and future warmth ahead.

Just like humans in the Southern hemisphere carried with them a holiday of the northern hemisphere, a celebration of the coming spring in the darkest day of winter and a memory of sacrifices offered so the world wouldn’t be consumed by ice, so will they adapt to space.

In a world we can only imagine, a little boy will ask his immigrant parents, “Mom, dad, what is a tree?”

And the parents will look at their lychen garden and try to figure out how to explain the dim memory of plant life even they don’t remember.

“Mother, what is a tree?” a little girl will ask aboard a generation ship. And the mother will sigh and say “There are seeds in the hold. Your grandchild will see, when get to our destination, and the tree is sewn and grows.”

“What is winter,” a child will ask in a place without seasons.

“What is a manger?” another will ask in a religious colony in a world so alien the only life are reptiles.

“How could the fuel last that long?” Another will ask, in a different religious colony, where a long-prosecuted people will find refuge from their wandering. For a while, at least. “Was it nuclear?”

And each time the answer will be hesitant and contorted by the restrictions of time and place. And each time the memories will wind a bit more, as they project into the future.

Religions will change. Be forgotten. Worlds will be forgotten too. And humans will change to adapt to new and strange environments.

But if history is a judge, the bright thread of a holiday of hope, a holiday of faith, a bright bead in the sameness of days will stay.

In some distant world, around different stars, human families will gather. The transient will wash away. The love, the hope, the warmth will remain shining like gold in the vastness of time and space. And humanity will be home for Christmas.

To visit some of Sarah's worlds, check out:
THE DARKSHIP THIEVES (science fiction, forthcoming from Baen Books)
The Magical British Empire series (steampunk trilogy from Bantam Spectra)
The Three Musketeers Mysteries (written as Sarah D'Almeida for Berkley Prime Crime)
The Shifters series (urban fantasy written for Baen Books)
and more!

A Very Vampire Holiday

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:13:16 GMT

While we're on the topic of holidays that don't suck, me and mine want to wish you all a fun, fanged and ferocious holiday. In that spirit, we offer up this music video (such as it is) of "Gina, the Red-Fanged Vampire."

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Gina The Red Fanged Vampire

Lyrics by Lucienne Diver & Peter Wheeler

You know Louis and Lestat

And Angel and Darla,

Akasha and Edward

Barnabus and Dracula

But do you recall

The most stylish vampire of all?

Gina the red-fanged vampire

Had a very shiny nose

But if you ever saw her

You would comment on her clothes

All of the fashionistas

Used to follow Gina’s lead

Now that she’s on the dark side

They are all afraid she’ll feed.

Rising from her grave one night

Her boy-toy came to say,

“Gina with your jeans so tight,

Won’t you join the creatures of the night?”

Oh how she loved the upside

Amazing strength, eternal youth

But to control her destiny

She would have to stage a coup.

Then all the young vamps loved her

And she started her own clique,

“Gina the red-fanged vampire

Just watch out for pointy sticks.”

A Vampire's Holiday Wish List with Chloe Neill

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:15:57 GMT

At a loss about what to get the vampire on your list? Chloe Neill chimes in with a fabulous list of gifts that don't bite, even if their recipients do!

A VAMPIRE'S HOLIDAY WISH LIST

A couple of weeks ago, the fabulous readers over at my Yahoo boards were offering up holiday gift suggestions for the characters in my Chicagoland Vampires series. That got me thinking--what's an appropriate gift for the vampire on your holiday list? Here are some ideas!

1. Sunscreen: I think this one speaks for itself.

2. MP3 Player: Vampires spend a lot of time unconscious, especially in the summertime when the days are long and the nights are short. An MP3 player--preloaded with Gothy goodness--will keep them occupied.

3. Corset and blood-red high heels: There are few vampires (Merit excluded) who don't appreciate the appeal of a fabulous corset and pair of blood-red high heels. What modern vampire doesn't enjoy the chance to play sexy she-vamp?

4. "Property of Vampire" stickers: Since vampires do spend so much time unconscious/undead/underground, help them protect their belongings by gifting some "property of vampire" labels.

5. Kevlar: No one likes a stake through the heart, least of all vampires. Offer up a Kevlar vest to keep the immortal heart beating.

6. Perfume-of-the-Month Club {http://www.club-offers.com/perfume-emporium/mini-perfume/}: If your resident vampire falls into the "undead" category, a little freshening up probably isn't a bad idea. Hold off the "eau de undead" by ensuring they receive a new bottle of perfume or cologne each month.

7. UV Resistant Clothing: Clothes that help repel UV rays could come in handy in the event your vamp needs to make a daytime run. 8. Subscription to "Blood": Help the vampire in your life stay up to date on the latest hematological research with a subscription to the medical journal Blood.

9. Vampire Dating Guide: It can be hard to meet that special someone when sunlight fries you to ashes. So give your undead friend a dating guide to help them avoid the pitfalls of fanged courtship.

10. Angel: Seasons One - Five: David Boreanaz + Vampire hero. 'Nuff said.

Hope these ideas are helpful! Best wishes for a safe, happy and stake-free holiday!

Chloe Neill
Author of the Chicagoland Vampires series
SOME GIRLS BITE
FRIDAY NIGHT BITES
TWICE BITTEN

Also look for FIRESPELL, the first in her Dark Elite YA urban fantasy series forthcoming in January 2010!

Traditions with Jasmine Haynes

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:18:31 GMT

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding is my absolute favorite meal (my grandfather was English), so I know whose house to visit next year! Jasmine Haynes/Jennifer Skully/JB Skully takes time out from her multiple personalities <g> and her holiday huddle to share some wonderful traditions (and a great recipe). Enjoy!

Holiday Traditions with Jasmine Haynes

Here’s how my holiday season works. My two brothers live back East, so my mom alternates years between the daughters and the sons, meaning, one year my sister and I get Thanksgiving with her, and the next year we, the girls, get Christmas. This year our turn was Thanksgiving, so we’re packaging her up and shipping her off today. But on Saturday we had a wonderful celebration. Our feast was turducken (it’s a roll of turkey, duck and chicken with sausage stuffing in the middle), roast potatoes, broccoli and Hot Chocolate pudding for dessert (YUM!). Now, I have to admit we all agreed that next year we’ll go back to the traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and skip the turducken. Did I tell you Mom is British? Yep, and a very proper English lady at that. Our traditional meal when I was a kid always included Yorkshire Pudding. It’s not really a pudding like it sounds, but more like a popover. And you fill it with gravy made from the meat drippings. To die for. I always loved the hot chocolate pudding, too. It’s like a brownie with a hot fudge sauce. Add a dollop of whipped cream, mmm. Love it! The other traditional dessert we often have is English Trifle. Loads of whipped cream, and a spike to it as well, thanks to the sherry. Today I’m going to share my mother’s recipe for English trifle with you.

Mom’s English Trifle

2 packages lady finger cakes

Raspberry jam as needed

4 to 6 T sherry

2 bananas sliced

1 package thick custard

2 half pints whipping cream

Place lady fingers around edge and center of dessert bowl, covering the whole bowl. Spread raspberry jam over top of cake (thin layer to individual liking). Drizzle sherry on top to soak into cake. Layer bananas on top of cake and sherry. Make thick custard from package and spread over bananas and cake. Whip cream and top cooled custard.

Okay, Mom says “drizzle” but let me tell you, she can be very liberal with the sherry, LOL!

Any traditional recipes you’d like to share?

I’ve also got my blog up http://jasminehaynes.blogspot.com/ so feel free to pop over there and check out Mom’s recipe for Hot Chocolate Pudding, too!

Happy Holidays everyone!!!! And thanks for having me, Lucienne!

Jasmine, Jennifer and JB!

www.jasminehaynes.com

Look for Laced with Desire, coming February 2010

P.N. Elrod's special brand of Christmas magic

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:22:23 GMT

Do vampires celebrate Christmas? See for yourself:

Through the magic of literary time travel we return to 1938 Chicago, swooping in on the star of The Vampire Files, undead private eye Jack Fleming. He’s just come down to the lobby of his swank nightclub when girlfriend Bobbi Smythe bursts in. Eyes bright, she’s hatted, gloved, and in a hurry.

Bobbi: Jack, come on!

Fleming: But I just got up.

Bobbi: It’s not like you need coffee.

Fleming: I need something else, sweetheart. Maybe you’d like to… (Canoodling sounds ensue, followed by Bobbi’s giggling.) …have a little chase around the Christmas tree?

Bobbi: Later, big boy. We have to get moving while the stores are still open.

Fleming: We’re shopping?

Bobbi: We’re Christmas shopping. It’s special!

Fleming: I don’t have to actually shop, do I? Just carry stuff?

Bobbi: That’s right.

Fleming: No problem.

Bobbi: First we’ll go to Marshall Field on Lake Street—

(Loud pounding on the front door of the club.)

Fleming: It’s a hit! Get down!

Bobbi: Stop that, it’s just your biographer, Pat Elrod.

Fleming: Like I said, get down!

Bobbi: Knock it off and behave. She went to a lot of trouble to travel back for a visit. Try to get along with her, okay? Please?

Fleming: For you, honey, anything.

Bobbi: Good!

Fleming: But I’m not carrying her stuff.

(P.N. Elrod pushes through the door.)

P. N. Elrod: Hey, Fleming! How’s it going?

Fleming: How’s what going?

Bobbi: That’s how people say hello in the 21^st century.

Fleming: Oh, okay. It’s going to—uh—Marshall Field?

Elrod: Huh?

Fleming: What do I know from the 21^st century? This is 1938—what’s left of it.

Elrod: Times change, brother. For instance, Marshall Field isn’t there in my time. It’s a bookstore.

Fleming: They use that huge building just to sell books?

Elrod: Isn’t it great? More books than you can shake a machine gun at. Hardcovers, mass-market paperbacks, trade paperbacks—

Fleming: Trade what?

Elrod: Like hardcovers, but cheaper, only ten to fifteen dollars.

Fleming: That’s a week’s pay for most people! The most expensive book I ever got cost three bucks!

Elrod: I bet it was hardcover, too. Where I’m from you can’t get a paperback for three bucks unless it’s used. Inflation sucks, but it’s good that paperbacks caught on.

Bobbi: I remember they only used to sell those at Woolworths. Now they’re all over the place.

Elrod: Which is great for us! Still, it’d be neat if I could go to Chicago in my time and do a signing in the old Marshall Fields building. You guys should come.

Bobbi: We’d love to!

Fleming: If you’re signing a Vampire Files book, then we can’t help but be there. I mean, without us, you wouldn’t be—

Bobbi: (warningly) Jack…

Fleming: —almost famous.

Bobbi: Jack!

Elrod: Don’t worry about it, Bobbi. This guy cracks me up. I’ll return the favor in the next book. (Narrows eyes ominously at Fleming.) Count on it.

Fleming: Now just a minute, Elrod—

Bobbi: (Interrupting) What do you think of the club’s Christmas lights, Pat?

Elrod: I love ’em! I bet they don’t go up until after Thanksgiving, either. Where I’m from the stores set out the Christmas stuff before Halloween.

Bobbi: You’re kidding!

Elrod: Sadly, no. That’s why I love coming back to the 30s. Sure, you’ve got the Depression and other bad things going on, but this is a restful haven. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Fleming: (outraged) Restful haven!? After what you did to me in the latest book?

Elrod: Conflict, conflict, conflict! Readers love it!

Fleming: I have to live it! Or try to. You don’t make it easy, y’know.

Elrod: Hey, you did all right in that story in Strange Brew. You’re a tough guy. Deal.

Fleming: I’ll deal with you, ya dizzy dame. Why I oughta—

Bobbi: Jack, you promised!

(The lights go out.)

Elrod: Oh, now that’s cool. Myrna? Is that you?

(The lights come on.)

Elrod: I’ve been wanting to meet you! I’m just sorry the conversation has to be so one-sided. I bet you have all the dish on what goes on here!

Fleming: You know about Myrna the ghost?

Elrod: Of course I do! She’s famous. People love you, Myrna. Keep up the good work.

(The light behind the bar flickers).

Bobbi: I think she likes you, Pat.

Elrod: Hey, what’s not to like?

(Fleming starts to speak; Bobbi kicks his ankle.)

Fleming: Ow! Uh-uhhh….Pat! Would you like some eggnog?

Elrod: I’d love some, thank you!

(Fleming grunts and limps off.)

Elrod: (Rounding on Bobbi.) You are bad, girl. Just bad!

Bobbi: And that’s a good thing in your time, right?

Elrod: Oh, hell, yes. Girl power!

(The lights flicker.)

Bobbi: It’s unanimous!

Happy Holiday Insanity with Doranna Durgin

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:41:18 GMT

The fabulous Doranna Durgin, author of many, many fantasy and romance novels, particularly the Sentinels series for Silhouette Nocturne and the forthcoming Reckoners series from Tor Romance, takes time out of her particular brand of holiday insanity to guest blog for us!

Scrooge or Muse?

It always happens this time of year--everyone one does it. The little trade-offs to incorporate the holidays into our busy schedules. The decisions: what doesn't get done so we can have the fun?

I'm always determined to get those seasonal cards and letters sent. I want at least a small tree! And oh, please, some cookies! A party or two...some thoughtful shopping...the chance to gleefully examine my choices for a new holiday CD...

Did I mention cookies?

And, as it happens, to me, the very best holiday is one in which I have some silence time for writing.

Not that I want it all or anything.

Well, this year I have it ALL, all right.

Because this year, I'm also moving. Not actually on Christmas (my personal seasonal holiday), but all around it. (Because that's so much better, right?)

So instead of writing cards, I'm packing boxes. But hey, I'm *thinking* about cards...about what I would have said...about all those people who don't yet have my new address...oops...

Instead of decorating a tree--because, seriously, do I have the faintest idea where those decorations are, anyway?--the weekend before Christmas is scheduled for a big UHaul adventure--all the extra corral panels I can spare from the horse set-up, the agility gear (you really don't want to know how much an A-Frame weighs), and the various bulky barrels, pallets, hoses, dogloos, etc, that we can fit into the UHaul without...well, without hurting ourselves. Because we are but middle-aged writer and geek people, y'know.

On Christmas, we plan to christen the new home with a dinner event--three of us, family, pretending that the smart way to learn new appliances is to use them on a holiday feast.

Er. Feastlet. Maybe.

And then commences the packing in earnest, and shortly thereafter, while everyone else rings in the new year, we begin the process of tearing down the barn. It looks like this one, but is a little shedrow of two stalls, one of which holds the hay. I had it built when we moved to this state last year (over the holidays, but that's another story and I know, I know, you'd think we would have learned but it just happened, okay?) and now it will be unbuilt and moved, a week-long process.

Sometime during that process, Duncan the Lipizzan will be shifted from one property to the other, and I'll be camping in the new place with dogs until the weekend, at which point some fine strong movers with their fine strong muscles will load all remaining items into their truck and deposit them at the new place and we will then stare numbly at the boxes, and maybe giggle a little hysterically.

Are you still waiting for the part about the muse? Well, here it is, and you may laugh: I'm also finishing a book. Demon Blade, the first of a new Nocturne series. It's been an astonishingly fun book to write, fast and clean, with characters who know what (and who) they want. And yeah, I could be sensible and throw my hands in the air and say, "Well, I've got to PACK, don't I?" Or I could maybe manage seasonal cards, or get some fancier wrapping on those gifts.

But. I am greedy. And my muse is greedy. And we want this book! So I don't think of it as being Scroogish. I think of it as The Muse Wins.

But really, that's the way it should be, don't you think? My muse certainly does, and I have to admit...when push comes to shove, she's the boss.

PS Happy Holidays, Lucienne. I, um, don't think I'm getting cards into the mail...

PPS
Oh, and by the way...book on the shelves! But for some reason, I'm not sending out my usual postcards...

Calling all Gamers!

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:40:31 GMT

No point putting this all in my own words when publicist extraordinaire Elena Stokes has done it all so nicely! So, without further ado, an exciting announcement on the gaming front:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Elena Stokes, Wunderkind PR

Contact, cell: 917.887.0784

New gaming company, PassionFruit Games, launches with first of its kind romance casual game based on bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu’s Tiger Eye novel.”

New York, NY: Tuesday, December 15, 2009: PassionFruit Games today announced the creation of a new romance-themed casual game, Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box, based on the novel Tiger Eye (A Dorchester Love Spell paperback) by New York Times bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu.

Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box also officially marks the launch of PassionFruit Games and represents a unique moment in the history of gaming. Although a market for romance themed video games has existed abroad for years, these games are essentially unknown in the U.S. Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box will be one of the first romance casual games to hit the U.S. market when it goes on-sale in April 2010.

In discussing PassionFruit Games’ decision to launch their company with Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box, Melissa Heidrich, Studio Director, expressed her enthusiasm for reaching out to romance readers: “The majority of casual gamers are women aged 25-65, who report they play casual games mainly to escape. Interestingly, those same attributes apply to romance novel readers – so it’s surprising that there are currently so few romance casual games on the market. That’s why we’re excited to bring Tiger Eye to life as interactive entertainment.”

For Marjorie M. Liu’s fans, it will be a great chance for them to experience a game written by, designed by, and created for women. Mari Tokuda, one of the designers translating Marjorie’s novel into game form, says: “"There just aren't many romance games in today's market. And, for many women, romance novels are not interactive enough. That's where we come in - we are giving players a chance to experience the romance through fun gameplay and sensual cut scenes that further the relationship. This game will really appeal to players who want a storyline and those who want to BE the smart, down-to-earth romance novel heroine. And of course, we'll have a sexy leading man heavily featured in the game. A game like Tiger Eye is one of the most engaging ways for readers to experience characters' relationships."

Fans will also be able to experience things that weren’t in the book and to search for hidden objects, play minigames, listen to a film quality soundtrack, and solve puzzles, all the while following the storyline as the main characters’ relationship deepens emotionally and grows in intimacy, though there will not be explicit sex scenes.

PassionFruit Games acknowledges the challenges of turning a popular book into digital entertainment and of adhering closely to the book’s storyline. In their quest to stay true to the novel, all members of the team—from artist to programmer—read Tiger Eye, as well as other novels in the Dirk & Steele universe, to get a feel for the “essence” of the game. The producer and lead designer held regular video conferences with Marjorie to go over the latest design ideas and Marjorie herself wrote the script for the game and is involved with the game every step of the way, giving input on scene art, character design, and voice actor selection.

Says Marjorie, who is well known for her New York Times bestselling Dirk & Steele and Hunter Kiss series and for co-authoring the hugely popular Dark Wolverine Marvel comic book series, about playing the game’s early build: “I was amazed by the beautiful cinematic cut scenes and the way players could actually experience things my characters had done. It’s an incredible feeling to not only see favorite characters brought to life but to experience life through their eyes as you progress through the game.”

The Tiger Eye novel, which Publishers Weekly praised as a “first-rate debut” and “a striking paranormal romance,” tells the story of Dela, a woman with psychic abilities who buys a riddle box in Beijing’s Dirt Market and opens it to find an ancient warrior, Hari, bound to serve as a slave to the person who has opened the box. The action moves between China and the U.S. and PassionFruit Games will mirror this international scope through two games, the first to take place in China and the second in the U.S. PassionFruit games also plans to involve readers in the release of Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box with the chance for a select few fans to be Beta testers and with fan voting on looks for the character, Long Nu.

Order Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box now at www.passionfruitgames.com

Beginning today, players will be able to purchase the Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box $6.99 standard package, which includes instant download of the game’s opening cinematic, “Dela’s Dream,” and a link to download the game when it releases in April.

Players will also have the option to choose the $9.99 premium package, which includes “Dela’s Dream” and a link to the game when it goes on-sale in April; but also features the MP3 of the Tiger Eye theme film-quality soundtrack; concept art of the male heart throb, Hari; exclusive wallpaper art; and a PDF of the official strategy guide.

For those who think that Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box will be the perfect gift for a loved one (or for themselves!), holiday e-cards are available at www.passionfruitgames.com. The game will be available in both Mac and PC versions.

Marjorie M. Liu is an attorney, and the New York Times bestselling author of short stories, novellas, and two ongoing series: Dirk & Steele novels of paranormal romance, and the Hunter Kiss urban fantasy series. She wrote NYX: No Way Home, for Marvel Comics, and is co-writing the ongoing bestselling Dark Wolverine series. Marjorie divides her time between the American Midwest, and Beijing/Shanghai, China. For a complete listing of all her work, please visit her website at: www.marjoriemliu.com

PassionFruit Games was founded by a group of individuals who had created several critically-acclaimed casual games together before establishing their own independent studio. Their mission is to bring stories and characters to life through lushly-painted interactive environments and captivating cinematics, while providing engaging, entertaining gameplay. The PassionFruit Games team also worked on the critically acclaimed Nancy Drew Dossier game, which was just chosen as the “Best Hidden Object Game of 2009” by Yahoo! Games.

Tiger Eye, The novel Tiger Eye, The game

Marjorie M. Liu For info contact: elena@wunderkind-pr.com

Dorchester Love Spell paperback, $6.99 cell: 917-887-0784

ISBN: 0-5-5-52626-3; 342 pages, available now Available April 2010

www.marjoriemliu.com www.passionfruitgames.com

Early concept art for Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box:

The face of the warrior, Hari, hidden in this image, will be revealed to those who pre-order the game

Advance Screenshot from Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box

Guest Blogs and Giveaways

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:13:29 GMT

I don't know how much blogging I'll get done myself this week, as I try to tackle a mountain of work before the holidays. (I know me, and if there's any work to do, I'll do it, even if I'm supposed to be "on vacation." The only way to actually relax is to make sure there's nothing to obsess about <g>.) However, The Knight Agency has exciting things going on all this week, including our virtual party on Thursday, December 17th, so I hope you'll check in frequently. Here's the intro from the TKA blog for today's guest post and giveaway by the ever-awesome Carol Berg:

Christmas Week Guest Blog and Giveaway: Magic on a Winter's Night by Carol Berg

First a little bit of introduction, and then onto Carol Berg's awesome post! This week we're celebrating the holidays with a line-up of guest bloggers, including Carol, Michele Lang, Michelle Celmer, Twila Belk and a very special mega-blog on Friday featuring New York TImes bestselling authors Marjorie M. Liu, Rachel Caine, Christie Golden and Nalini Singh! As part of the celebration ALL of the authors are giving away signed copies of their books and TKA is hosting a special scavenger hunt!

There are TWO ways to win. Each day this week (Dec. 14 - Dec. 18) a guest blogger will give away a signed book to one person randomly chosen from the comment section. Also, at the bottom of the post there will be a scavenger hunt question. The answer can be located somewhere on the author's website. Send in all 5 correct answers* to the scavenger hunt questions, and you will be entered in a drawing to win the TKA Suprise Christmas Stocking overflowing with books and holiday treats!!!

S.L. Wright at Star-Crossed Romance
In other guest-blogging and giveaway news, S.L. Wright has a free copy of her new urban fantasy CONFESSIONS OF A DEMON for one lucky commenter over at Star-Crossed Romance. Check out her killer cover!

Best Paranormal Fantasy of 2009 list

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:14:04 GMT

Marjorie M. Liu's DARKNESS CALLS is #9 on Barnes & Noble's Best Paranormal Fantasy of 2009 list. Go, Marjorie! I'm so proud!

Publishing Futures

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:16:35 GMT

I’ve seen a disturbing trend lately of headlines like “Can Any Device Save Publishing?” and the like. I started this year with “Still Not Dead” posts about the industry (inspired by Rachel Caine’s brilliant still not dead posts when she was going through something a whole lot more serious – cancer). I’m going to finish the year the same way.

Publishing is not dead. Is it changing? Of course. The seasons change, the date changes, my socks and underwear…well, now we’re just getting personal. Of course, we need to change with it. More than half of the conversations I’ve had lately have been about this very same topic. But authors will always be needed to write new and exciting books, agents will be needed to submit and negotiate the terms, editors will be needed to make these works all they can be, designers will be needed for lay-outs, art departments for covers, publicists for…you get the idea. Whether these books are downloaded in e-book or digital audio form, ordered on-line or bought from brick and mortar stores, publishing will survive.

Me? I’m buying a lot of books this holiday season. New, not used, so that the author gets the royalties and the sale factors in when publishers look at an author’s numbers and decide whether to buy his or her next work. I love inexpensive books as much as the next person, but one way to assure that beloved series continue is to buy new and close to their release dates.

I’m also vowing this new year to become one with my Kindle so that I can do more reading on it, though I have to admit I don’t think I’ll ever kick my addition to bound books. There’s just something about them.

My husband has always loved audio books, but my mind is usually going in too many different directions to focus on them. This summer, we took a long drive to and from Tennessee to go kayaking with Gwen and Rod Hunter, and my husband had Orson Scott Card’s wonderful ENDER’S GAME on the stereo. I was hooked. When it finished, we immediately moved on to SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD. Now there’s yet another wonderful way I can appreciate the written/spoken word.

I don’t think we should bemoan the changes that are taking place in the industry (though I do think we need to make sure that the companies that control the technology and platforms are not the ones calling the shots on pricing, etc. – see earlier posts on price wars and loss leaders). I think we should celebrate that there are so many ways for people to experience our art. The important thing is how we set the standards and negotiate the terms now so that we have a sustainable business plan.

My two cents.

Romantic Times Award Nominees

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:07:12 GMT

I'm very excited to congratulate my 2009 finalists for Romantic Times' 2009 Awards:

Karen Whiddon for her Lifetime Achievement Award nomination for Series Romance

Susan Krinard for LORD OF LEGENDS, finalist for Best Historical Vampire/Werewolf/Shifter Romance

Marjorie M. Liu for her nominations for THE FIRE KING (Best Shapeshifter Romance) and her heroine Maxine Kiss from DARKNESS CALLS (Best Urban Fantasy Protagonist)

DD Barant’s DYING BITES and Diana Pharaoh Francis’ BITTER NIGHT for Best Urban Fantasy

The above are in great company with other Knight Agency authors as well, including Nalini Singh, Shannon K. Butcher, Dakota Cassidy, Robin D. Owens, Kate Pearce, Joey W. Hill, Leslie Kelly, Abby Gaines.... Click here for the full list!

I'm so proud of you all!

Giveaways

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:46:47 GMT

Comment here to be entered to win CHRISTMAS MIRACLES by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson on The Knight Agency blog.

Or here for the Ace/Roc holiday giveaway on Dear Author!

Ms. Bookish has a whole list of other giveaways on her site here.

Happy Holidays!

You're cordially invited...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:23:04 GMT

Every year, The Knight Agency holds an awesome on-line holiday party with presents (okay, prizes) and all! From our blog:

This year we are featuring the authors of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, Marley Gibson and Cecil Murphey, along with the book's 50 contributors on December 17th @ 9pm ET. Prizes include copies of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (natch!), plus selections from other TKA authors and a first chapter critique by one of our agents with a ONE WEEK turnaround!* Wowza! Make sure you mark your calendars for this event!!

The 411 on CHRISTMAS MIRACLES: A man lies gravely ill in the hospital on Christmas when he hears angels singing and immediately makes a full recovery. A little boy with dyslexia sits down to read a Christmas book and realizes that his disability has vanished. And a woman’s faith is renewed by the chance discovery of a simple nativity set.

Many ordinary people experience God’s grace during those special moments when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday, but a time for miracles. Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson bring you the real-life stories of everyday people who have experienced these life-changing moments of hope, comfort, and transformation—all during the most wonderful time of the year.

EVENT DETAILS:

What: Online Chat with the authors and contributors of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES

Where: TKA Chat Room
When: Thursday, December 17th @ 9pm ET
How To Chat: (1) Click on this link: http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545 (2) Enter a username and password (any combination) (3) Click Login

*The winner of the first chapter critique will not be able to submit their work for the one week turnaround until after our holiday break (we need rest too!). So, anytime after January 4th, 2010 this prize can be redeemed. If you have questions about this contest or chat, please email info(AT)knightagency.net.

Link soup

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:39:32 GMT

Cool links for today:

Awesome authors Kim Harrison and Faith Hunter are signing tomorrow, December 5th from noon to two at the BookRack in Rock Hill, SC (near Charlotte, NC).

Rosemary Clement-Moore on Genreality about character introductions.

Marjorie M. Liu blogs about writerly routines.

N.K. Jemisin discusses the future of sf/fantasy.

Most Interesting Bookstores of the World

The World's Creepiest Places to Spend the Night

(Neither of the above are doing anything to stem my travel-mania.)

GalleyCat contributor vows to give only books for the holidays this year. Join the crusade! He offers links to best lists from Largehearted Boy.

Kindle

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:15:02 GMT

I just found out today that Vamped is available in e-book form for the Kindle! Don't have one? You can click here to win the Noobie Kindle Giveaway.

Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Debbie Rigaud

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:25:39 GMT

I'm pleased to present a new Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview, today with Debbie Rigaud, author of PERFECT SHOT (Simon Pulse, 12/1/09 release, ISBN: 978-1-4269-7835-0)

Bio:

Debbie Rigaud began her writing career covering news and entertainment for magazines. She’s interviewed celebs, politicians, social figures and “real” girls. Her wide-ranging articles have appeared in YSB, Entertainment Weekly, Seventeen, The Source, Trace, Twist, Essence, J-14, Heart & Soul, Inside TV, CosmoGIRL!, and Vibe Vixen. Her first work of YA fiction, a novella titled “Double Act,” was featured in the anthology HALLWAY DIARIES/Kimani Tru. PERFECT SHOT/Simon & Schuster, her first standalone book, will be released December 1, 2009.

Interview

Your novel in 140 characters (Twitter-version):
A crush attack makes sporty girl London do the unexpected: She signs up for a modeling contest just to meet the contest's hot photo intern.

If you could be any kind of dairy product, what would you be?
They say people who are conservative (read: plain) in their food choices lead very adventurous lives. So, I'll be in good company (and I'll go more places) as plain vanilla ice cream.

What about your main character(s) and why?
London Abrams is more like a Dove chocolate ice cream bar. Her outer shell is pretty tough to crack because she's such a driven and focused girl, which is why, when she becomes distracted by Brent, the photo intern, it surprises even herself!

Do you think in themes? If so, what's the theme of your new novel?
Yes, I often think in themes. Themes help me stay mindful of the bigger picture. In PERFECT SHOT, one theme is about stepping outside of your comfort zone. I like to explore what happens when we step outside of that box we're placed in (or we place ourselves in). London is comfortable on the volleyball court, but is suddenly called to compete in an entirely different arena. When we feel out of our element, our emotional dam threatens to burst and let all that doubt flood in. But as torturous as it sounds, experiencing this makes for great character building, and I'm not just talking about in the book sense.

What piece of fiction or non-fiction did you not write but wish you had?
I loved Sherman Alexie's THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN. But I wouldn't say I wish I wrote it. Like a friend you admire, it's not so much that you wish you were her, but rather you aspire to be like her. Similarly, I connected with the courage and heart-breaking humor in Alexie's writing.

Bringing you stories NOT about Tiger Woods

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:26:26 GMT

The AP reports the successful test of a robotic hand controlled by the brain. The stuff of science fiction. Fascinating! Check it out.

In other news, Chloe Neill is running a contest in celebration of her January release of FIRESPELL, first novel in her Dark Elite YA urban fantasy series. Click here to see what you can do to win your own Tiffany & Co. key.

LEGACY OF STONE, the long-awaited third novel in Vickie Taylor's fabulous gargoyle paranormal romance series released yesterday!

And finally, because I am evil (comes with being an agent), I'm prepared to kill you with cuteness. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Vampire Authors on Better TV

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:36:43 GMT

Okay, they're not "Vampire Authors" so much as authors who write about vampires, but the caption is still cool - Rachel Caine, Mari Mancusi and Melissa de la Cruz on Better TV.