I just got word of a review for Dead Sexy, here at: CK2S Kwips and Kritiques: Dead Sexy. They gave me four shamrocks! I guess they like me, they really like me!
In other news, I'm off to go buy "the thing at the place" as Shawn and I have been referring to it. It's a secret birthday present for little boy...
My alterego, comic book geek that she is, posted a review of THE INCREDIBLE HULK over at the Mid-Ohio Comic Com's site called, "Days Without Incident: 0". Check it out.
In other breaking news, working out makes me tired.
So, here's the latest places you can find interviews of me and other interesting bits (like a contest for the latest book!)
Interview with me at Amberkatze's Book Blog: Interview with Tate Hallaway, plus a bonus silly picture of me at the Uncle Hugo's signing for Tall, Dark & Dead,
and Jackie Kessler's character Jezabel interviews my character Garnet at "No Rest for the Witchy" with even more bonus weird pictures of me.
I posted a "that kind of day" complaining song and a deep philosophical questioning over at Something Wicked... this morning.
People like to ask authors why they write urban fantasy/paranormal/fantasy stuff, and I realized that I don't really have a good answer to that. I mean, I can enumerate the reasons I like it, but some of it is actually deeply visceral. When we get to that part in the story when the heroine realizes the cute guy sitting next to her on the bus is actually a werewolf my heart speeds up. I get a real, honest-to-goddess adrenaline rush that I can't really explain.
I know that it's this rush that keeps me addicted to urban fantasy/science fiction. It's really a lot like a drug (luckily, the only side-affect is loss of sleep when you get wrapped up in a story and realize that you've stayed up well past your bedtime and it's a work night.)
I really notice this when watching TV shows based on my drug-of-choice. Battlestar Galatica will actually make me sit on the edge of the seat of the couch, my heart pounding. When the show is over (certainly during the first season, anyway,) I actually felt physically drained, like I'd run a marathon.
But why am I like that? Why is it that space dog-fights get my juices flowing? Why is it that once magic shows up in a novel, I'm hooked?
I don't know. Except maybe it's because that's the first hit I ever took -- the first grown-up novel I read cover-to-cover was THE HOBBIT, and I must have imprinted on it, like a baby duck. I really couldn't tell you. How about you??
This isn't a very huge review, but an interesting perspective, none-the-less: Cerulean Siren: Another Book Down
Here's a UK blogger who has somethings to say about Romancing the Dead that are pretty interesting: This Fleeting Dream.
I posted variations on the same theme in a number of different places this morning. If you want to read them in chronological order (to watch the progression of the idea go from rambles to a tongue-in-cheek confessional), here's how:
In-Between
In a Weird Place
Project Monogamy
In other news, I watched Appleseed Ex Machina last night and now I'm totally hot for a cyborg with rabbit ears. Help me.
Thank the Goddess for Google Alert or I wouldn't know that I'm supposed to be here this Saturday....
Also, I noticed a couple more reviews for my books on various blogs. One for Romancing the Dead on Amberkatze's Book Blog and one for Dead Sexy on Anna's Book Blog.
Since I love the internet so much, I've joined another group of paranormal romance/urban fantasy writes called "wicked writers" at Something Wicked... I'll be doing the Monday morning posts.
Also, there's a new review of Romancing the Dead at Coffee Times Romance. Here's some of the nicer bits:
I love Garnet. She is an amazing character. Ms. Hallaway has a unique twist to her story, with both Garnet and Sebastian. The reader is led on a merry chase to uncover who is behind the vampire napping. I read this in one sitting and kept trying to guess who the culprit was. Ms. Hallaway hides the truth until the very end and closes her book with a bang. I will be reading more of this series in the future, I am sure.
Also, Toni L. P. Kelner forwarded a picture of the cover to the German edition of Many Bloody Returns. Check it out!
Here's another review of Romancing the Dead, this one by The Book Girl.
Also, there's a very short, but nice interview with me in the Minnesota Women's Press, called "A Bite of Vampire Romance." A word of warning: I do mention a particular part of the male anatomy in clinical terms, and if such a thing could potentially be offensive to you, stop reading the article about three paragraphs from the end.
I got this in my mailbox the other day and thought I should share it with all y'all:
I was just writing to ask if you happened to be a fan of Moonlight the vampire tv show?? As you may or may not know, CBS has recently cancelled this amazing series after just one season.
I'm part of a massive online group to ‘save’ the show or alternatively have it moved to a new network (www.moonlightarmy.com, www.moonlight-united.com)
The fans have worked so hard - we held a Moonlight Blood Drive for the red cross to bring attention to the show, and recently held a rally outside the Warner Brothers studio to show support for the production company - and it is truly an international movement (I'm from Australia!).
If you are willing and able, I was wondering if you could draw attention to the cause on your site? Just a word from you would encourage a rabid vampire fan base to champion the cause, and we all need a bit of Vampire love! (especially when they look like Mick!)
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Megan
Google Alerts let me know about this review: http://nichtszusagen.blogspot.com/2008/05/many-bloody-returns.html, which actually reviews "Fire and Ice and Linguine for Two" from Many Bloody Returns.
Simon Haynes is the British/Australian author of the bestselling, award-winning Hal Spacejock series, featuring an over-confident but woefully under-skilled freighter pilot and his wise but obsolete robot, Clunk.
If you enjoy TV shows like the Young Ones, Blackadder, Red Dwarf and Dr Who, or books by Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Tom Holt or Jasper Fforde, then the Hal Spacejock series was written for you.
If you’ve never heard of Hal Spacejock … surprise! It’s only available in Australia.
However, to coincide with the launch of Hal Spacejock 4: No Free Lunch, the full text of Hal Spacejock Book One has been made available as a free download. To grab a copy in text, rtf or html format, visit http://www.spacejock.com.au/Hal1Download.html
(Yes, it’s a free ebook. And you’re welcome to share the download link …)
Simon, what was your inspiration for writing Hal Spacejock No Free Lunch?
My publisher phoned me and said 'can we have another one?', and I find that sort of thing very motivating. Fortunately, I'd already completed two drafts. Unfortunately, the book I handed in didn't result from either of them.
My other motivators are Hal and Clunk themselves. These characters are very dear to me, and I love putting them in life threatening situations, sending them broke, taking away everything they care about and generally giving them a really hard time.
Hey, I'm a parent. It's in my nature.
Who are your favorite authors and books now and when you were growing up?
When I was growing up I read all the usual suspects for a British kid in the 70’s: Enid Blyton, Arthur Ransome, Agatha Christie, Jerome K Jerome, Tolkien, Showell Styles, Frank Richards, Richmal Crompton, Michael Bond, WE Johns, Isaac Asimov, William F Temple ... and about a hundred others.
We moved to Spain in 1976 and English books were suddenly very hard to come by, so I read anything I could get my hands on. Westerns, thrillers, SF and so on. Mostly the sort of holiday books people abandon when they go home again.
Nowadays I enjoy humour, satire and SF, plus the occasional horror novel or murder mystery. I studied eng lit for my BA, which was enough to put me off the classics for many years, but I'm slowly coming round in my old(er) age.
What is it about fantasy/science fiction that attracts you?
Every novel begins with a blank slate, and the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re reading the things or writing them, or both, it’s a journey into the unknown and the unexplored.
Also, speaking of my own stuff, I just love the idea of self-aware robots. Despite their supposed loyalty to humans, the robots in my books often have their own agendas and desires, and rather creative methods of getting what they want. If you’ve ever struggled with a wayward computer program you’ll know the feeling.
Why did you decide to make Hal a space courier?
I needed someone with a valid reason to travel the galaxy. Also, Hal's a careless type and there's a lot of humour to be found in his clumsy destruction of valuable cargo. His chosen occupation puts him in competition with customers, other pilots and all manner of officialdom, and we all know conflict drives novels.
It’s not just freight disasters giving Hal problems … there’s a spare cabin aboard his ship, which means I can throw in the occasional passenger. They’re inevitably bad news for Hal, and that’s fun to write.
A few people have asked whether I modeled Hal on Han Solo, from the Star Wars series, and the answer is no. Hal Spacejock is a terrible pilot, is law-abiding and is fearfully over-confident while being woefully under-skilled. I’m not even a big SW fan, have never read any of the books associated with the series, and am still trying to expunge Episode I from my memory. Anyway, my influences are mostly British and Australian.
As for Hal’s name … I began writing book one in 1994, and when I reached for “brash, over-confident, loud, unintentionally funny, unaware of his failings, secretly insecure”, the name ‘Hal Spacejock’ instantly popped into my head. Anyone proudly calling themselves ‘Spacejock’ has a lot of complex issues for me to uncover.
What do you do for fun?
I love DVDs, particularly watching them on my laptop with headphones. It’s more personal and involving than watching on a big screen. I rarely watch live TV, thanks to the ads, watermarks and scrolly banner things, so boxed sets are a great escape.
Apart from my DVD-watching hobby I also count golf and archery amongst my favourite activities. In truth, it's four or five years since I swung a golf club in anger, but I just rekindled my interest in archery and am looking forward to nailing a few targets.
Finally, I write a lot of software, particularly for readers and writers. I make it all available free via the Spacejock.com website.
What sort of research did you do to write this book? What kind of preparation do you do when you are writing?
I don't do any research. I just outline the thing to death, send a two-page doc to my editor and await her go-ahead. The writing always diverges from the plot outline, but I rarely force it back again. An outline is just a map, and writing the novel is the journey.
Preparation … I stock up on coffee, chocolate, biscuits and spare batteries for the exercise bike. (I built a shelf on the handlebars for my laptop, and only allow myself to watch DVDs when I’m peddling.)
Hal Spacejock loves his food, and particularly coffee. Is that your favorite too?
Yep – instant coffee by the bucket. These days I limit myself to three cups a day, but I try and get them all in before 10am. Then I switch to t-tea and t-try not to l-let the j-jitters get to m-me.
I rarely eat out, and can’t be bothered with fancy restaurants. Give me Thai or Indian and I’m happy.
I enjoy cooking, and have a page on my website with my favourite recipes. Nothing flash – I like healthy, filling food which tastes good. I’m not in bad shape for a writer – 1.92m and 90kg (6’3” and 200lb) – but I can see that balancing health, fitness and writing long-term is going to be a struggle. In case I’ve given you the impression I’m a health nut, I’ve not seen the inside of a gym since 1985. I just try to burn more calories than I consume.
You say Hal Spacejock is law-abiding, so how come he gets into so much trouble?
Because his author is a right bastard. If I wanted all-round nice guys and do-gooders in my books I’d go write picture books with an eye to the lucrative education market. As it is, my books are popping up in school libraries all over Australia, so I’ll accept some of the blame for the parlous state of modern youth.
The thing is, I’m a firm believer in actions and consequences. If Hal is forced to ‘borrow’ a truck in one chapter, you can bet your booties he’ll regret it later. There is NO easy way out for any of my characters, EVER. Just like real life.
What are you writing now?
I’ve just dashed off yet another plot outline for Hal Spacejock 5. Every time I come up with a new plot I know THIS is the one… until I come up with the next one. I like the other plots, but they can always form the basis of book 6, or 7, or 14 …
Did you always want to write? Or did you stumble into it? How did you get where you are now?
I majored in Creative Writing at university, but despite that handicap I still maintained an interest in fiction. The problem at uni was that there were so many Serious Writers pouring their hearts and souls into passages of deep, moving prose. Handing out copies of my work for class discussion was like chucking hand grenades into a chook pen.
As for where I am now, that’s a long story. (The grotty details are on the Spacejock website, but in brief I self-published three books using my own imprint, and was literally plucked from the shelves of a local bookstore by a proper, real, honest-to-goodness publisher. The old ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you’ .. and it worked!)
What does a typical writing day look like for you? How long do you write, that sort of thing?
I see the kids off to school, mess around with email & internet until two hours before they’re due home again, then do two thousand words in a right old hurry.
Where do you write?
Propped up in bed. I kill the wireless network and get on with my daily word count, safely tucked away in a quiet corner of the house. It’s relaxing, and I enjoy the familiar surroundings. Also, nobody can sneak up behind me and read the early first draft rubbish over my shoulder – it’s strictly backs-to-the-wall stuff.
What is easiest/hardest for you as a writer?
Hardest? Hitting 3000 words with 92,000 to go. I have no idea where it’s going at that stage. How many months will it take me to finish? Will the deadlines trample my grave? Will I disappoint my fans?
Easiest? Hitting 3000 words with 92,000 to go. I have no idea where it’s going, and I love it! It’s going to be the best Hal book yet, I have months to work on it, and I gesture rudely at impudent deadlines.
This isn't your first book. Tell us a little bit about what else is out there?
This is the fourth book in the Hal Spacejock series, so there are three more of those for starters. In each title Hal finds new and exciting ways to destroy his business, his cargo and his reputation. Funny, too.
The books are available in stores across Australia and New Zealand, so those living elsewhere have to make do with (expensive) imports. My publisher and my agent are on the lookout for overseas rights deals, but are facing two problems:
One, US publishers aren’t sure how the UK-style humour will translate to their market. (To which I say, bugger the translation. Just print the books as-is and trust your audience. I’ve tested the books on US bloggers and readers, and none have dismissed the weird limey humour as incomprehensible.)
Two, UK publishers regard Australia as their home turf. When they publish a book in Britain, up to a third of the print run sells to Australia, so books which are already published here are far less attractive than home-grown ones.
On top of that, several US publishers indicated they’d be interested in the series if it did well in the UK first. To which I say Aaaaaarrggh! Sometimes I swear I’m living in a Monty Python sketch.
Anyway, I console myself with the thought that each Hal book, each positive review, each appearance in a bestseller list, and each additional printing of the books is jacking up the price these publishers are eventually going to pay. I’m in no hurry, but I’m not happy when I have to reply to emails from UK and US residents asking me why they can’t get Hal in their local store.
In light of this, my publisher recently agreed to release the first Hal Spacejock novel as a free ebook: http://www.spacejock.com.au/Hal1Download.html
The press release with the reasoning behind the choice of a drm-free, publicly available ebook is here: http://www.spacejock.com.au/EbookPR.html
Ordering links for the Hal Spacejock books
The bad news is that Hal Spacejock is only widely available in Australia and New Zealand. You can order the books from Amazon and Powell’s, but they’re imports and the cost of postage is high.
Because of this, Fremantle Press has put together a bundle of all four Hal Spacejock novels including worldwide postage for just A$79.80* (That’s the same price Australians pay in bookstores.) http://www.spacejock.com.au/BuyHal.html
* This price is subject to change – follow the link for details.
Google Alerts let me now about Xyeido's review of Tall, Dark & Dead in which s/he mostly likes the book, but complains that I work too hard to fit the chapter theme into the keywords of the house. This complaint always makes me laugh because I picked the keywords AFTER I wrote the chapter. But, I'm glad s/he was paying attention enough to assume the opposite.
I just read that Robert Asprin passed away this weekend. I loved his Myth Adventure books as a teen. http://www.mythadventures.net/
Kelly McCullough's first novel in the WebMage series, WebMage, was released by Ace in 2006 to considerable critical praise. A second, Cybermancy, followed in 2007. His newest release, CodeSpell, will be out May 27th. And a fourth book, MythOS, is slated for late May '09. His short fiction has appeared in numerous venues including Weird Tales, Writers of the Future, and Tales of the Unanticipated. His illustrated collection, The Chronicles of the Wandering Star, is part of a National Science Foundation-funded middle school science curriculum, Interactions in Physical Science.
For more information and samples of some his short stories you can check out his website: http://www.kellymccullough.com/.
Why this book? What made you want to write this story?
That's a surprisingly difficult question to answer. This is the third book of a series and certainly part of my motivation for writing it is that this is a fun world to play in and I like these characters enough to want to spend more time with them. Part of it is that I had what I thought was a fast fun plot that continued the story in a way that would be entertaining to write and to read. But probably the most important part of the equation for this book is that actions have consequences. The things that Ravirn did in books one and two have ongoing repercussions and I wanted to see how they played out and how Ravirn would have to grow to respond to them.
Which authors inspire you? Has that changed over time?
Different writers teach me different things at different times. Zelazney and Tim Powers are probably at the top of the list of writers who've affected my work most visibly, though Powers is less present in the WebMage stuff than he is in some of my other, darker work. Norton and McCaffrey and Tolkien are in my bones. Martha Wells is wonderful and so are Robin McKinley and Lois McMaster Bujold.
Why genre? Is there something special about science fiction or fantasy that draws you to write in the field?
I was pretty much raised to be a fantasy and science fiction writer, though that certainly wasn't the intent of the process. I'm a third generation fan of the genre and some of my earliest memories are of having the Lord of the Rings, Asimov's Foundation trilogy, and A Midsummer Night's Dream read to me. I learned very early to love story and genre and once I found out that I could maybe make a living by telling the sorts of stories that were told to me I was pretty much lost.
What do you find most interesting about Ravirn? Why write about this protagonist?
What I love about Ravirn is his combination of idealism and cynicism. He expects the worst of a situation but won't let that stop him from working toward a solution, even when he knows the attempt is probably doomed. That and his sense of humor. I come from a family where humor, particularly black humor and sarcasm, are fundamental coping mechanisms. Sometimes life hands you a situation where you have to laugh or cry, and given any choice in the matter I'll always pick laughter. It may not solve the problem, but it sure lightens the load.
You're a writer. What else are you? What are your interests? Hobbies?
Husband and cat-wrangler are probably at the top of the list for other self-identifiers. My wife and I are coming up on twenty fantastic years together and over that time two cats became three cats, became four cats, became five. I love to read and play video-games. I've got a Gaiman, a Pierce and a Blaylock on the active books pile and I just finished playing Portal and Drake's Fortune. I also like hiking and biking, and since it's spring, I'm at the front end of the annual garden madness.
Did you have to do any special research for this book? What did you need to know in order to write it that you didn't know before? Do you have some special preparation you do for your writing?
I didn't have to do a lot of new research for this book. After finishing two novels set in the Greek gods plus computers reality of the WebMage I have a pretty good grounding in this world, and I really only needed to touch up my memory of a couple of the myths involved in this specific story. On a more general note, I read non-fiction voraciously. I just finished a great book on plants in traditional Hawaiian culture as part of a Hawaiian history and mythology kick. I read several science and technology magazines on an ongoing basis and I'm looking around for some good references on the Canadian Maritime provinces in general and on Halifax in particular.
I see a lot of computer and programming stuff in the WebMage series. Is that something that really interests you? Or is it more driven by the needs of the story?
Mostly it's the needs of the story. I love my laptop and the web and I tend to be a technology early adopter if I can afford it, but I'm not really much for programming or hacking. While I have been immersed in computer culture from a very early age since my mother became a bug-checker when I was about ten and has been working as an analyst and programmer ever since and because I've got a lot of close friends in IT, it's not something I'm much involved in outside of writing the books.
Ravirn displays a lot of physicality, constantly getting himself into life-threatening situations and back out of them in ways that involve all sorts of death defying action. I'm guessing that's not something you the writer have an enormous amount of experience with. How do you make that convincing? Do Ravirn's solutions reflect the sort of things you might do in a similar situation?
I'm much more of a thinker than Ravirn, especially as I've gotten older, but I've got to admit to a certain amount of speaking from experience when I have him do something big and physical and stupid like climbing a building and then jumping off. It's not the sort of thing I'd do now, but when I was in my late teens and early twenties I was something of an adrenaline junkie. I was into martial arts and mountain climbing and all sorts of things that are moderately safe when done responsibly and less so when done the way I did some of them. From fifteen to twenty-two I averaged two trips to the emergency room a year, and as I've gotten older that's led to things like a couple of knee surgeries and other corrective measures.
What are you writing now?
A couple of things. I just sent off book proposals for a fifth WebMage and for two books that I would like to write as a successor series to the WebMage/Ravirn books. I've also got a YA I want to work on–the second in a series that my agent is shopping around now–because I'm in love with the story and the world. That's the main front burner stuff. But I've got five complete novels and nine proposals out with various editors and any of those could get moved up the list if they sell. I'm pretty busy at the moment, and I love it that way. There's really nothing I'd rather be doing with my life than what I'm doing right now.
How did you become a writer? Is this what you saw yourself growing up to be? Or did it take you be surprise?
Short answer: I quit theater. Longer version. I set out at the age of eleven to be an actor and was well on my way when I met the woman I would eventually marry. At that point, I realized how incompatible theater was with having a long term relationship and I went looking for something else to do. On something very like a whim I wrote my first novel and fell head over heals in love with writing. Now I can't imagine myself doing anything else.
Do you have a writing routine? Talk process for a moment, how do the words get on the page?
I write between two and eight hours a day five days a week. On a typical day I get up around eight in the morning, stagger downstairs and collect a unit of caffeine–could be soda, could be tea, it doesn't really matter since it's a delivery system. Then I hop on the treadmill and websurf and read email and the like for an hour or so. At that point I'm mostly awake and I do things like respond to the email or other writing and life maintenance tasks. That can take anything between twenty minutes and two hours. Then I write. Less than a thousand words is a bad day. More than two thousand is a good one. Oh, and, I use a laptop so that I can work where the whim takes me.
Office? Closet? Corner of the living room? Do you have a set place to write? A favorite? How does the environment you write in affect your production? Your process?
In summer I write in a second floor screen porch. It has a gorgeous view over the park that abuts our backyard, and that sort of near outdoor setting is my preferred setting for writing–I'm hoping to have a more permanent solar built to replace the porch soon. Until then, my winter office is our upstairs sitting room which gets southern light and is a pretty comfortable substitute for my screen porch.
Is there anything you especially like to work on in a book? Anything you hate?
I love world-building and plot-twisting. Figuring out how a system of magic might work and then figuring out ways to game that system fascinates me. And yes, I was a rules lawyer back in my role-playing days, why do you ask? Likewise building a plot and then coming up with ways to add twists or bits of misdirection is a joy for me. I don't really have any hates. There are things that I used to find more difficult, character chief among them, but I'm getting a steadily better handle on the whole process and I just love writing. I even love rewriting, both the sentence level stuff and the bigger more complex story edits.
This isn't your first book; tell us a little bit about what else is out there.
Well, primarily it's the WebMage stuff. WebMage, Cybermancy, and now CodeSpell with MythOS finished and forthcoming and a proposal in for SpellCrash after that. On the novels front, as I mentioned above, I've got five more books and nine proposals out, so that could change at any moment. I've also had a number of short stories published, including an illustrated collection as part of a big middle school physical science curriculum that's been adopted by several states. But that doesn't make an enormous amount of sense outside the classroom setting it was written for.
Do you see fiction as having a purpose? Generally? How about your own work?
Transcendence. I think that human beings need story. We need myths and legends and tales that lift us out of ourselves and that fiction supplies that need. That's another reason I do most of my work in fantasy-if I'm going to be a mythmaker for a living I might as well write the truly mythic.
Early Reviews:
CodeSpell has been getting great reviews. Publishers Weekly called CodeSpell the "taut third book in the Ravirn series" and said, "A hint of cyberpunk, a dollop of Greek mythology and a sprinkle of techno-magic bake up into an airy genre mashup. Lots of fast-paced action and romantic angst up the ante as Ravirn faces down his formidable foes." From Romantic Times four star review: "This third book featuring hacker extraordinaire Ravirn is every bit of a fast-paced, energetic, page-turner as its predecessors. Ravirn continues to be a fascinating protagonist, and the chaotic twists of the plot carry the reader through to the end."
Sales info:
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
Dreamhaven (signed copies): http://dreamhavenbooks.com/mccullough.php
Urban Fantasyland did their Saturday interview with me! Check it out: Saturday Seven With Author Tate Hallaway.
Because I finished my first draft of Dead if I Do last week, I treated myself to a movie… out. The last movie I saw in a theatre was the second installment of Lord of the Rings, and the there were a couple things about the movie going experience that have changed in the intervening years. First of all, the seats are WAY better. My friend Sean M. Murphy and I went to the new Rosedale theatre and I have to say, stadium seating is very nice. The prices for concessions, however, blew my mind. Four dollars for a bottle of water? Sean and I concluded it had to be angel p*ss to be worth that much. Also, there were a lot more commercials, although, secretly, that doesn’t bother me as much.
As for the movie itself, it didn’t take long for me to be happy with Iron Man. The moment we discover his computerized “butler” at Tony Stark’s Malibu mansion is named Jarvis (after, no doubt, the long-time real, live butler at the Avengers’ Mansion) I was pretty much sold. By the time the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. showed I was damn near giddy. The surprise scene at the end of the credits made me – and Sean can attest to this – actually scream out loud.
It’s clear that Marvel is the best creative team to have at the head of their movie franchise, because unlike the okay-but-vaguely-disappointing Fantastic Four films, it’s clear that the Marvel writers get that superhero stories aren’t just about the eye-candy special effects (though there were plenty to enjoy in Iron Man). Not to over do an Iron Man metaphor, but Marvel clearly gets the importance of giving their heroes heart, soul, and, frankly, personality.
Robert Downey, Jr. made a phenomenal Tony Stark. He managed to walk the line of smarmy, but likable. The humor (and brief moments of self-deprecation and vulnerability) did a lot to win me over. As I said on one of my other blogs, I was never a big fan of Iron Man before this movie. I read him in old Avengers, but never in his own title. I knew some of his origin story, but not very well. I tended to find him a rather vacuous placeholder/spear carrier in the Avengers, and, at worst, I pegged him as a military industrialist Capitalist running dog. (Funny aside: There’s a scene in one of the issues of Runaways where the young heroes are trying to find a villain to pound and they come across someone vandalizing a Stark Industries sign. They have a long discussion about Stark’s dubious role in any number of military actions and in the end make the case that vandalizing Stark Industries isn’t really much of a crime given how odious Stark’s business dealing are – funny. True.)
While reading the Civil War story line, I came to appreciate Iron Man in his pseudo-villainous role as the contractor (with Haliburton) for the Negative Zone prisons, etc. I couldn’t say I liked him, but I thought his arguments for the Superhero Registration Act had a certain kind of logic that made the Civil War have that much more resonance with today’s political climate.
With Downey, Jr. in the role, however, I started to get what all the fuss was about. If things proceed to an Iron Man 2 and Avengers movie, I could actually see myself caring about him. I might also understand how he comes to co-lead the Avengers with Captain America (which was something, as a on-again-off-again reader of the Avengers titles I could never truly grok.)
What I like, too, about Iron Man the movie is that it restored my faith in comic book to movie adaptations. I thought the writers were very good at giving readers unfamiliar to Iron Man a reason to love him, while also giving us long time fans a movie that was a ‘fans’ fan, lady’s fan, fan about town.’
It made me an Iron Fan.
The Sweetest Words in the English language: THE END.
I wrote them last night on the first draft of Dead If I Do (which is due at the publisher at the end of this month.) Now it's off to my beta readers, who will no doubt give me lots of suggestions for improvement, which I will follow. Then my partner reads it last, and I make final changes and usually copy edits.
So, it a way it's not an ending, but the beginning...
*****PERMISSION TO FORWARD*******
Innovative Publicity Basics for Authors (New and Hopeful) with Lauren Cerand
Sponsored by: Heart of Dixie http://www.heartofdixie.org
Dates: July 1-14, 2008
Deadline to Register: June 15
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
p>New York-based independent publicist Lauren Cerand walks you through the fundamentals of literary publicity right up to the cutting-edge. This courseconsists of six instructor-led lectures, three open "Q & A" sessions dedicated to your topics, and three small but significant homework assignments. Content will be useful to authors in any genre and at any level of expertise.INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Lauren Cerand (www.laurencerand.com) is an independent public relations representative and consultant in New York. Her clients are a purposefully eclectic mix of creative professionals, and she specializes in generating initial buzz and building sustained attention for individuals and projects such as Barnes & Noble's "Upstairs at the Square" series www.bn.com/upstairs. She is often asked to share her innovative perspective on publicity and has spoken to audiences at the at the 20th Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair, Book Promotion 101, Mystery Writers of America, NYU's Center for Publishing, The (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest, Penguin UK (video clip), Virginia Festival of the Book, Word of Mouth, Women's National Book Association, and next at the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference (June 14-15, 2008). The Village Voice included her in its "Best of New York" (2004) issue. She is the vice chair of the board of directors of Girls Write Now, "a nonprofit volunteer mentoring organization that has been matching bright, creative teenage girls from New York City's public high schools with professional women writers in the community since 1998." A Cornell University graduate, Lauren compiles "The Smart Set," a weekly round-up of cultural happenings for www.MaudNewton.com, and writes about art, politics and style at www.LuxLotus.com.
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This breaking news from www.astrology.com:
Saturn just sent ripples in your life by going direct, but another major wave of change is coming on May 9 when Jupiter turns retrograde. Jupiter is the planet of luck, grace, favor and fortune. Jupiter brings wealth, abundance, and optimism. Our successes, accomplishments and prosperity are all within the realm of the grace this large planet bestows upon us. However, when Jupiter turns retrograde, our forward momentum is reversed. This period is not a good time to start new ventures, make financial investments or even change jobs for that matter. Rather, it is a time to finish projects, an excellent time to pay attention to relationships, as well a time to gain a better perspective on life and our inner self. The major emphasis of a Jupiter retrograde period is on inner awareness and inner growth.
Here's a review from Writers Are Readers by Terry Spear's of Romancing the Dead. Among some other lovely things, she says:
"I hadn’t read any of the earlier works of Tate Hallaway, but it was easy to follow along with the story in ROMANCING THE DEAD without having done so. I liked the mystery and had to keep reading to find out how it all turned out. And isn’t that every writer’s dream? To hook the reader so that he or she can’t put the book down? Such was the case with me."
If you find yourself with nothing to do on (May 7) Thursday, night 9pm EST (which is 8pm for those of us in the Midwestern region), you're welcome to participate in a reader/author chat over at Jove/Berkley/Ace's Writer's Space.
I plan to stop by, but a word of warning... if anyone has had the misfortune of IMing with me, you'll know that Garnet and I have one thing in common: we're both computer dweebs. So, while I'll be there, I'll probably respond three minutes after you ask a question. Okay, it might not be that bad, but... well, you've been warned.
Listed below are the winners of the signed, manuscript copy of the first chapter of DEAD IF I DO (the book after ROMANCING THE DEAD, which came out offically yesterday). Will the winners please send their snail mail address to me at tate.hallaway@gmail.com I'll get that out you all y'all as soon as I get your address!
And the winners are....
1. Jolene
2. Tetewa
3. Leah
4. Meljprincess
5. crystalgb
6. abigail
7. limecello
8. valerie oakley
9. lori
10. carmel
Thanks to everyone for making the blog roll contest a success!
Welcome to the blog roll contest!
How this works is that each author involved in the blog roll will pose a question on their blog. We will print our answers (and links to the next blog). You can participate by giving me your answer in my comments. The first ten people will receive a signed, manuscript copy of the first chapter of the book after ROMANCING THE DEAD, DEAD IF I DO (2009).
My question is:
If you could marry (or date) one character from your novels who would it be, and why?
Michele Bardsley:
Patrick O'Halloran from I'M THE VAMPIRE, THAT'S WHY. He's got that Irish accent and he's really hot and he's been around for four-thousand years
Erin McCarthy: Damien from MY IMMORTAL because he owns a plantation house in Louisiana and an apartment in the French Quarter. I have a thing for quality real estate. ;-)
Anya Bast: Hmmm...just one? That's a hard question. Man... *thinks* Okay, I guess I'd pick Alejandro Martinez from The Chosen Sin (Berkley Heat, October 2008). He's a vampire with an extra special skill in pleasure giving when he takes blood (what's not to like about that?) He lives in the future and in another part of the universe, so he'd be able to show me all kinds of interesting places. We could gaze at the stars together (we'd have a great view). Plus, he's got a wicked sexy accent and would speak Spanish to me. Grrrrooowl. I seriously doubt I could get away with stealing him from Daria, though. She scares me. *whimper*
And finally.... my answer:
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Tate Hallaway: I'd date Daniel Parrish. Like Garnet, however, I'd be pretty hesitant to marry anyone quite as bad boy as Parrish. If I had to pick a guy from my books to actually settle down with, I think I might pick William. Sebastian is a bit broody for me, and William seems lie he'd be a lot of fun to talk to.
What's your answer? If you could marry any fictional character in your favorite books, who would you marry and why?
Our dear friends at astrology.com have this news about today's stars:
Saturn, the slow moving planet of karma and taskmaster of the zodiac, goes direct on May 2, 2008 at 8:07pm, PDT, ushering in an incredible period of possibilities and gifts.
Saturn commands us to get to work, and to work hard. Discipline and responsibility are important to this planet. So if you have been honest, responsible and hard working, gifts and rewards are coming your way! It could be a lucky break, a well-deserved raise at work or dreams you had given up, suddenly handed to you. However, if we have been shirking our responsibility or have been deceitful, then we will be found out and dealt with accordingly.
Saturn reinforces responsibility, carrying your share of the load and being held accountable for what you say or do -- or say you are going to do. Saturn rules wisdom, however, it is wisdom gained from hard work and experience -- earned one hard step at a time. During a direct period, Saturn inspires confidence. As its role as a teacher, during a direct transit, Saturn also bestows inner strength -- a strength of spirit, a deepening sense of compassion and understanding of self, others or a particular situation.
And now this from www.astrology.com:
May brings more than just spring flowers -- there is dynamic activity happening in the cosmos, and it has deep and lasting implications for us all. It's time for a one-two punch from the heavyweights in the solar system -- Saturn and Jupiter -- and while some will feel like the bottom has dropped out, others will get sweet rewards that they've been working so hard for.
The month starts off with a bang! Saturn, the slow moving planet of karma and dharma turns direct on May 2. This is a period of endless possibilities and sweet rewards for hard work, as well as recognition for your contributions to both work and relationships. May 5 brings a New Moon in Taurus, and with it new beginnings. Any tangible, practical investment you make in your life can really pay off this month.
Jupiter, the planet of expansion and generosity, goes retrograde May 9. The effects of this retrograde will be felt differently depending on how Jupiter is positioned in your birth chart. However, the overall effect of a Jupiter retrograde represents a tightening up of finances. Wallets will be closing, and this is a time for frugality. The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 19 also signals that this is a good time to tune into your financial life and evaluate your financial responsibilities.
The final big punch comes with Mercury and Neptune both turning retrograde on May 2. Mercury retrogrades always bring disruption in communications and the Neptune retrograde period is a time to remember and revisit your dreams, goals and ideals.
First of all, my alter ego is blogging about "Committing Series" over at SF Novelists today.
Second, I got an invitation to a big book launch blog roll with several other paranormal romance authors, including: Michele Bardsley, Charlaine Harris, Erin McCarthy, and Anya Bast. How this is going to work is that each of us is going to pose a question on our blogs and post our answer, along with the answers from the other authors. Each author is going to host a contest for a free book, Amazon certificate or something like that. If you roll through all the blogs, you'll get a chance to win something from each of us. For my part, I plan to offer a signed, manuscript copy of the first chapter of the NEXT book, Dead If I Do (2009), to the first ten people to post a response in the comments.
So I'm giving all y'all the heads up. As they used to say in that annoying ad, "Watch this space!"
First of all, for those of you who missed my fabulous appearance on KFAI's "Write On Radio," you can listen to an audiofile in their archives at: 4/24/08 - Write On Radio Show. Don't be thrown by the fact that there's a long musical lead, no show identification or the fact that a woman with a British accent (Marie Phillips) starts reading about the goddess Artemis and trees and blow-jobs. I'm on during the second half of the show, and they were waiting for Marie to call in from London.
What's funny is that I just wrote a scene in DEAD IF I DO with another Greek goddess, Athena, and had I known that the author of GODS BEHAVING BADLY was going to be sharing the show with me, I'd have brought that scene.
Being on KFAI was a blast. I've been really fortunate enough to have been on KFAI several times in the past (I have a bunch of .mp3 files on the FAQ section of my web page, if you're at all curious.) The station itself is on the top floor of a thin, funky building on University of Minnesota's West Bank. The West Bank, if you're not familiar with it, has some of of the last vestiges of Minneapolis' hippy culture. There's May Day Books still there, as well as the home of a few cooperatives. There used to be the New Riverside Cafe (which is featured in Emma Bull's WAR FOR THE OAKS), as well as the folk music collective: The Coffeehouse Extemporie. The West Bank is also adjactent to the sort of low-rent theatre district of Minneapolis -- the Theatre in the Round, Southern Theatre, and Theatre du Juene Lune are all there. Somali immigrants have also moved into the West Bank which adds an East African flavor to the whole mix.
KFAI is very much part of the remaining hippy culutre that's clinging to the neighborhood, so it's not like being on a radio show on one of the big, commerical stations. I've done that once, where I called into a station in Wisconsin, and that was a lot more nerve wracking.
At KFAI they have several studios, which look not unlike regular meeting rooms, except there are big microphones over each spot at the table, and, of course, a fancy looking electronic board on the other side of a short divider. You get to wear headphones, which adds to the whole, "I'm on the radio!" feeling, but there's a window and posters on the wall. I was nervous until I got into the studio. You do have to be silent the moment the "On Air" light goes on, but thanks to the relaxing atmosphere of the place, it's not as big a deal as you might think.
I have to say that the thing that amused me was how much Ian Leask gestured to everyone silently while Marie talked. There was a lot of frantic pointing and obtuse sign language that made Cin (the woman who read the calendar of events) very nervous. I guess they also had a back up tape ready to roll in case there were technical problems getting Marie on the air.
My favorite moment came when I completely blanked on what DEAD SEXY was about. I couldn't remember for several hours, actually. The problem is, of course, that that book was so long ago in some ways. I'm in the middle of writing book four, and three even seems like a dim memory for me, you know?
I always feel like I'm blathtering away, and I know I went off on vaguely unrelated tangents. In the past when my friend J. Otis Powell! was the host of the show, he actually gave me a list of the questions he was going to ask ahead of time, so I'd have a moment to prepare. Steve didn't, so everything was very spontaneous. I noticed that I used my stall-while-I-form-an-answer phrase a couple of times, the whole "That's a great question...."
Even so, it was a great time. I can only hope I get the opportunity to do it again sometime.
If you're interested in reading an interview of me over at Jenna Black's website, you can go to: Jenna Black's Interview with Tate
And, today is Friday, be sure to check out the new story by Stephen Baxter over at Ninja Writer's Story Club: Featured Post
If you happen to notice this post before 11:00 am (CST) today, you can hear me on the radio! I'm going to be one of the guests on the "Write On Radio" show on KFAI. I'll be promoting my new release ROMANCING THE DEAD and my up-coming appearance at Dreamhaven Books & Comics. KFAI can be heard at 90.3 Minneapolis/106.7 St. Paul or streaming on-line at http://www.kfai.org/.
Yesterday, my alter ego posted over at SF Novelists about the question of why fantasy outsells science fiction, "Defining Darkness (SF vs. F Redux)"
Book Blurb: Drake is a Killer vampire.
Unlike the Guardians of the Night, Drake feeds on human blood, choosing victims who deserve to die. But still he works with the Guardians to protect those humans who yet have some good in them.
When Gabriel, the leader of the Baltimore Guardians, mysteriously disappears, Drake finds himself in charge of a small band of inexperienced fledgling vampires. When a delegation of European Killers arrives in Baltimore looking for Gabriel, Drake must call on all the savagery of his sordid past to keep the Guardians in line—and to protect them from the ruthless Killers.
Forced to confront a past he has tried so hard to outrun, Drake risks losing his humanity. His only hope is Faith, the French Seigneur’s concubine, who desperately needs his help to rescue her human sister from the Seigneur’s clutches. Then someone begins killing the members of the European vampire delegation, and Drake is the only suspect. Will Drake be saved by love, or will he become a Killer without a conscience?
What was your inspiration for writing HUNGERS OF THE HEART?
Since the first book of the Guardians of the Night series, I’ve always known I would eventually write Drake’s book. Many of my readers have also impatiently been awaiting his book since they first “met” him in WATCHERS IN THE NIGHT. As excited as I was to write his story, though, it turned out to be very hard to do. One of the most attractive things about Drake in WATCHERS was his self-confidence, the sense that he was comfortable in his own skin. Confident, comfortable characters, however, don’t make for interesting protagonists, so I had to shake him up. I found myself strangely reluctant to do so. That was the first time I had to struggle to make myself be mean to one of my characters. Usually authorial cruelty comes easily to me, as my readers no doubt know!
Which books and authors have most influenced your career?
I’d have to credit THOSE WHO HUNT THE NIGHT, by Barbara Hambly, as being the book that piqued my interest in vampires. The main vampire character in that book, Don Simon Ysidro, is absolutely fascinating to me. There’s no question he’s a bad guy—all her vampires are killers, and none of them seem to feel any remorse for their actions. However, Don Simon also has redeeming qualities, such as a sense of honor, that make him at least somewhat sympathetic to both the reader and the novel’s hero. (And from that description, you can no doubt see how much I was influenced by that particular book!)
For my urban fantasies, I’d have to credit the Anita Blake series, by Laurell K. Hamilton as having had the most influence. That was the first urban fantasy series I read, and I ended up absolutely hooked. After reading her books, I went on to “discover” such authors as Kelley Armstrong, Keri Arthur, Rachel Caine, and Patricia Briggs. It was because I loved all those books so much that I set out to write an urban fantasy myself.
What’s the best and the worst advice you’ve ever received?
The worst advice I ever received was to slavishly follow all publishers’ guidelines for submissions. (Note the word “slavishly.” I’m not saying to ignore guidelines.) For the 16 + years I was seriously trying—and failing—to get published, I dutifully submitted books one at a time, no simultaneous submissions. I can’t tell you how many times I had to wait a year or more to get a response. And during that waiting time, I refused to submit the book to another publisher, because most publishers say they won’t accept simultaneous submissions. It made for a painfully slow, agonizing, frustrating process. If I had it all to do over again, I’d probably go ahead and make simultaneous submissions despite the guidelines. I think it would have saved some of my sanity.
The best advice was for me to take responsibility for my own career. This meant always acting as though my career was under my control, even when sometimes it feels like I’m a victim in the winds of fate. This advice was crucial to my finally getting published. I had gotten to a point where I’d convinced myself I needed to get that lucky break to get my foot in the door. And that was a dismal prospect, because you can’t control luck. Then I went to a workshop where the teachers were adamant in their belief that luck has nothing to do with it, that if you write well enough and long enough, you’ll break in. It was a total change of attitude for me, and it changed the way I approached my career. When I began to believe that it was my own abilities, not the whims of luck, that would ultimately get me published, I started working much, much harder at my writing. I started treating it like a career, rather than a hobby. A year later, I had an agent. Two years later, I had my first contract. And now I have five books out with four more under contract. So it was by far the best advice I’ve ever received.
What (besides writing) do you do for fun?
Number one on my list is, naturally, reading. Like most writers, I’m a voracious reader. I’ve recently become addicted to doing jigsaw puzzles. My enjoyment of jigsaw puzzles has come and gone multiple times over the course of my life. I’ll go for years without doing one, then suddenly I’ll have an urge and I’ll do a whole bunch in a row. I’m finding them particularly fun right now because they’re something I can do that doesn’t involve sitting in front of a computer.
I also enjoy ballroom dancing, which I’ve just taken up again after several years’ hiatus. I think it’s important for me to find things to do outside the house now that I’ve quit my day job. It would be so easy for me to become a hermit. So that’s why I decided to start dancing again. (Though it’s also a lot of fun as well as being good exercise.)
What are you writing now?
Right now I’m working on the fourth book in my Morgan Kingsley series. I’ve just gotten started, so I’m still in those very uncertain “what the heck is going to happen in this book?” stage. It often takes me a few chapters before I start feeling like I’ve “really” started the book. I’ve also been playing around with an idea for a YA urban fantasy, but I have to put that aside now to work on the book that’s sold and on deadline.
Did you always want to write? Or did you stumble into it? How did you get where you are now?
I wrote my first book when I was in fifth grade. It was an autobiography. It’s written in pencil, with crayon illustrations and a construction paper cover. So I’ve pretty much been writing forever. I wrote my first novel my senior year of high school for my English class on creative writing. (Actually, it was really a novella, but I considered it a novel at that time.) I then wrote my first real, full-length novel in college. However, it took about 20 years and 17 more novels before I made my first sale.
In college, I majored in anthropology and French. My intention was to get a PhD in physical anthropology and become the next Jane Goodall. Obviously, my career and my ambitions ended up taking a different path.
What does a typical writing day look like for you? How long do you write, that sort of thing?
I start out by trudging up to my computer while guzzling coffee as I try to shake the sleep clouds from my head. (I’m not the best morning person in the world.) I usually read emails and look at some of my favorite Internet sites (like MySpace and Romance Divas) while I wait for my brain to be fully functional. Then I drag myself to a computer that has no Internet access and no games—nothing installed on it other than word processing software. And I write.
I tend to write in multiple short (45 minutes to an hour) spurts throughout the morning and early afternoon. Between spurts, I check email or do chores or work out. (Or goof off, but I try to keep that to a minimum.)
Where do you write??
I have a home-office-cum-library where I work. It’s a converted bonus room over our garage, and it’s decorated to help stimulate my imagination—and give me the illusion that I’ve actually left the house to write. The effect is like working in a medieval/gothic library, with faux-wood floors and faux-stone walls.
What is the best part of being a writer? The most frustrating?
The best part about being a writer for me is hearing from readers. I love knowing that people have read and enjoyed my books. I was especially moved when I got an email from a reader who was seriously ill and told me my books helped make the bad times better for her. Books have always been my escape during the worst times in my life, and one of the thoughts that kept me going while I was struggling to sell that first novel was the desire to provide that same kind of escape for others. Learning that I’d done so for at least one reader brought tears to my eyes.
The most frustrating part of being a writer is how many things about your career are not under your control. You can’t control the whims of the market, the editorial shifts in your publishing house, the closing of lines, the cover art, the marketing . . . You name it. (Some of those things you can control when you’re a mega star, but I’m not there yet!)
This isn't your first book; tell us a little bit about what else is out there?
There are three other books out in the Guardians of the Night series: WATCHERS IN THE NIGHT, SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS, and SHADOWS ON THE SOUL. There’s also THE DEVIL INSIDE, the first book in my Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist series. The second book in that series, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, will come out on July 29.
Where can we learn more about you and your books?
My website is www.JennaBlack.com. You can also find me on MySpace at www.MySpace.com/jennablackbooks.
Ninja Writer, aka CV Rick, has posted a story by Elizabeth Bear as part of his story club. It's called "Tideline," and, if you get a chance, you should read it. Not only is it one of the many short stories up for an award this year, but... well, read it. The beginning is slow, but the story is worth it, IMHO. If you disagree, you can join the discussion.
The discussion started last Friday, but you can continue to post through the rest of this week.
Because I know you're wondering what's happening in the stars, here's the news from astrology.com:
This is a magic time! The cosmos aligns itself into special configurations over the next couple of days, freeing you to accomplish almost anything you desire -- all while working in harmony with the universe!
On April 17, communicative Mercury enters practical and down-to-earth Taurus, forming a Grand Trine on April 18 with Pluto and Saturn.
Then, expressive Sun follows Mercury into Taurus, on April 19, immediately enhancing the beneficial grand trine on April 20 and 21, with hard-working Saturn in Virgo and intense Pluto in achievement-oriented Capricorn.
A grand trine occurs when you have three celestial bodies that are all separated by a span of 120-degrees. Trines favor focus on high ideals, insight, vision, creative expression and well-being. Grand trines specifically promote self-confidence, self-assurance, optimism, expectation, a sense of pleasure, an easy flow of energy, inspiration, expansion of creativity and a sense of inner hope and faith.
Because this trine is happening in earth signs, expect people with valuable advice and experience to come out of the woodwork. These people will help you accomplish your aims -- whether you want to pitch your latest creative project, start a business or set up a savings plan for retirement. You can do more now to make your life secure and stable than you have for a long time.
Google Alerts found two new reviews for Romancing the Dead. The first from Darque Reviews. Here's the good bits:
"Romancing the Dead is the third book in the Garnet Lacey series. Ms. Hallaway provides another exciting adventure in her unique series, and adds fascinating new characters to the mix. Readers will meet Micah who’s charming, sexy and altogether captivating, even when his actions are less than honorable. Garnet, who is generally a strong character with all she’s weathered, becomes more flawed and human as she deals with the shock of her missing fiancé, accepts help from the future stepson she loathes, and suffers the insecurities of contemplating the future she’s about to share with her vampire lover. Romancing the Dead starts off slowly, but it’s really the only chance readers get to catch their breath before they’re swept up into the melee and left looking forward to more of the same."
The next one is from Fresh Fiction. Here's what their reviewer had to say about it:
Tate Hallaway uses comedy for this quirky witch, Garnet. ROMANCING THE DEAD has lots of excitement and mystery to keep you guessing throughout. It's a fun reading treat.
Here's an interesting article Shawn pointed me to in the New York Times: "Creator of Captain America Keeps Fighting On." It's not only an interesting article for fans of Cap, but also a cautionary tale for all writers. Joe Simon, like Jerry Seigel (the creator of Superman) before him, lost his copyright to Captain America and has seen hardly any royalties for his creation. Here's a bit of a teaser from the article:
“People in comic books have a very sad history in dealing with their creative people,” he said.
Todd McFarlane, 47, who in 1992 helped found Image Comics, agreed. “I read the stories of Joe Simon,” he said. “I read the stories of Jack Kirby. I read the stories of all those guys in the ’40s, ’50s and even the ’60s. I kept coming across this repetitive story: the creative guy got the short end of the stick.”
Harriet Klausner reviewed Romancing the Dead on her blog "Genre Go Round." As per usual, she's misspelled my name (she did that with my alter ego as well). Here's an excerpt of the good stuff:
As always in a Tate Hallaway fantasy, the various types of paranormal species seem genuine and Madison, Wisconsin is a perfect setting for this the action thriller that never slows down for a moment. Readers will thoroughly appreciate this stand alone tale that also refers back to incidents in the previous two novels (see tall sexy and tall, dark & dead). Although ROMANCING THE DEAD lacks the humor that the audience expects from this talented author, this superb tale affirms the theory that “life’s a witch” worth reading about.
Also, Vixen's Daily Reads has a review up of the first book Tall, Dark & Dead, which continues the seemingly never-ending question of why I get such "chick litty" covers. Here's the nice thing said there:
This is a good story, a sort of in between light and grim paranormal. Garnet is my favorite. She is tough, but still vulnerable at times. Sebastian makes for an intriguing vampire. I'd like to see more of Garnet's friend, Izzy, who takes pretty much all she witnesses in her stride. William is a confused sweet soul and deserves more book time.
My dear friend the Ninja Writer (aka "CV Rick") has a new story up for his community reading experiment, this one by Michael Swanwick, and like Ted Chiang's, it's also up for an award (this time the Hugo.) I've been joining in the discussions as my alter ego, and I have to say it's fun to have a whole group of people reading the same stuff. Rick is a voracious reader. Check out his list of the SF/F books he read last year. Meanwhile, I've always felt woefully underread in the genre. I guess I'm sort of hoping that following along with this "short story club" I can at least have read a few of the short stories that are up for awards.
Come join us!
I'm not sure what I like better the actual hat or the headline from io99, "Sheep Help Nerd Achieve Hair Nirvana."
This is from my friend Rick
For those of you who have an hour or so to spare for a bit of fiction:
My blog post today is about a short story (novelette, actually) by Ted Chiang that appeared in S&SF last year and has now been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards. I'm asking those of you with blogs to make a little experimental space on your blog for the links to the free audio and text versions of the story so that us and your readers can attempt a group discussion of the story -
How it works,
How it doesn't,
Whether it's deserving of the awards,
Whether it showcases modern science fiction as a still-promising genre, etc.All I request is that you link back to my post and put a comment on mine so other people can find their way to your blog post as well.
For those of you without blogs I'm asking for participation - too much of our entertainment these days is passive. Jump in, read the story, talk about it. If you hate it, then say so. If you love it, tell us and others about it. If this works, I'll find other free - linked stories to try this with and it can become an (ir-) regular feature.
I came across this nice review of Tall, Dark & Dead at Kaijsa Reads: 11. Tall, Dark & Dead.
As a bonus, there's a nice little discussion about the chick-lit label.
The newest in planetary developments affecting your life directly from Astrology.com:
The plot thickens. Ever since January 25 when powerful Pluto entered Capricorn, the sign of the builder, you have been examining conditions you have left (or are leaving) and have been wondering where you want to put your energy and ambitions. What projects do you want to invest in? Where do you want your life to take you? These are changing times and you are feeling every bit of it!
Now, on April 2, Pluto turns retrograde for the first time in its new sign -- giving you the opportunity to review the blueprint of your life plan. Additionally, Mercury's entrance into Aries on April 2 (new ideas) and Venus' transit into the same sign on April 5 (a new love interest?) encourage you to be bold, not to shy away from these important new beginnings.
Now is the time to transform your life. You are embarking on a new chapter of a whole new story. The journey ahead is filled with all of the twists and turns that make a great novel and, since you are the author, this Pluto review in the midst of Aries energy offers you the opportunity to write, re-write and edit your amazing life story!
Thanks to Tony L. P. Kelner for pointing out this great review for ROMANCING THE DEAD in Romantic Times:
"It's round three of witchy heroine Garnet Lacey's first-person adventures. One of the real pleasures of this series has been watching this spunky heroine come into her own. Relationships are never easy, and when you throw in supernatural jeopardy, it can play havoc with emotions. This is a guenuinely funny, adventurous and delightful read."
You're patiently explaining to me how to improve my writing, and I look like I'm taking copious notes, but really, I'm thinking: "Dinosaur with feathers EAT you!!!!"
This is actually a sketch I did last night at Wyrdsmiths on the back of Eleanor Arnason's amazing story "Big Red Mama in Time and Morris, Minnesota." This is Albert, the dwarf, arctic allosaurus who is featured prominently in the story. It also represents the entirity of my critique. I loved the story, and, you know, every once and a while you come across something during critique where all you can do is say, "It's done. Send it out!"
Google Alerts pointed me to a new review of an old book. Janicu's Book Blog had THIS to say about it.
Because when you do, you sign a box of books in about fifteen minutes.
Today was the second day of the Public Library Association's Trade Show and Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It was... ginormous. The Romance Writers of America sponsored a booth there with FREE BOOKS for conference participants, and I just had one of those rare moments in an author's life -- there was a queue around the corner for a copy of my book.
I noticed that the only authors doing give-aways at RWA's booth were local people, and I don't get that. I was ready to fly when I first saw the conference booth mentioned in the RWA Report. A chance to put my book in front of librarians! Heck yeah!
I don't know why any author would object to library sales. Sure, your books get into the hands of readers for free which ostensibly doesn't net you any royalities (although the library does purchase at least one copy of your book). However, my experience as a reader is that "free books" usually translate into eventual sales. I've purchased books from authors that I first discovered on the shelves of the library. It seems to me that given how quickly books disappear from the shelves at the bookstore (you really only have about two weeks before the books get stripped and returned to the publisher), that libraries do authors a great service by providing a place for their books to be "discovered" months and even YEARS after their inital shelf date.
Viva La Library!
I got this great article from io99.com... Apparently those wacky, innovative students at MIT made a twenty-sided die as a memorial for D&D creator Gary Gygax: 20-Sided Die Memorial for Gygax. This is a whole lot of awesome. Some day, I hope to be remembered so well.
As you may know, I am an occasional guest blogger over at Fangs, Fur & Fey, a LiveJournal community that focuses on urban fantasy/paranormal romances. They have a nice deal where once a week the various authors answer reader's writing related questions. I thought I'd post my answers here as well.
How long does it take you to write a novel on average?
About a year, but, admittedly, I'm lazy. I tend to take exactly as long as the publisher gives me. When I only had six months to write Tall, Dark & Dead, it took me six months. When I had no deadline at all, it took me about four years.
Do you have another job?
I do. I'm a stay-at-home mom. Until really recently that was a full-time job. Now, my son is at pre-Kindergarten for a few hours in the morning (not quite half day, but close.) Next year, I'll be a full-time writer.
However, when I first started writing professionally -- that is, during and after I sold my first novel, Archangel Protocol, I had a full-time day job at the Minnesota Historical Society. It was only after budget cuts came along that my family and I decided to risk trying to keep me at home. Until this year, I've never made anything approaching a "real" salary from my writing, even when you include a regular teaching gig at the Loft.
How long did it take you to find representation? How many rejections?
A ton. I didn't keep track of how many query letters I sent to agents, but I'm sure it was over fifty. I got nibbles from two, neither of which went for it. My story is weird, however, in that I originally approached the man who became my agent as an editor (which he also was at the time for Tor.)
A friend of a friend of a friend knew this guy Jim Frenkle who was a consulting editor at Tor. With a sort of old-fashioned "letter of introduction" from this friend of a friend, I sent my first novel Sidhe Promised (which has never sold) to Jim. Jim ignored it for years. Luckily, someone (I think it was Lois McMaster Bujold in an interview I did with her for Science Fiction Chronicle) suggested that the best thing an author can do when a novel is being shopped around is start the next one. So I did. That next one was Archangel Protocol, and after writing about fifty pages of it, the friend of a friend taught I should sent the partial down to Jim. I did, and he wanted to represent it (not buy it for Tor). So I actually got my agent before I finished writing my first novel, which I think is probably quite unusual.
How do you deal with irritations or constant interruptions when you're trying to work?
Mostly, I write after my son is asleep, and I've gotten to the point where I can actually sit with my partner as she's watching TV and write my novel. I would never have thought I could do that, as I usually require a lot of quiet to compose my thoughts.
For those of you, especially debut authors, who sold series where the first book was complete but future books were not: How much freedom did you have with the writing of the second book? Did you just write Book 2 and send it off to your editor? Or did you have to write a Book 2 proposal/synopsis and have it approved before you began writing? Or did you have to write multiple different synopses for Book 2 and let the publisher choose which one you would write? (I've heard of the latter happening, and am wondering how common it is.)
My editor bought my first novel and "an unnamed second book." I wrote her a very informal set of pitches for the ideas I had for a next book. They were a paragraph or so long, but at least one of them represented a novel I had about eighty pages already written. At the end of this rather long email, I wrote, "Or I could write a sequel, I suppose." The answer I got back was, "Yeah, do a sequel."
Which I just wrote without any kind of formal proposal, which was an enormous amount of freedom, and something I've never experienced since. All of my paranormal books as Tate, I've had to submit a proposal - usually about a twelve page, detailed synopsis outlining my beginning, middle and end.
This from the Philip K. Dick press release.... And the winners are:
NOVA SWING by M. John Harison (Bantam Spectra)Special citation was given to:
FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF DR. BRAIN by Minister Faust (Del Rey)
Both winners received a cash prize. The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society. The 2006 award was given to SPIN CONTROL by Chris Moriarty (published by Bantam Spectra) and a special citation was awarded to CARNIVAL by Elizabeth Bear (published by Bantam Spectra). This year's judges were Steve Miller, Chris Moriarty (chair), Steven Piziks, Randy Schroeder, and Ann Tonsor Zeddies.
The judges for next year's award are Tobias Buckell, M. M. Buckner, Walter Hunt, Rosemary Kirstein, and William Senior.
Congratuations to my friend Minister Faust!
