Tortoise vs. Cat

Check out the Boing-Boing video of a cranky-yet-determined tortoise that chases cats out of its territory. Amusing.

Periphery Review

My alter ego would like to direct your attention to a review of her short story (as well as all the others) in Periphery, here: http://www.ourchart.com/

It's Tuesday...

... so I'm over at SF Novelists complaining about writing the dreaded synopsis.

It's Monday, so...

...I'm over at the Something Wicked blog trying not to complain about my current embarrassment of riches.

Interview: David Louis Edelman

David Louis Edelman's debut novel Infoquake was released by Pyr in 2006. Barnes & Noble Explorations called the story of cut-throat software entrepreneurs in the far future "the love child of Donald Trump and Vernor Vinge" and later named it their SF Book of the Year. The book was also nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best Novel, and Edelman was nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer on the strength of that novel. Infoquake has just been re-released in mass market paperback by Solaris Books with a fancy new cover by Stephan Martiniere.

This week, Pyr is releasing book 2 of David's Jump 225 trilogy, MultiReal. The book continues where Infoquake left off, and has already been called "a thoroughly-successful hybrid of Neuromancer and Wall Street" by Hugo nominee Peter Watts.

In addition to writing novels, Dave has also programmed websites for the U.S. Army, the FBI, ExxonMobil, and Rolls-Royce; taught software to the U.S. Congress and the World Bank; written articles for the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun; and directed the marketing departments of biometric and e-commerce companies. Dave is well-versed in PHP, Ruby on Rails, WordPress, ColdFusion, HTML, Javascript, XML, and CSS, and is an expert in web usability, web design, search engine optimization, and writing for the web.

What was your inspiration for writing Infoquake and MultiReal?

Infoquake and MultiReal are two parts of a story I started writing in late 2000 about my dot-com experiences in the '90s. I'm a marketing guy and web programmer by trade, and I saw a number of crazy things during the dot-com bubble. Mostly I was interested in the personal dynamics -- how charismatic schemers like my protagonist Natch convinced so many people to invest in so many worthless companies.

So in 2000 and 2001, I wrote a novel titled Jump 225.7, which you might call a far-future satire of the dot-com era. I literally finished the first draft of it on September 10, 2001. Then suddenly the next day, satire seemed the wrong way to approach the story I was trying to tell. So when I started rewriting it, the story became much darker and more serious in tone. I tried to ask all the big questions about capitalism, about Western society, about human nature and greed and what the long-term prospects of the species were. The end result was the Jump 225 trilogy, starting with Infoquake and continuing with MultiReal.

Who are your favorite authors and books now and when you were growing up?

Growing up, my favorite author had to be J.R.R. Tolkien (unless Stan Lee counts).

Interjection: Of course Stan Lee counts!!!

I'm sure I read the whole Lord of the Rings saga (including The Hobbit and The Silmarillion) half a dozen times. Then in adolescence I fell in love with Kurt Vonnegut, with a special reverence for Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five. College brought John Barth to my attention, and I've been running the biggest fan website for his books since about 1996 or so. If I had to name my favorite author since college, I'd have to pick either William Gibson or Thomas Pynchon.

What is it about fantasy/science fiction that attracts you?

I think for me it's the ability to rethink absolutely everything about the world, down to the smallest nanoparticle. I'm a worldbuilding addict, so I like being able to examine and reconfigure the politics, the history, and the sociology of my world to suit the story I'm trying to tell. For the Jump 225 trilogy, I considered all of those things and more -- I even got down to the level of thinking up new building materials and trying to invent ways that people would move goods from place to place in the absence of trucks and an interstate system. I can't really think of any other genre you can do that in.

Why did you decide to make Natch a software entrepreneur?

When I started writing the Jump 225 trilogy, I followed the axiom of writing what you know. I'd worked for several high-tech start-ups run by young, charismatic, slightly unhinged software entrepreneurs. And so that's who I started with.

The supporting characters are also based on character types I'd met in dot-coms. Horvil is the heavy-set, brilliant engineering guy who prefers to run things behind the scenes and leave the politics to the boss. And Jara is the serious, no-nonsense marketing woman who has something of a love/hate relationship with the company.

What (besides writing) do you do for fun?

I'm incredibly boring. I read. I putter around on the computer and tinker with my websites. I watch a lot of movies, and I keep up with the news. I'm looking forward to having children so I can have the excuse that I'm "spending quality time with my family."

What sort of research did you do to write these books?

Infoquake is heavily concerned with biologic software (or "wetware," as it's sometimes called). I know something about software, but I know very little about biology or physiology. So I certainly had to do some basic research into how the human body works. The main technology behind MultiReal also involves quantum physics, so I had to beef up on that a bit too. I admit that I don't tend to delve very deeply into the subjects that I research; mostly it's just your basic Wikipedia and Google searches, combined with long involved discussions with subject matter experts I know.

Natch is a compulsive workaholic. Are you that way too?

Absolutely not. I'm actually not very much at all like Natch or Jara, the two main protagonists of the novels. Although I suppose I do share certain characteristics with them. If I had to name a character who was closest to me in temperament, I'd have to say Horvil, the fat cheerful engineer who's always putting up with Natch's crap.

The political factions in the Jump 225 trilogy are divided between governmentalists and libertarians. If you were a character in the books, which would you be?

A lot of people who've read Infoquake assumed that my sympathies lie with the libertarians, because that's where Natch's sympathy lies. But I'm definitely more conflicted in my politics. I like to pick and choose among the different parties and philosophies. I have some definite liberal tendencies but a number of conservative ones as well.

You'll discover in MultiReal that the political situation is much more nuanced than Natch makes it out to be in Infoquake. The central government, which really seems like the epitome of evil in Infoquake, is a conflicted organization itself with some do-gooders working in the fringes. And the libertarians are full of self-interested schemers who'll stab you in the back.

What are you writing now?

I'm currently about 80,000 words into Geosynchron, the third and final book of the Jump 225 trilogy. I'm a very slow writer and I write a million drafts, but I'm hoping to finish the whole thing by the end of the year.

Did you always want to write? Or did you stumble into it? How did you get where you are now?

Yes, I always wanted to write, ever since I was a little kid. I wrote my first "novel" when I was about 6 years old, and I spent much of my childhood building up a pantheon of superheroes with my brother. I studied creative writing in college at Johns Hopkins, and tried to write a novel in my early 20s. It wasn't until I had given up on the writing and spent half a dozen years in the trenches of high tech that I came up with an idea that I could follow through on. And that was the Jump 225 trilogy.

What does a typical writing day look like for you? How long do you write, that sort of thing?

I've never been very good about setting a concrete writing schedule. Maybe that's why it takes me so long to finish anything. I typically work about three days a week at my part-time web programming job, and then write whenever I have the free time and the inclination.

Where do you write?

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I'm one of the guys you see sitting there at Starbuck's with his laptop for hours on end. For some reason, I find it easy to write with background chatter. But when I'm not writing there, I'm sitting on my couch at home with one dog on the back of the couch behind my head and one dog nestled between me and the armrest.

What is easiest/hardest for you as a writer?

The hardest thing for me as a writer is discipline. I have an easy time coming up with great ideas, and I find it very easy to sit down and start pecking on those first few paragraphs. But then I quickly burn out. If you're ever going to finish anything, you need to be able to batter your way through those burnout times, and I have a difficult time with that. And then I'm so rarely satisfied with what I write, it always takes me to forever to finish.

Thanks for the interview, David. If you want to know more about David Louis Edelman, check out his website at: http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/

New Vampire Drink?

I had a very weird dream last night. I only remember snippets of it, of course, but one detail stuck with me. I was a vampire, and I was drinking blood bottled with garlic and stinging nettle. Weird, huh?

I think my brain was figuring that the garlic, being posion to a vampire, would act like acohol, and the stinging nettle would numb the vamp a bit so s/he could drink more...? Not sure about that last part.

Now I'm only bummed that I'm not sure I can find a way to use it in my writing. I almost NEVER get ideas from dreams, so this is pretty unusual.

It's Monday...

... so, per usual, I'm over at "Something Wicked." However, this week all the authors are doing a re-release party for our various books, and I'm kicking it off with a contest for a signed copy of Romancing the Dead. If you want to participate, head on over here.

On-Line Synopsis Class

***OKAY TO FORWARD***

Online class: August 6-31, 2008
"Tips From Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis"
by Laurie Schnebly Campbell
Registration $30 at www.WriterUniv.com/

No wonder so many great novelists have a tough time writing a synopsis -- the two jobs require completely different skills! Advertising copywriters have discovered a variety of techniques that make people want to buy a specific product, whether it's a bike or a burger or a book. So this hands-on workshop teaches those same techniques, including:

* Finding your unique selling points
* Headlines (or openings) that grab a buyer
* Identifying your target market
* When details matter, and when they don't
* Brainstorming a creative plot strategy
* Highlights that sell your product
* Changing format, emphasis or both

An advertising copywriter for 25 years, Laurie Schnebly Campbell was amazed when she realized her day job made it easier to "sell" editors on her books. So far she's sold six to Silhouette, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for Best Special Edition of the Year, and loves sharing marketing techniques with people who DON'T work on Madison Avenue.

***OKAY TO FORWAD***

Booksigning Woes

Mason, at least, had a good time at the signing last night. I bought him two new Calvin & Hobbes and a new three-pack Garfield. The other ladies were fairly impressed at how quietly he sat absorbed in his books. He got a little squirrely at the end, and, of course, we had to take a break to eat, but I think it was fairly successful given I had my four year old in tow.

I, of course, sold no books.

Before you cry for me, Argentina, I have long ago come to the realization that book signings are really for booksellers and for authors. The booksellers get a stock of signed books, which, according to at least one bookseller I talked to actually sell pretty well off the shelf -- and better than their unsigned cousins, at any rate.

The author benefits the most, I think. The author gets a chance to meet-and-greet the booksellers, who, as we know, are the ones who do any and all "hand-selling," which can be key to a book's success. The author also usually leaves with a sense that many of the books won't end up as stripped returns. (Note: I worded that very carefully, because I'm well aware of the fact that in many cases signing a book does NOT save it from being returned. Plus, sometimes the booksellers will crassly admit to returning as many as possible. It's only crass because all the authors I know tend to take that stuff personally. We know it happens; we just don't want to necessarily hear about it.)

But, back to the positive. Personally, I also really like to do "multi-author" signings, because then the authors also have a chance to catch up on industry gossip and whatnot. Plus, the time goes a lot faster when there's someone else to talk with.

I sometimes wonder why we bother, since, like so many things in the publishing industry, booksignings feel like they come from another era -- one that's being overshadowed by "promotional" opportunities on the that crazy Internet thing all the kids are into these days.

I suspect that book tours -- the kind that are sponsored by publishers for gigantically best sellers (who, in my humble opinion, are the ones who need it the least, but then much of capitalism makes very little sense to me) -- still perform some important function in terms of boosting book sales and maybe even just allowing fans and opportunity to see that Big Name Star is just and average guy who puts his/her pants on one leg at a time... I'm not sure. I just know that I'll probably continue to sit in empty Mall bookstores staring at the wall for many years to come... at least until the bookstores stop asking me, that is.

Brain Dead...

Maybe that'd be a good Garnet book title, eh? BRAIN DEAD. It's actually a description of how I feel today. I'm always a bit stupid when Shawn is away (she's at a conference in Washington, D.C. until Thursday), and today is no exception. I stayed up late working on my small press project, which, I'm happy to say, finally has a little wind in its sails. I need to get one of those progress bars so many writer-bloggers have. But, today was all about sleeping in too late for a school day, getting Mason half way there and realizing we'd forgotten his backpack full of birthday party invitations. Had to turn around and were almost late for school.

I have a booksigning tonight at Northwood Mall, and because I'm minus one babysitter, I'm planning on bringing Mason along. I know that probably sounds crazy, but if I buy Mason a couple of Garfield books, he'll sit quite as a mouse on my lap and read them. And, you know, these things are always dead. Anyway, if you happen to be local and at loose ends for tonight here are the details:

On Tuesday, July 8, 2008 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm I'll be signing at the Waldenbooks in Northtown Mall with Lois Grieman and Michele Hauf. Waldenbooks is located at: 212 Northtown Drive Blaine, MN 55434. For more information call (763) 780-1264.

Also, I need to run off and go work out. I appear to have lost a pound or two, and if that's the case I should probably keep at this whole thing. (I'm only not sure because my scale is really old and not terribly accurate.)

Gender Bias in SF Conversation

My alterego was invited to participate in a conversation about gender bias in the SF/F publishing industry and what to do about it. The conversation is archived here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/006846.html. Please check it out and join in the conversation (there are a lot more interesting and articulate people than me participating.)

Also, check out the YouTube video promoting the mega-author signing we had last night in Woodbury: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HXdiKexw7Jo. The signing, btw, was actually a great deal of fun, not because I signed a lot of books but because it's always so cool to hang out with other awesome romance authors.

It's Monday...

...So I'm over at "Something Wicked..." writing about Kids and Writing.

Sorry the post isn't very intelligent, but I'm actually a bit hungover. Not that I was out partying... no I just drank too much Mike's Hard Lemonade while eating popcorn and watching old episodes of "Lost." Duuuuude.

But all I have to say is....yum, Sawyer. Hey, and we're almost related. His last name is Holloway.

Marvel Moping

If your interested in my (or rather my alter-ego's) take on Marvel's Secret Invasion storyline, I'm blogging about it over at the Mid-Ohio ComicCon's site: Who Do You Trust?

The article is not nearly as geeky as you might think. You don't have to necessarily know comics to understand why I'm hesitant about what Bendis is up to, though I don't really explain the storyline because of the assumption most Marvel readers are up on the whole thing.

In other news, it's Friday. Hooray!

Check Out My New Gig

After WritersareReader.com's author Terry Spear reviewed my book Romancing the Dead, the folks there offered me a gig reviewing books for them. Since I absolutely adore (or ish that a-"whore"?) anything to do with FREE books, I said yes. My first reivew for them is up! I reviewed Dan Waddell's The Blood Detective. Check it out!

Have An Afflatusous Day!

I subscribe to the word of the day from YourDictonary.com, and I got this today:

Afflatus (noun)

Pronunciation: [ê-'fley-tês]

Definition: A strong creative impulse from a muse or higher power, divine or supernatural inspiration.

It's Monday, so...

You can find me blogging about my addiction to Internet research over at Something Wicked...

In other news, I've neglected to post that Mason and I, who had been playing the license plate game several months ago (we won: we saw all fifty states, even Hawaii, Alaska and Rhode Island), just saw a brand new plate. It was one we'd never seen before, and frankly, living here in Saint Paul, MN, I would never have thought we would: Puerto Rico.

New Review: Dead Sexy

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...

Mighty Marveling

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.

Me, Everywhere

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.

Too Much Coffee Makes Me Strange

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??