Barbara Hambly's Blog, page 2
May 1, 2021
Sorry for being a bit late putting this up. Tomorrow, May...
Sorry for being a bit late putting this up. Tomorrow, May 2, US and Canada, digital versions of Ladies of Mandrigyn and Stranger at the Wedding will be downpriced to $1.99.
Two of I guess what you could call feminist fantasy, though I didn't think of either of them as that at the time. "Ladies" was primarily written about the Womens' Team at the dojo I trained at during the '70s - with suitable alterations and changes in characters, and adapting the whole thing to a fantasy tale. The feeling, the sense of the women training together, was what I wanted to capture, and I think I did. (I hope I did, anyway).
(I mentioned to someone recently that every woman in the dojo knew which men were jerks - you can't hide when you're out on the floor).
And as I think I've said before, "Stranger" is the fantasy novel I'd have written if I started out writing a Kate Hepburn/Spencer Tracy comedy.
Two of I guess what you could call feminist fantasy, though I didn't think of either of them as that at the time. "Ladies" was primarily written about the Womens' Team at the dojo I trained at during the '70s - with suitable alterations and changes in characters, and adapting the whole thing to a fantasy tale. The feeling, the sense of the women training together, was what I wanted to capture, and I think I did. (I hope I did, anyway).
(I mentioned to someone recently that every woman in the dojo knew which men were jerks - you can't hide when you're out on the floor).
And as I think I've said before, "Stranger" is the fantasy novel I'd have written if I started out writing a Kate Hepburn/Spencer Tracy comedy.
April 25, 2021
Two of my all-time favorites of my own work, downpriced t...
Two of my all-time favorites of my own work, downpriced through Open Road this week. Tuesday, April 27, Bride of the Rat-God, US and Canada, digital, $1.99. Probably my favorite of my own stuff: a silent film vamp is being pursued by a giant Manchurian rat-demon who is only visible to her three Pekineses. It was my valentine to my dogs, my way of lifting them out of the time-stream, and letting them live forever.
Well, and of writing about silent-era Hollywood... a place to which I am now returning, with a murder mystery series. Same setting, though different cast - but the dogs are still there. And a straight murder-mystery, not a fantasy. Scandal in Babylon, from Severn House/Cannongate - I just turned in the final page-proofs.
And Wednesday, April 28, again through Open Road, digital, $1.99 US and Canada, my other favorite, the second of the James Asher vampire series, "Traveling With the Dead."
Meanwhile, working wall-to-wall on a freelance project that's taking a great deal of time and energy, but which is dear to my heart and due in VERY SOON.
Well, and of writing about silent-era Hollywood... a place to which I am now returning, with a murder mystery series. Same setting, though different cast - but the dogs are still there. And a straight murder-mystery, not a fantasy. Scandal in Babylon, from Severn House/Cannongate - I just turned in the final page-proofs.
And Wednesday, April 28, again through Open Road, digital, $1.99 US and Canada, my other favorite, the second of the James Asher vampire series, "Traveling With the Dead."
Meanwhile, working wall-to-wall on a freelance project that's taking a great deal of time and energy, but which is dear to my heart and due in VERY SOON.
April 18, 2021
It's been a trying month. My computer reached the point w...
It's been a trying month. My computer reached the point where the screen was blacking out 2-3 times per minute - and yes, we replaced the monitor, the connecting cable, the video card, and the power source - and the current shortage of computer parts of all varieties have delayed being able to do anything further about the situation.
I finally obtained a "loaner" computer - whose word processing feature had some very annoying glitches.
At precisely the same time as I was given the chance to do as a free-lance project a fantasy that I've been working on for 7 years... "When can you have it finished for us?" (This on top of the next two murder mysteries...) And then the page proofs for Scandal in Babylon came in. (not to mention grading exams and delivering lectures on the Fall of the Roman Empire).
BUT... Open Road is downpricing the Darwath Trilogy, one day only, digital, Tuesday, April 20 (that's also the day the page proofs are due) - $3.99, US and Canada.
Can I take a nap now?
I finally obtained a "loaner" computer - whose word processing feature had some very annoying glitches.
At precisely the same time as I was given the chance to do as a free-lance project a fantasy that I've been working on for 7 years... "When can you have it finished for us?" (This on top of the next two murder mysteries...) And then the page proofs for Scandal in Babylon came in. (not to mention grading exams and delivering lectures on the Fall of the Roman Empire).
BUT... Open Road is downpricing the Darwath Trilogy, one day only, digital, Tuesday, April 20 (that's also the day the page proofs are due) - $3.99, US and Canada.
Can I take a nap now?
March 29, 2021
Open Road (God bless them) is putting Magicians of Night ...
Open Road (God bless them) is putting Magicians of Night on sale, $1.99, digital, Wednesday, March 31, US and Canada. That was an odd book for me, originally intended to be a single cinderblock volume with the Rainbow Abyss (Abyss was intended to be just the first few chapters). A difficult book to write: it's always difficult for me to write about real evil. (I remember working on the Ben January book Drinking Gourd, which was about the Underground Railroad, and thinking, "This is too dark. I need to put in some lightness..." Hence the circus and minstrel-show sub-plots.
It's Spring Break, so I get to settle down for almost two weeks and do nothing but write (except for about 2 straight days of finishing up school prep for the rest of the semester...).
It's Spring Break, so I get to settle down for almost two weeks and do nothing but write (except for about 2 straight days of finishing up school prep for the rest of the semester...).
March 26, 2021
And my Facebook account has been screwed up YET AGAIN!Giv...
And my Facebook account has been screwed up YET AGAIN!
Given the number of months it took for me to get a new account in order to gain access to the "Barbara Hambly, Writer" page opened for me by Open Road (these many years ago), I'm not sure I can manage to get onto FB one more time.
When I finish posting here I will kick the wall and scream.
In the meantime, Bride of the Rat-God will be downpriced on Open Road, digital, $1.99, on Sunday, March 28.
One of my absolute favorites of all my books, for all kinds of different reasons... one of which was so that my three beautiful Pekineses would live forever. (But, hey... Hollywood in 1924!)
And I'm SO pleased that I will be writing a Silent Hollywood series of murder mysteries. Same setting, though of course different (though sometimes similar) characters (due to publisher issues). (The Pekes are definitely there). Straight murder mysteries rather than fantasy: I'm just finishing up the copy-edit on the first of the series, Scandal in Babylon. Film vamp Camille de la Rose (a.k.a. Kitty Flint) discovers the corpse of an early husband in her dressing-room, and refuses to say where she was at the time of the murder. Her scholarly English sister-in-law Emma Blackstone and cameraman pal Zal Rokatansky set out to find not only who is the real killer (and who the hell Kitty is screening, and why), but why anyone would want to set Kitty up to take the fall for the crime?
And, much as I hate the thought, I will have to go shopping around for another forum for social media. Any advice on that would be appreciated.In the meantime, I understand there's a Barbara Hambly Appreciation Group on Facebook that I will investigate joining, though I'm not sure how I'll convince them that I AM Barbara Hambly.
MANY thanks!
Given the number of months it took for me to get a new account in order to gain access to the "Barbara Hambly, Writer" page opened for me by Open Road (these many years ago), I'm not sure I can manage to get onto FB one more time.
When I finish posting here I will kick the wall and scream.
In the meantime, Bride of the Rat-God will be downpriced on Open Road, digital, $1.99, on Sunday, March 28.
One of my absolute favorites of all my books, for all kinds of different reasons... one of which was so that my three beautiful Pekineses would live forever. (But, hey... Hollywood in 1924!)
And I'm SO pleased that I will be writing a Silent Hollywood series of murder mysteries. Same setting, though of course different (though sometimes similar) characters (due to publisher issues). (The Pekes are definitely there). Straight murder mysteries rather than fantasy: I'm just finishing up the copy-edit on the first of the series, Scandal in Babylon. Film vamp Camille de la Rose (a.k.a. Kitty Flint) discovers the corpse of an early husband in her dressing-room, and refuses to say where she was at the time of the murder. Her scholarly English sister-in-law Emma Blackstone and cameraman pal Zal Rokatansky set out to find not only who is the real killer (and who the hell Kitty is screening, and why), but why anyone would want to set Kitty up to take the fall for the crime?
And, much as I hate the thought, I will have to go shopping around for another forum for social media. Any advice on that would be appreciated.In the meantime, I understand there's a Barbara Hambly Appreciation Group on Facebook that I will investigate joining, though I'm not sure how I'll convince them that I AM Barbara Hambly.
MANY thanks!
March 20, 2021
Tuesday, March 23, Witches of Wenshar - the second Sun Wo...
Tuesday, March 23, Witches of Wenshar - the second Sun Wolf book - will be on sale through Open Road Media, $1.99, digital, US and Canada.
To this day, Sun Wolf and Starhawk remain two of my favorites of my characters, an echo of my days of training in karate (and reading WAY too many Conan books). Sun Wolf was loosely inspired by a couple of karate senseis I trained with, as well as by Toshiro Mifune's character Sanjuro Tsubaki; Starhawk was loosely based on a very dear friend.
All else is well here, between trying to get enough sleep, and trying to keep up with the class I teach. Driving to the Farmer's Market last week I passed trash-cans set out for pick-up the following day, and one of them contained a very forlorn - and very dried-out - Christmas tree. This close to Spring Solstice, one knows that the holiday is finally done...
By the way, I am not sure what's going on with LJ posts. I'll hit the button to post an entry... then the next time I come on, I get a window saying, "Restore Previous Draft." So, you may well all be getting stale duplicate posts. I have NO idea what I'm not doing correctly. Please pardon me if that's the case.
To this day, Sun Wolf and Starhawk remain two of my favorites of my characters, an echo of my days of training in karate (and reading WAY too many Conan books). Sun Wolf was loosely inspired by a couple of karate senseis I trained with, as well as by Toshiro Mifune's character Sanjuro Tsubaki; Starhawk was loosely based on a very dear friend.
All else is well here, between trying to get enough sleep, and trying to keep up with the class I teach. Driving to the Farmer's Market last week I passed trash-cans set out for pick-up the following day, and one of them contained a very forlorn - and very dried-out - Christmas tree. This close to Spring Solstice, one knows that the holiday is finally done...
By the way, I am not sure what's going on with LJ posts. I'll hit the button to post an entry... then the next time I come on, I get a window saying, "Restore Previous Draft." So, you may well all be getting stale duplicate posts. I have NO idea what I'm not doing correctly. Please pardon me if that's the case.
Let's hear it for Open Road Media!This week: Walls of Air...
Let's hear it for Open Road Media!
This week: Walls of Air (I guess as a follow-up to Time of the Dark), and Stranger at the Wedding, US and Canada, digital, $1.99 apiece, Tuesday the 9th. Recently re-read Stranger - I'd forgotten the heroine made a brief guest-appearance in Dog Wizard. It was (partially) my portrayal of what the rest of Antryg's world looks like to the people who live there.
AND, George's book, Nick of Time, the following day, Wednesday the 10th, also digital, US and Canada, $1.99.
Glad people seem to be enjoying the audio recordings of the Ben January series. I certainly am... in between prepping lectures and reading homework assignments (and breaking up cat-fights).
The cats are, as usual, sitting in a semi-circle behind my chair crying with hunger...
This week: Walls of Air (I guess as a follow-up to Time of the Dark), and Stranger at the Wedding, US and Canada, digital, $1.99 apiece, Tuesday the 9th. Recently re-read Stranger - I'd forgotten the heroine made a brief guest-appearance in Dog Wizard. It was (partially) my portrayal of what the rest of Antryg's world looks like to the people who live there.
AND, George's book, Nick of Time, the following day, Wednesday the 10th, also digital, US and Canada, $1.99.
Glad people seem to be enjoying the audio recordings of the Ben January series. I certainly am... in between prepping lectures and reading homework assignments (and breaking up cat-fights).
The cats are, as usual, sitting in a semi-circle behind my chair crying with hunger...
March 4, 2021
Whoa, here's a blast from the past!On Sunday, March 7, no...
Whoa, here's a blast from the past!
On Sunday, March 7, not only will Time of the Dark - the first of the Darwath Trilogy - be downpriced through Open Road Media (digital - US and Canada - $1.99) - but also my first murder mystery, Search the Seven Hills. That's my early Christians/ancient Rome mystery; very much a fledgling effort, but, I think, still fun (despite a couple of errors - I was doing my research in libraries because there WAS no Internet at the time!).
And on the subject of mysteries, I have been listening to the audiobook of the Ben January mystery, Die Upon A Kiss - I think the fifth in the series - and remembering what a lot of fun it was to write. It's about opera, and introduced me to one of the great pleasures of my life - and, in my opinion, is one of the best of the series. Blackstone Audio did a beautiful job; the reader, Ron Butler, is excellent; and I've been thoroughly enjoying it, if I do say so myself.
On Sunday, March 7, not only will Time of the Dark - the first of the Darwath Trilogy - be downpriced through Open Road Media (digital - US and Canada - $1.99) - but also my first murder mystery, Search the Seven Hills. That's my early Christians/ancient Rome mystery; very much a fledgling effort, but, I think, still fun (despite a couple of errors - I was doing my research in libraries because there WAS no Internet at the time!).
And on the subject of mysteries, I have been listening to the audiobook of the Ben January mystery, Die Upon A Kiss - I think the fifth in the series - and remembering what a lot of fun it was to write. It's about opera, and introduced me to one of the great pleasures of my life - and, in my opinion, is one of the best of the series. Blackstone Audio did a beautiful job; the reader, Ron Butler, is excellent; and I've been thoroughly enjoying it, if I do say so myself.
February 22, 2021
Apologies for being a slacker - a lot of stuff going on w...
Apologies for being a slacker - a lot of stuff going on with my class, and being done around being VERY tired in the wake of Shot #2. About 24 hrs after the second vaccine I got a mild headache, mild sore throat, really sore arm and intermittent chills, along with severe fatigue. Everything went away after a good night's sleep, but the fatigue has come back - presumably a sign that my immune system is hard at work.
News from Open Road Media: Time of the Dark, downpriced to $1.99 Wednesday, Feb. 24, US and Canada (digital, as always). The Silicon Mage downpriced to $1.99 Thursday, also US and Canada, and George's Budayeen Series, down to $3.99 the same day. (Presumably When Gravity Fails, Fire in the Sun, and Exile Kiss - s-f noir in his Raymond Chandler vein).
News from Open Road Media: Time of the Dark, downpriced to $1.99 Wednesday, Feb. 24, US and Canada (digital, as always). The Silicon Mage downpriced to $1.99 Thursday, also US and Canada, and George's Budayeen Series, down to $3.99 the same day. (Presumably When Gravity Fails, Fire in the Sun, and Exile Kiss - s-f noir in his Raymond Chandler vein).
February 14, 2021
Wednesday, Feb 17, both Dragonsbane and Dog Wizard go on ...
Wednesday, Feb 17, both Dragonsbane and Dog Wizard go on sale through Open Road Media - digital, US and Canada, $1.99 apiece! Two of my absolute favorites.
In other news, Feb 17 is the day I get Shot #2 (Pfitzer) at a drive-thru clinic near my home - fingers crossed that nothing screws up!
AND, I have been listening to the Blackstone Media audio recording of "Die Upon a Kiss," Ben January #5. Ron Butler, who reads it, has such a pleasant, mellow voice. Blackstone is bringing out the first 11 of the January mysteries in unabridged audio. I've got Free Man of Color, Fever Season, Graveyard Dust, Sold Down the River, and now Die Upon a Kiss already, so their production is pretty efficient.
Staying quietly indoors and scrambling to pull together class lectures before contracts come through for the next couple of mysteries. The scrubby little bush outside my study window turns out to be a camellia plant, which just put out a gorgeous, full-moon white blossom, to welcome the Year of the Ox.
In other news, Feb 17 is the day I get Shot #2 (Pfitzer) at a drive-thru clinic near my home - fingers crossed that nothing screws up!
AND, I have been listening to the Blackstone Media audio recording of "Die Upon a Kiss," Ben January #5. Ron Butler, who reads it, has such a pleasant, mellow voice. Blackstone is bringing out the first 11 of the January mysteries in unabridged audio. I've got Free Man of Color, Fever Season, Graveyard Dust, Sold Down the River, and now Die Upon a Kiss already, so their production is pretty efficient.
Staying quietly indoors and scrambling to pull together class lectures before contracts come through for the next couple of mysteries. The scrubby little bush outside my study window turns out to be a camellia plant, which just put out a gorgeous, full-moon white blossom, to welcome the Year of the Ox.
