Marie Brennan's Blog, page 178
December 3, 2013
incipient madness
So, there's this.
Which is, not to put too fine a point on it, bloody gorgeous. Tor.com does well by its authors when it comes to artwork, I have to say. This is the work of Iain McCaig, and it will be paired with my story "Mad Maudlin" when it's published.
When will that be? I don't actually know. But soon, I hope. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/603645.html. Comment here or there.
Which is, not to put too fine a point on it, bloody gorgeous. Tor.com does well by its authors when it comes to artwork, I have to say. This is the work of Iain McCaig, and it will be paired with my story "Mad Maudlin" when it's published.
When will that be? I don't actually know. But soon, I hope. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/603645.html. Comment here or there.
November 25, 2013
two copies left
In the course of contacting people who had bid in the Philippines disaster relief auction, I realized that most of the mad rush had been for the ARCs of The Tropic of Serpents (surprise!), with only some going toward A Natural History of Dragons. There are two copies of that left; the asking price is $10, but thus far people have been paying $20 and up. It's a good cause, so I have no compunctions about using peer pressure to encourage you to donate more than the baseline. ^_^ (Really, I should have had the good sense to list them at $20 to start with. I just plugged in my usual "I'm looking to get rid of some of this stock" prices without thinking it through.)
So yes: two copies left. Signed and personalized, if you wish! And good causes. So go forth and bid.
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So yes: two copies left. Signed and personalized, if you wish! And good causes. So go forth and bid.
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/603144.html. Comment here or there.
November 22, 2013
Hear ye, hear ye! . . . Again!
Seven and a half years with my books being only ink on the page or pixels on the screen, and now I have two audiobooks landing atop one another. :-D
Remember me mentioning that giant deal Book View Cafe signed with Audible? Well, now you can listen to Lies and Prophecy, too! Different narrator than A Natural History of Dragons (and by the way, I've listened to the sample for that one now, and it's fabulous), and it's likely that my other project will get yet a different reader -- especially since the pov in that one is male.
Did I mention that I have a third project with them? No? Well, you'll just have to wait and see what that one is. :-)
I do, by the way, still have plans for a print edition of Lies and Prophecy . I'm dependent on the assistance of others for that, though, so it will have to wait for a moment when somebody can spare the time and energy to help. In the meanwhile, the ebook isn't going away. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/603099.html. Comment here or there.
Remember me mentioning that giant deal Book View Cafe signed with Audible? Well, now you can listen to Lies and Prophecy, too! Different narrator than A Natural History of Dragons (and by the way, I've listened to the sample for that one now, and it's fabulous), and it's likely that my other project will get yet a different reader -- especially since the pov in that one is male.
Did I mention that I have a third project with them? No? Well, you'll just have to wait and see what that one is. :-)
I do, by the way, still have plans for a print edition of Lies and Prophecy . I'm dependent on the assistance of others for that, though, so it will have to wait for a moment when somebody can spare the time and energy to help. In the meanwhile, the ebook isn't going away. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/603099.html. Comment here or there.
November 18, 2013
Hear ye, hear ye . . . .
A Natural History of Dragons is now an audiobook.
Actually, it's been an audiobook since Friday, but I was busy running around doing other things and didn't manage to post about it right away. And then it was the weekend, so I waited. Mondays need fun things to liven them up, don't you think?
I haven't yet heard the thing myself, but I did correspond with the narrator beforehand, and based on that I expect she did an excellent job. She asked all the kinds of questions you're supposed to hope your narrator asks, like how to pronounce things and whether you have any models in mind for what the voices should be like and so on. (In fact, her pronunciation of the names is probably better than mine, since my instructions included a lot of things like "this is how I say it, but it's supposed to sound like French and I'm terrible at that so ignore me if I've got it wrong.")
So if you've been waiting for the chance to listen to the book -- those of you with driving commutes or gym workouts or such -- now you can!
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602726.html. Comment here or there.
Actually, it's been an audiobook since Friday, but I was busy running around doing other things and didn't manage to post about it right away. And then it was the weekend, so I waited. Mondays need fun things to liven them up, don't you think?
I haven't yet heard the thing myself, but I did correspond with the narrator beforehand, and based on that I expect she did an excellent job. She asked all the kinds of questions you're supposed to hope your narrator asks, like how to pronounce things and whether you have any models in mind for what the voices should be like and so on. (In fact, her pronunciation of the names is probably better than mine, since my instructions included a lot of things like "this is how I say it, but it's supposed to sound like French and I'm terrible at that so ignore me if I've got it wrong.")
So if you've been waiting for the chance to listen to the book -- those of you with driving commutes or gym workouts or such -- now you can!
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602726.html. Comment here or there.
November 15, 2013
Things I did not know (before tonight)
You know how I said that A Natural History of Dragons was in the semifinal round for the Goodreads Choice Awards?
Apparently it wasn't in the first round. It was, instead, one of the top five write-in candidates during the first round, and thus got added for the semifinal.
That? Is really cool. I don't know how the write-in votes stacked up against the ones cast for first-round nominees, but the fact that people remembered it well enough to vote for it off their own bat is very flattering.
I think voting ends tomorrow, so if you want to cast your vote, you still can.
In other news, I was trying to make a paper shell for my inflatable globe so that I could finally work out where all the continents are in Isabella's world, when it occurred to me that what I really needed was a spherical whiteboard. So there's a white beachball that should be arriving here in the next few days, and I'll be putting the water-soluble markers we bought for drawing on the D&D battle map to an exciting new use. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602445.html. Comment here or there.
Apparently it wasn't in the first round. It was, instead, one of the top five write-in candidates during the first round, and thus got added for the semifinal.
That? Is really cool. I don't know how the write-in votes stacked up against the ones cast for first-round nominees, but the fact that people remembered it well enough to vote for it off their own bat is very flattering.
I think voting ends tomorrow, so if you want to cast your vote, you still can.
In other news, I was trying to make a paper shell for my inflatable globe so that I could finally work out where all the continents are in Isabella's world, when it occurred to me that what I really needed was a spherical whiteboard. So there's a white beachball that should be arriving here in the next few days, and I'll be putting the water-soluble markers we bought for drawing on the D&D battle map to an exciting new use. :-)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602445.html. Comment here or there.
November 13, 2013
FandomAid fundraiser for the Philippines
The death toll and destruction in the Philippines have been nothing short of horrific. The LJ community FandomAid has put together a fundraiser -- not an auction but just a "Buy It Now" sale. Since my time is limited, I'm offering stuff that already exists, to whit, books.
Offer #1: signed ARCs of A Natural History of Dragons
Offer #2: signed ARCs of The Tropic of Serpents
There are five copies of each on offer (because that's all I have left of ANHoD, and about all I can spare of TToS). The ARCs have full-color covers and all the interior illustrations, but not the maps; inscriptions can be personalized on request. The price is $10 in the US, $15 overseas, and the books will go on a first come, first served basis. You just make a donation to one of the approved charities -- there's a list here.
If you want to donate more, please do. They need it.
And if those offers don't float your boat, browse the post for more. There's eleven pages of comments already, and more to come, I'm sure.
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602156.html. Comment here or there.
Offer #1: signed ARCs of A Natural History of Dragons
Offer #2: signed ARCs of The Tropic of Serpents
There are five copies of each on offer (because that's all I have left of ANHoD, and about all I can spare of TToS). The ARCs have full-color covers and all the interior illustrations, but not the maps; inscriptions can be personalized on request. The price is $10 in the US, $15 overseas, and the books will go on a first come, first served basis. You just make a donation to one of the approved charities -- there's a list here.
If you want to donate more, please do. They need it.
And if those offers don't float your boat, browse the post for more. There's eleven pages of comments already, and more to come, I'm sure.
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602156.html. Comment here or there.
An open letter to dog owners
This post has been brought to you by the behavior of a very large dog at the post office today.
***
Dear Dog Owners of America:
Please train your dogs.
To those of you who actually do, I say, thank you! I appreciate your effort, and your dogs are probably lovely creatures. Unfortunately, you are in the minority, and the other dog-owners and their pets are making you look bad.
It used to be that whenever the Great Pet Debate came up -- dogs vs. cats -- I found myself wondering, why don't I like dogs more? After all, the qualities ascribed to them sound great. I liked Platonic Dogs very well, but Actual Dogs much less, and I didn't know why.
Then I realized that was because the majority of the Actual Dogs I meet are badly behaved.
They bark. They bite. They chew on stuff. They jump on anything and anyone they can get near. No, their "enthusiasm" is not adorable. In small dogs, it's annoying; in large dogs, it can be outright dangerous. You know what's adorable? A dog who knows how to express his enthusiasm in a socially acceptable fashion. Which is to say, a dog who is trained.
And no, a dog who brings the ball back when you're playing fetch and sits (sometimes) on command is not "trained." If you have to drag your dog down off the counter of the post office, your dog is badly trained and badly behaved. If he barks for a minute straight every time the doorbell rings, he is badly trained and badly behaved. If you have to bribe him with treats to get peace and quiet during dinner, he is badly trained and badly behaved. If he draws blood through my clothing because he tried to jump on me and his claws went raking down my thigh, he is badly trained and badly behaved.
A well-trained dog is one who knows how to behave like a civilized member of society.
I have met far too few of them in my life.
So please. For the love of god. Train your dog. Teach him when it is and is not okay to bark. Teach him to show enthusiasm with tail-wagging and jumping in place, not on people. Do not reward his bad behavior by giving him commands and then, when he ignores them, rewarding him with whatever it was he wanted. You owe it to your dog to be consistent, to give him a framework within which he can operate and be happy. And the rest of us would appreciate it very much.
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602011.html. Comment here or there.
***
Dear Dog Owners of America:
Please train your dogs.
To those of you who actually do, I say, thank you! I appreciate your effort, and your dogs are probably lovely creatures. Unfortunately, you are in the minority, and the other dog-owners and their pets are making you look bad.
It used to be that whenever the Great Pet Debate came up -- dogs vs. cats -- I found myself wondering, why don't I like dogs more? After all, the qualities ascribed to them sound great. I liked Platonic Dogs very well, but Actual Dogs much less, and I didn't know why.
Then I realized that was because the majority of the Actual Dogs I meet are badly behaved.
They bark. They bite. They chew on stuff. They jump on anything and anyone they can get near. No, their "enthusiasm" is not adorable. In small dogs, it's annoying; in large dogs, it can be outright dangerous. You know what's adorable? A dog who knows how to express his enthusiasm in a socially acceptable fashion. Which is to say, a dog who is trained.
And no, a dog who brings the ball back when you're playing fetch and sits (sometimes) on command is not "trained." If you have to drag your dog down off the counter of the post office, your dog is badly trained and badly behaved. If he barks for a minute straight every time the doorbell rings, he is badly trained and badly behaved. If you have to bribe him with treats to get peace and quiet during dinner, he is badly trained and badly behaved. If he draws blood through my clothing because he tried to jump on me and his claws went raking down my thigh, he is badly trained and badly behaved.
A well-trained dog is one who knows how to behave like a civilized member of society.
I have met far too few of them in my life.
So please. For the love of god. Train your dog. Teach him when it is and is not okay to bark. Teach him to show enthusiasm with tail-wagging and jumping in place, not on people. Do not reward his bad behavior by giving him commands and then, when he ignores them, rewarding him with whatever it was he wanted. You owe it to your dog to be consistent, to give him a framework within which he can operate and be happy. And the rest of us would appreciate it very much.
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/602011.html. Comment here or there.
November 12, 2013
well, that's encouraging
A Natural History of Dragons has been sent for a fourth printing.
Go, Isabella, go!
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601745.html. Comment here or there.
Go, Isabella, go!
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601745.html. Comment here or there.
November 11, 2013
catching up on the (fiction-related) news
It's taken me about a week to regenerate much brain, with most of what I could spare going to working on the next of the Memoirs. But I have some now, and so you get a news batch!
First of all, A Natural History of Dragons is in the semifinal round for Best Fantasy of 2013 over on Goodreads. I'm not saying you should go vote for it or anything. I'm just, y'know, mentioning.
you should totally go vote for it
Next up, Book View Café has a fun new anthology out: Mad Science Café . This debuted while I was out of the country, so I'm a bit behind the curve in announcing it, but it's pretty much what the title would lead you to expect, i.e. lots of stories about Science Gone Wrong (Or Very, Very Right). It reprints my story "Comparison of Efficacy Rates for Seven Antipathetics As Employed Against Lycanthropes," aka the Werewolf Fake Academic Paper story, so if you missed it when it first came out in Ekaterina Sedia's Running with the Pack , here's your chance!
I'm also in another anthology! Apex Magazine has put out The Book of Apex: Volume 4 , which collects fifteen issues' worth of the magazine, including my own "Waiting for Beauty." That one's available in print as well as electronic formats.
Speaking of anthologies (no, we're not done yet), there's an excerpt from "Centuries of Kings" up at Bookworm Blues. Because I was out of the country when that went up, the Kickstarter linked is over and done with (after successfully raising its target and more). But still, you can get a taster of the story, which will be in Neverland's Library.
And finally, not about me: Mike Allen (![[profile]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380840198i/3130798.png)
time_shark
), editor, poet, and fiction writer, has a novel out!
The Black Fire Concerto
, about which people have said many good things. It has a blurb from Tanith Lee! "A prize for the multitude of fans who relish strong Grand Guignol with their sword and sorcery." Mike is, of course, the fellow who has brought you all four Clockwork Phoenix anthologies, not to mention
Mythic Delirium
and other such projects. If you dig horror, you should definitely check this out.
. . . did I mention that A Natural History of Dragons is up for a vote? ^_^
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601529.html. Comment here or there.
First of all, A Natural History of Dragons is in the semifinal round for Best Fantasy of 2013 over on Goodreads. I'm not saying you should go vote for it or anything. I'm just, y'know, mentioning.
you should totally go vote for it
Next up, Book View Café has a fun new anthology out: Mad Science Café . This debuted while I was out of the country, so I'm a bit behind the curve in announcing it, but it's pretty much what the title would lead you to expect, i.e. lots of stories about Science Gone Wrong (Or Very, Very Right). It reprints my story "Comparison of Efficacy Rates for Seven Antipathetics As Employed Against Lycanthropes," aka the Werewolf Fake Academic Paper story, so if you missed it when it first came out in Ekaterina Sedia's Running with the Pack , here's your chance!
I'm also in another anthology! Apex Magazine has put out The Book of Apex: Volume 4 , which collects fifteen issues' worth of the magazine, including my own "Waiting for Beauty." That one's available in print as well as electronic formats.
Speaking of anthologies (no, we're not done yet), there's an excerpt from "Centuries of Kings" up at Bookworm Blues. Because I was out of the country when that went up, the Kickstarter linked is over and done with (after successfully raising its target and more). But still, you can get a taster of the story, which will be in Neverland's Library.
And finally, not about me: Mike Allen (
time_shark
), editor, poet, and fiction writer, has a novel out!
The Black Fire Concerto
, about which people have said many good things. It has a blurb from Tanith Lee! "A prize for the multitude of fans who relish strong Grand Guignol with their sword and sorcery." Mike is, of course, the fellow who has brought you all four Clockwork Phoenix anthologies, not to mention
Mythic Delirium
and other such projects. If you dig horror, you should definitely check this out.. . . did I mention that A Natural History of Dragons is up for a vote? ^_^
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601529.html. Comment here or there.
November 9, 2013
minor to major
Hey, people who know more about music theory than I do:
How does one go about shifting a piece of music from a minor key to a major one? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion, that I'm just looking to transpose a simple melodic line. No chords or anything to worry about.)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601316.html. Comment here or there.
How does one go about shifting a piece of music from a minor key to a major one? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion, that I'm just looking to transpose a simple melodic line. No chords or anything to worry about.)
This entry was also posted at http://swan-tower.dreamwidth.org/601316.html. Comment here or there.
