S.L. Viehl's Blog, page 154

This and That

After several requests came in for advance reading copies of my December release Nightbred I checked with my editor, and it turns out that my publisher will not be printing any this time around. Instead NAL will be placing the novel up on Net Galley, which I'm told hands out e-book versions for reviewers and bloggers. I don't know how difficult it is to use this service, as I buy all the books I talk about here on the blog, but I'm sure you techno-savvy folks know all about it.

It's a little sad to see the end of printed ARCs, although it will be nice not to see them being sold on eBay or by used booksellers on Amazon for ridiculous prices. I've heard some authors get permission to print their own ARCs via short run printers, but at present I don't have the time or the room in the budget for that. I've done my own photocopied, unbound galleys in the past but they're a bit cumbersome.

I'm planning to do some online giveaways for Nightbred during mid-to-late November, and for these I'll use signed copies of the final edition (this assuming my author copies come in earlier than the release date.) It will also mean I have to do the promo a few weeks later than I'd planned, but this is part of the E-future, and it's time I got in step with it.

I've also received several e-mails from readers who noted the BBC's coverage of the unique tomb burial discovered beneath the ruins of Templo Mayor in Mexico City and how closely it resembles the tomb in my novel Nightshine.

It's not the first time my fiction has pre-empted fact, and I do understand why it kind of weirds out everyone when it does. While the newly-uncovered tomb is in the same (okay, the exact same) location of the fictional tomb of Sokojotsin in my book, which I wrote two years ago, no psychic visions on my part were involved. I attribute the coincidence to a lucky combination of research and imagination. I spent months studying the history of the Aztecs, their culture and how they lived in preparation for writing Nightshine.

As for the specific reasons I chose Templo Mayor as the not-quite-final resting place of this character, there were two: 1) it was one of the most important temples in Tenochtitlan, and 2) it was actually destroyed by the Spanish exactly when I needed it to be destroyed to fit in with the character's storyline. That archaeologists have now uncovered a significant burial beneath the same temple in the real world is yes, simply an odd coincidence, nothing more. I can tell you with 100% confidence that they won't find in their tomb what I put in mine in the novel.

Last of the Trade Gripes

Since I've gotten hooked on the UK's writer trade magazine Writers' Forum I grabbed the August issue when I stopped by BAM yesterday. As it's also been some time since I test drove the U.S. writing trades I also picked up copies of the July/August issue of Poets & Writers ; the July issue of The Writer to do some comparisons.

At 128 pages Poets & Writers seems a bit heftier this month, but I noticed there were far fewer contest, residency and market listings in the back, which has always been the primary draw for me. Of the content, I liked Dark Room Redux, a short piece on the origins of a twenty-five-year-old society of poets and writers of color, (online for free reading here); Network by Jami Attenberg, a primer on how to use Tumblr blogs to connect with readers (online for free reading here); and Practical Poetry by Margaret Wolfson, one of the best articles I've read in a long time that explains the creative roots of many well-known name brands, and offers some intuitive observations on why the brands were such excellent marketing tools.

I appreciate that P&W makes some articles and much of their market info available online for free reading, but I'd still like to see more of the "My Journey/Struggle/Pain" -type content trimmed and replaced by info that is actually useful to writers working in the lit end of the market.

The Writer continues to shrink; at 50 pages it was the real lightweight of the trio. This volume, which is touted as the "How-to" issue, had only three pieces I felt were worth the trouble of reading: For the mystery writers, Hallie Ephron's The Secret is in the Secrets, which offers seven tips on how to plot a page-turner, has some decent ideas; for the travel writers, Diana Tonnessen's 8 Secrets to Selling Your Travel Stories likewise has some practical tips on how to approach travel publishers. The third was Kelly James-Enger's piece on the 8 biggest mistakes e-book authors make, which identifies and offers a quick fix for common problems (and I can't comment on the value of this as I don't self-publish for profit.)

Some of the content was pretty lightweight, too, like the articles on 30 Twitter feeds and Facebook feeds to watch. Of the 8 contests listed in the market section, all required fees, and some were pretty hefty. As for the Freebies for Writers resource column, it listed only six resources, none of which are anything new, and four of the six were listed only by name. It was nice to see author Lynne Connolly credited for her rec of WordWeb; maybe next time the editors could provide the actual link to what she recommends?

As a trade useful for the working writer, Writers' Forum was the clear winner by comparison. I found three very valuable bits of market info in among the interesting items in the News section. Indie author Mike Hillier has been writing a article series to help self-pubbing writers, and this month he tackles how to format your ms. to make it readable on all e-readers (aka exactly what every aspiring indie author needs to know.)

Even the smaller pieces, like Emily Carlisle's article on online writing groups, Barbara Dynes's piece on actually starting writing (as opposed to sitting around and thinking about it), and Alison Baverstock's advice on how to handle a book launch party, were great. Sue Moorcroft also has an excellent article, The Bad Guys, which with much practicality discusses how to handle writing antagonists and unsavory characters. This is exactly the kind of content that should be in The Writer's how-to issue.

Over the years I've been so frustrated with the trades that I've considered starting up a writers' trade online of my own in order to publish the sort of information I want to see out there for working writers. Earlier today I seriously mulled it over again, and then I realized something. Last year I re-registered Paperback Writer as an electronic serial periodical with the Library of Congress. I've never thought about it before, but this blog is my writers' trade, one I've been writing for going on eight years now. So instead of subscribing to the others, or complaining about their content, I'm going to put more energy into writing up articles, checking out how-tos, and finding as many decent no- or low-cost resources as I can for the writers who stop in here. Thus this will be my last gripe about the trades.

Book Drop Results #1

Last month I tried a book dropping experiment to test my ability to match people with books I think they'd enjoy. This required the test subjects to tell me what sort of story they most liked to read, and then me sending them a book without telling them in advance the title or author. The first results are in, and here's what happened with my book drop for DeeCee.

First, the original comment from the book drop post:

DeeCee 3:31 AM

I like UF/PNR that have multiple book story arcs with fewer than 10 TSTL moments. :)

I sent DeeCee Rob Thurman's Trick of the Light, which I consider among other things to be the smartest urban fantasy I've ever read. In my e-mail to DeeCee, I also mentioned this: You were the toughest of my book drop winners to choose for, mainly because I think you and I read a lot of the same books.

I am psychic, it seems, as this was DeeCee's response when the package arrived (posted with permission):

I actually do already have Trick of the Light-I just finished reading it about 3 weeks ago. :) Trixa was a smart heroine, but I think Cal Leandros will still be my go to UF.

I wasn't about to give up, though, so I sent this:

I should have known! Ha. Okay, I've sent another book out, and hopefully this time I've managed to find one to surprise you. I'll check back with you once I return from my road trip.

And DeeCee's response to reading the second book, which was Sarah Addison Allen's The Girl Who Chased the Moon:

I can't thank you enough. You picked the perfect book. Allen's writing is so fast, the two contrasting voices kept the story moving and I couldn't put it down today. I can't believe Allen pulled off [censored by me, as it contains spoilers] -she didn't even have to explain the hows or whys. But I think Stella's scenes made me LOL the most, "Erase that." :) I've got to go track down The Sugar Queen and the Peach Keeper now.

I can't take credit for discovering Sarah Addison Allen, however, as two of her books were given to me by two different friends who thought I would enjoy them (and they were wonderful, and I loved them.) That's why book dropping works so well, I think. When someone gives me the gift of a great story, passing it along to someone else is as much fun as enjoying it myself. You don't have to stop at one person, either. Today while I was at BAM I recommended Allen's Garden Spells to the lady manning the cash wrap.

Although it took two tries I'm going to call this one a success, and my thanks to DeeCee for allowing me to share comments from our e-mail exchange. As soon as I have more results in, I'll post more updates.

Sub Ops Ten

Ten Things About Submission Opportunities

Alive Now is a "devotional magazine that nurtures the spiritual lives of individuals hungry for God. The magazine invites readers to enter an ever-deepening relationship with God, helps them to open and unclutter their hearts, encourages them to reflect on contemporary issues from a faith perspective. Each issue of this bimonthly, 48-page magazine focuses on a contemporary topic that impacts the faith life. Readers are drawn into the theme and invited to deepen their relationship with God and others. The magazine may be used by individuals or in small groups. The magazines contain scripture, prayers, meditations, stories, poetry, reflection aids, photographs, and art. Each issue identifies a prayer practice related to that issue’s theme. Seasonal material, both theological and liturgical, is appropriate." Length: 400 words (firm), Payment: "$35.00 and up", query on reprints, electronic and snail mail submissions okay, see guidelines for more details.

Crossed Genres magazine is now open for submissions of themed fiction: "Each month CG Magazine has a new genre or theme. Short story submissions must combine elements of either Science Fiction and/or Fantasy with the current theme. Current theme (August/September 2012): BOUNDARIES. Boundaries are physical, psychological, emotional, and imaginary. Who we are can often be defined by how we respond to perceived boundaries – accept them; ignore them; sidestep them; confront them. Where do the boundaries we encounter shape the boundaries of our selves?" Length: 1-6K firm; Payment: "We pay 5¢ per word for fiction. Authors will also receive a gratis print and ebook copy of the anthology in which their story appears." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Reading period for the current theme ends September 30th, 2012.

Deep Set Press is looking for "literary genre" novel submissions; Length: 25-125K, Payment: according to Ralan.com they pay 50% of gross, no reprints, electronic submissions only. I'm not seeing a lot of details on their web site submission guidelines at all so you might want to query them first or ask around and get more info before you submit.

Galileo Games has an open call for their upcoming charity anthology, The Lost ~ A Kingdom of Nothing Anthology: "Are you a writer who can write compelling stories with interesting characters? Can you create memorable characters who shine from the page? Do you want to participate in an anthology where the profits will go towards charity? Then you may be interested in submitting to The Lost, an anthology with fiction based on the game, Kingdom of Nothing. We are looking for fiction from writers in the fantasy and literary genre who are interested in writing moving stories about characters that have lost everything. Submissions to The Lost must have strong, character-focused stories. Fantasy, surrealism, a literary approaches are all welcome. The Lost are stories that take place in the slums and back alleys all over the world. These stories will tell of a malignant force born out of apathy and fed by despair that swallows everyone who slips though the cracks. Writers familiar with the setting of Kingdom of Nothing are preferred. Proceeds from sales of The Lost will go to Food Bank for New York City, http://www.foodbanknyc.org/." Length: 2-8K; Payment: $100.00; no mention on reprints (kinda doubt they'd take them for this project, but query if you've already published with them), electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: September 1st, 2012.

Kazka Press has an open call for their upcoming fantasy/California themed anthology: "Here at the Kaz, were looking to combine two of the things we love the most: fantasy fiction and California. Thus, we’re opening up a call for fantasy (not science fiction…sorry) short stories about California–specifically about Californian counties–with a historical fiction bent. Here’s what we mean: There are 58 counties in California. Each has a history–a real history free of dragons and sorceresses and enchanted forests, which is a real shame. So, we want you to remix some part of the real history of a Californian county with fantasy fiction. For example, did griffins really help miners in Nevada County, California transport their gold to market? What role did telepathy have in opening up Monterey County, California to exploration? You see our idea. Fantasy + a county in California. Just shy away from libel. In your story, you must tackle the history of only one county in California. You, as the writer, will be the spokesperson, as you will be the only writer for that county’s history–if your story is selected, of course. Think of it as a fun research project. That said, if we get two stories about, say, San Diego County, we’ll be publishing the stronger one, so consider a story about one of the lesser known counties to up your chances of inclusion in this anthology. Maybe Yolo? Plumas? Modoc? Oh, and time for the one really anal-retentive, this-is-to-enfore-the-editor’s-worldview rule: if your story says that places like San Francisco or Monterey or San Jose are in Northern California, your story will be scowled at and edited. Northern California means from the west in Sonoma to the east in Alpine and the way north to the Oregon border. Anything south of those counties is not Northern California. Not. No matter what people say. So spaketh the editor." Length: "500-5,000 words. Anything over 5,000 will be considered, but you will be paid a flat rate of $50 if accepted." Payment: "1 cent a word + 1 contributors copy (eBook in .epub or .pdf format (and print copy if we print it))." No reprints, electronic submissions via online form only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: September 30th, 2012.

Obsidian River is looking for steampunk stories: "Obsidian River is seeking Steampunk themed fiction. Steampunk, in our definition, involves periods of history re-imagined with advanced technology. Technology should be big, steam powered, clock-work and NOT subtle. Magic may have a presence in stories we publish but it should play a smaller and more subtle role in the worlds you are creating." Length: not specified; Payment: $10.00 (PBW notes: they are very upfront about advising writers that they will be selling their first electronic rights for what is a very modest/token payment; this is the kind of ethical warning I like to see from an online publisher); no mention of if they accept reprints (I'd query first); electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Persimmon Tree magazine only accepts submissions of fiction and nonfiction written by women over the age of sixty, and are looking for "work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine will include several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one visual artist. The magazine is published quarterly, in association with Mills College." Length: up to 3.5K. No mention of payment so you should query first, no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

I found an open call for an antho here that doesn't offer a lot of info but sounds like it might be interesting to those of you who have body art: "Tattoos have been in existence for centuries, from the indigenous people of Japan to tribal people of Polynesia, Philippines, and Borneo. They are markers of time, rites of passage, symbols, remembrances, and sometimes, stupid decisions made on drunken nights. They are everywhere—under the white sleeve of a co-worker, sneakily peeking out of a shirt collar, up and down muscled legs and arms of athletes. There has been a proliferation of reality shows centered in tattoo parlors. What once was a subculture has now emerged as mainstream. Yet, in the literary landscape, there has been a conspicuous absence of writing about tattoos. The editors of the tentatively titled anthology, Sins & Needles—Ira Sukrungruang and Jim Miller—are looking for personal nonfiction narratives about the meaning behind the tattoo. Please send 500-3000 word essays in a PDF or Word document file via our submission manager." (Note: there is no other information about payment and such so do be cautious with this one.)

Suddenly Lost in Words is looking for: "the best in writing for young adults (13+) from both established and up-and-coming writers. Any genre. We pay professional rates. Selected works will appear in eBook releases to be sold through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: Original writing not previously published. Short stories, memoirs, and longer works that can be serialized. Writing that is free from gore, porn, profanity, racism, preaching and politics." Length: up to 3K (firm); Payment: "5 cents per word for First Worldwide Electronic Rights and First Serial Rights. Payment is made upon publication." Obviously no reprints, electronic submission via online form only, see guidelines for more details.

Vishnu Temple Press has an open call for essays for an anthology themed on hiking in the Grand Canyon: "We are interested in writing that conveys the sights and sounds, the texture and spirit of that place, and the richness of your immersion. We are open to all kinds of approaches, including writing that depicts: the sensory experience of a Canyon hike; close encounters with flora and fauna, rock and water; the specifics of particular places; interactions with other humans, present or past; adventures and discoveries; physical and psychological challenges, and their surmounting; new or renewed perspectives that arise from a Canyon immersion. No poetry or fiction please." Length: up 6K; Payment: "Contributing authors will receive two copies of the book and may purchase additional copies at a 50% discount." Reprints okay, electronic and snail-mail submissions, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: December 31st, 2012.

Berg Vision

I got to the railing and looked over, and to my surprise, this is who everyone was cooing over:



I suppose to someone who didn't grow up by the Everglades he does look cute. To me he looks like a gator, which ranks very high on my don't-fool-with list, right up there with rattlesnakes, yellow jackets and brown recluse spiders.

I think people don't know how deceptively small a gator can look when it's in the water. Mostly you see the eyes poking up, a bit of its snout and that's all -- but that's not all there is to the gator. You might see this:



But what you're really looking at is just the tip of this:



Gators in the water aren't that much different from icebergs; what you don't see can be a lot bigger than you'd ever imagine (and I apologize for the poor quality of that last pic; not only was Mr. Popularity big, like all gators he was also really fast.) Here's something else: I was the only one who saw the gator full-length; after a couple of minutes everyone else got bored looking at his cute little head and wandered off the dock.

Sometimes when you're honing an element of story, whether it be a character or a plot or even a setting, the need for clarity often demands tight focus: here is Protagonist Guy, what he looks like, what he wants, and what his problems are. Like the gator, we see all the attractive/sympathetic/exciting bits upfront. As writers we want that, to immediately engage the reader's attention is one of the most important aspects of the work.

But once you've got them hanging over the railing, is this all they're going to see? If you haven't gone deeper with your character (or any of your other story elements), and developed them to be more than what the reader initially encounters, how are you going to sustain interest? Remember, as with the gator, all that upfront cuteness only goes so far.

Indie Reads

One of my first indie author purchases for my new Nook was Free Fall by Carolyn Jewel, a novella set in her My Immortal series. I chose a novella because I wanted something shorter than a novel to test for my initial reading experience. I also happen to like the author's voice and the unusual characters in this series. The story was appropriate for a novella-length tale, and while it was a bit light on the plot side (one of the normal downsides of novellas) the characters were absorbing enough to keep me reading. I've heard the frequent gripes about how indie authors skimp on length, but at 240 pages (and there are an additional 62 pages of excerpts from some of her other works at the end) it's a solid read and to me definitely worth the $2.99 cover price.

It did take me a couple of days to read the novella; I'm still fiddling with the screen resolution and brightness, and until I find the right combination for the most comfortable reading experience I'll be reading on the Nook in short doses. Also, once you do have an e-reader I think you can go a little crazy buying e-books (after years of not being able to read so many books, it's pretty hard for me to resist a spending spree.) To keep my spending in check I decided only to buy something new once I'd finished the last e-book I bought for the Nook. This way I won't hoard stories or create a towering e-TBR.

After I finished Carolyn's novella I purchased The Sleeping Night by Barbara Samuel; mainly because I read on her blog her post on how long she struggled to get it published. Interracial romance is always a tough sell, but this one is an especially great read, and I applaud her for choosing to self-publish it. I think more readers would probably invest in it if it were a bit cheaper (I paid $10.15 for my e-copy) but I don't mind spending a little extra on an author I know for a fact is a very talented storyteller. Far as I'm concerned it's an investment in my future reading pleasure.

This novel particularly resonated with me because my first love in middle school was an island boy. Kevin and I were part of the first generation to be subjected to public school desegregation, however, and as a result our fearful parents put a swift end to that fledgling relationship. We certainly weren't together as long as the protagonists in this book, nor were we treated as badly, but even forty years after the fact I can still relate to their wretched situation.

Ten years ago Barbara's novel likely would never have been released; the author probably would have shelved the manuscript and moved on to write something she could sell to New York. Now that she has more options, she's exercising them to gain more creative control of her work while making more of it available to her readers. That she can do that while also paying her bills and making a living at writing simply provides extra insurance that she will keep writing; something we all want to see happen, yes?

I may be regarded as a traditionally-published writer, but people often forget that I started self-publishing my fiction online back in 2001. While I've always done it for purposes of promotion versus profit, I know exactly how tough it is to fly solo with the work. I've never cared about the hoopla surrounding self- versus tradish-publishing, or e- versus print-releases, which always seem to me to be fueled mainly by some personal agenda or poorly-disguised marketing campaign. None of that matters to me as a writer or a reader. As storytellers we have to make tons of choices regarding the work; how we publish is just another item on a very long list. As readers we all want great stories, and whether they're released by a publishing house or the author really doesn't factor in for most of us.

My largest problem with reading self-pubbed works has always been that 99% of them aren't released in print or aren't print-enabled. Until last month I've only read print or printed-out books for pleasure because I have to stare at a computer screen all day. Thanks to my family's birthday gift of a Nook that's now a non-issue (I also solved my inability to use a touch-screen by purchasing a Nook Stylus. Now if they'd just invent a wireless keyboard for the Nook I'd be very happy.) Having access to all those books I've not been able before to read means I'll probably be posting more about great indie reads here on the blog.

Now I'm curious -- which indie authors have you been investing in lately? Got any titles you'd recommend as great reads? Let us know in comments.

Your Olympic Body Double

This is fun -- the BBC is giving us all a chance to live vicariously as Olympians by offering this body matching generator which tells you based on your height and weight which athelete at the games you are most like (in shape, obviously, not in fitness.)

I plugged in my stats and found out I have a Brit twin:



I've no idea what handball is, but now I'll have to find out. So who is your body double at the games? Let us know in comments.

(BBC link filched from The Presurfer)

Ten Questions for J.C. Daniels

If you don't change you stagnate, so this month I'm going to shake things up a bit and try out some new things on the blog. I thought I'd kick off my new direction by featuring interviews with the three types of authors publishing these days. Since I'm also lazy, I decided to corner one writer I've known almost my entire career, who currently wears all three hats: our blogpal Shiloh Walker, who is now also publishing as J.C. Daniels.

Ms. Daniels, you’re an e-published author, a traditionally published author, and a self-published author. Should we call you an uppity legacy house-slave, or something else?

You can call me the same thing I told my agent I was . . . I am a hyped-up bunny on speed. I told people I write a lot. I mean, I think they know. But . . . well. I write so much I needed another persona to handle it all.

What’s it like, juggling all three of those hats – besides smart, I mean?

I get dizzy. I get very dizzy. One of these days, I’m going to forget who and what I am, because I’m so busy spinning in circles.

Why did you decide on J.C. as the initials for your new pseudonym? For example, were you watching Jackie Chan or John Cena?

Heh. Neither. I was watching the three miniatures who rule my life. It’s a play off the names of my three kids, not their names, per se . . . but similar.

Everyone who sees this cover art will want to steal your designer. So who’s responsible, and what was it like working with the cover artist on the look?

That would be Angela Waters, of Angela Waters Art, and the woman is a fricking genius. I tell her roughly what the story is about, the feel I want, and character descriptions and she comes back with a rough cover. The first one, on this one, wasn’t precisely right, because I had very clear idea in my head who the guy in the background needed to look like. So we hammered that out until I had exactly what you see on the final cover. Angie and I have been working together for a while, and she knows me, knows what I like, but I’ve never seen a bad cover from her. Plus? She’s very affordable.

Tell us in twenty-five words or less why we should invest in Blade Song – and to add a little challenge, don’t use any adjectives.

Simple. I wrote the book in a week. It ate my brain. I want it to consume others the way it consumed me.

Should we expect Blade Song to be a standalone or the first of a duology, a trilogy, or a series? Also, if there’s a second book, what’s the title and when will it be available?

I’m hoping it will be the first in a series. But as with most self-published works, a lot of it depends on how well this one goes. If it goes well, I plan on releasing the next book in early 2012, I think. That book is titled Night Blade.

Where can we buy Blade Song, what formats is it available in, and because we’re lazy can you give us some links?

It’s available just about every place ebooks are sold for now, although print is coming. (Look for that in another month-ish). Right now, it’s ebook . . . on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and most other e-devices . . .here are the major sites.

Amazon | BN | iBookstore

What’s the biggest professional challenge working writers like you face today?

Besides . . .selling the next idea? Um, selling. That’s it, in a nutshell, I guess. I’m still at that point in my career where I’m waiting for that . . . thing that will give me a little more security. So I don’t have to panic every time I turn in a proposal. I had to end a few series lately, not because I wanted to, but because they weren’t selling well and publishers don’t like that. So . . . selling the next idea. Hoping publishers will like it. Hoping readers are going to support you. Hoping the stress of it all doesn’t interfere with the creative process, because if that happens? It doesn’t matter if you sell the idea. If you can’t write the book? You’re screwed. Ah . . . Lynn? What were we thinking, getting into this business?

(Beats me, the interviewer mutters under her breath) Once you asked me (among other things) what was the one piece of advice I would give to a new writers. I’ve been waiting patiently for some payback, so what’s your answer to that question?

DON’T DO IT! (Just kidding). If you’re crazy enough to do it . . . be ready for the fact this isn’t a business for wimps. If you’re looking for easy money, if you thinking you’ve got the next E.L. James, the next Stephanie Meyer, the next J.K. Rowling manuscript on your hard drive, keep one thing in mind . . . for every mega success you hear about? There are thousands and thousands of writers out there who struggle for years and don’t see that success, or even a fraction of it—many of them can’t even quit their day jobs. I’m actually one of the lucky ones who can do it for a living and it’s still not easy for me. But don’t look at this business with stars in your eyes, and don’t think that selling a book suddenly makes it easier. The stresses and challenges are still there. They are just a different sort of stresses and challenges.

I have super secret time-bending powers, and because I don’t believe in all this Mayan end-of-the-world nonsense I’m going to open a window to 2015. When we spy on you through it, what will you be writing?

I’ll be sitting on the beach, sipping a mai-tai, writing my tell-all book about the industry . . . hmmm. That’s not coming together in my mind. Damn it. Okay. I’m probably putting together another romantic suspense trilogy. Because I’m good at those. If this UF thing goes well with Blade Song? I’ll be writing another book in that series, because it’s not just going to be over in three or four books . . . it’s not open-ended, but Kit’s got some, well, issues that need to be resolved. I’m not an organized thinker, so who knows? And . . . hmmm . . . that’s three years down the road? Wrapping the fairy tales I bastardize with my Grimm books and figuring out what I want to tear apart next.

Thanks for letting me interrogate you, Ms. Daniels. Now I'm off to read Blade Song, which I just downloaded on my Nook, and actually looks pretty fabulous . . .

The Creative Pilgrimage

My sneaking off to Savannah included some multi-tasking; I had to do some research, plus manage a college tour for my youngest. The fact that I also paid a visit to E. Shaver booksellers was simply for research materials, and had nothing to do with my inability to walk past a fabulous book shop without stopping, browsing and purchasing something.

I finally got to show my guy the place I most love in the South (it was his first visit, and you should have seen the look on his face when we walked inside the Cathedral of St. John.) Savannah is a city for people like us who love to walk, and despite the heat we ditched our car at the hotel and went on foot just about everywhere.

I wasn't entirely unselfish while visiting my favorite southern city, either. I needed Savannah to boost me creatively, something it always does without fail. It's why every couple of years I have to go back; it's one of my most important creative strongholds. When I'm there, sitting on a bench in one of the city's beautiful squares, or walking through one of the grand old historic neighborhoods, or standing by the river to watch the ships come into port, I'm infused with constant delight.

During this trip I spent an hour inside my favorite Savannah landmark, the Owens-Thomas house, soaking up all that amazing architecture and atmosphere while I sketched little details that always seem new no matter how often I see them: the golden light pouring through the Greek key window in the front room, the graceful curves of the pottery in the kitchen, the dark streaky glow of the wood and brass banisters of the inner staircase. Everything in and around that house enveloped me and my imagination, comforting and warming and knowing -- and that's only one house. There are countless houses like that in Savannah, just waiting to be seen and appreciated.

I brought some of my troubles and concerns to the city, too, but they never seem quite as huge or insurmountable there. While we were at St. John's I lit a candle for a friend who is going through a tough time, and later sent her a postcard I picked up in the cathedral. At our hotel I met the mother of a young writer who will be attending the same college we came to see, and we talked about our kids and the school and the Publishing business. Savannah has a unique way of reminding you that you're not alone in your worries, and there's always time to talk and figure things out and even dream a little.

Making a creative pilgrimage isn't about traveling as much as it's about finding yourself in a place. I don't really know why Savannah has such a strong hold on my heart; I've never lived there, and neither has anyone in my family. It's just a place where I am so comfortable, and so much at home that part of me always lives there no matter where I am.

Where do you go when you need to make a creative pilgrimage? Why do you think your particular place rejuvenates you? Let us know in comments.

Back

We had a great time on our trip, and to give you a little glimpse of how I spent the last four days, here are:

Ten Things I Saw on My Trip to Savannah