Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 24
November 1, 2015
Weekend Update: I contain multitudes, and they argue.
Body: We are tired and do not want to brain.
Brain: ...we didn't eat lunch. Or, really breakfast - whole wheat toast doesn't count if there was no protein. Go make something.
Body: No. Tired.
Brain: You either have to get up and make something, or you're going to nap the rest of the afternoon and then hate yourself because work doesn't get done.
Body: ...you and your fucking logic.
That was Friday. I did eventually eat, and get some work done, because I adult like that. Mainly working on a client manuscript, plus some odds and ends of production matter and email clearing. And laundry and paperwork, because Adulting.
Saturday night, I went out to West Seattle to volunteer with The Cabiri's "dessert cabaret" presentation of DEAD GODS. This ended up meaning playing barback during the intermissions (as one of the two people with Washington State liquor-handling licenses, the other being a volunteer who was an Actual Bartender), and helping with set-up/break down. An interesting way to spend Halloween (the show was properly atmospheric, and many audience members came in costume), and the trip home was enlivened by sharing a car with fellow volunteers and staff of like fannish minds.
(you know you're among Your People when you say "my cat Castiel" and the multiple reaction is "you named your cat Cas?")
For those who hear horror stories of the Seattle bus system, I will say that I was able to take the bus (two buses, specifically) more or less from my door to the theater, no fuss. But it did take a while, and forget about catching them back late Saturday night...
Sunday was Writer Girls brunch, which always pretty much overtakes the day, but I did work more on client manucript, and prep for my NaNoRevMo - 30 more sleeps until the revised manuscript for THE COLD EYE is handed in!
And thus we head into Monday. How'd y'all spend your Halloween/Dia de los Muertos weekend?
Brain: ...we didn't eat lunch. Or, really breakfast - whole wheat toast doesn't count if there was no protein. Go make something.
Body: No. Tired.
Brain: You either have to get up and make something, or you're going to nap the rest of the afternoon and then hate yourself because work doesn't get done.
Body: ...you and your fucking logic.
That was Friday. I did eventually eat, and get some work done, because I adult like that. Mainly working on a client manuscript, plus some odds and ends of production matter and email clearing. And laundry and paperwork, because Adulting.
Saturday night, I went out to West Seattle to volunteer with The Cabiri's "dessert cabaret" presentation of DEAD GODS. This ended up meaning playing barback during the intermissions (as one of the two people with Washington State liquor-handling licenses, the other being a volunteer who was an Actual Bartender), and helping with set-up/break down. An interesting way to spend Halloween (the show was properly atmospheric, and many audience members came in costume), and the trip home was enlivened by sharing a car with fellow volunteers and staff of like fannish minds.
(you know you're among Your People when you say "my cat Castiel" and the multiple reaction is "you named your cat Cas?")
For those who hear horror stories of the Seattle bus system, I will say that I was able to take the bus (two buses, specifically) more or less from my door to the theater, no fuss. But it did take a while, and forget about catching them back late Saturday night...
Sunday was Writer Girls brunch, which always pretty much overtakes the day, but I did work more on client manucript, and prep for my NaNoRevMo - 30 more sleeps until the revised manuscript for THE COLD EYE is handed in!
And thus we head into Monday. How'd y'all spend your Halloween/Dia de los Muertos weekend?
October 28, 2015
Bookses! Half-priced eBookses! (limited time offer)
If anyone here a) likes ebooks, b) likes half-price ebooks - and c) likes half-price ebooks where the authors get paid fairly on the sale....
Kobo's having a sale*. Half-price ebooks if you use the region-appropriate code:
Canada
October 28th – October 31st
Promo Code: CA50SALE
United States/Australia/New Zealand
October 27th – October 30th
Promo Code: GET50SALE
United Kingdom
October 30th – November 2nd
Promo Code: UK50SALE
(some restrictions apply)
*yes, you can read Kobo books on non-Kobo-branded readers!
and hey, look, Kobo has a bunch of my books available!
Kobo's having a sale*. Half-price ebooks if you use the region-appropriate code:
Canada
October 28th – October 31st
Promo Code: CA50SALE
United States/Australia/New Zealand
October 27th – October 30th
Promo Code: GET50SALE
United Kingdom
October 30th – November 2nd
Promo Code: UK50SALE
(some restrictions apply)
*yes, you can read Kobo books on non-Kobo-branded readers!
and hey, look, Kobo has a bunch of my books available!
More shiny glee for SILVER!
Bull Spec sez: A Weird West story with a teenage girl employed by the devil as the main character? The concept was so intriguing that Your Humble Reviewers had to read it.
And so they did. And they liked what they read!
The scenery descriptions are wonderful and the details of trail life...make the world feel very real. Isobel changes from a rather sheltered teen into a confident young woman. She and the supporting cast are all well-drawn characters with distinct quirks, habits, and clothing.
This alternate Wild West story has the realism you want to find in a western, a reasonable magic system based on nature which is limited as to who can use it, and characters that are easy to care about and cheer on... The different tribes of Native Americans are depicted as clearly distinct from each other and treated with respect. So if you like westerns or travel type fantasy stories, then this story is for you!
And so they did. And they liked what they read!
The scenery descriptions are wonderful and the details of trail life...make the world feel very real. Isobel changes from a rather sheltered teen into a confident young woman. She and the supporting cast are all well-drawn characters with distinct quirks, habits, and clothing.
This alternate Wild West story has the realism you want to find in a western, a reasonable magic system based on nature which is limited as to who can use it, and characters that are easy to care about and cheer on... The different tribes of Native Americans are depicted as clearly distinct from each other and treated with respect. So if you like westerns or travel type fantasy stories, then this story is for you!
October 25, 2015
A dose of D3, and call me in the morning...
I am spending the weekend adulting for tax (and other financial) purposes.
This is about as fun as it sounds. But it's also kind of satisfying, if only to ease the "ack panic" sense that comes when it's NOT done...
At least I have good company for the process.
Diagonally, nearly twenty years ago, I visited Napa/Sonoma for the 1st time. This month I revisited some of the wineries I saw then. My tastes have changed since then (considerably!), but the V. Sattui dry riesling is still v. pretty.
(amusingly, my reaction to the winery itself has not changed. The grounds are gorgeous, but give me a winery that focuses more on the tasting experience than the related merchandising, please.)
And that's all I've got for a weekend report. Adulting is the stuff of dull blogging, guys.
This is about as fun as it sounds. But it's also kind of satisfying, if only to ease the "ack panic" sense that comes when it's NOT done...
At least I have good company for the process.
Diagonally, nearly twenty years ago, I visited Napa/Sonoma for the 1st time. This month I revisited some of the wineries I saw then. My tastes have changed since then (considerably!), but the V. Sattui dry riesling is still v. pretty.
(amusingly, my reaction to the winery itself has not changed. The grounds are gorgeous, but give me a winery that focuses more on the tasting experience than the related merchandising, please.)
And that's all I've got for a weekend report. Adulting is the stuff of dull blogging, guys.
October 22, 2015
Three Reviews for SILVER ON THE ROAD, because People Are Different
Got my first 2-star review on Amazon for SILVER ON THE ROAD! Mostly, it seems, for using "they" as a gender-neutral pronoun."The author created engaging characters and a story that kept my interest. But... the worst, and most frequent, glitch was the use of "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun. "They" is always plural and can't properly refer to one person; "he" or "she" is required. Even though I'm curious to know what happens next to the continuing characters, I will not read any more of this awkwardness."I may not find this so amusing after coffee. But I bet I probably will.
Meanwhile, and not to bury the lede, Library Journal awarded SILVER ON THE ROAD a starred review, saying "the characters and setting keep the interest of fans of atmospheric, strange Wild West stories."
*admires the shiny star*
And then Green Man Review made me purr like a sun-splashed tiger -
"I think Silver On The Road, the first of Gilman’s Devil’s West series, has surpassed her own previous efforts for world building, and that is no small task... As much as I love Celtic and Northern European inspired fantasy, it’s increasingly being done badly. It’s a refreshing change to see American folk motifs and tropes, and especially to see them executed well.
Silver On the Road is Book 1 in Gilman’s Devil’s West Series. I can’t wait for Book 2."
So yeah. You can't please all the people all the time. But you can please the majority, and there are other books by other writers available for everyone else.
Meanwhile, I'm calling today a win all around, and it's only just past 9am.
Meanwhile, and not to bury the lede, Library Journal awarded SILVER ON THE ROAD a starred review, saying "the characters and setting keep the interest of fans of atmospheric, strange Wild West stories."
*admires the shiny star*
And then Green Man Review made me purr like a sun-splashed tiger -
"I think Silver On The Road, the first of Gilman’s Devil’s West series, has surpassed her own previous efforts for world building, and that is no small task... As much as I love Celtic and Northern European inspired fantasy, it’s increasingly being done badly. It’s a refreshing change to see American folk motifs and tropes, and especially to see them executed well.
Silver On the Road is Book 1 in Gilman’s Devil’s West Series. I can’t wait for Book 2."
So yeah. You can't please all the people all the time. But you can please the majority, and there are other books by other writers available for everyone else.
Meanwhile, I'm calling today a win all around, and it's only just past 9am.
October 21, 2015
Ask Me Anything!
okay guys, today's the day to do it. My Reddit/f AMA is now officially (unless I screwed up the opening steps) LIVE.
Go on, do your best. Rock the forum so hard they think AC/DC's in town.
Go on, do your best. Rock the forum so hard they think AC/DC's in town.
October 20, 2015
Away and Back Again...
After the whirlwind of San Diego and San Francisco, where it was Too Warm but I got to see all sorts of friends new and old, and sign a lot of books, there was the whirlwind of New Hampshire and Another Anime Convention. Which was awesome in all sorts of ways I didn't expect, and there were all sorts of awesome people there, and did I mention New Hampshire, where it was cold and there were snow flurries and massive swathes of gold and red and orange leaves?
Yeah.
Oh, and there was an Outing.
(they all made it home safely, and were revived with beer and cake)
And now I am home again, but the soft push on SILVER ON THE ROAD continues.....
Yeah.
Oh, and there was an Outing.
During Another Anime Convention, a small group of voice actors and writers were taken out on a cold, dark New Hampshire night, and turned loose into a haunted park.
This is the only photo that exists of that fateful night.
(they all made it home safely, and were revived with beer and cake)
And now I am home again, but the soft push on SILVER ON THE ROAD continues.....
October 16, 2015
Tired of glowing, 5-star reviews of SILVER ON THE ROAD yet?
Tough. :-D
from Book In The Bag:
I really enjoy reading Laura Anne Gilman’s novels – she not only has a knack for writing kick-ass female characters who are also – SHOCK! – allowed to have weaknesses, she has a knack for worldbuilding, sneaking in all the little details of the world that make it believable. So when she started talking about Silver, I knew I was going to buy it. Then she read part of the first chapter at DragonCon, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to wait until it came out...
Izzy is the right mix of naive and experienced – frustrated again and again with the fact that she received no guidance on what her new role really meant, and yet her experience in the things she knows serves her well when it becomes important.
Along with Gabriel, Izzy travels the way with several other companions (and Farron was either fantastically fun to write, or the biggest headache in the world, but he was lots of fun to read), each with their own goals and agendas.
The end of the book feels real to Izzy’s character, and was, actually, eminently satisfying. We’re left with enough untangled threads to make us eager to find out what happens, but not so many to feel like nothing got fixed this time. 5/5 pages – when does the next one come out?
from Book In The Bag:
I really enjoy reading Laura Anne Gilman’s novels – she not only has a knack for writing kick-ass female characters who are also – SHOCK! – allowed to have weaknesses, she has a knack for worldbuilding, sneaking in all the little details of the world that make it believable. So when she started talking about Silver, I knew I was going to buy it. Then she read part of the first chapter at DragonCon, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to wait until it came out...
Izzy is the right mix of naive and experienced – frustrated again and again with the fact that she received no guidance on what her new role really meant, and yet her experience in the things she knows serves her well when it becomes important.
Along with Gabriel, Izzy travels the way with several other companions (and Farron was either fantastically fun to write, or the biggest headache in the world, but he was lots of fun to read), each with their own goals and agendas.
The end of the book feels real to Izzy’s character, and was, actually, eminently satisfying. We’re left with enough untangled threads to make us eager to find out what happens, but not so many to feel like nothing got fixed this time. 5/5 pages – when does the next one come out?
October 14, 2015
When Your Novel is Actually A Thank-You Letter…
In which I talk about realizing the source of WHY I wrote SILVER ON THE ROAD, and how we are touched by the books of the past...
October 11, 2015
So yeah, San Diego (and NPR) happened...
The gig at Mysterious Galaxy yesterday was great fun, and getting to know my co-conspirator Cat Winters was also fun. We left the place standing, if listing slightly, and with a few signed copies for anyone who couldn't make the reading.
But the day was kind of thrown akilter (in a good way) by the news that NPR had reviewed SILVER ON THE ROAD. And despite a few phrases that made me blink in bemusement (no, sir, I am not a devotee of Campbell), overall it made me very very happy.
the closer:
The book has an internal logic that holds together. The strangeness feels honestly strange, but rooted in the land like it'd been living there far longer than there have been eyes to appreciate it. The magic feels real and dirty and grounded and dangerous and uncontrollable. The Boss is a force whose influence holds the Territory together. And the people who populate Gilman's west seem sufficiently steeped in this mess of Christian theology, Native American shamanism, homespun desert magic and a healthy dose of purely American Weird that suddenly seeing a talking rattlesnake on the trail spouting doom-y prophecy only counts as maybe the third or fourth creepiest thing that might happen to them in a day.
All of which makes Silver take on the sheen and weight of forgotten history. Lost in the middle of the story, you'll feel somehow that you've always known the Devil wore a suit and ran a gambling house back in six-gun times, that he once sent a sixteen year old girl out into the world to fight monsters for him — and it's that echo in the brain that makes the thing hard to put down, because reading Silver on the Road is not like falling into some new and unfamiliar world.
It's more like a true American myth being found.
...yeah. My job here is done (at least until the next book, anyway).
But the day was kind of thrown akilter (in a good way) by the news that NPR had reviewed SILVER ON THE ROAD. And despite a few phrases that made me blink in bemusement (no, sir, I am not a devotee of Campbell), overall it made me very very happy.
the closer:
The book has an internal logic that holds together. The strangeness feels honestly strange, but rooted in the land like it'd been living there far longer than there have been eyes to appreciate it. The magic feels real and dirty and grounded and dangerous and uncontrollable. The Boss is a force whose influence holds the Territory together. And the people who populate Gilman's west seem sufficiently steeped in this mess of Christian theology, Native American shamanism, homespun desert magic and a healthy dose of purely American Weird that suddenly seeing a talking rattlesnake on the trail spouting doom-y prophecy only counts as maybe the third or fourth creepiest thing that might happen to them in a day.
All of which makes Silver take on the sheen and weight of forgotten history. Lost in the middle of the story, you'll feel somehow that you've always known the Devil wore a suit and ran a gambling house back in six-gun times, that he once sent a sixteen year old girl out into the world to fight monsters for him — and it's that echo in the brain that makes the thing hard to put down, because reading Silver on the Road is not like falling into some new and unfamiliar world.
It's more like a true American myth being found.
...yeah. My job here is done (at least until the next book, anyway).
