Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 41
February 22, 2015
of possible interest to my NYC/NJ peeps...
Looks like I'll be in NYC May 27th-28th, before heading up to Boston for the weekend. So let me know if you want to get together...
(I know it's early, but hey, looking ahead to Spring!)
(I know it's early, but hey, looking ahead to Spring!)
February 20, 2015
Everybody's working through the weekend...
Today's WiP darling: "She had grown up in proximity to the devil; power had been as present in the air she breathed as the sulphured smoke from the blacksmith’s forge."
I may kill it later. But for now, we're in love. :-)
2000 new words and I'm finally starting to feel, nearly 25,000 words in, that the plot's starting to come together. After a decade+ of writing reasonably tight-to-outline books, I swear, this series is going to kill me. But process, it sometimes changes, and ya gotta just roll with it...
The rest of the day was admin stuff, broken by my printer's new-found refusal to scan needed tax documents. Wine was opened, and sacrifices were made, along with some impressive-even-to-me cursing....
Tomorrow, I need to put the final polish on a short story before the editors hunt me down and take it from my hands, and then I'm of to partake of a Viking Feast. I have no idea what to expect, other than my own offering (semi-traditionally roasted root veggies), but hopefully the mead will allow me to stagger home at a reasonable hour, because on Sunday I'm one third of
If you're in the Seattle area, come, and bring your recording devices, because we'll be Spilling All The Secret (and telling some entertaining lies)!
And then I get to stagger home and prep for an incedibly quiet week of All The Month-End-Shit-of-a-Short-Month. Wheeee?
I may kill it later. But for now, we're in love. :-)
2000 new words and I'm finally starting to feel, nearly 25,000 words in, that the plot's starting to come together. After a decade+ of writing reasonably tight-to-outline books, I swear, this series is going to kill me. But process, it sometimes changes, and ya gotta just roll with it...
The rest of the day was admin stuff, broken by my printer's new-found refusal to scan needed tax documents. Wine was opened, and sacrifices were made, along with some impressive-even-to-me cursing....
Tomorrow, I need to put the final polish on a short story before the editors hunt me down and take it from my hands, and then I'm of to partake of a Viking Feast. I have no idea what to expect, other than my own offering (semi-traditionally roasted root veggies), but hopefully the mead will allow me to stagger home at a reasonable hour, because on Sunday I'm one third of
If you're in the Seattle area, come, and bring your recording devices, because we'll be Spilling All The Secret (and telling some entertaining lies)!
And then I get to stagger home and prep for an incedibly quiet week of All The Month-End-Shit-of-a-Short-Month. Wheeee?
February 19, 2015
#TBT
#TBT all the way to 2003, when I first saw the art that would become the cover of my first original book, STAYING DEAD.
That was my favorite cover of all my work ever... until now. Now there's maybe a new winner. *g*
That was my favorite cover of all my work ever... until now. Now there's maybe a new winner. *g*
my one real and continuous gripe...
Working on a novel while a completely different type of short story germinates in backbrain is...interesting. Yes, in that use of the word. But that's not my gripe.
My gripe is about grocery shopping. Dear Seattle: if you want to be a grown-up city, you need to have grown-up options. Today -overcast and sleepy - would be an all all-fleece, at-the-desk kind of day, except I have to go out to buy groceries. Having looked into all the on-line options (and missing Fresh Direct so much), picking stuff up myself gives me the best options at the best prices, despite the inconvenience. *sigh*
Seriously - QFC has such a limited selection available on-line, it's mostly not worth it, and Safeway's meats aren't up to my standards, and Amazon Fresh is a) Amazon and b) meh.... because yes, I was totally spoiled by Fresh Direct, I admit it.
So what's a writer on deadline but with an empty fridge to do?
My gripe is about grocery shopping. Dear Seattle: if you want to be a grown-up city, you need to have grown-up options. Today -overcast and sleepy - would be an all all-fleece, at-the-desk kind of day, except I have to go out to buy groceries. Having looked into all the on-line options (and missing Fresh Direct so much), picking stuff up myself gives me the best options at the best prices, despite the inconvenience. *sigh*
Seriously - QFC has such a limited selection available on-line, it's mostly not worth it, and Safeway's meats aren't up to my standards, and Amazon Fresh is a) Amazon and b) meh.... because yes, I was totally spoiled by Fresh Direct, I admit it.
So what's a writer on deadline but with an empty fridge to do?
February 18, 2015
midweek check-in is all linked-up
CatofSize isn't sure if he's having a bad morning or is just in a Grumpy Old Man stage. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference... And I probably should stop referring to having to shoot the cat. New people (and some older ones) keep reading it all wrong. ;-)
But hey, being up at 6am and thinking "I need to write" and being able to sit down and write... we're doing okay here, for a Wednesday.
Oh, and I'm in the barrel for WWW Wednesday, over at Book View Cafe.
An interesting take on the difference between reddit and tumblr fandom that's both gender-directed and possibly explains a lot about our wider culture...
Meanwhile, out there in the world, our own Elizabeth Bear's dad, Stephen Wishnevsky of Wishbass, had his workshop destroyed by fire. There's a gofundme set up to help him rebuild. If you're a musician, specifically, you might want to take a look, not only to help out but to maybe pick up a new toy once he's rebuilt...
And Mette Ivie Harrison, on How Writers get Paid, if you ever wondered, or thought you knew...
Oh, and because that remids me I need to remember to self-promote every now and again, a reminder that you can pre-order the 4th Gin & Tonic mystery now at the following lovely locations:
B&N Kobo Seattle Mystery Bookstore Mysterious Galaxy Indigo/Chapters Amazon
But hey, being up at 6am and thinking "I need to write" and being able to sit down and write... we're doing okay here, for a Wednesday.
Oh, and I'm in the barrel for WWW Wednesday, over at Book View Cafe.
An interesting take on the difference between reddit and tumblr fandom that's both gender-directed and possibly explains a lot about our wider culture...
Meanwhile, out there in the world, our own Elizabeth Bear's dad, Stephen Wishnevsky of Wishbass, had his workshop destroyed by fire. There's a gofundme set up to help him rebuild. If you're a musician, specifically, you might want to take a look, not only to help out but to maybe pick up a new toy once he's rebuilt...
And Mette Ivie Harrison, on How Writers get Paid, if you ever wondered, or thought you knew...
Oh, and because that remids me I need to remember to self-promote every now and again, a reminder that you can pre-order the 4th Gin & Tonic mystery now at the following lovely locations:
B&N Kobo Seattle Mystery Bookstore Mysterious Galaxy Indigo/Chapters Amazon
February 17, 2015
Things I Need to Keep (re) Learning....
My stomach, brain, and the rest of my body do not work in concert. Nor, in fact, do they speak to each other except to fight.
This means, in practical application, that when I, say, have brunch with a friend at one of my favorite Seattle restaurants, and feel that pork cheek confit with root veggies and scrambled eggs has given me enough fuel for the day... that's my stomach talking. My brain is clinically in agreement but somewhere around mid-afternoon decides that it was, in fact, NOT enough to power thinking. And my body's kind of "you're all assholes and I want protein now or I'm going to collapse us all but good."
I've only owned this body for 4+ decades. You'd think this would be a lesson I'd remember, year to year? Not so much.
But at least I'm wise enough to keep a stash of protein bars in the pantry. Now the trick's going to be convincing myself to eat a nice carb-based dinner in a few hours, so I can get a decent night's sleep.
Bodies are complicated.
On the plus side: 1500 new words today and the appearance of a Magical Moose! Okay, not moose. Big-ass deer with big-ass antlers.
This means, in practical application, that when I, say, have brunch with a friend at one of my favorite Seattle restaurants, and feel that pork cheek confit with root veggies and scrambled eggs has given me enough fuel for the day... that's my stomach talking. My brain is clinically in agreement but somewhere around mid-afternoon decides that it was, in fact, NOT enough to power thinking. And my body's kind of "you're all assholes and I want protein now or I'm going to collapse us all but good."
I've only owned this body for 4+ decades. You'd think this would be a lesson I'd remember, year to year? Not so much.
But at least I'm wise enough to keep a stash of protein bars in the pantry. Now the trick's going to be convincing myself to eat a nice carb-based dinner in a few hours, so I can get a decent night's sleep.
Bodies are complicated.
On the plus side: 1500 new words today and the appearance of a Magical Moose! Okay, not moose. Big-ass deer with big-ass antlers.
February 16, 2015
I thought this going into tonight's ep, I feel it's been confirmed, coming out....
Proposed: that Sleepy Hollow, having embraced the gothic WTFkery with both hands and a leg up, is this decade’s Dark Shadows, rather than X Files or SPN.
With much better FX and mostly better scripts….
With much better FX and mostly better scripts….
February 15, 2015
The State of Everything - A Working SitRep
Novels/novellas:
SILVER ON THE ROAD is copyeditor-bound. I hope to have ARCs soon, to maybe scatter among the deserving and talkative... (if you're a blogger or otherwise loudmouthed in the industry and want one, email me!)
WORK OF HUNTERS (Sylvan Investigations #3) is with the proofreader and from there into backer-edition production, huzzah!
CLAWED (Gin & Tonic #4 is in production and I expect to have finished copies RSN. I'm not going to be doing much in-person support on this book because DEADLINES so again, if you're a blogger and want an early copy, email me! (unless you're already on my publisher's List, in which case you should have a copy already!)
AN INTERRUPTED CRY (Sylvan Investigations #4) is in the "I think I need to rework that section of plot because I'm not satisfied with it yet" stage. Grr. Argh.
THE DEVIL'S WEST #2 just hit the 20,000 word mark (after I rewrote the first 15,000 words), and is back on schedule, stop looking at me like that.
Short(er) stories:
There are two stories out on submission *crosses fingers* and one short in revisions, while I have another two (requested, with deadlines) that I'm stirring in the think-pot even as I type this. More on those as they happen.
New Projects: Waiting on agent's feedback for one, still stirring the pot on the other... hopefully as soon as the short fiction is well underway, the novel proposal will come out of hiding and tell itself to me... (I already know the setting, the main characters, and the basic plot, but they're not all talking to each other yet).
And yeah, then there's the Noir Cats project. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that up in a way that's timely and allows people to tip generously as it amuses them. Is that everything? That's everything I can think of, anyway....
SILVER ON THE ROAD is copyeditor-bound. I hope to have ARCs soon, to maybe scatter among the deserving and talkative... (if you're a blogger or otherwise loudmouthed in the industry and want one, email me!)
WORK OF HUNTERS (Sylvan Investigations #3) is with the proofreader and from there into backer-edition production, huzzah!
CLAWED (Gin & Tonic #4 is in production and I expect to have finished copies RSN. I'm not going to be doing much in-person support on this book because DEADLINES so again, if you're a blogger and want an early copy, email me! (unless you're already on my publisher's List, in which case you should have a copy already!)
AN INTERRUPTED CRY (Sylvan Investigations #4) is in the "I think I need to rework that section of plot because I'm not satisfied with it yet" stage. Grr. Argh.
THE DEVIL'S WEST #2 just hit the 20,000 word mark (after I rewrote the first 15,000 words), and is back on schedule, stop looking at me like that.
Short(er) stories:
There are two stories out on submission *crosses fingers* and one short in revisions, while I have another two (requested, with deadlines) that I'm stirring in the think-pot even as I type this. More on those as they happen.
New Projects: Waiting on agent's feedback for one, still stirring the pot on the other... hopefully as soon as the short fiction is well underway, the novel proposal will come out of hiding and tell itself to me... (I already know the setting, the main characters, and the basic plot, but they're not all talking to each other yet).
And yeah, then there's the Noir Cats project. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that up in a way that's timely and allows people to tip generously as it amuses them. Is that everything? That's everything I can think of, anyway....
February 12, 2015
What She Watched 2015
10. Hunger Games (yes, finally. Shut up)
9. Divergent
8. Jack the Giant-Killer (glad I didn't spend money seeing this in the theater, but good to watch while sorting tax paperwork...)
7. Duma
6. Mirror, Mirror (after a while I just had it on for the pretty, I freely admit)
5. Over the Hedge (I'd never actually watched it through to the end, before)
4. Now You See Me
3. The Other Woman
2. Nanny McPhee
1. Grand Budapest Hotel
9. Divergent
8. Jack the Giant-Killer (glad I didn't spend money seeing this in the theater, but good to watch while sorting tax paperwork...)
7. Duma
6. Mirror, Mirror (after a while I just had it on for the pretty, I freely admit)
5. Over the Hedge (I'd never actually watched it through to the end, before)
4. Now You See Me
3. The Other Woman
2. Nanny McPhee
1. Grand Budapest Hotel
February 11, 2015
Deeply amused and not at all surprised....
My post on using American history in fantasy over at Charlie Stross' blog seems to have evolved in comments into a "the technical aspects of how you'd write an alternate American history where the Indian tribes don't lose" alternating with arguments over the definition of Celtic and related UKcentric socioarcheology, and the only-occasional hitting of my original points.
And I am not at all surprised because, well, there seem to be a lot of literal-minded types who hang out there, and they want to get down to the factual manipulation of details, with emphasis on manipulation. Because that's tangible and defensible, if you have enough facts and talky-bits. There's a large section of fandom that loves that kind of worldbuilding, what I refer to, with affection, as th S.M. Stirling school of storytelling.
(I was Steve's editor, and I really do say that with affection, that's not sarcasm or dissing.)
And I have amusement, because with all the theories being thrown around, and all the how-tos and might-haves... none of them have come close to what I'm actually doing. I'm not sure if they're so focused on Historical Events that they're missing the alternative manipulations or... well, to presume that what I came up with is so unique would be hubris of the discomforting sort, so I won't say that. But I am amused.
And I am not at all surprised because, well, there seem to be a lot of literal-minded types who hang out there, and they want to get down to the factual manipulation of details, with emphasis on manipulation. Because that's tangible and defensible, if you have enough facts and talky-bits. There's a large section of fandom that loves that kind of worldbuilding, what I refer to, with affection, as th S.M. Stirling school of storytelling.
(I was Steve's editor, and I really do say that with affection, that's not sarcasm or dissing.)
And I have amusement, because with all the theories being thrown around, and all the how-tos and might-haves... none of them have come close to what I'm actually doing. I'm not sure if they're so focused on Historical Events that they're missing the alternative manipulations or... well, to presume that what I came up with is so unique would be hubris of the discomforting sort, so I won't say that. But I am amused.
