Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 74

yeah okay I guess I should....

Today, no matter how I try to deny it, is March 1st.  That means my month of focusing-only-on-the-fantasy is over, and I now must not only pick up  the yoke of the 4th Gin & Tonic book (which will be fun, so not too much grumbling) but also put the editorial hat back on.  Which is...not AS much fun, right now.  One of the pleasures of freelance editing is that I can say "no, I can't right now" when I'm not up to it.  But the current project was agreed-to months ago, so...

(and there's a project coming up later in the year that I'm really looking forward to, so there's that)

Anyway, speaking of books, I'm reminded (because apparently I need reminding, I am such a crap self-promoter) that you can acquire many of my books for your e-reader via Book View Café  and also via B&N, Amazon, and Kobo.

(I encourage BVC, as it's writer-run, and DRM-free)

If you're more of a print person, well, you know where to buy those, but also remember our Small Press Sponsor - Plus One Press.

and for those of you who're more into listening to your storytelling than reading, Audible has your ears covered.  :-)

Notes to Myself...

Occasionally I dip back into the time machine that is livejournal, and look at where I was a year ago, two years ago, whatever. It's useful, and occasionally surprising, and often...well, past-me often was very wise.

Like this bit, excerpted from 2/2013:

"We get no points, style or otherwise, for anger, and few of us are really witty enough to get points for bitterness, no matter what we want to believe. And fear, while it keeps you from being eaten, can also keep you from everything else."

for your feline amusement...

Watching a research-related YouTube video. With feline assistance.





relatedly: dear dog, I need a haircut.

Return of Writerbrain 101

All too often, the external world and whatever you're working on will come together in a massive oh-scuse-me-spilled-coffee moment.

This morning, discussing Jan Brewer's veto of the pro-discrimination bill (Jan, it should NOT have taken you that many meetings to figure it out), I said "II've found that people who hate viciously often are quite stupid (if not ignorant). They fixate on one idea and can never quite get past that..."

And then my eyes opened far wider than they ever should before that first cup of coffee, and I scurried off to make notes on a scene that hadn't quite gelled before.

Be nice to your lizard brain.  It's working even when the mammal brain is sound asleep.

Another #Team Kornetsky country is heard from....

Look what came today!  (shown with the US edition, for comparison).  The Japanese translation of COLLARED (translated by Momoko Wani)!

I really love the cover - the expression on the cat's face is SO Mistress Penny-Drops, and the gentle touches on the shar-pei say "Georgie" to me so beautifully....

I really wish I read Japanese.  Do you?  Do you want a copy?  Tell me why you need it, and if you can convince me, it's yours.

In the News...

The Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines released a statement today sharply criticizing efforts by some states to pass legislation allowing businesses to refuse service to gays and lesbians.

"As a global values-based company, Delta Air Lines is proud of the diversity of its customers and employees, and is deeply concerned about proposed measures in several states, including Georgia and Arizona, that would allow businesses to refuse service to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals," said Delta's press release. "If passed into law, these proposals would cause significant harm to many people and will result in job losses. They would also violate Delta's core values of mutual respect and dignity shared by our 80,000 employees worldwide and the 165 million customers we serve every year. Delta strongly opposes these measures and we join the business community in urging state officials to reject these proposals."

the money shot, as it were:

Delta is a major job creator in the Atlanta area, where the company has its headquarters and hub at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Not a threat...exactly.  But they've indicated that they hold a very large bat and may not be afraid to use it.  Now, an airline isn’t going to pack up and move their hub overnight… but a corporate HQ? That can shift pretty fast. And take a lot of tax revenue with it.

Mind, I still think Delta’s a crap-performing airline. But my hat’s off to them, this morning.

some people don't understand me when I talk to my screen....

Today, as those of you who follow me on Twitter may have seen, I wrote my way into a massive conflict between Story & Outline. Decided to give them pistols at 10 paragraphs, and let them sort it out.

Much to my surprise, that worked.

Or rather, what worked was, I looked at History and said "History, I seem to have goofed. Story as she's written is good. But outline is also really good, and will get me to my end destination. What can you give me, to help get these two back together?"

And History reached into her bag of tricks and said, "well, I have this town over here that was around 30 years later than your time period, but oh hey, in my pocket here I have an actual reason why that town could easily have existed even 50 years earlier, based on your divergent history. Will that do?"

And then, because I thanked her nicely, she tapped me on the shoulder half an hour later and said "and I found this character, too. Can you use him?"

Why yes, yes I could.

Which is the roundabout way of saying that the 2500 words I wrote today felt more like 4000. Because there was a lot of negotiation going on.

Also: writing is physical work. I is sore and in dire need of a massage. When I hit Rough Draft 0, there is a deep tissue massage with my name on it...


And god, I really want to talk about this book, and this world, but I don't even know what to say, or what i can say, or how annoyed people will be if I babble about a book you're not going to be able to read for another year....?



(I've been giving away snippets over on Tumblr, as an outlet, but I barely have a hundred followers over there, so sometimes it feels like whispering into the void...)

Praise for Team Kornetsky!

FIXED was mentioned in Publishers Weekly's "Beyond Her Book" blog!

"I sure like the opportunity to read mysteries that aren’t all shoot-’em-up or violent, so the calm and cerebral investigations L.A Kornetsky offers are refreshing. To my way of thinking, it’s a plus that Ginny’s dog and Tonica’s companion cat are quietly driving forces in the team’s investigations, not that the humans are aware of it. I’m enjoying Ginny and Teddy a lot, and continue to be interested in their tentatively growing friendship."

Want your own copies? Start here!

Calling on the Meerkat's Minions once again...

Do I have any minions out there in western Kansas? Do you own cameras (or picture-taking devices)? Are you not afraid to go out into the uncivilized lands (aka "away from large structures and/or roads") and bring back some landscapes shots?

(With extra bonus points if you live anywhere near the Red Hills)

Sign on, and await orders....

State of the Meerkat, Weekend Edition

Saturday, I worked. Actually, Friday night through Saturday night, I worked.  Thankfully, I had companionship in the wordwar room, so felt less like a Total Loser Without A Social Life and more like a dedicated professional working on a project I love.  Also, there was wine.  And episodes of Eureka (which I am binge-watching. Again.  Thank you, Netflix).

Sunday, I was Away From Keyboard, doing sundry gadding about, including reclaiming my sister from the international arrivals terminal at Newark Airport, and hauling her back to the city.

And I've reached the point in this book where taking a day off gives me actual anxiety. Because no reason at all - I know where the scene is going, I am pretty confident it's no more or less fucked brilliant than it was yesterday, and I know that tomorrow morning I'll be back in the chair.

But. But.

This is why having a writer in your life is so difficult. Because even when we're with you, a part of us...isn't.

Sorry.


What did you all get up to?