Kim Harrison's Blog, page 113

An-n-n-n-nd it's gone.

The last line of thunderstorms that came through last night took out our power.  We had a weird condition of a brown out where half the house worked at reduced power, half didn't, until the electric company called and then they cut even that, so now we've got nothing.  I've got my laptop and internet card that I use while on tour, so I'm not completely dead in the water, but our house isn't on the grid that's hooked up to anything important, so it could be days.  Fortunately my mom lives ten minutes away and she has a generator.

The garden is looking great with all the rain, though.  Their generator is usually pretty reliable.

Work is going pretty good.  I think this short is going to be a good one.  I've already got three small pieces of non prose material to fit in, and when music shows up in my text, it's a very good sign.  Today, I think I'll write out some more dialog for chapter two before I get chapter one completely finished–since I can't turn my work computer on  and dialog can be handwritten.

Finally it rains . . .

Sorry for being so late in posting this A.M.  We had a continuous line of thunderstorms overtake us last night, and it rained for hours and hours, not keeping me awake, but making for a dim morning that failed to wake me as I try to get back on an east coast clock.  I generally pop back into the east coast time without problem because I love to go to bed early and waking up with the sun is what I do–but when it's cloudy . . .  I sleep and dream.

So the yard is refreshed after two weeks of no rain, and everything is green and droopy with moisture.  My pumpkins are pumpkining, (Yay!) and my blueberries no longer look like blue raisins.  Best part is I'm going to write the first chapter of the Meg novella today, though it might end up being a novelette.

I ran into some trouble earlier this week trying to plot a prequel for a book I'd only sketched out, but a few things fell into place the more detailed I became with my chapter by chapter outline, and now it feels ready to work on.  Finding whose voice was going to narrate was the tipping point, and two days work all fell into place in a matter of an hour .  I'm finding that this seems to be my catch point in a lot of projects.  I have to know who's speaking right from the first page, or nothing makes sense and I don't know what to focus on.  But once I have that, I can go forward with a lot less preparation.

And so today, I start something new.  happy sigh  Down side is I'm starting with a prologue.  I hate prologues with a passion, but I'll use 'em if they have good effect, and this one . . . works really, really well.

And it rains . . .

Sorry for being so late in posting this A.M.  We had a continuous line of thunderstorms overtake us last night, and it rained for hours and hours, not keeping me awake, but making for a dim morning that failed to wake me as I try to get back on an east coast clock.  I generally pop back into the east coast time without problem because I love to go to bed early and waking up with the sun is what I do–but when it's cloudy . . .  I sleep and dream.

So the yard is refreshed after two weeks of no rain, and everything is green and droopy with moisture.  My pumpkins are pumpkining, (Yay!) and my blueberries no longer look like blue raisins.  Best part is I'm going to write the first chapter of the Meg novella today, though it might end up being a novelette.

I ran into some trouble earlier this week trying to plot a prequel for a book I'd only sketched out, but a few things fell into place the more detailed I became with my chapter by chapter outline, and now it feels ready to work on.  Finding whose voice was going to narrate was the tipping point, and two days work all fell into place in a matter of an hour .  I'm finding that this seems to be my catch point in a lot of projects.  I have to know who's speaking right from the first page, or nothing makes sense and I don't know what to focus on.  But once I have that, I can go forward with a lot less preparation.

And so today, I start something new.  happy sigh  Down side is I'm starting with a prologue.  I hate prologues with a passion, but I'll use 'em if they have good effect, and this one . . . works really, really well.

And so summer begins (for me)

When I was a kid before HS and a summer job, summer for me meant uninterrupted reading, and usually for the first week, I could be found with a stack of books in the sun or shade, re-reading a series, one right after another, like popcorn.  I liked re-reading as much as a first run through, unaware at the time that I was picking up a hundred different techniques and skills from vocabulary, pacing, sentence structure, character development, foreshadowing techniques and who knows whatnot.  I still tell people who want to write for a living to read a lot, especially if they're younger and have more free time.

The summer seemed to stretch for ages those first few days, and though I know the next six weeks are going to fly by, I have that feeling again today as I FINALLY sit down at my desk with no page proofs, no rewrites, no NOTHING that is going to come plopping down to distract me, and I can sit with my pile of ideas and chew through them like popcorn.  I've got the month of August to write two novellas, and if I don't dally, I can do it.  The best part is that they aren't Hollows related, but something from my "cabinet of awesomeness" that have been sitting for years as I work on other things.

It's been ages and ages since I wrote anything with this amount of freedom, and it feels like summer.

ComicCon video Interview with SUVUDU

 

I'm winging my way home today, but before I head for the airport, I wanted to give you guys a link to a video interview I did with suvudu.  Enjoy!

SUVUDU  Kim Harrison loves her urban fantasy

Happy fan girl

I am a happy fan girl.  -grin-

Comic Con page/picture at website

Yes . . . I know.  -sigh-  I said I wasn't going to post this week.  But . . .

I've got some pictures from Comic Con to share, and they are at the website.  Comic Con, San Diego 1211

 

 

 

Blood Work takes the # 1 spot this next week!

I'm still at Comic Con, having a great time of it.  I know I said I wasn't going to post, but I have a nice bit of news! Blood Work has hit the number one spot on the New York Times list.  To say I'm excited is a huge understatement.  Comic books have a completely different writing style, and it was a daunting task to try to figure it out within such a short span, but my editor at Del Rey, (Betsy Mitchell) made it easy.

So I'll be doing the happy author dance all day today as I

1  give away signed posters of the Hollows Insider at the Harper booth 1017 from 2:30 to 3:30,

2  give my spotlight panel presentation at room 5AB from 4:30-5:30, and

3  sign everything and anything from 6:00 -7:00 pm (AA3)

4  I'l also drop by a Del Rey panel at 8:00 pm room 23 ABC.

Hope to see you there!  I'll be giving away tons of stuff at my spotlight panel.  :-)

Hollows Insider sneak peek

I know I said I wasn't going to post, but dudes, this just popped up on I09, and I had to share since it has some actual pages from the upcoming HOLLOWS INSIDER.  Go look!  world book sneak peek at i09  Best part?  The poster glows in the dark.

Drama Box Closed for Comic Con

After lengthy consideration, I decided to close the drama box down for the duration of Comic Con.  I'll be back on Tuesday with pictures!

7/21-24 San Diego Comic Con, CA

Thursday:

3:00-4:00 pm Magic and Monsters panel. Room 25 ABC

4:30-5:30 pm Signing. Comic-Con Autographaing area AA1

Friday:

2:30-3:30 pm Special Limited Edition Hollows Insider Poster signing at HC booth #1017

4:30-5:30 pm Spotlight panel (Me, and you, and a bio-engeneered tomato) Room 5 AB

6:00-7:00 pm Signing. Room AA3 (I believe there will be books there for purchase)

8:00 pm Drop-by the Del Rey "What's Coming Next" panel.

Saturday:

12:00-1:00 Booth signing at Random House #1515 for Blood Work. Books will be on sale at site.

6:30-7:30 Drop-by the Harper Voyager/Morrow/Avon Panel: On Strange Tides. Room 7 AB

Sunday:

1:00-2:30 Joint signing with Patricia Briggs and Richard Kadery Room AA5

(Limited Signing – Drawing for Line Tickets to be held Sunday at 9:00 am in the Autograph Area) Signing Time/Location: Sunday Comic-Con Autographing Area AA5, 1-2:30 pm Note: for every single ticket holder purchasing a Harrison or Briggs title, they receive a free signed Kadrey mass market.

I will still be posting on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisonsHollows?ref=ts