Cherie Priest's Blog: It's awards season, so here comes the shameless self-promotion, page 74

stupid cat.

I'm getting a crap-tastically late start to my day, due in large part to a fat black cat who thought she'd spend a good portion of midnight-through-dawn spelunking merrily around in our closet like the freaking tomb raider. It's a big, deep closet. We couldn't locate her to extract her; and even if we had, it's not like we could keep her out of it indefinitely – because the closet doesn't have a door. It's one of the "quirks" of living in an old building.

(God help us if we try to shut the bedroom door, with the cat on EITHER side of it. She wails like she's being beaten with a sock full of pennies until we open it again. Yes, she is spoiled. She is also getting old, and set in her ways, and it's not like we're going to change her now.)

By the time I got back to sleep the sun was coming up; and when I finally awoke with a start and realized, "Oh damn, it must be lunchtime" it was, in fact, nearly lunchtime. So I have a lot of catching up to do today. And I blame this kitty. That's right, it's her fault I'll be offline for the rest of the day.

It's a good thing she's so damn cute.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

February 2, 2011

Last night I had a blast talking to the guys from the Functional Nerds podcast, a blast which I will absolutely link as soon as it's live. The first ten or fifteen minutes (which will no doubt be, um, "trimmed") mostly revolved around barbecue, as I was told it was one of the three subjects I must avoid. And I really like barbecue. And it turned out one of the dudes to whom I was speaking was familiar with some of the same southern joints as I am. So, yeah. Bonding did occur against the rules.

But most of the conversation was about books, I promise.

Anyway! Just a quick post today, as I'm still on the day-job treadmill (and I need to take a break to go grocery shopping) … because I wanted to put a little bug in your ear with regards to this Saturday. And what, you may ask, is happening on Saturday?

Me. I am happening, at The Seattle Mystery Bookshop downtown on Pioneer Square. (117 Cherry Street) I'll be there from noon until whenever, signing books, goofing off, chatting with whoever drops by … you know. That kind of thing. On hand will be many copies of Bloodshot (New! Shiny! Book!) and no doubt my other stock as well.

I'll happily sign whatever books/magazines/whatever else you've got, up to and including ebook readers, sock puppets, knuckles, restaurant receipts, stuffed animals, buttons, backpacks, and casts.* So come on out! And I'll make a point to post another reminder as the event draws nearer.

* All things which people have actually asked me to sign, yes.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Tuesday Link Salad

Just a few things real quick – stuff I meant to mention yesterday, but my afternoon was all et up with the doctor's office and ensuing hijinks.

Meta-artwork of yours truly – A gorgeous painting by Krista Brennan, done from a photo of me, taken by Libby Bulloff. So cool!

Sneak Peek at The Thackeray T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities – To which I did verily contribute a piece, called "Addison Howell and the Clockroach." I don't do a lot of short stuff, and this is the only thing I have on deck for 2011 (except a couple of reprints, I think). Go check it out! Amazing artwork, and I'm in (better than) excellent company in this one.

Bloodshot gets some blog lovin' – And it already has a crap-ton of reviews over at Amazon and Goodreads. So far, so good! I hope that those of you who pick up this foray of mine into Urban Fantasy enjoy it, and if you do, well, I'm always happy to see you talking about it.

Boneshaker likewise experiences some new reviews – Go book, go! This is Bibliophile Stalker's take on the tale.

Boneshaker again – This time via Geekcentricity. Thanks a bunch, everyone! I'm glad that this book still has some trucking power … even all this time after its release. Mind = blown.



And, because people have been coming out of the woodwork asking about various assorted methods of picking up Bloodshot lately (since it's the fresh title out of the gate, at this moment), I thought I'd go ahead and repost this links assortment for the curious, the interested, and the spendy. The rest of you, feel free to ignore it. Or click around and have yourself a good ol' time, at your preference.

Order signed/personalized copies of Bloodshot from the University Book Store in Seattle

Find Bloodshot at Amazon.com

Find Bloodshot at Barnes & Noble

Find Bloodshot at Third Place Books

Find Bloodshot at Powell's

Find Bloodshot at Borders.com

Find Bloodshot at Chapters/Indigo for Canadian buyers

Pick up Bloodshot as an ebook from any of the vendors and in any of the formats on the right-hand column of this page

Nab Bloodshot as an audio book – even on CD! – through any of the outlets you see on the right-hand column of THIS page

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Too many protest singers, not enough protest songs

So today was … uncomfortable … on a number of levels. To give you the short version: my doctor had some concerns, ordered some tests, and I had a (oh let's say) lower abdominal ultrasound today to check for potential problems (yes, I'm leaving this vague).

I'll spare you the suspense – everything seems fine. I can resume worrying about the usual stuff, and not entertaining day-mares wherein my ladyparts mutate, achieve singularity, and begin hunting Sarah Connor.

And actually, the ramp up to this exam was much worse than the exam itself. Why? Because the woman in my doctor's office who booked the appointment gave me the wrong time. (I know. For a fact. I still have the little card she gave me, so it's not just my word against hers.) The woman at the ultrasound/x-ray/whatnot station was very understanding; she asked around, and found out that even though I was an hour late (technically), they could still work me in. In a few minutes. Or longer. Would that be okay?

Ordinarily, I would've offered a hearty, "Sure!" and then busted out my phone to play Bejeweled or check Twitter or whatever. But not today. Today I only squeaked out, "I guess. And thanks."

Drat my uncanny ability to follow directions … because precisely one hour before my appointment time, I'd downed 32 ounces of water. (They wanted a "full bladder" for the ultrasound, and were very firm on this point.) I struggled to keep the phrases "water balloon" and "time bomb" from colliding in my brain or coming out of my mouth, sat down, and tried to get zen.

Do you know how hard it is to forget that you have to pee really bad? Sure you do. Hey, we've all been there. But you know what makes it EXPONENTIALLY HARDER? Two hugely pregnant women who come sit next to you, giggling about how they have to pee all the time now that they're eight months along, and cruelly getting up to go hit the washroom every five minutes, then coming back and talking about it.

Sample Conversation:

Pregnant Person #1: Junior is kicking my bladder like a soccer ball!

Pregnant Person #2: Mine's tap-dancing on my kidneys!

Pregnant Person #1: You're making me want to pee again!

Pregnant Person #2: I totally have to pee again already!

Pregnant Person #1: I bet we've peed, like, a gallon apiece today!

Pregnant Person #2: TWO GALLONS APIECE!

Pregnant Person #1: Hey, we should keep score!

Pregnant Person #2: All right, starting now!

Pregnant Person #1: Yay! Let's go pee!



And in my head I'm all "LADIES PLEASE – SOME OF US ARE DYING OVER HERE." But I didn't say anything because they seemed really sweet and cute, and I'm sure they had no idea how much they were KILLING ME … unless being pregnant had given them PSYCHIC POWERS, in which case they are huge douchebags who DESERVE the kind of fetal passengers who will grow up to be CHAMPION NFL PUNTERS. I'm just saying.

Anyway. Right when I had quite literally decided that I was only human and I could not possibly survive long enough to get back there and undressed and ultrasounded, and I stood up to ask the nice lady if I could just reschedule so I could go make like a broken water main … a very kind tech-lady came to my rescue. I got in. I got the first half of the ultrasound, and then was FINALLY ALLOWED TO GO PEE.

It was the highlight of my day. No lie.

Well, that and being told that everything was fine.

(But mostly the peeing.)

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Norwescon

The other day, I told someone that I hadn't been invited to Norwescon this year, and the message has been going around. But this was a mistake on my part, as they did in fact invite me a few months ago – and I simply forgot. I haven't attended Norwescon in several years, and didn't intend to go this year – so I inadvertently, completely, put it out of my head.

I have my reasons … mostly having to do with the host hotel. I will consider giving that event another day in court the day it opts to camp out someplace else for the weekend; but I will not be giving that hotel even one slim dime of my money, ever again, for Norwescon or anyone else.

Anyway, I feel bad and a little dumb about having misspoken, and I wanted to make a public correction to the matter. So there you go.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Your envy: It is delicious

Sorry, can't blog anything meaty right now. I'm scraping up an 80s-themed outfit for the DEBBIE GIBSON vs. TIFFANY extravaganza which is Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. It's Richelle's fault. She's the one hosting the screening.

Got my legwarmers and my oversized sweater. Now where the hell are my banana clippies and jelly bracelets …?

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

In the last ditch I think of you

Thank you manyfold to the wonderful folks who showed up at U-Books last night for Official Bloodshot Shenanigans! The crowd was great, books were sold, dirty words were deployed, and I had feathers in my hair. GOOD TIMES. All because you folks were kind enough to swing by and check it out.

Just before leaving for the event yesterday – as if a good omen were required – I got wind that The Agony Column has reviewed Bloodshot quite favorably … and I was tickled, because TAC gave me my first serious review of my first novel, lo these many years ago. It just felt like something coming full circle, you know?

And seeing that review prompted me to take an immodest break in order to update my Reviews page, because sometimes these things need to be taken care of. Still, it feels peculiar. "Oh, look … I've found a horn, and I do believe it's mine! Please listen raptly as I toot it …"

Anyway. Lots of work to do today, including housework, some laundry, cleaning of the fish tank, and plenty more hours spent chiseling away at the day-job project that never ends. Have a good weekend, everyone, and I'll catch up to you on the flip side.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Tonight! My unconventional convention…

Don't forget – tonight at 7:00 p.m. I'll be out at the University Book Store (on the UW campus), for Bloodshot's First! Big! Official! Debut!* I, for one, am looking forward to it. Of course I will be happy to sign other books (of mine) and take Q&A on any given project (people always ask, so I want to mention this upfront).

In other Bloodshot-y news, there's an interview with yours truly on the subject – plus a chance to enter to win a free signed copy (or ten? I forget how many I sent back) over here at Suvudu. So if you're feeling broke, or cheap, or curious but unwilling to invest in the book … go throw your hat in the ring and see if you get lucky.

As for me, I have day-job work which must be attended to, and some serious housework to wrap up before the weekend – so I'm going to log off for the day (more or less) and see about being productive before tonight's shenanigans. I hope to see some of you there!

* Originally typo'd, "Debug!" which is hilarious and I would've left it in, except I didn't want to confuse anyone.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Link Salad 2011

Got a lot on my plate today, including a (routine) doctor's appointment breaking up the work flow … but I do have a number of things I want to mention before my morning really gets off the ground.

Perhaps most pressingly: Tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. I'll be appearing at the University Book Store (the usual spot at the main branch, UW campus). This will be the First Official Bloodshot event* and I, for one, am totally psyched about it! Duane always throws a hell of a shindig, and this time I'm virtually guaranteed to read a whole lot of dirty words into a microphone … just a few short yards from the children's department.

Now. With that out of the way, I present unto you, LINKS. Enjoy!

Or tolerate, as the case may be.

Seeing (Cheshire) Red – Over at the B&N forums, Paul Goat Allen is entirely too kind. He's written a recommendation so strong that it's almost embarrassing … but not so embarrassing that I can stop myself from linking to it.

Clementine now available as an audiobook – Voila!

See also: Those Who Went Remain There Still – Also now on audio. This isn't a Clockwork Century story; it's my short horror novel set in Kentucky with cave monsters, feuding hillbillies, and the ghost of Daniel Boone.

FantasyLiterature.com reviews Bloodshot – And I did a little giggle to note that their very same "excerpt sample quote" is the one someone over at Goodreads picked as lol-worthy, too.

Quickie interview w/yours truly – Over at McNallyRobinson.com – Now with Bonus! alarming true facts.





* Yes, we had Bloodshot copies in Michigan – but we were breaking street date. This is the first event of its official, formal release. AND my first local event for this book!

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Bloodshot: You Can Have It

Today is the day, people — the wait is over! Obsessive-Compulsive vampires! Cuban-American drag queens! Men In Black! Government conspiracies! Foul language! Adventure! Dirty jokes! SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Yes, on this fine morning my very first urban fantasy officially lands in bookstores — brick-and-mortar, ebook vendors, audiobook suppliers, and all other venues through which one might wish to acquire a story about a former flapper and daughter of a Pinkerton detective turned undead jewel thief with a bitchy, spangled sidekick.

If any of this sounds like it might be up your alley, I sure do hope I can persuade you to pick up a copy in the format of your choice, from your preferred book purveyor, at your earliest convenience. For you see, this was a hella-fun project and I, for one, would love to see this become a longer series than is presently scheduled.

One sequel is definitely coming (Hellbent, slated for the end of August); but the better (and faster) Bloodshot sells, the greater are the odds that Bantam will want to publish more of them down the line. IT IS MATH. You can't argue with math.

So! If you are uncertain about something as far removed from what I usually write as oh, say, disco and adorable homeless punk children and parkour addicts named "Trevor" … you can always take this opportunity to go read a FREE SAMPLE of this book right here at suvudu.com

Go on. Click. Read it. I'll wait.

[:: twiddles thumbs ::]

You back now? Want to take a chance on it?

Want to find out what's going on with that blind vampire? The covert warehouse? The stubborn squatters? The super secret government program and its batch of supernatural subjects? Well then. Allow me to be of assistance!



Order signed/personalized copies of Bloodshot from the University Book Store in Seattle

Find Bloodshot at Amazon.com

Find Bloodshot at Barnes & Noble

Find Bloodshot at Third Place Books

Find Bloodshot at Powell's

Find Bloodshot at Borders.com

Find Bloodshot at Chapters/Indigo for Canadian buyers

Pick up Bloodshot as an ebook from any of the vendors and in any of the formats on the right-hand column of this page

Nab Bloodshot as an audio book – even on CD! – through any of the outlets you see on the right-hand column of THIS page



And thank you SO MUCH everyone, everywhere, for reading. Thanks to everyone who got an early peek and passed this book around or blogged about it; to all the Amazon Vine members who took the time to review it on that site; and to all the Goodreads folks who likewise threw their opinions into the interwebs.

The encouragement has been invaluable, and I'm just so freaking grateful for all the support … and relieved, and excited, because now it's out there for real — and I hope the rest of you will give this cheerfully weird little book a chance.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]