Cherie Priest's Blog: It's awards season, so here comes the shameless self-promotion, page 77

December 27, 2010

The mail brought a long-awaited paycheck, and there was much rejoicing! However, there was also the burning need to go throw it into the bank, and some truly, divinely shitty weather outside. Really, today has been a study in the very worst of what the northwest likes to haul out in the dead of winter: 38 degrees, cheek-flapping winds, and alternately spitting and pouring down rain (which of course, is blowing sideways).

I bundled up and hiked down the hill. It was worth it.

Tonight, perhaps, I will lure the husband off for a celebratory supper, because people who have hiked a mile or so round trip (up and down a very steep hill) in weather such as this in order to put money in the bank should not be subject to cooking or doing dishes.

(That's my policy, anyway. To paraphrase Ron White – we didn't use to have a policy. Now we've got that one.)

After supper, I predict that we will sit around and play some more Resident Evil: Zero. Last night the roles were reversed from the usual – I was playing, with him barking orders/making suggestions at my side. I navigated the controls (awkwardly), got myself most of the way through the first bits (only died once), and sent the husband to look up a hint on GameFAQ (likewise, just once).

He seems to think it's cute, watching me learn my baby-steps way around the platform. Perhaps it is. It's been too long since I did any zombie shooting first-hand. I hereby vow to take a more proactive role in our collective undead-harassment in the future.

* * * * *

In writing news … I'm fiddling with a project that wants very badly to become a pretty serious tome. If it gets its way, it will become a weird, shifty, ambitious thing – unrelated to the present steampunk books (which are still coming along, don't worry) or the upcoming urban fantasy franchise (which I also look forward to seeing hit the shelves). This will be a different sort of beast. Slapping it with a label like "steamhorror" might not be too far off base.

It feels weird in my head. It needs my full attention, and it will take a lot of blood-sweating to produce – I can sense that much already. But I'm excited about it, and nervous, too. This isn't a book I would've tried to write even two or three years ago. I don't know that I'm ready to tackle it yet, but I am – at least – willing to try.

Today I got myself about 90% happy with the sample content so far, having removed about a third of it, rearranged the rest, and combed through it with a critic's eye which is never so sharp as when it's procrastinating. But as of this afternoon, I'm ready to move forward. When I achieve … oh, I don't know. 20,000 words, perhaps, I'll kick it off to my agent and see how she feels about it.

But here's the starting point, for now.

Project: Steamhorror Sample

Word Count at Present: 10,404 words

New Words: Precious few today.

Goal: 20K, or two more sections, whichever comes first

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

Santa Baby

Well folks, tomorrow the holiday weekend ends, and the regular real-life work-week starts anew. Bully for you if you're the sort of fortunate soul who gets time off through New Year proper, but that's not me or my gig – so in the morning I'll be back at the day-job grind, then spending my afternoons on writer-work and writer-business.

(If you'd asked me a few years ago, "Can writer-business really eat up an entire afternoon?" I would have snorted and said, "I doubt it." Now my answer would be, "Yes, and then some … to such an extent that sometimes, you will not have time to actually write. For days at a time.")

Anyway. I certainly hope the holidays have been kind to all of you so far, regardless of what (if anything) you select to celebrate. Me and the husband had an excellent time out with friends (Elaine, Kat, Mr. Kat, Alex T., Jon D., and Krissy) … hitting up a joint here on the hill for Thai food – and then camping out in a Mexican place (which was inexplicably open) for mai tais, daiquiris, and other traditional holiday treats. It was great to see everyone, and no one had to do any dishes! Win for everyone, I say.

In other festive news, Santa was exceedingly kind to me. I got some swank new duds, a Wii, and a blender – among other things. Yes, a blender. I was thrilled! I've wanted one for ages, though I must admit that the Wii has already gotten exponentially more use than the margarita maker kitchen appliance.

I have also wanted a Wii for ages. The husband is a much better gamer than I am, these days – and I greatly enjoy forcing him (practically at gunpoint, of course) to sit in front of the computer and kill zombies or swap out plasmids for blasting splicers. I'm something of a "backseat gamer," much like some people are "backseat drivers." Our neighbors probably think we're deranged … or perhaps somewhat kinky. (WOULD YOU KINDLY MOVE YOUR ASS, BIG DADDY!??)

So yes. I wanted a Wii. Mostly I wanted it because I wanted to play some games myself, once in awhile – and it seems like many of the Wii games are more of the "casual" sort, not the kind that necessarily require your feverish concentration for 40 hours at a stretch. Also, their games are cute. And I love Mario Kart, okay? Don't you judge me.

Today I dragged the husband out to the store, where we picked up extra controllers and two more games, Death Junior: Root of Evil, and Resident Evil: Zero. I'm already about four levels deep into Death Junior, and saving Resident Evil for some time when the husband can play too. (He's off being a ninja for the afternoon.) It'll be nice to slaughter the undead in tandem for once. Hey, some people show their affection with flowers or whatever; we blow the gray matter out of ravenous corpses. Tomayto, tomahto.

We also braved the mall – which actually wasn't too bad – and I picked up a new pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, and some stuff from The Body Shop, all courtesy of post-holiday clearance sales. It was a good day. Between the Wii and the shopping, both my hunting and gathering instincts have been appeased.

At any rate, I believe that mostly catches me up from a blogging standpoint. We came home from shopping. We unpacked and put stuff away. I cleaned out the medicine cabinet (YES SO MUCH GLAMOR I know). Husband went off to roast coffee and be a ninja. I parked myself on the couch and controlled a cute little adolescent Reaper avatar and sliced pink, bomb-hurling bunnies with a scythe.

Ah. Here comes the New Year.

I do believe I'm ready for it.

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

Christmas Eve

Well, the year's almost out – and tomorrow it's stocking un-stuffing time, huzzah! Also on tomorrow's docket: Chinese food with friends, because I just don't have the wherewithal to get my act together in time to make food or travel. So the usual members of our orphans' club plan to storm a restaurant. VERY FESTIVE. Yes, I know.

But hey, spending the holiday with people you like … there are worse ways to go about participating in the holiday spirit.

So to everyone reading – Merry Christmas if you celebrate it, happy holidays if you don't! I hope that you are all warm, happy, eggnogged to the hilt, and loaded up with the very best things from your wish list. May the joy of the season set a splendid precedent for the new year to come.

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

You're the flame that burns me

A few minutes ago I emailed off Draft Two of Ganymede to my editor, complete with some marked-up maps of the New Orleans area (for artistic reference). Then I poured myself a glass of wine because I needed something to take the edge off the terrible feeling that comes in the wake of having hit "send."

But the fact is, Ganymede needs another set of eyes on it now. Even though there's still more to be done, I had to get it off my plate or else I was only going to mess it up worse; so rationally, I know I made the right decision when I opted to kick the ball back into Liz's court rather than sit around for another week and fiddle obsessively.

Which doesn't change my neurotic flailing – the OCD refrain of, "But what do I work on NOW?" that's fluttering around in my head.

Mind you, this is completely stupid, considering all the OTHER work I have waiting on deck. Now I must take these few precious holiday days and sort out what, precisely, I'm going to try to write and sell in 2011. Then I have to start manufacturing proposals and sample content for the projects that feel promising; and after the New Year I should have a conversation with my awesome agent so we know we're on the same page about what needs to happen next.

(Of course, a week or so into January the copyedits on Hellbent will land, and the third weekend in that same month has me heading off to Michigan for a convention and a bookstore event, and then a week later I begin promo and signings and appearances in earnest for Bloodshot … and then in February I go to Houston, and never mind my day job, and so forth, and so on … and here we go again …)

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

sync to the ticker inside

Today I kept up with my daily run/climb, which makes two days in a row. It'd feel more like a victory and less like an embarrassment if this wasn't something I used to do almost every single day, but I'll take what I can get.

It's no one's fault but my own. I got so badly out of the habit when I did all that traveling a couple of months ago, that's all; and then the weather turned so very awful, and it became too damn easy to make excuses to stay inside.

I fashion my excuses thusly: I will attempt my daily constitutional provided that only two of the three following meteorological states are in play – (1). It's cold, (2). It's windy, (3). It's raining. (To be more precise, my definition of "too cold" amounts to "40 degrees or below." I know plenty of people go out exercising in colder weather than this, but I am a pissy little hot-house orchid, and I flat refuse to be one of them.)

Mind you, Seattle-in-the-winter is very often cold, windy, and rainy. Ergo, my consistency has gone down the toilet even farther these last few weeks; but I'm working toward it again. I refuse to call this effort a New Year's resolution, because I've now kept up this routine for about a year and a half. I just haven't kept it up as well as I should have.

* * * * *

Often when I make references to my daily run/climb on Twitter/Facebook, I get people asking for details of what I do and where I go. But those paragraphs above are all the details I'm prepared to hand out.

To be perfectly honest, I simply don't want the whole damn world knowing where I am and what I'm doing for about 35 minutes almost every single day. I don't care if people know what city I live in. I don't care if they know what neighborhood I live in. (It's a huge neighborhood with thousands and thousands of people in it.) But I'm not comfortable with anything more precise than that.

* * * * *

In cheerier, less defensive news, it looks like Boneshaker has been declared Steampunk Book Of The Year by Steampunk.com. Many thanks to that fine website, and to everyone who voted!

* * * * *

Speaking of books (yeah, still having trouble with transitions – in my attempts to provide fewer bullet points in my blogging) … things are beginning to ramp up with regards to my upcoming urban fantasy debut, Bloodshot. You may safely expect to hear more about this title as its due date looms (January 25).

For now, I want to say thanks again to the Amazon Vine program, its reviewers, and the publicity people at Bantam who thought it'd be a good idea to chuck books in their general direction. I've been very fortunate that the early readers have enjoyed the book, and that it's getting so much attention over on Amazon and over on Goodreads, too.

Anyway, if you're the sort of person who (a). enjoys urban fantasy, (b). lives in the greater Detroit area, and (c). MUST be the first to get your hands on a book the very MOMENT it becomes available … then you should really come out and see me at Off The Beaten Path Books on January 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Why? Because via some wrangling, finagling, and good old-fashioned begging … a few brand-spanking-new copies of Bloodshot (NOT the advance reader copies) will actually be on hand. Before the street date, yes. And people will be able to buy them (while supplies last). And I will be on hand to sign them.

MWOO HAH HAH HAH.

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

The view is beautiful and ours alone tonight

It's been one hella-glamorous day here at chez moi thus far. Day-job work, fish tank cleaning, daily run-climb (which I've been lazy about, lately), and now I'd like to move on to laundry … except that someone downstairs is occupying the washers and dryers. I'll try again in a bit.

Not the most thrilling sands through the hourglass, no. But it's all got to get done.

In other news, you people who have your respective acts together so thoroughly that you can get Christmas cards in the mail … you people make me feel like a hideous slacker. But I love you all, and thank you tremendously for thinking of me and the hubs (and the cat and the fish, who are likewise receiving a fair measure of holiday cheer*).

Oh, hey. Speaking of the mail … yesterday I got a box full of Boneshakers. Ninth printing (which means they come sans the little SciFi Essentials logo, whatever). I'd forgotten I'd asked for them; my agent put in for a few extras, and I told her sure, nab me a handful while you're at it. This is very cool, except now I've noticed that I'm virtually out of Dreadnoughts, and I could use some of those too. But I might wait for the next printing before I go begging. Then, perhaps, come the Official New Year I'll drum up some giveaways or something. I've been meaning to do so for awhile; it just hasn't come together yet.

I don't know. All these things have been sitting on the back burner while I've been working on Ganymede rewrites, so it all feels a little … distant. Like my priorities have achieved such glorious tunnel vision that only a total lack of undies and a fish who runs around holding his little nose could remind me that I have Shit To Do apart from sitting at the laptop.

But speaking of Ganymede (no, this is not my most elegant blog post ever, sorry) … today I got a sneak peak at some of the sketches which might one day turn into its cover. Same artist as the previous two Clockwork Century titles – Jon Foster, who is fifty different kinds of badass, in my not-so-humble opinion. I'm sure the end result will be amazing, so I'm not going to worry about it. But I'll sit on those sketches, and if I get permission later on, I'll repost them here so you guys can see what a bit of that process looks like.

Anyway. Yes. Mundane domestic duties for the moment, to be capped off later with more rewrites. And to close this post, a handful of links:

The Day After (and other stories) – Nifty experimental short fiction project from none other than Wil Wheaton, who is offering this collection for just ten days. Go check it out!

Dreadnought in Mumbai – I can't tell you how tickled I am by the fact that someone in Mumbai has read, enjoyed, and reviewed this book. Suffice it to say: "pretty damn tickled."

Satellite images of Chinese ghost cities – Everyone else is linking this, why not me too? As you may or may not know, I have a dastardly affinity for abandoned places. I had a great time scrolling through these images. Very cool.





* It probably will not surprise you that (a). people bring up my pets in Christmas cards, nor that (b). the kitty has her own stocking. Still, some people find it a little odd that the fish has his own stocking, too.

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

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died

Had a most excellent weekend, chock full of cookies at Ellen's place – and a jaunt to a movie theater (for what felt like the first time in ages) to go see Tangled. Great cinema? No. But perfectly adorable, and, well, pretty much exactly what you'd expect … though as my husband pointed out, once you relocate that fairy-tale lingo to modern idiom, all the dainty subtext leaps right out at you with a sledgehammer.

Yeah. It's funny 'cause it's true.

Otherwise, the weekend went like most of my other weekends have gone lately, which is to say that I spent most of it working – when I wasn't wrestling to hold 3D glasses over my regular glasses and/or manipulating buttercream frosting in semi-obscene patterns on gingerbread people. Ahem.

Hmm. What else to mention? Oh yes – I've had people sending me links to this UNSHELVED piece regarding Clementine, and that's great! I'm glad they enjoyed it – though I'm sorry that the book is longer available (for all practical points and purposes). This review has spawned a new smattering of Clementine-related questions via email and Twitter, so I'll just link this FAQ right here one more time to be on the safe side.

Anyway, that's all I can think of for this-here Monday posting, so I'll log off now and get productive, because I hope to get these Ganymede rewrites in before Christmas. There's no guarantee, but hey – there's no hope in hell if I don't sit my ass down and stay glued to the keyboard.

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

a week's wrap-up

Last night I went out for drinks and mayhem with Jillian and Pete Venters, plus the exceedingly groovy Libby Bulloff and a Bonus! party member who I do not know how to link (my apologies). A good time was had by all, and Jilly and I talked a lot of shop (sorry, other people!) and kept timing bathroom breaks to meet the girlie cliche.

I'm always happy to see that crowd, and I don't nearly often enough. MUST REMEDY. Also, because I keep promising you such things, here is a pic of me and The Lady Of Manners after I-don't-remember-how-many martinis between us. Ahem.

Today I am ever so slightly headachey (no one's fault but my own) but the sun is actually out and I have lots of work to do, and there is a chilled Coke Zero sitting beside me. Tonight, I think the husband and I will go see a movie or something, like normal civilized people who occasionally leave the house for acts of leisure (which will not involve any martinis this time).

But before I go – I just wanted to say thanks to the folks at the Jawas Read Too blog, for they have created/provided a very thorough (largely spoilerless) review of Dreadnought … which was very, very cool of them.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

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

what fresh madness

Yesterday Kat and I had a lovely time kicking around Ballard, but I didn't snap any shots while we were out and about; however I did swing by a sweet little kitchen shop to bring home a bamboo cutting board (ours was gross) and a can opener (ours broke last week), so the day was productive as well as entertaining.

I'd shoot for another kitty picture, but I can't find the cat this morning (slight fib – she's stowed in the closet, but therefore more or less unphotographable). So. Well. No pictures for you, then. Instead you get … okay, no link list! Just … hm. Let's do it in small paragraphs. It'll feel less like a hasty info-dump that way, won't it? Well, let's see.

Today over on the Best Damn Creative Writing Blog you will find an interview with yours truly – plus an opportunity to win a signed copy of Dreandought as part of their grab bag giveaway. I'm also lurking down the comments thread, answering questions if people have any, and responding to commentary where applicable.

In other news (Jesus, these transitions are hard; no wonder I like lists so much), Steampunk.com is hunting for its book of the year. The site took nominations last week, I believe, and both Boneshaker and Dreadnought made the cut. And my books are in excellent company! Go click over there and vote for whoever you like, or whatever you like. And may thanks to the readers of Steampunk.com for nominating my material.

Okay. Nothing else to squish into this post today, so I suppose I'll call this done and get back to work.

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

through the razor weeds that only reach my knees

As you can see from this-here picture of what's in my lap, I do intend to stick to yesterday's promise of "mixing it up" around here a bit more. Let this kitty snapshot be a gesture of good faith, and a sign of my righteous intentions.

Or something.

Blogging of any sort will be on the low side today, for I have (a). day-job work yet to be done, and (b). plans for the afternoon. Last night I struggled my way to the (approximate) halfway point on Ganymede's rewrites – at least, the first major heavy-lifting pass – and today I'm giving myself the afternoon off from that task. I could use a little perspective. And I've scarcely left the house in the last couple of weeks.

Therefore, I am going to go hang with my marvelous friend Kat out in Ballard, where we shall nab lunch and mosey around, picking up coffee and gossiping. (As is our wont.)

Have fun without me.

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