MeiLin Miranda's Blog, page 32
May 7, 2012
Chapter 3 Part 7 | Son in Sorrow | IHGK Book 2
Temmin dropped his fork, tried to catch it on the way down to the floor and nearly knocked over his wine glass. "I'm sorry--what?"
"All that fancy training, and you didn't know Ibbit is Mama's lover?"
"I...I grasped it when I came home tonight. How long have you known?"
Sedra slowly shook her head, keeping her eyes on the amber liquid swirling in her glass. "About five years now."
"That's almost as long as Ibbit's been Mama's religious advisor!"
"Oh, she started in on Mama almost immediately."
Temmin sat back against the couch cushions, his supper forgotten. "How did you know?"
"You're not the only one with a talent for observation. And Ibbit left a love letter Mama wrote tucked into a book she lent me," she added sheepishly. "I think she wanted me to know for some reason."
The two siblings stared moodily, Sedra into her snifter, Temmin into his food. He cut a hunk of cheese, topped it with pickled onion and mustard, and ate it while Sedra took another long sip of her brandy. He swallowed and said, "What I don't understand is why."
May 4, 2012
"Dalston Junction" coming out in audiobook!
I'm still planning on reading the History myself (oy is that going to be a to-do), but several of my other pieces I can't do. I have read "Scryer's Gulch" at readings, but it really needs a Sam Elliot type to do it justice. A British accent is 100% necessary for "Dalston" and "The Amber Cross," and while I can do Received Pronunciation fairly well I'm not consistent enough for my own taste and I can't do Cockney and the other British accents worth a damn. (When I read from "Dalston" live I tell the audience, "Imagine Juliet Stevenson is reading this instead of me.")
So I'm taking Neil Gaiman's advice and trying out ACX, a service via Amazon and Audible (same diff) where authors can hook up with audiobook producers. I'm getting a sample from a voice actress/producer next week and I think we may have the audiobook up by the end of the month. If I like what we do and she'll read erotica (unsure about that), I may ask her to do "The Amber Cross" as well.
It's all very exciting, this modern age in which we live. 
Chapter 3 Part 6 | Son in Sorrow | IHGK Book 2
As he strode down the corridor to his old rooms, the thought of the next day's breakfast reminded him he'd had nothing to eat. He would order a tray once he'd changed into warmer clothes. He opened the door to his study.
The fire had been lit, as had the lamps. Everything appeared just as it had the night Teacher had spirited him away to the Lovers' Temple almost a year ago, right from under his father's nose: the moss green velvet sofa; the wing chair he never sat in; the wuisc, brandy and barisha decanters lined up on the sideboard; the tea table by the windows; the heavily-laden bookcases; the globe atop the long library table. One new thing now inhabited the room: a lectern he recognized from the Tower Library, Teacher's own study. Atop it lay a familiar book bound in ancient Tremontine red leather. The faded gilt lettering on its front cover read, An Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom.
The book. The magic book that had changed his life in so many ways.
May 2, 2012
I'm nominated all over the place at eFestival of Words o_O
Nominations were released yesterday for the eFestival of Words awards. The eFestival is an indie/small press virtual book fair that'll be happening this August. I have to make this quick because I'm due somewhere, but this is all the stuff I've been nominated for somehow--I have NO idea who nominated me:
--Best Short Story: "The Gratification Engine" (SERIOUSLY? not my best work)
--Best Short Story Collection, single author: "Accounts"
--Best Novel: "Son in Sorrow"
--Best Cover: "Son in Sorrow"
May 1, 2012
"Son in Sorrow" paperback giveaway at Goodreads
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April 30, 2012
Chapter 3 Part 5 | Son in Sorrow | IHGK Book 2
Ansella stumbled against her son, and Temmin grabbed her by the elbows. "Come, Mama, back to your fire." He supported her into the gloomy drawing room and onto the blue tufted couch beside the fire; he propped her feet up on the couch and covered her in a thick shawl draped across the couch's arm. "It's dark as Harla's Hill in here." He made to turn up the nearest lantern and discovered the wick had burned all the way down. He trimmed and relit it, turned up the second lantern on the table opposite, and stoked the fire into a fine blaze again. "You used to sit in the dark and brood at home when you were upset. You haven't eaten, have you?" He didn't wait for her answer but went straight to the bell pull and called for Miss Hanston.
April 28, 2012
"Son in Sorrow" cover nominated in the eFestival of Words
Bea Gonzalez's cover for "Son in Sorrow" has been nominated in the Best Cover category at the eFestival of Words. Here are all the nominees. I have ZERO idea what this will mean for Bea (and Alice Fox, whose original work on the "Lovers and Beloveds" cover carries forward into the rest of the History series), or who nominated the book cover, but it's always nice for someone to notice your work.
"Son in Sorrow" in paperback: Now at CreateSpace, soon at Amazon.com and from me
"Son in Sorrow" is now officially available at CreateSpace, $14.95 just like "Lovers and Beloveds." It'll be at Amazon.com in about five days, and available directly from me in about two weeks. I've got to get the first batch of books ordered and mailed out to the pre-salers and Kickstarters first.
April 27, 2012
Chapter 3 Part 4 | Son in Sorrow | IHGK Book 2
"What do you mean, the kitchen's closed?" said Temmin.
"I mean it's closed," said Anda, lounging on her alcove bed with a book. "Not the cooks' fault you decided to see that hulk of a Postulant instead of eating."
"Mathanus and I've been trying to get some time alone for weeks now!"
"Was it worth missing dinner, oh bottomless pit?"
April 26, 2012
It's heeeere...
Look what jut arrived! eeee! The cover this time looks good. I need to go through the interior, but so far it looks great. It's from CreateSpace. The books for direct sales, pre-sales and Amazon.com will be printed by CreateSpace, and international Amazon sales and brick-and-mortar sales will be printed by Lightning Source.
