Liz Williams's Blog, page 33
October 10, 2010
The week that was
It has been a busy, interesting week, starting with a visit to London and catching up with friends at the Wallace Collection. After lunch, we had a good look at the armour and weapons - this is what female SF/F writers do with their days out. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the Sherlock Holmes museum in Baker Street (where else?) as this is also one of London's minor gems. If this indeed supposed to be an accurate representation of Holmes and Watson's rooms, I must say that it is hard to see how Sherlock had enough range to blast the Queen's initials into the wall. Fascinating, if cramped.
The week has ended very differently, with a workshop in Dominican Vodou at our venue in Glastonbury, run by Houngan Hector Salva, who is over from the States. I have not attended the workshop, but did go to the service last night, which Hector very kindly allowed me to attend. Very interesting, and also fun (the neighbours came round at one point to see what was making the building shake, but they were very nice about it).
Otherwise, the week has been taken up with work, of various kinds. There are a couple of quite major announcements on the way but these must remain under my hat until I'm allowed to talk about them. Minor things include making jelly (sloe/apple) and quite a lot of cooking. I love autumnn - all the different produce and of course, all the things that everyone likes about the season (log fires, cold nights, clear days, golden leaves).
The week has ended very differently, with a workshop in Dominican Vodou at our venue in Glastonbury, run by Houngan Hector Salva, who is over from the States. I have not attended the workshop, but did go to the service last night, which Hector very kindly allowed me to attend. Very interesting, and also fun (the neighbours came round at one point to see what was making the building shake, but they were very nice about it).
Otherwise, the week has been taken up with work, of various kinds. There are a couple of quite major announcements on the way but these must remain under my hat until I'm allowed to talk about them. Minor things include making jelly (sloe/apple) and quite a lot of cooking. I love autumnn - all the different produce and of course, all the things that everyone likes about the season (log fires, cold nights, clear days, golden leaves).
October 9, 2010
Question for the academics
If you were invited to deliver a paper at a conference, what would you consider to be a reasonable lead-time for writing it? E.g. if invited now for the spring vac 2011, would you think this was enough time to write a paper?
I am asking for a reason, which I'll explain in due course.
I am asking for a reason, which I'll explain in due course.
October 3, 2010
The London hive mind
Right, I have to get from Paddington to Manchester Square and the Wallace Collection tomorrow - any advice, other than shank's pony or a cab, given the Tube strike?
Creative writing tutoring - repost
As some of you will know, I am now offering manuscript appraisal services. I will only be dealing with SF, Fantasy and Horror, or any related sub-genres, and will be offering:
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
I can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, I can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and I will suggest that you rewrite if I think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. I am very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if I think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, I will tell you. However, I am solution-oriented and my criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process, like the workshop itself, is to prepare work for publication. Obviously. I cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction and literary fiction, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
Please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
I can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, I can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and I will suggest that you rewrite if I think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. I am very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if I think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, I will tell you. However, I am solution-oriented and my criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process, like the workshop itself, is to prepare work for publication. Obviously. I cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction and literary fiction, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
Please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
October 1, 2010
Writing workshop
I'm scheduling a 2 day workshop in 2011, 22-23rd January (weekend), 10 a.m to 4 p.m, in London. The cost - excluding accommodation - will be £120. This particular workshop is directed at people who are aiming at publication and covers the basics of:
- short story writing
- novel writing
- preparing work for publication
- marketing your work
- contacting agents and publishers
- genre as an industry
There are a maximum of 10 places and no entry criteria. We will not be doing a lot of writing during the workshop itself - the idea, which has proved successful in the University of Sussex workshops, is to download as much as possible of what I have learned in a decade-long pro career into your heads!
You are welcome to email me at: mevennen@hotmail.com for more information.
- short story writing
- novel writing
- preparing work for publication
- marketing your work
- contacting agents and publishers
- genre as an industry
There are a maximum of 10 places and no entry criteria. We will not be doing a lot of writing during the workshop itself - the idea, which has proved successful in the University of Sussex workshops, is to download as much as possible of what I have learned in a decade-long pro career into your heads!
You are welcome to email me at: mevennen@hotmail.com for more information.
September 26, 2010
Diary of a Witchcraft Shop Vols I and 2 - repost
When we started this blog, a number of people kept asking me when we were going to bring out the Diary of a Witchcraft Shop as a book.
Well, now we have!
It's going to be in e-format, at least initially. We're launching Volume 1 at Samhain, and Volume 2 at Beltane. The first volume covers the first couple of years of the shop when I came on board and features all the things you've come to know and love from the blogs - magic and mayhem, spirits and standing stones, cats and dogs, people who know they're Druids and people who think they're fairies.
Volume 2 - the Voodoo Years - starts where the previous Diary ends. Who knows what will happen between Samhain and Beltane? Watch this space, or buy the Diary!
There's a lot of new material, as not everything makes it onto the blog. Volume 1 is written jointly by myself and Trevor, and Volume 2 will feature contributions from Jamie and Jack, our esteemed and long-suffering staff.
Each Diary will cost £9.99, but if you sign up for both volumes now, you can pay £16.99 for the pair. At Samhain, we will send you Volume 1 (please let me know which format you'd like) and Volume 2 in the spring.
E-book options
Diary Vol 1 £9.99
Diary Vol 2 £9.99
Diary 1 & 2 £16.99
Well, now we have!
It's going to be in e-format, at least initially. We're launching Volume 1 at Samhain, and Volume 2 at Beltane. The first volume covers the first couple of years of the shop when I came on board and features all the things you've come to know and love from the blogs - magic and mayhem, spirits and standing stones, cats and dogs, people who know they're Druids and people who think they're fairies.
Volume 2 - the Voodoo Years - starts where the previous Diary ends. Who knows what will happen between Samhain and Beltane? Watch this space, or buy the Diary!
There's a lot of new material, as not everything makes it onto the blog. Volume 1 is written jointly by myself and Trevor, and Volume 2 will feature contributions from Jamie and Jack, our esteemed and long-suffering staff.
Each Diary will cost £9.99, but if you sign up for both volumes now, you can pay £16.99 for the pair. At Samhain, we will send you Volume 1 (please let me know which format you'd like) and Volume 2 in the spring.
E-book options
Diary Vol 1 £9.99
Diary Vol 2 £9.99
Diary 1 & 2 £16.99
Short story subs - repost
First of all, thank you so much for your support. If there is anyone out there who has paid for stories but not received them, do email me asap. WE ARE NEARLY AT THE LIMIT, especially for Chen - but there are a few subs still available.
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
Short story sale - limited edition
I'm trying a new approach this year: directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
GARNET PARK: Set in an alternative mid 20th century in which World War Two has been mainly fought in Asia and featuring Lieutenant Mary Greaves. I've always wanted to write a Sayers-esque aristocratic female sleuth, and Mary is it.
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.</ljcut>
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year: I'm working on that, but it is likely to be a copy of A Glass of Shadow, which is a new hard copy short story collection coming out with New Con Press.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
Short story sale - limited edition
I'm trying a new approach this year: directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
GARNET PARK: Set in an alternative mid 20th century in which World War Two has been mainly fought in Asia and featuring Lieutenant Mary Greaves. I've always wanted to write a Sayers-esque aristocratic female sleuth, and Mary is it.
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.</ljcut>
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year: I'm working on that, but it is likely to be a copy of A Glass of Shadow, which is a new hard copy short story collection coming out with New Con Press.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
Mojo
Long-term readers of this blog will remember the spare dog, Mojo: we looked after her some years ago when her owner broke her leg. We were set to keep her, but then T got cancer, and Mojo returned to her owner, who then also got cancer. Eventually everyone stopped being ill or injured and M is now permanently based in Weston-super-Mare, apart from these few days when her owner is on a well-deserved holiday. So Mojo is back.
She was the escapologist who went missing on Christmas morning, who hi...
She was the escapologist who went missing on Christmas morning, who hi...
September 25, 2010
Milford 2010
I am now back after a week in North Wales - many thanks to the current Milford attendees, all of whom contributed to a fantastic week in both the literal and metaphorical sense.
Due to another commitment, of which more shortly, I came back down south yesterday, driving through Llangollen and Radnorshire to my parents' home in Gloucester. I had the whole day, and it is about 4 hours' straight run from Snowdonia to Gloucestershire, so I took things slowly: had coffee in a Victorian hotel in Bet...
Due to another commitment, of which more shortly, I came back down south yesterday, driving through Llangollen and Radnorshire to my parents' home in Gloucester. I had the whole day, and it is about 4 hours' straight run from Snowdonia to Gloucestershire, so I took things slowly: had coffee in a Victorian hotel in Bet...
September 22, 2010
Milford midweek
Good Lord, Trigonos now has limited wifi, so no more roaming the hillside in the rain trying to get a signal on the Blackberry. The workshop is going extremely well. We went into Pen-y-groes this morning for a brief shopping trip and otherwise are doing the usual things that one does at Milford, i.e. reading, critiquing, eating and opening the occasional bottle of wine. And talking a lot.
T has been here, but is heading south at the moment to pick up the spare dog while her owner is on holiday.
T has been here, but is heading south at the moment to pick up the spare dog while her owner is on holiday.
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