Kim Fielding's Blog, page 86
February 20, 2012
Yo ho yo ho
I spent 15 hours at Disneyland yesterday with my family. Fifteen hours. And it was really, really crowded due to the holiday weekend and lines were long. The waiting wasn't so awful, however. Disneyland makes for great people-watching; some of those folks will undoubtedly end up in future stories. Standing in line also gave me the chance to work out some plot details in the story I'm writing right now. And I had my phone with Kindle app, so I got a little reading in as well.
A good thing about being a writer is I am hardly ever bored. I can entertain myself for hours like that.
And I did Pirates and the Haunted House twice.
A good thing about being a writer is I am hardly ever bored. I can entertain myself for hours like that.
And I did Pirates and the Haunted House twice.
February 17, 2012
Men of Steel
My short story "Act One" will be published in Dreamspinner Press's anthology Men of Steel. The anthology comes out in April. I don't have a precise release date yet but I do have the cover:
February 16, 2012
Work
My kids had the day off from school today, but hubby and I had to work. We left the 12-year-old at home--she probably didn't crawl out of bed until after noon--and the 9-year-old came to work with me. Thanks to a good coloring book, she sat patiently through my two classes and office hours. Two funny things happened.
As we were walking to my office, we passed the campus daycare. A dad was just getting out of his car to drop off his little girl. She looked at us and said--loudly, of course--"Is that her grandma with her?" Ack! The dad, who was probably close to my age, looked very embarrassed.
But then after my second class, a student walked up to me and said, "I don't know how you do it all: professor, department chair, parent, writer." And she only knows about the textbooks, not the novels.
She's not the first person to ask how I do it all. I never know how to answer. I am really, really busy, but then so are most of the people I know. There are lots of things I don't have in my life. For example, I watch virtually no television. I'm a good multitasker. I think of plot ideas and dialog while I'm getting ready for work in the morning, sitting in the car waiting for afternoon carpool, sitting in endless meetings. And I've learned to write almost anywhere. At the kitchen table while the kids do homework, at gymnastics and doctors' and dentists' offices, in airports and hotels. I've even written during an elementary school spelling bee.
So that's how I do it. How about you?
As we were walking to my office, we passed the campus daycare. A dad was just getting out of his car to drop off his little girl. She looked at us and said--loudly, of course--"Is that her grandma with her?" Ack! The dad, who was probably close to my age, looked very embarrassed.
But then after my second class, a student walked up to me and said, "I don't know how you do it all: professor, department chair, parent, writer." And she only knows about the textbooks, not the novels.
She's not the first person to ask how I do it all. I never know how to answer. I am really, really busy, but then so are most of the people I know. There are lots of things I don't have in my life. For example, I watch virtually no television. I'm a good multitasker. I think of plot ideas and dialog while I'm getting ready for work in the morning, sitting in the car waiting for afternoon carpool, sitting in endless meetings. And I've learned to write almost anywhere. At the kitchen table while the kids do homework, at gymnastics and doctors' and dentists' offices, in airports and hotels. I've even written during an elementary school spelling bee.
So that's how I do it. How about you?
February 13, 2012
Last chance
Valentine's Day is the last chance to enter to win the entire Praesidium trilogy: http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/2...
February 12, 2012
Weather
Last year at this time I had just begun my five-month stay in Zagreb. I've been homesick for Croatia since I returned to California, but with pictures I've been seeing recently of the snow and cold there, and the weather reports I've been hearing from Croatians, I am very grateful for warm California sun. I have to say, however, that miserable weather is much more conducive to writing. Yes, it is possible to write while the sky is blue and the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. But somehow it seems more correct when it's pouring rain or when you have to wrap chilled hands around a cup of tea so they'll defrost enough for you to type.
February 10, 2012
Coming attractions
I am very excited to announce that my fourth novel, Good Bones, will be published this spring by Dreamspinner Press. The book will be available in print and e-book formats, and I'll let you know the release date as soon as I know it.
I will also have a short story in Dreamspinner's forthcoming anthology, Men of Steel. This anthology has a superhero theme and comes out in print and e-book formats in April. Again, I'll announce the exact release date when I have it.
In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying Equipoise. :-)
I will also have a short story in Dreamspinner's forthcoming anthology, Men of Steel. This anthology has a superhero theme and comes out in print and e-book formats in April. Again, I'll announce the exact release date when I have it.
In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying Equipoise. :-)
February 4, 2012
Reminders and San Francisco
Two reminders:
February 5 is the last day to get Flux for free in Kindle format.
You can still comment to win a complete set of the trilogy: http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/2...
I am in San Francisco this weekend, having a Mental Health Weekend, which means hanging out with friends and eating good food and shopping and people-watching and writing. My wonderful husband is holding down the fort at home with the kids (and eating at Hometown Buffet). This is one of my favorite cities in the world, and, after visiting a lot of places, I believe it has the best people-watching anywhere. Like tonight, when I saw a guy dressed as a clown share a joint with someone and then juggle fire. Or this afternoon at the Caffe Trieste, when a drunk walked in, dropped a glass bottle, and yelled something unintelligible about Italy, and the guy at the counter smiled, called him by name, and told him to chill. Or the clerk stuck working at Walgreens on Market Street on a Saturday night, who was amazingly cheery and friendly.
The entire Praesidium trilogy was inspired in part by this city, and the cover of Flux as well as the front and back covers of Equipoise have photos taken here. Points for anyone who can identify the locations!
February 5 is the last day to get Flux for free in Kindle format.
You can still comment to win a complete set of the trilogy: http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/2...
I am in San Francisco this weekend, having a Mental Health Weekend, which means hanging out with friends and eating good food and shopping and people-watching and writing. My wonderful husband is holding down the fort at home with the kids (and eating at Hometown Buffet). This is one of my favorite cities in the world, and, after visiting a lot of places, I believe it has the best people-watching anywhere. Like tonight, when I saw a guy dressed as a clown share a joint with someone and then juggle fire. Or this afternoon at the Caffe Trieste, when a drunk walked in, dropped a glass bottle, and yelled something unintelligible about Italy, and the guy at the counter smiled, called him by name, and told him to chill. Or the clerk stuck working at Walgreens on Market Street on a Saturday night, who was amazingly cheery and friendly.
The entire Praesidium trilogy was inspired in part by this city, and the cover of Flux as well as the front and back covers of Equipoise have photos taken here. Points for anyone who can identify the locations!
February 1, 2012
January 31, 2012
And a contest
Win a complete set of Kim Fielding's Praesidium trilogy in your choice of print or Kindle formats. Comment on the contest entry on my blog before midnight PST on Valentine's Day, and I'll randomly select two winners.
http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/2...
Blurb for Equipoise, the trilogy's final book:
Ennek, the son of the Chief, and Miner, a former slave, have escaped the totalitarian city-state of Praesidium and remain fugitives. Having defeated two mighty wizards, they begin to realize that complete freedom can be as dangerous as absolute power. In this final book in the trilogy that began with Stasis and continued with Flux, Ennek and Miner face battles, corruption, and further journeys through lands both new and familiar. As they grow more secure in their relationship with one other, they're also learning that the greatest challenges sometimes come from very close to the heart and that everything of value has a price. With the help of a few allies, they seek equipoise—a balance for themselves and for their world.
http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/2...
Blurb for Equipoise, the trilogy's final book:
Ennek, the son of the Chief, and Miner, a former slave, have escaped the totalitarian city-state of Praesidium and remain fugitives. Having defeated two mighty wizards, they begin to realize that complete freedom can be as dangerous as absolute power. In this final book in the trilogy that began with Stasis and continued with Flux, Ennek and Miner face battles, corruption, and further journeys through lands both new and familiar. As they grow more secure in their relationship with one other, they're also learning that the greatest challenges sometimes come from very close to the heart and that everything of value has a price. With the help of a few allies, they seek equipoise—a balance for themselves and for their world.
Equipoise Giveaway
I am giving away 5 free copies of Equipoise here on Goodreads. Enter before February 8.
And here's a secret, just for you: for the winners I'll also throw in free print copies of Stasis and Flux.
Enter here.
And here's a secret, just for you: for the winners I'll also throw in free print copies of Stasis and Flux.
Enter here.
