Delilah S. Dawson's Blog, page 7
September 25, 2015
WAKE OF VULTURES orts!
* WAKE OF VULTURES is out October 27! If you pre-order it and email your address to whimsydark (at) gmail (dot) com, I'll send you a signed bookplate, temporary tattoo, and other free swag! Here's a list of retailers, or you can order a signed copy from FoxTale, and I'll sign and personalize at the book launch party, and they'll mail it to you, and you can read it or caress it or whatever you wish. Easy!
* The WAKE OF VULTURES launch party is on Saturday, October 24 at 1pm at FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA, where I'll be joined by two of my favorite authors, Victoria (V.E.) Schwab and Cherie Priest. Books, cake, booze, the spice will flow. More info at the Facebook Event page.
* My rangy scavenger of a book baby has received three starred reviews from trade journals and a sweet review from my dear pals at RT Book Reviews:
* Delilah S. Dawson’s first book under the Bowen name, set in a gritty and well-realized paranormal Wild West, is a warm-hearted winner. Nettie Lonesome, a mixed-race young woman who dresses like a man, has been told all her life that she’s worthless. She runs the failing ranch of a married white couple who treat her like a slave, but her heart lies with the nearby Double TK Ranch, where she trains horses and is welcomed with respect and acceptance. When a man attacks her and she kills him, he turns to sand and her entire world flips upside down. Soon tragedy strikes the men of the Double TK, and Nettie, with the help of enigmatic shape-shifter Coyote Dan and some lawmen who are no strangers to the strange, sets out to find her destiny, as well as a child thief called Pia Mupitsi. The unforgiving western landscape is home to supernatural beasties as diverse as the human inhabitants, and no-nonsense Nettie is pragmatic and brave. Themes of self-worth, gender, and the complexity of identity are treated with frank realism and sensitivity, and the narrative is a love letter to the paranormal western genre. Fantastical history fans will be delighted. ~ Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
* A fantasy set in a Wild West populated by plenty of vicious monsters—and one unwilling heroine.
Nettie Lonesome isn’t a slave. Not exactly. But the people she calls Pap and Mam don’t treat her like their daughter, either. So when a stranger shows up, attacks her, and then poofs into a pile of sand when she stabs him in the chest with a twig, she has no one to turn to with her questions or her fears. And when her friend Monty gives her a chance to join the bronco wranglers at a neighboring ranch, she jumps at the opportunity to change her life. But the hidden world that stranger introduced her to won’t leave her alone, and she soon finds herself on the run from all manner of monsters, trying to live up to a destiny she isn’t too keen on. Nettie is a lively, ornery, unconventional heroine who rises to each fresh challenge with a believable mix of fear and determination. Half-black, half-Indian, and wholly confused about her gender and sexuality, she’s a misfit who has to learn how to trust others—and herself. Debut novelist Bowen has created a fascinating, textured Wild West world. The monsters are gruesome, the battles are bloody, and the pace of this story never flags.
Readers will love this absorbing fantasy adventure (the first in a planned series) and its strong, dynamic heroine. ~ Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
* Bowen’s debut, a fantastical coming-of-age Western, introduces half-Native American, half-African American teenager Nettie Lonesome. Raised by foster parents who treat her like a slave, Nettie learned early on how to take care of herself, and she isn’t too surprised when she can suddenly see monsters no one else seems to notice. Nettie dresses and lives as a man, while working as a ranch hand, and has interests in both men and women, one of many elements that makes this first novel stand far above the usual fantasy crowd. VERDICT Incorporating Native American and Western myths, plus Nettie’s multicultural heritage and characters from a wide range of backgrounds, this is a must-have for all modern fantasy collections and a great choice for adults and teens. Suggest to readers who enjoyed Western-themed fantasies such as Emma Bull’s Territory. ~ Library Journal, Starred Review
*
Of all the books I’ve reviewed this year, Wake of Vultures’ Nettie Lonesome stands out as the most compelling, well-crafted protagonist I’ve encountered. Bowen gives readers something genuinely special in Nettie. It’s more than the fact that Nettie is a non-white, queer and non-binary lead; she is all of those things, but she’s also a talented bronc breaker, a resourceful survivor and a person with an exceptional destiny. Wake of Vultures is a sublime tale that weaves the central questions of identity into an otherworldly quest, blending it with frightening bits of Comanche lore. It shines in its skillful marriage of paranormal tropes with a relatable emotional core — Bowen’s superlative grasp of both character development and worldbuilding elevates a familiar story to mythic heights.
Nettie Lonesome has lived most of her life in unpaid, thankless service to a couple she calls “Pap” and “Mam,” though they’ve hardly been parents to her. Her brown skin and indeterminate heritage mark her as an outsider in the town of Gloomy Bluebird, and the only pleasure she gets is the slight sense of community at the Double TK ranch, where she breaks horses better than any of the men in town. But Nettie’s whole world is upended when she kills a dark and dangerous supernatural creature. Now, not only can she see the monsters lurking in plain sight — she’s also been conscripted to fight a child-snatching beast known as the Cannibal Owl. As Nettie takes on the mantle of The Shadow, a figure of folklore prophecy, she’ll uncover strange truths about the horrors stalking the West … and discover who she truly is. ~ RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars, Top Pick
In short, I hope you'll pick up a copy. Pre-orders are a huge boon to the author's career, so if you're planning on reading it, I hope you'll consider pre-ordering. Kevin Hearne, Rachel Caine, and Charlaine Harris liked it, and they can't be wrong.
September 24, 2015
September 23, 2015
September 16, 2015
September 15, 2015
September 10, 2015
How to Write a Character Who's a Sexual Assault Survivor
Trigger warning for discussion of rape and sexual assault.
August 31, 2015
August 27, 2015
It's a WICKED EVER AFTER giveaway!!
WICKED EVER AFTER is the final book in the Blud series, and it's out October 5.
You can pre-order it from the retailer of your choice right here. It's an e-novella, around 55,000 words, maybe half the size of Wicked as They Come. But if you like Criminy, you'll want to know what he's been up to. And where he ends up...
I'm giving away two RARE and shiny paperbacks of WICKED EVER AFTER, which is an e-only release. One of them looks lonely, so you can win ALL 4 BLUD BOOKS in a family pack, which includes the out-of-print WICKED AS SHE WANTS, winner of the RT Book Reviews May Seal of Excellence and Steampunk Book of the Year for 2013.
Enter! Win!
And if you want to know what all the fuss is about, check out the first book in the series, WICKED AS THEY COME. The series includes 3 printed books, 3 e-novellas, the short story THE THREE LIVES OF LYDIA, and NOT MY CIRCUS, NOT MY MONKEYS in the THREE SLICES anthology. All those links are on the BOOKS page at the top of this blog.
My writing career started with a dream about a hot guy in a top hat who talked like Spike from Buffy, and I'm ending Criminy Stain's story in style.
a Rafflecopter giveawayAugust 24, 2015
Do THE SCARY THING: A case study.
Today, I did THE SCARY THING.
I actually advise doing something scary every day, or at least something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. That can be something as small as driving a new route to work or trying a new cheese, or it can be something as huge as sky diving when you're afraid of heights. Point is, as a writer, artist, and human being, I feel it's important to constantly stay awake and to make new neural connections. The best art comes from a place of discomfort and disequilibrium.
When I say DO THE SCARY THING on Twitter, I sometimes get... pushback. Stories about why someone can't do the scary thing or how doing the scary thing in the past bit them in the butt. It's as if, in suggesting everyone do THE SCARY THING, I am speaking to particular people who do not, in fact, want to do THE SCARY THING, and who seem to think that because I am a traditionally published author, things are easy for me. Therefore, I'd like to share with you the timeline of THE SCARY THING I did today.
It might seem small to you: I rode my horse in a different saddle. But trust me: I was scared. I had that adrenaline dump, when your heart is hammering and your stomach goes cold and your head goes thick and your hands and feet shake. So I thought I would share the timeline of this SCARY THING with you as a case study.
October 21, 2014 - 10am: It's my 37th birthday. I put on my Batman sweatshirt (first pic above), step into my new cowboy boots, and head to the barn, where I put my new Australian saddle on my horse, Polly. My new boot gets stuck in the stirrup, and my leg goes over her back instead of her saddle, and she bucks me off. I land on my back.
October 21, 2014 - 1pm: I'm in the hospital (second picture), and they've confirmed that my back is indeed broken. I'm given painkillers and am to report to an orthopedist the next day. I have my first real panic attack in the middle of the night, when I have repeated nightmares rehashing the fall and my brain shows me various ways I could've been killed.
October 22, 2014: I get a back brace. And more painkillers. I can barely move. My family has to wait on me, hand and foot, while I flop around in bed, doped up. My entire body hurts. When my meds run out at night, I have more panic attacks. I start to dread sleeping. I begin to think about selling my horse.
Oct-Nov, 2014: Healing. Lots of crying. I've never been helpless before. I hate the back brace. I continue to dread sleeping--with the added bonus of no more pain meds. I talk to friends about selling my horse and finding a shorter, calmer horse. Some people tell me I should quit riding forever.
November 4, 2014: I send a long, rambling email to the most knowledgable horse person I know, telling her I'm scared of my horse and asking if I should give up riding and sell Polly. Right after I hit SEND, I realize that I am letting fear drive the bus, and I refuse to let fear drive the bus. I send another email that says IGNORE ALL THAT and ask another friend to help me work with Polly until she's safe to ride and I regain my confidence.
December 4, 2014: My back is healed, and my orthopedist gives me the okay to take off my back brace. I am ecstatic. On this day, I get an offer on Wake of Vultures and go to a great lunch with my writer friends. That afternoon, I go to the barn and, with a friend's help, start working with my horse to build trust and desensitize her.
December 7, 2014: First time back in the saddle after the backbreakening, using my Western saddle. I am terrified, but I do it anyway. I don't stay up there for very long.
December 11, 2014: First trail ride since the backbreakening. Again, TERRIFIED, but I have a great time.
Dec 2014-July 2015: We ride frequently, aside from the month after my gallbladder surgery. Every time I mount, my friend holds my rein so Polly can't buck again.
July 21, 2015: I try my Australian saddle for the first time since the backbreakening. Not for a full ride-- just to put it on, mount up with a friend holding Polly's reins, and get off.
August 17, 2015: First time mounting horse alone in Western saddle (without a friend holding Polly's reins.)
August 24, 2015: First trail ride in the Australian saddle. No problems. We even passed SCARY FOREST COWS. Still, friend held reins while I mounted, just in case.
I realize that if you're not a horse person, you're probably wondering what this timeline has to do with THE SCARY THING in the writing world, or whatever world you're in. So here's a breakdown:
1. SOMETIMES, SH*T HAPPENS. I was doing the thing I loved, and something catastrophic happened. Something that not only destroyed my confidence but that also set me back in my general life, big time. It was an accident.
2. AT FIRST, YOU CURL UP IN PAIN. My initial reaction was fear. I felt traumatized, and I didn't want to confront what had hurt me.
3. DON'T LET FEAR WIN. With some distance, and mainly through reading my own words and feelings, I recognized that I was letting fear take over and that I didn't want to pursue that path.
4. FIND SUPPORT. I asked for help. I realized I couldn't do it alone, and I asked a trusted friend to help me conquer my fear.
5. TAKE SMALL BITES. I didn't immediately try to get back to where I'd been. That first time back in the saddle, I got up, sat there, and got off. I didn't gallop into the sunset. Conquering fear is often easier if you do it in manageable bites.
6. LET YOURSELF FEEL THE FEAR. Every time I did THE SCARY THING, I acknowledged that I was scared and did it anyway. I didn't pretend it was no big deal. I felt the fear.
7. TAKE THE RIGHT RISKS. I paid attention to safety. Every step of the way, I was wearing a helmet, with a trusted friend, and tested the waters before committing.
8. TRUST YOUR GUT. When something didn't feel safe, I backed away. One time in December, I hopped up on her back, and she felt very alert and like she might spook, so I slid right back off. Just then, a cat burst out of the forest, and she did indeed spook. I was really glad I trusted my instincts, that time.
9. BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR LIMITS. There's a balance between pushing yourself and knowing when too much is too much. Today, in the saddle that broke my back, I still asked my friend to hold the reins as I mounted. It will probably be a while before I hop up on my own.
10. LET THAT SUCCESS BREED MORE SUCCESS. When I have a great day riding, it bolsters my confidence and makes me more likely to take more positive risks. Frex, I recently submitted some comics pitches for the first time, which is something I've been scared of doing.
11. KNOW WHEN IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Notice how I mentioned several times that the Australian saddle was the one that scared me? That's not because there's anything wrong with it; that's because it's the one I was using when I broke my back. After that, the Western saddle felt "safe", even though... there's really no difference. But I attached fear to one saddle and safety to the other, and I recognized that and went with what made me feel "safe". I also haven't worn that Batman shirt again. And that's okay. Sometimes, small, silly details make a big difference to your confidence.
So here's the thing: Fear is a feeling. Sometimes, it's very much on point, and if you haven't read THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin De Becker, please do, because it's an amazing discussion on listening to your gut. But, lots of times, we'll let fear hold us back from growing as a human being. Complacency and comfort feel good, but they're not the well that powers art and positive change.
Now, I'm definitely not advocating quitting your day job and using *that* fear to move your writing forward, because it's hard to make good art when you're starving to death. I *am* advocating going to a con, taking a class, going to a meet-up, sending a query, or writing a pitch--something that seems scarier than it is. Being rejected is part of the game, but we'll still let it hold us back to save ourselves from the possibility of pain or the hit against our confidence.
Yes, I'm using WE because I do it, too.
When I tell you to DO THE SCARY THING, know that I'm doing it, too. When I tell you you'll be rejected, I assure that I have been rejected--tons. When I urge you to get back in the saddle, please know that every time I put my boot in that stirrup, I still feel the bone-deep fear, but I do it anyway. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to ride horses, and I wasn't about to let something as silly as fear stop me.
Don't let it stop you, either.
Take it from me: Life is too short to let fear drive the bus.
