Ellie Di Julio's Blog, page 11

Crowdfunding MIRROR OF ASHES: Prettify This Book!

Remember how, two years ago, I asked you for help paying my friend Desiree “Desz” Kern to paint a kickass cover forThe Transmigration of Cora Riley and how you not only raised the $2000 I asked for but an extra $500 besides? That was super cool of you. Then, remember how, last year, I askedyou … Continue reading Crowdfunding MIRROR OF ASHES: Prettify This Book!

All the little angels rise up high: Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett

It’s hard for me to say what I’m feeling after seeing the news about Sir Terry Pratchett’s death. I’m shocked by my own tears. We all knew it was coming; he’d become almost as famous for his assisted-death advocacyas for his Discworld novels. And I don’t often get sad when people die, much less celebrities. … Continue reading All the little angels rise up high: Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett

What I read in 2014, what I’m reading in 2015

The worst thing I’ve done for my reading life is to start writing. At least, that’s what the coincidental data is telling me.

In 2010, I read 100books.

In 2011, I read 56.

In 2012, the year I wrote my first book,I read 36.

In 2013, the year I had my hip surgery,I read 39.

In 2014, last year, I set out to read 24. I read 18.

EIGHTEEN. AND ONE OF THEM WAS MINE.

Where in the firsttwo years ofnovelling,I voraciously consumed reading materials during beta-reads and cool-down periods, this last year I gav...

CONFIDENTIAL: 12 Unredacted Reports from the Supernatural Cases Division

It’s here, it’s here!“CONFIDENTIAL: 12 Unredacted Reports from the Supernatural Cases Division” is the complete collection of 2014 short stories, and it has finally arrived for your perusing pleasure.

STORIES INCLUDE:

Cora’s First Sighting
Jack’s New Assignment
The Gods’ Own Creation Myth
Ambrosia Makes Fools of Us All
Nix the Pity-Party
Hel’s Dying Star
Faerie Halfling Seeks Southern Woman
The First Day of the Rest of Her Life
Handle: 5tilt2k1n
A Bloody Office Romance
A New Tradition
Memo on the Holiday...

Small revolutions: The art of asking, the art of giving

This book came in the mail the other day. Nothing particularly special about that, really. But it’s the way of its coming, the profound impact its purchase has had on me, that’s special.

You guys know how deeply Amanda Palmer’s message resonates with me. The concept of letting people love you up close, of trusting your audience to support you, of looking at the exchange of art and money as holy and loving — it’s rooted deep in my heart.

When she announced her book, about her journey to and thro...

INDIE OR BUST: A Holiday Book Buying Guide

THE GIFTINGSEASON IS UPON US, BRETHREN.

That means it’s time for me to goad you into buying booksfor your family, friends, teachers, hairdressers, postal workers, doctors, andeven yourself. (I won’t judge.)

More than simply buying and gifting imaginationscapes made of dead trees (or glowing pixels), though, I want to encourage you to buy from independent authors, those intrepid souls who self-publish or are represented by small presses.

The awesome thingabout buying this wayis that you don’t jus...

It’s just a tiny piece of metal

I took out mytongue ring. And I am having feels.

There’s no concrete reason for why I did it. Nothing I can point to or explain. Nothing practical or social. No new maturity or understanding.

It’s just time.

Time to let go of the last ten years. Of the twenty-year-old girl who wanted so desperately to be someone important, to be desired and lusted after and badass and immortal and untouchable.

To know that the symbol – this totem markedfor truth-telling and speaking prophecy – is only an idea, an...

It’s just a tiny piece of metal

I took out my tongue ring after 10 years. And I am having feels.

The State of the Ellie: Of dayjobs and new homes

*looks around* Well. It’s certainly been a while since I did one of these life-posts. In fact it’s been a while since I blogged anything that wasn’t shameless self-promotion or timely writing notes. Geez.

It’s time, though. There are two huge things happening with methat I haven’t talked about in publicyet, primarily because I’m embarrassed about one and wobbly about the other.

Let me talk at you a minute.

1: I got a day job!

This is thing I’m sort of embarrassed about. I’ve been writing full tim...

What I learned from writing 75,000 words in 25 days: A NaNoWriMo adventure

Wow. I did it. I won.

Not just “regular” NaNoWriMo, but my own extreme version.

I mean…

Dang. Yeah.

I must confess I didn’t think I could actually do this. I wanted to push my boundaries and challenge myself, sure, but the part of me that set this goal was tiny, quiet, and alone. I mean, I barely managed to write 35,000 words during my first shot at National Novel Writing Month; shooting for 75,000 was laughable.Buthere we are.

I wrote an entire first draft for a novel in under 30 days.

Holy shit.

A...