E.D.E. Bell's Blog: Musings Over Carménère, page 2

The Bells at Penguicon 2019

We had a really fun time at Penguicon this weekend, and I thought I’d provide a rundown, both for fun and also in case anyone out there is curious what it’s all about.

First: the premise. Penguicon is a community-run convention for a wide range of storytelling, gaming, and other open-thought activities. Here are my overall thoughts and surprises:

It’s everything. I mean, not the millennial “it’s everything” but like it’s all over the place. People provide and share their own events, which range from readings, gaming, costumes, discussions, crafts, tech, burlesque, food, I mean… it’s a lot.Everyone there seems really happy. I’ve been to cons where people are engaged or excited, but I’ve never been to one where everyone is walking around looking so darn happy. The vibe was really great—very community feeling.The vendors were top-notch. I’m used to seeing many of the local vendors at a variety of events, cons, and street fairs, but in this case I really noticed that some of the best craftspeople were there. The crafts, jewelry, art, and other items were all really fun. You really could just go there and gift shop.

So what did we do?

Well, first, I confess that I caught the funk, and not that good Dayton funk, coming back from Gem City Comic Con last weekend. Despite my best allegiance to hand-sanitizer, sometimes it happens. However, the few hours where I pretty much completely lost my voice also coincided with two first Penguicon panels. So I apologize to those of you who had to listen to me straining to channel my inner stressed-out-frog. I know it was disturbing.

First, Chris did a workshop on formatting a manuscript for indie publishing. The questions were great, and I hope people learned a few tips. (Note: Chris offers publication services.)

Chris Discussing Formatting

Then, my friend Marsalis and I led a discussion on socially conscious fiction. Of course we didn’t claim to have the answers, but we discussed things we’ve seen as well as general advice for what to look for and where to seek (and not seek) help. We emphasized the point: it’s all about being thoughtful, about listening, and about considering how what you write may convey to other people.

If you like really big, bold always-exciting writing, check out Marsalis on Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon.

Then, Chris and I went to a reading by Saladin Ahmed, where, even knowing he is a skilled and varied writer, I blurted out that I was a Kamala Khan fangirl in my froggy voice. Look, I love her.

And after that, I was co-leading a panel on advice on short fiction submissions. As I started to say the few things I wanted to say, the other editor abruptly took ill and left, leaving me and my now 2% battery voice up there alone. Which made this really the coolest place to be at 8 PM Friday night. Luckily, Chris stepped in and helped discuss anthologies in general, as well as some of the red flags on contracting and terms. And…what a great audience. I sort of can’t believe you stayed! I hope it was worth the time!

And if you want to hear more on our upcoming anthology Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove, (it releases this week!) I was excited to be on another episode of Pondo’s Playground discussing it: I hope you’ll give it a listen!

We went back Saturday to hang out, and of course being May the Fourth and Free Comic Book Day, we had to swing by and catch the atmosphere (and update from the pull file) at Comics & More in Madison Heights, which is a super cool store.

Making our way to Penguicon, we enjoyed listening to horror author Stefani Manard talk about her own experiences with indie publishing, along with a team member from Podcast Detroit. She had a lot of great advice to offer!

Now, you’ll notice these have all been literary events. (Marsalis and I joked that all our events were marked with “Lit” like yeah, obvs.) Not feeling great still, I didn’t want to push it, but I wanted to try at least something different. So we went to a meditation overview with a Zen Priest. It was…calming. And…it took them about ten seconds to tell me I needed to stop worrying about what other people think of me. I’m trying! Anyway, they recommended a specific book so I’m totally going to try that.

After we left, we went to the other side of Southfield to try a place I’ve wanted to go for so long: Taste of Ethiopia. So good. If you’re in the area, stop by! (Very vegan-friendly, for my peeps. They make their own cheesecake, mmm.)

Ethiopian Food Cameo

And then Sunday, Chris and I ran a panel called “Meet Atthis Arts,” where we talked about our small press – really just to let people know who we are, what we believe, and about all our great titles. Afterward, we had such a nice time talking to Marv, we joined him in the bar for a Penguicon wrap-up. (Hey, Marv!)

Then we went back to the Penguicon bookstore (“Writers’ Block”) and were excited to see that all six pre-release copies of Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove had sold, along with some of my own titles. If you bought one, thank you, and I hope you enjoy it!

Hotel Stormcove Debut

Anyway, we’d like to thank the Penguicon organizers and attendees for making this such a pleasant experience. We’ll definitely be back in 2020 – and maybe we’ll see you there?

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Hotel Stormcove: Stats and Thoughts

With the stories selected and now moving through the editorial and publication process, I thought it would be fun to talk some more about the submissions that we received. You may know, I’m a former engineer, so yes I love Excel, and yes, I wanted to gather some stats. Let’s do stats! And thoughts too, because I do have a thing for musing as well.

First, the submission period
was overwhelming. The response was overwhelming. We received submissions in the
hundreds. Sure, this is all a good thing, but it was so much more intense than
I expected.

Another thing that really got me was the way the highly-interpretable framework I’d created morphed into a specific character. I’ll talk about this more in the intro to the book. But Hotel Stormcove has turned into its own character—sort of a weird, interdimensional anchor that serves as both a location for amazing stories but also a metaphor for refuge, compassion, and connections. Once I realized that Hotel Stormcove was now a distinct good guy, I fussed a bit with the authors (I do know that was annoying, but I hope it made a difference) to calibrate that across the collection. People can be good or they can be bad (don’t worry, there’s still crime and mayhem), but the metaphor of coming together and helping each other out is there, ever-present in the stories. I am thrilled with that aspect, one I didn’t anticipate or at least completely consciously design.

So—I have to start with my most sincere thanks to the writers. The stories I received and read were wonderful. And, as a writer, I know what heart and energy goes into writing fiction, so I know that you honored me with a piece of you. I didn’t take that lightly, and so, the number of notes I had to send letting people know that story wouldn’t be included was hard. I know that’s how it works, but also as a writer, I do understand. I really hope that people with an unpublished Hotel Stormcove story either benefited from the experience and/or will find it a different home. For some stories, that may be publication elsewhere, for others, it will be sharing it with a friend. It’s art, it’s beautiful, and I thank you so much for your time and the honor of receiving so many great stories.

Considering that our last collection was mostly submitted to by US and Canadian authors, I was excited to see that this collection had been shared all over Earth! It’s hard to explain what an honor this is, to know you wrote some goofy hotel theme, and someone is sitting in Malaysia writing a story to it.

While it depends a little how you count it, we received submissions from 24 countries on 5 continents. (Unexpectedly, we had no submissions from South America, though we did from the Caribbean.) And while I’d love to have even more of an international perspective, I had to balance a lot of factors, and the end collection includes stories from Canada, First Nations in Canada, all over the US, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, and Catalonia. There may be one more addition, and I’ll update this blog either way when I know.

Now that’s where the writers were. Where were the characters? The locations chosen ranged from the basement to the top of the tower, including many specialty rooms, such as the Coat Check, the Janitor’s Closet, the Trash Bins, the Boiler Room, and the Switchboard. People even gave Stormcove a Conservatory, Sand Garden, Library, and Casino. One of my favorite things was how people started naming the suites and the lounges. I don’t want to reference people’s specific creative ideas here, but there was a Back Bar, Front Bar, Old Bar, Saloon, as well as Parlors, Cafés, Terraces, Verandas, and Clubs. The most popular locations by far were some variation of Ballroom or Bar, and some variation of Front Entrance, Lobby, and Check-in Desk. Both of these groupings each came in at about 15% each of the submissions. Around 7% of submissions were in the Kitchen or Restaurant. And around 5% were outside, which includes the grounds as well as in the cove itself. (One story, that I loved but did not select because we had so much great romance to choose from, took place on a boat.)

And with some exceptions, most of the others were in hallways, rooms, or suites. What fascinated me was the broad distribution of rooms selected. Very few rooms were used more than once, with Room 303 and 602 being the most popular choices. It amused me greatly (in a good way) that people would name the suites, in fact, 5% of submissions were located in a specifically named Luxury Suite, including the Honeymoon Suite. And, really, it was more than that, since many stories took place on various overlooks and verandas and I didn’t go parse out which of those were public vs. luxury spaces.

All of these numbers, I should say, are approximate, and only reflect the initial, formal submissions, not an additional grouping of rewrites and otherwise-considered stories. (There’s been a lot going on…)

Now, when, did stories occur? By year, we received submissions ranging from 10,000 BCE to (specifically) 3933. These did include some in alternate universes or timelines. What I was most happy to see was a full distribution of 20th century stories. I mean, I saw the 20s noir coming in, but was really happy to see stories in the 60s and 80s, for example. Ok, so this isn’t precise for a number of reasons (including that sometimes stories were a little more surreal and/or ambiguous as to whether they were on an alternate timeline) but the years submitted were roughly:

5% Before 190010% Early 20th Century20% Late 20th Century8% Post-Millennial28% Present Day25% 2020-29994% 3000+ or Submitted Alternate Timeline

The stories occurring in earlier eras were more complicated to include for reasons I don’t want to fully parse here, and I’ve actually worked to address that through a separate effort, as I think adding that sense of Stormcove’s legacy is important. And you’ll be happy to know (at least I am) that in addition to some futuristic sci-fi, there are a couple of stunning far future pieces that really play organically on the concept of Stormcove. I’m also really happy to report that the distribution in the final collection of historic, present, and future is really well-balanced, with not too much meddling on my part.

So that’s by year. But these
are five-minute snapshots, so what about time of day? Well, I can safely say
things are going on at Stormcove all day and night. I was really happy to see
how many times people selected and
how broadly distributed they were. Stories were submitted really all across the
day and night, and while it was a bit more common to be on or around a
half-hour interval, they really did vary a lot. Writers, thank you for being
delightfully thoughtful. Or random. Or both. It worked. : )

Overall, 2:30 – 8:30 PM was the most written-about time range. Sunrise (and to a lesser extent, Moonrise) were popular. The least popular times to write about were the couple of hours before sunrise and the time period just after noon. Which all makes sense. One sort of odd note is that I got the impression when an author really didn’t have a specific time in mind, they just put 10:00 AM. I suppose this was considered a quite generic time. And, of note, none of the 10:00 AM stories were included.

So, I think it’s safe to say that there is always something of interest going on at the Hotel Stormcove. And yes, those numbers are all based on the submissions, not the final product. As for the final product, while it doesn’t appear to stray too far from that distribution, I’d prefer to leave the exact mix for you to experience organically. Also, as much effort as I put into crafting a balanced collection, I did that at a higher-level, not through overengineering. I think that’s important. You know, the sauce should be balanced, but you should leave some lumps in it, too.

Regarding that balance, I was pleased
by the diversity of background of the writers that submitted. I’m not going to
get into statistics because we didn’t ask
for background factors, we simply said we welcomed
writers to tell us about them, if they wanted to. So, I can’t do much
quantifying that would be accurate or even appropriate on demographics.

However, I can discuss two
things of interest.

First, is gender, because we did ask for a writer’s pronouns, both as showing unequivocally that this project is a safe space for trans or gender non-conforming writers (and characters), but also as a practical matter of not having any misunderstandings in referring to people. We received about 20% more submissions from women than from men, and about 4% of total submissions were from people using they or ze pronouns. (I actually expect there were more submissions from non-binary authors; not everyone is ready or in a place to openly publish under a non-gendered pronoun.)

Second, is a more qualitative assessment, especially of the end publication. It was my goal to have a collection that reflected the diversity of the population, mostly as measured here in our part of the world. And by my rough estimates, we have done that across many key categories. I call it a multi-genre collection, but I also want that range reflected in many other factors that are reflected in the art. Different writers of different ages, backgrounds, perspectives, and writing styles, all coming together (yes, in the hotel) to present their art to an equally diverse reading audience. To me, that’s just…beautiful.

If you’re getting the sense that I’m really happy about the diversity of the collection, I am. It was pointed out to me by an expert on psychology that Hotel Stormcove reads as a metaphor for bringing people and art together, in a place where all are welcome. If I didn’t fully get that in the beginning, I get that now. And I embrace it. A lot of anthologies are curated to provide a level of consistency. The consistency that I curated was an undercurrent of refuge, support, and compassion toward each other, but I did not in any way look for stories that were the same in nature. Quite the opposite. I like having a theme to tie a collection together (a generic book of stories wouldn’t interest me as acutely) but yet I love the idea that each piece is a new surprise—a new perspective on that same theme. And I love lifting up all this beautiful art, putting it in front of people to experience and enjoy.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading
these stories as much as I have been honored to read and curate them into one
pretty…different…book.

And if you appreciate all that, and you’d like another way to support me as an author and an editor, I’ll be dishing some back-stage dish about Hotel Stormcove on March 1st to my Patreon community (subscriptions are $1/month and anyone wishing to support at a higher level can do so). If you sign up now, you won’t be charged for this month, and you can catch up on my own version of a Western Serial, Just Bart. Episode 05 will be posted on the 15th. And look, the Stormcove dish will still be respectful. For the more direct version, personal contact and beverages of some variety are required. : ) ‘Cause, yeah, it got weird too… but anyway.

If you’d like to help us spread the word about Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove, people can pre-order the book in the paperback or limited-edition hardcover at the link below. The limited-edition hardcover will only be available as a pre-order, and each will be hand-numbered. The book will be on sale through standard retail outlets after its release (we’re aiming at May) but if you like what we’re doing and want to help out, the pre-orders help tremendously. (I’m way underwater on this collection, have invested a extensive amount of money and time into it, and whether or not we can at least break even will determine if I can do it again.) And in any shares, feel free to tag our accounts (Atthis Arts (@atthisarts on Twitter) or E.D.E. Bell) and use the hashtag #HotelStormcove.

https://hotel-stormcove.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Thanks for your time and support, and I hope to see you at the hotel!

Emily.

P.S. One final note to the writers who submitted. Remember, an editor doesn’t usually pick the best stories. They pick a selection of high-quality stories that creates an overall piece of art. So, if your story was not selected, there may be have been lots of different reasons for that. Don’t read into it, and don’t let it get you down. Keep writing.

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Fun at ConFusion 2019

I spent a good deal of last weekend at a Fantasy & Science Fiction convention, known generally as ConFusion. (They change the specific name every year to align with a theme, per tradition—this year it was called Storming the ConFusion in honor of The Princess Bride.) Lots of people pronounce it like the word, but I’m feeling the intent here, so I pronounce it Con-Fusion. Who knows what’s right; they didn’t kick me out or anything. ‘Course, I also say root beer.

Unlike Comic Con or Gaming Con events where I’m there to sell books as well as connect, at literary events, I’m there to connect, but without books in tow. These events have a real community feel, as people stay in the hotel all weekend and make a thing of it.

I participated in two panels, one on episodic fiction and one on hospitality systems. Both were more interesting than I anticipated, and I learned a lot from other people in attendance.

For episodic fiction, honestly, the coolest moment was when I mentioned in passing that if people knew about Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove, well, that was me. Several people did a little audience gasp and I was like wait…you know. How cool! Anyway, Michael R. Underwood was a great addition to that panel, with extensive experience on serial fiction, and I personally talked about my most serial-like-at-the-moment endeavors, Diamondsong, and Just Bart (for my Patreon subscribers).

The panel on hospitality systems was particularly enhanced by the well-versed audience. (Hey, you!) We talked not just about literal hospitality in fictional cultures, like taking in strangers, but also customs, honor, and a point that I raised—emotional violence. In Diamondsong, I had intended to write about a physically non-violent world, but that quickly led into my realization that in that world, they would not be emotionally violent either. This means things like rude or overly personal questions, especially those that have an element of assumption to them. For example: “Do you have children?” It’s a question people on Earth ask all the time but would be considered terribly rude in the world of Ada-ji. This sparked some interesting discussions that I enjoyed being a part of.

I also did an autograph session (the line was out the door, no, I’m kidding) and a reading, where I read the interludes to Diamondsong Part 07: [Redacted] to what I thought was a pretty good reception. One was written entirely in ve pronouns, about a ji’pyr who was dying, and the second was about a fairy with anxiety at a party.

Selfie-ing because I’m my own fan!



¿Quien es esa niña?

My husband and wonderful partner-in-business, Chris, also participated in one panel, and moderated two, including one with the Guest of Honor, Ada Palmer. (Who was very interesting in talking about castles under siege!) I snuck a picture of him moderating. So, like hey Chris! Speaking of which, this was on our 17th (!) wedding anniversary. I used this to my advantage to talk him into letting me get a new piece for my chainmaille collection. (Sure, that’s a thing.) I really like the team from Things from Rings, and I’m happy to have this new piece, which looks sort of standard, but is not, if you’re able to look at it more closely. (I’m sure I’ll be wearing it at events this year, so ask me there!)

Chris Moderating



Anniversary party from Valentine’s after the Con.



Yay, new anniversary rings!

The best thing about events, of course, is seeing friends. I met several new people, and had the honor of chatting with the talented Cat Rambo. (She’s so cool!) I also saw my friend Kimberly, who owned the house down with her cosplay. It was great to talk to Clif, a local author (and who, with his talented wife Carol, mastered the epic volcanic rock genre in As Told by Things). (And Clif, thanks for going to my reading!) Also from around, we had a great chat with the illustrious Mackenzie Flohr. And I got to talk to and meet several other great people, some with other indie presses, to talk about goals and reinvigorate why we do all this. (Art, beauty, and love!)

With Kimberly

A lot of people joke about the infamous BarCon, but we were
pretty well behaved. We had a great time talking to the bartender Shelley, and
people who swung by. Also, realizing we were real close to Unburger, Chris went
out and scored us some burgers. Mmm.

GRATUITOUS BURGER PHOTO!

Something I’ve finally started talking about is my anxiety disorders. As much as I love these events, they are difficult for me. I leave feeling disjointed, concerned, and sometimes even panicked, worried that I wasn’t able to conduct the social interactions the way I’d like to. But I want you to know, it’s worth it for the absolute joy I feel meeting and talking to you. And check this out—I have these boss Diamondsong con ribbons. I keep them out at GenCon, since badge ribbons are a thing there, but at any Con at all, if you’re there grabbing a book, just let me know if you want a ribbon! I always have them in my handy behind-the-table tub.

Pretty ribbon. : D

Thanks to the staff and participants of ConFusion. I will see
you in 2020!

Love, cheers, and doing this together – Emily.

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Happy Solstice!

Yes, it’s the longest night of the year, to those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. (And a sunny hello to those on the other side.) And happy everything else, too! Merry Christmas also, to those celebrating this week.

I just wanted to check in with everyone, and let you know what I’ve been up to. And of course wish you all very happy holidays, whether the holidays you celebrate have passed, are in process, or are yet to come!

Personally, I’m a really big fan of the New Year’s holiday. As we all have struggles, there is something really cleansing about the idea of a new beginning. A time to reflect on what has been, and a time to change and do better. Having social anxiety, I don’t end up at a lot of parties…and so I celebrate New Year’s in a personal way, starting with the days leading up to it, and ending with a nice evening at home, a bottle of champagne, and a genuine thought to everyone on Earth, hoping all of our lives can be better. I know that’s all a bit sappy, but I’m in an serious mood lately. And I wish every one of you the very best in 2019.

Speaking of 2019, I’ve realized how much I really enjoy being out at events, and so I’m trying to add a couple more shows next year. Most authors don’t really make money at in-person events (the tables can be expensive, on top of any travel), but I love doing them for a few reasons. Two main ones. First, I just love meeting and talking to you. I really do. I love hearing your stories, and ok I’ll admit, I really like when you come back and say you liked one of mine. As for shows, some are still pending (including GenCon and the big Detroit shows), but I will for sure be at Great Lakes (Warren) in February, Gem City (Dayton) in April, and London in October. And—I am returning to the land of my birth for my first show in—Cleveland! If you are in the Cleveland area, I’ll be there in March. (Yes, that E.D.E. Bell was born in a Cleveland blizzard in the year of the fire dragon line is true.)

I closed out 2018 with the Great Lakes Comic Expo Holiday Show, just up the road in Madison Heights, earlier this month. It was so fun! There was something extra special about hanging out at the table with Christmas music and jingle bells. I mean, I was wearing the jingle bells. I also had a lot of fun talking to the Ghostbusters Detroit, who were there collecting toys for Toys for Tots. Here’s us having a great time:

As many of you know, I moved back to the Detroit area about a year and half ago now. Sometimes I feel like that scene in Interstellar (I love this movie and highly recommend if you haven’t seen it) where the astronauts come back to the ship and find out how long they’ve been away. I’d been out of the state for 18 years, and acquired a whole family along the way. But I have to say, I’m so grateful to be able to be back in the D. And we’ve really found a lovely community here in Ferndale. Speaking of which, I’ve been trying to get involved more locally. Because I miss people! (And love this town.)

One group that I’m really honored to be working with is a group called InAccord. If you’re feeling in the holiday spirit and have the means to do so, please consider visiting http://www.in-accord.org and click the yellow donate button. Your money would go to paying for music education and unique opportunities for young, Detroit-based talent. And I will be working on a really cool writing-related project for InAccord this year—I’ll be sure to let you know when that happens.

I also had the fun experience of meeting an author this year, at a book party near where I live. His name is Marsalis (@saintmarsalis on Twitter) and I am getting into his writing. I’ve read his first book Elegia, a collection of modern fairy tales, and I recently finished his second book, Banquet, which is about a wizard school drop-out and his human friend. Banquet is fantasy, but it’s written with such boldness that it also had a fairy tale vibe to me, like the ancient story tellers who featured big adventures, big monsters, and big consequences. His writing is fresh, bold, and so unapologetically stated. Just to make sure it’s for you, his writing is often colloquial (I love that) and it contains some graphic violence, suicide references, and some of the characters use gender-related slurs. But if you want to try something bold and super-different, I really enjoyed it. He’s really interesting as a writer and as a person, and here’s his Amazon page.

I just want to thank each of you from my truest heart for following along with what I do. You give me the inspiration to keep doing it. I also want you to know I’m only getting started. Diamondsong will continue through 2020 and I’m really proud of what I’ve been able to create: magic, flaws, and all. I hope people enjoy the story, but I do also view it as an artistic piece, with some experimentation I needed to explore before I could move forward. I’ve written a short novel on the side and I’m trying to decide what to do with that. And then, after Diamondsong, I feel like I’m finally ready to make something really BIG. Big, classic, you-want-this fantasy, yet still very me, incorporating everything I’ve learned through my original “gem trilogy.” (Meaning Beryl, Corundum, and Diamond.) If you’re willing to stick with me, I’m going to try and create something really special. And fun!

In addition to following along, there are two big ways you can support my writing. First, just tell people about it! All follows, reviews, ratings, and recommendations are so critical to my ability to succeed. Second, I do have a Patreon (patreon.com/edebell) to which you can subscribe. For $1/month, you are part of a behind-the-scenes community that receives get two stories each month, non-fiction on the 1st and then fiction on the 15th. For now and until I decide to go another direction, my fiction serial is called Just Bart, and it’s about a simple folk, along with a horse, a magic whiskey bottle, and a ghost.

Lastly, I want to be open about something. I’ve been having sort of a hard time lately. I mean, I shouldn’t be, because I have so much to be grateful for. Yet, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the world, I suppose. Both by the ways that people hurt each other, and then by the energy we put into fighting about it, rather than communicating and finding solutions. I’m scared to even look at the internet; everything is just awful and people are waiting there, almost excited to spread toxicity. I try to be a good person, but some people think I go too far and then other people think I don’t go far enough. And I like to create dialogue over division, and I believe in balance, and some people take issue with all of that these days. You know, how can you associate with different types of people? Well, sure some things are pretty clear, but the world is more complicated than people want to make it. I appreciate the diversity of people, and the power of dialogue and working together (including the power of listening!), and especially of independent thought. Sure, there are limits to that and about a thousand caveats, which I can’t state every single time I promote understanding, connections, and compassion. So it’s taken me a while to convince myself that I have to be myself, I can’t let people bring me down, and I can’t live in fear of being attacked online for being the person who I am. Anyone who knows me knows I’m trying to be on the helpful side of things, and I need to learn to stay away from people who don’t care. I’m not all the way there yet, but I’m working on it. One reason I decided to bring this up is that I doubt I’m alone. So if you’re having any difficulty yourself, let’s know we are working on it together. We can do this! The world needs positive people, and we each deserve to be happy. Say it with me.

So I keep coming back to thinking about all the good people that I know. People who are fun and caring and quirky and all of it. If you’re here, reading, we know each other in some way. Maybe we’re real-life friends or family. Maybe I met you at a book-signing event or convention, and had the honor to meet you and learn something about you. Maybe you’re someone who’s found my writing or publishing online, and found something in it that interests you, or even speaks to you, and thus we have virtually met. To all of you – thank you.

And, from my heart, happiest holidays, warm wishes, and a wonderful 2019. Hope to see you around –

Cheers, E.

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Who’s my writing for?

I want to address this question, because it comes up a lot. So—who is my writing for? (Or, alas, for whom do I write?)

I’d really like to say it’s for everyone. I want it to be! But my writing is very closely tied to me as a person (the best fiction comes from a personal place), and so it gets more muddled. I guess you have to like me, or at least the voice that I offer. And, you know, I want that. People like to be liked, and I’m no exception.

If I just wrote simple genre fiction, it would be easier. Then, I could say “I write fantasy” and that would do it. However, because of the modern elements to my work, some people who don’t normally like fantasy enjoy my writing a lot. And because it’s not too dark, not action-centered, and not based around war and the stereotypes of traditional Tolkien-esque races, some fantasy readers don’t care for it. That’s ok. Rules. Meh.

So then, who?

My basic answer is, if you enjoy heartfelt, original stories with a touch of philosophy, I hope you will give what I do a try. I’ve also been told that my work appeals to people who have felt repressed or who are dissatisfied with the status quo. I think a lot of us can relate to that, of all ages and backgrounds.

I like to write about culture, identity, and the bonds that connect us. This often gets into gender, societal roles, prejudice. Sometimes personal burdens. Sometimes it gets into friendship, family, and believing in yourself. If any of these themes appeal to you, you may like what I craft.

Readers who enjoy my work are vastly eclectic, and this is something I’m really proud of! I have a lot of facets, you know. I’ve had a winding road, these decades. I’ve been in strictly conservative environments as well as strictly liberal ones, and I also enjoy doing independent research, so I understand differing points of view really well. (Look at my history: Cleveland-area, Milford, Ann Arbor, Alexandria and DC-area, Centerville and Wright-Patterson, Ferndale.) I’ve been technical and creative, in both the engineering environments and the artistic (writing, art, music—do you know I played low brass? Of course I did.). I’ve worked within academic, business, charitable, and government structures. I’ve been in all-male environments, (over and over again!), and throughout I’ve defined my own unapologetic version of womanhood. I’ve been alone in many times and ways, and I’ve been in close relationships others. I’m a mom, a vegan, a total nerd. I’m pragmatic but also idealistic. Any personality tests I’ve taken literally reflect that duality—of two almost dueling personalities centered on emotion and also logic. All of these things give me a perspective—and a reader base—that is broadly diverse across age, gender, and background. Engineers and scientists, trans and gender non-conforming people, gamers, parents, big thinkers—some of the people who have enjoyed my work the most are military officers. So, you? You are welcome here.

I’m a direct person. So let’s address those elephants in the room!

First, politics. We’re very divided right now. And, yes, I believe in social progress, liberty, and civil rights, and I’m against oppression and supremacy. And I don’t think those should be left or right issues, even though some people are trying to make them that way. Me, I’m an independent. And I’ve been attacked online for saying that, called really vicious things, actually, that I don’t care to repeat. All being independent means is I think for myself! And you should too! So if you believe in thinking for yourself, then we’re already in at least one place together. And, look, I’ve spent my whole life being around people who—to the last person—disagree with me on something. So, it’s ok. We’re not a blob. We’re people, and we need to row the boat together, as best we can. You don’t have to have a particular view set to enjoy my writing, you just need to be open-minded. So, seriously, I require no secret code for you to join me. I just hope that you do.

None of this means I don’t have strong beliefs, it just means I don’t think I get to control other people. Influence, sure. I hope so.

So is it preachy? I hope not. I try not to be. I don’t want my fiction to provide a direct message. There are plenty of places you can go for journalism and activism. I believe that writing is art. What I like to do is craft a thought-provoking tale that explores relatable issues, and I like the reader to interpret that how they will. There have even been times where a reader has interpreted an element in literally opposite ways, and I find that fascinating. Yes, I’m socially progressive in my views, and I’m not pretending otherwise. (And when people say they aren’t, I urge them to ask themselves why.) But, if I were to be totally honest with you? When people ask if I have an agenda, I think that my most passionate agenda is for people to think for themselves. And to care about others. Compassion. Kindness. If you relate to that, my writing may be for you.

Oh, hey, I’m a vegan. This turns away a lot of readers, I know. Don’t! Come back! I can only be who I am, and I’m not ashamed of that. Am I trying to convert you? Actually, no. I consider my work soft activism in the sense I am offering my perspectives through art. And I would, of course, be glad if you would listen. That’s ok, right? Your beliefs matter, but we each decide those for ourselves. I personally love reading fiction from people with different perspectives, as long as it’s not harmful. One of the prettiest scenes I’ve read in recent years was at the end of Alif the Unseen that features a reading from the Qur’an. I’m not a Muslim, but I sure appreciated that scene. And it made me think. So you know, enjoy the diversity of perspectives in our world. If you ever want to know more about veganism, drop me a line. If you don’t, just enjoy the story and take from it what you will.

Remember, I write stories. And I want you to read them.

I struggle with this idea that being relatively open about myself makes people wonder if they are in the right place. If you’ve made it this far, then you are. You really are. Sometimes people tell me I need to write things that are more mainstream, more popular, less likely to make people uncomfortable. You know, as open-minded and caring as I am, if someone is made uncomfortable by me, that’s them making themselves uncomfortable. Not me. Oh, but that was probably me being too open again.

[Edit: Then, on the same day I’m told my writing isn’t mainstream enough, I get slammed for not being radical or judgmental enough. So it’s taken me some bruises to decide I really just need to be me. And hope me is good enough.]

I really want to just say that my writing is fun and interesting, because in the beginning and in the end, that’s the point. But, again, I put so much of myself into these words, that I know that colors the overall work. I’m no ghost writer. I’m me. And I hope to be an artist as well as a writer.

A lot of our culture these days is club-like. Worrying whether you’re in the right place, or supporting the right things. Worrying whether the bouncer will kick you out. Of course, we shouldn’t support things that are harmful. But we can’t be so fearful of our differences either. I think that’s really important. My club is people who care. We don’t need to all be the same. But we can listen. Talk. Understand.

And one caveat. I’m not going to say everything perfectly. None of us are—it’s a standard we simply can’t hold people to. But, caring. Being on the right side of things. Doing our best. I’m here doing my best too.

And, hey. I love what I do. I keep striving, every day, to do it better. To entertain. To offer wonderfully-nerdy stories and ideas, in the proud tradition of speculative fiction, and to do it in a way that people enjoy. I’m not going to write the next swashbuckler, or the big shoot-em-up. It’s not me. It’s not who I am.

But what do I write? I write stories with heart. And I really hope you’ll give them a try.

Love, E.

P.S. And if you do enjoy them, please let others know. For an indie author, that word of mouth is strictly critical.

Other ways to support my writing:

Reviews, ratings, and recommendations, in person or on sites like Amazon and Goodreads.
Subscribe to my Patreon for $1/month – I offer musings and fiction, each once a month.

The post Who’s my writing for? appeared first on edebell.com.

How’s my world?

Hi, everyone! So much has been going on, and since I know people are getting bits and pieces but maybe not the whole picture, I thought maybe we could catch up a bit. So, here’s the latest from around the Emily World, at least as of October, 2018—in this timeline. (Fun fact: My first blog ever, in 1995, was called Emily’s Own World. I think I hit that nail right on the head!)

Events

Despite sales being up and down (and the crescendoing toll of social anxiety), being at signing events is actually my favorite thing to do. I love talking about my writing with people, I love getting to say hi to the literary or comic artists (such good people), and most of all I love getting to say hi to and meet people stopping at the table. By my count, I’ve done nine events this year, with two left: London Comic Con this weekend, and then the Great Lakes Comic Expo Holiday Show on 08 December. I’m very excited about London (*waves at London*) since I had so much fun there last year. I just love Ontario, and I’m happy any time I can visit.

Writing

In terms of writing, I have two big ongoing projects: The most important one is Diamondsong. If you’re not familiar, it’s a ten-part novella serial, with lots of experimental worldbuilding. I’m really proud of it! And I’ve been trying to keep links and such up to date at edebell.com/diamondsong. Part 02 is out now, and a new one will follow every three months until 2020, when I’m sure we will be living on spaceships except apparently that’s not that far away. My second ongoing endeavor is writing non-fiction and fiction for my subscribers at patreon.com/edebell – I’m allowing myself to get edgier with the non-fiction, and stranger with the fiction. And yes, that’s very possible, haha. Just you wait! And also, and you are the first to publicly hear this, I wrote a secret novel earlier this year. I haven’t figured out what to do with it yet, but I think it has enough promise that it should see the light of day at some point. Another thing I was really happy about this year was getting accepted into the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). They have such great resources, and I’m so honored to be part of this great organization. Bell. SFWA. It’s fancy.

Reading

Well, my stack of books (most of you know the one) is growing. I’ve been reading a lot from other indie authors, including ones I’ve met at events, but I have a whole bunch on the stack including anthologies and fantasy, and oh, I need to make time to get to it all. Above all, though, I’m most excited for Empire of Grass by Tad Williams. One pitfall you hear from a lot of writers is that at some point, it’s hard to not see reading as work too. Not to say a good book won’t do it, but it gets more complicated. Actually, a good book does do it, and for that, we writers are most grateful.

Editing

If you didn’t see, I edited and released our first short story (and flash fiction) collection, As Told by Things, this spring, with the theme of stories told from the perspective of inanimate objects and featuring wonderful authors from all around the US and Canada. I am so proud of it, especially for a first effort. I was so honored to be able to feature such great authors and interesting stories. And I’m trying now to get a second one funded. Getting a little scared that it isn’t doing better and won’t fund, but not giving up! I really wanted to pay pro rates, but at this point I just hope the project will succeed. Either way, all funds will go to pay indie writers, a goal for which I’m passionate. Check it out here (only until 08 November!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/hotel-stormcove

Publishing

Also, you may or may not know that I left my previous, bill-paying career to start a small indie press just north of Detroit. So that’s a big risk! Well, I’m really stubborn and really passionate and dedicated and who needs to retire anyway. Art matters! And we have some great titles on the way. A lovely middle-grade fantasy trilogy, Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn, will debut in January, then we’ll release the conclusion to Anna’s Nightmare, When They Come Alive by Sarah Fleming Mountford in the spring, and next we’ll release a stand-alone contemporary paranormal roadtrip that I am so, so excited about (you really must not miss it; please trust me on this despite my inherently obvious bias)—The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus by Alanna McFall. For more on our publishing, sign up for updates (no spam) at atthisarts.com.

Life

You know, I went through a rough patch earlier this summer, mostly when Escape didn’t get the reception I’d hoped for. But lately, I’ve just been overwhelmed thinking about all the good things out there: friends, family, fall colors, and free expression among them. So if you’re feeling down, I know it’s hard sometimes to lift up, but try to remember how many nice things there really are in our worlds. You don’t have to fix everything today, just pick something you have and love and think about it. The rest, well, I can’t say it’ll work out, but either way, we’ll deal with it.

Blogs

If you’ve been following along, part of my mid-life purge involved a new web page and deleting most of my old blogs, which really didn’t resonate with all the changes in my life. I admit what was left was a wee bit picked-over. So (with some good advice) I’ve resolved to connect more often here, as well as on my social media and Patreon. Some general updates, some stories, things I hope you’ll find interesting. Thanks for reading, and thanks for following along!

Cheers and best wishes to everyone out there! I appreciate you! – E

The post How’s my world? appeared first on edebell.com.

E.D.E. Bell chats about fantasy on podcast

I was recently featured on the Pondo’s Playground podcast out of Vancouver, chatting about my writing – including what it means to me on topics that are personal to me like my experiences, art, veganism, motherhood, and exploring our world through fantasy. I’d love for you to give it a listen!

http://mechapandapublishing.com/pondos-playground-presents-fantasy-author-e-d-e-bell/

The post E.D.E. Bell chats about fantasy on podcast appeared first on edebell.com.

Diamondsong Kickstarter Successful

The pre-order campaign for Diamondsong was a success, providing resources to apply to the cover, editing, and fantasy map for the series. Diamondsong is an epic fantasy tale about power and identity, released as a series of ten novellas. Read the details of this fun new series by E.D.E. Bell on the Kickstarter Page and thanks to all of you who supported!

The post Diamondsong Kickstarter Successful appeared first on edebell.com.

To Readers in the Trans Community

This blog post is specifically aimed to readers of my material who are trans or belong to trans families. I love you as an audience and love that several of you have talked to me about presenting your gender to the world. (Or in one case your mother did, but don’t worry – it was wonderful.) I will first tell you I am so honored to have your readership. Trans people in today’s world are braver than any fantasy hero, and I’m humbled to be in your beautiful presence.

I’d like to let you know that I haven’t got things quite right in my writing yet on trans, enby, or related issues. But I will try harder for my next series, so please stick with me. Spireseeker was well-intentioned but had several misses on gender. I still think it’s worthwhile and full of heart and spirit, and hope you will enjoy. As for Shkode, the passage in The Fettered Flame that discusses a trans identity is one my favorite. I’m so proud of it and hope you like it. But even The Fettered Flame doesn’t present things just how I’d prefer, and I’d like to explain to you why.

For purposes of spoilers, I am going to refer to two characters as A and B. Character A, and you will know them if you’ve read The Fettered Flame, is fighting against multiple types of prejudice. Basically, a character fighting for a cis identity. There are many more layers to it (related to privilege and hypocrisy—would love to discuss sometime but am worried about spoilers) but basically I thought this was an interesting spin on gender identity. (Whose inspiration maybe I’ll discuss at a later date.)

HOWEVER… as early drafts were shared, people—even people with modern gender views—were referring to A as a transgender character, when clearly they are not. In fact, the character struggles with their resentment against people thinking that one’s actions or appearance make them trans rather than one’s gender. I became worried this storyline would become confused with trans issues, including A’s comments that clothing does not define gender. In no way does this storyline or this aspect speak against trans identity – for example while clothing may be important to express gender, it certainly doesn’t define it. Gender defines gender.

So, in order to make clear the difference, I decided to introduce an open trans character, whom we will call B. This was after the storyline had been drafted. In my quest to create something meaningful, I picked a character of whom I was very fond, one who I considered a great hero of the story, and thought this aspect folded into their heroism well, and gave me the chance to contrast an actual trans character to A, who is fighting other types of gender prejudice, but who is solidly cis. The problem here was: B is a victim of violence, bringing me very close to the trope of trans character as violence victim. Once I realized this, I worked hard on crafting the words not to link the two, but I do understand any wishes this would not have been the case. I wish it too.

So, to you, trans readers:

I hope you appreciate B’s conversation with Jwala near the end of The Fettered Flame and know the love with which it was authored; I think B’s words should be an inspiration to all of us
Know that B’s status as victim of violence was not meant to be directly related to their gender or trans experience but instead to their heroism and conviction
Know that in my next series, I’ll make absolutely sure to feature an complex and heroic trans character and keep them away from problematic links. I mean, characters can be naturally problematic. But we haven’t come far enough on trans issues yet and so we need to be extra sensitive, in my opinion.

I hope you understand and I hope that you will read and enjoy my writing. It is sent to you—to all of you!—with such love.

With admiration,

E

The post To Readers in the Trans Community appeared first on edebell.com.

For my Grandmas

With a few notable exceptions, my birthday has been pretty low-key. This has been just fine with me. I view my birthday as my personal holiday (everyone deserves to be celebrated a little), and I try to spend it with my family, reflecting on the best gifts I could ever have – the life my parents gave me and the friends and family who have made it amazing.

Other than “getting older,” there has been one birthday constant over the years – and that is my grandmas. Every year, without exception, my grandmas always remembered my birthday. This, along with my mom singing to me, was basically the highlight of my year. Right on time, I’d receive one card from each grandma in their signature handwriting, one smooth and one shaky. Both knowing I enjoy flashy cards and joyful sentiments, there would be ladybugs, flowers, or glittery unicorns riding rainbows. One was to “Emmy” and one to “Emily” – and they always made me smile.

For most of my life, I saw my mom’s mom just before my birthday every year because we’d be together for Thanksgiving. When I was young and we were at her house, there’d be a brief birthday celebration, separate from Thanksgiving. Everyone would sing while the candles flickered on the cake. I loved that.

Last year, my dad’s mom was scheduled to have surgery for a serious issue on my birthday. The evening before, I got this email: “Thought I’d send your birthday wish a little early….seems like I’ll be preoccupied tomorrow