Anton Strout's Blog, page 153
February 18, 2011
Dead Waters (2/22) and Late Eclipses (3/1)
Once again, ![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380442897i/1319734.gif)
seanan_mcguire and I have books coming out around the same time, and in an effort to be 'green' and still stay a shameless promo macheen, I have very expertly recycled last years cartoon she drew. I doubt you will even be able to notice where I altered it! Enjoy!
January 31, 2011
Opening moments of Dead Waters
Just a quick sneak peek at the opening note for Dead Waters (coming 2/22/11):
You consider me the young apprentice . . .
—The Police
It is imperative that all departments register the next of kin for any and all incoming apprenti and interns, as well as making sure they have signed their insurance waivers.
—Memo to the general field force of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs
January 14, 2011
Epiphany on the E Line
Hello, all. Hope your new year is treating you well, or at least not biting at your ankles.
I've been published for, what, about three years now? I think writer's years are like dog years at best, so that makes me somewhere in my late teens by Writer Age. You know, that awkward phase, where you're learning to be an adult, but some of life's lessons still kick you in the crotch on a semi regular basis.
Reading reviews is something I often liken to a swift kick in the crotch. Many of my other author friends seem to feel this, to the point where they refuse to read reviews. I don't possess that strength of will.
A good review is awesome, but a bad one negates not only that one in the author's mind, but actually creates a deficit. I'd say it takes about twenty good reviews to cancel out every bad one. Our minds are just effed up that way.
Bad reviews happen. Some authors refuse to read reviews, good or bad. I'm still in that child stage where I eagerly read them, still finding my feet and voice, and slapped in the face when I see the occasional one that slaps me in the face and calls me stupid and not entertaining in the slightest. They hurt, yes, but I'm growing up. Learning to deal with them, how to better take and process them, which brings me to my current podcast listening...
I've become a fan of The Nerdist Podcast, which is hosted by The Nerdist himself, Chris Hardwick, which I was listening to on my commute to the publishing house today. It's an interview format podcast where he talks to other comedians, celebrities and the like and he's a riot. Refreshing to hear a twenty year veteran of TV and stand up and his process, along with the humorous interactions that arise from the podcast itself.
Something that really struck me was said this week, that I hope to apply to my writing the way that he and interviewee Billy West (the voice of Ren & Stimpy, Futurama) were talking about their work as comedians.
The jist was that it made little sense to stress over having a shitty night on stage or if they were horrible. Audience to audience is different, and the thought was that there aren't bad comedians, it's just that sometimes a comic and that particular audience just don't fit. Now that seems pretty obvious once I wrote it out here, but hearing it from long seasoned pros in their field gave me great comfort. I felt as if a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
This doesn't mean I'm going to work less hard at delivering the best books to my readers that I can, but I think it will help me to stop beating myself up over the "bad fits" with certain readers. I find it terribly comforting even writing it.
And do make sure to check out The Nerdist Podcast. Chris is a great host, and terribly engaging, genuinely interested in what his guests have to say. I highly recommend it.
BTW, Dead Waters (Simon Canderous Book 4, for those counting), is out on 2/22, just a little over a month away. Hope you enjoy it...
I've been published for, what, about three years now? I think writer's years are like dog years at best, so that makes me somewhere in my late teens by Writer Age. You know, that awkward phase, where you're learning to be an adult, but some of life's lessons still kick you in the crotch on a semi regular basis.
Reading reviews is something I often liken to a swift kick in the crotch. Many of my other author friends seem to feel this, to the point where they refuse to read reviews. I don't possess that strength of will.
A good review is awesome, but a bad one negates not only that one in the author's mind, but actually creates a deficit. I'd say it takes about twenty good reviews to cancel out every bad one. Our minds are just effed up that way.
Bad reviews happen. Some authors refuse to read reviews, good or bad. I'm still in that child stage where I eagerly read them, still finding my feet and voice, and slapped in the face when I see the occasional one that slaps me in the face and calls me stupid and not entertaining in the slightest. They hurt, yes, but I'm growing up. Learning to deal with them, how to better take and process them, which brings me to my current podcast listening...
I've become a fan of The Nerdist Podcast, which is hosted by The Nerdist himself, Chris Hardwick, which I was listening to on my commute to the publishing house today. It's an interview format podcast where he talks to other comedians, celebrities and the like and he's a riot. Refreshing to hear a twenty year veteran of TV and stand up and his process, along with the humorous interactions that arise from the podcast itself.
Something that really struck me was said this week, that I hope to apply to my writing the way that he and interviewee Billy West (the voice of Ren & Stimpy, Futurama) were talking about their work as comedians.
The jist was that it made little sense to stress over having a shitty night on stage or if they were horrible. Audience to audience is different, and the thought was that there aren't bad comedians, it's just that sometimes a comic and that particular audience just don't fit. Now that seems pretty obvious once I wrote it out here, but hearing it from long seasoned pros in their field gave me great comfort. I felt as if a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
This doesn't mean I'm going to work less hard at delivering the best books to my readers that I can, but I think it will help me to stop beating myself up over the "bad fits" with certain readers. I find it terribly comforting even writing it.
And do make sure to check out The Nerdist Podcast. Chris is a great host, and terribly engaging, genuinely interested in what his guests have to say. I highly recommend it.
BTW, Dead Waters (Simon Canderous Book 4, for those counting), is out on 2/22, just a little over a month away. Hope you enjoy it...
December 8, 2010
Reminder: Give the gift of yours truly for the holidays-now with bonus signed bookplates!
Christmas is getting closer, so I'm making my offer once again as a reminder....
One again the holidays approach and soon they will be kicking us swiftly in our fruit cake and before you know it we will be hurrying on into the new year.
But for three more magical weeks, my Grinchlike heart grows three sizes, they say, and I get giddy with holiday love. So now is the season for giving and getting, I'm all sentimentally commercial like that, and to that end I extend an offer to you up through the holidays.
If you plan on giving any of my books as a gift this next month, email me at anton.strout@gmail.com and I will send a holiday-themed bookplate to go along with your gift giving. Aside from a personal bit of written rambling from me, I am also quite prone to drawing some pretty mean snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, what have you.... as long as it's in the US of A. Sorry, both of my international fans!
Please spread the word to those you might think want to give the gift of ME and my Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for the holidays. Retweet and Facebook it at will.
I mean, really, who doesn't want to give THIS for the holidays?
[image error]
One again the holidays approach and soon they will be kicking us swiftly in our fruit cake and before you know it we will be hurrying on into the new year.
But for three more magical weeks, my Grinchlike heart grows three sizes, they say, and I get giddy with holiday love. So now is the season for giving and getting, I'm all sentimentally commercial like that, and to that end I extend an offer to you up through the holidays.
If you plan on giving any of my books as a gift this next month, email me at anton.strout@gmail.com and I will send a holiday-themed bookplate to go along with your gift giving. Aside from a personal bit of written rambling from me, I am also quite prone to drawing some pretty mean snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, what have you.... as long as it's in the US of A. Sorry, both of my international fans!
Please spread the word to those you might think want to give the gift of ME and my Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for the holidays. Retweet and Facebook it at will.
I mean, really, who doesn't want to give THIS for the holidays?
[image error]
December 1, 2010
Give the gift of yours truly for the holidays-now with bonus signed bookplates!
One again the holidays approach and soon they will be kicking us swiftly in our fruit cake and before you know it we will be hurrying on into the new year.
But for four magical weeks, my Grinchlike heart grows three sizes, they say, and I get giddy with holiday love. So now is the season for giving and getting, I'm all sentimentally commercial like that, and to that end I extend an offer to you up through the holidays.
If you plan on giving any of my books as a gift this next month, email me at anton.strout@gmail.com and I will send a holiday-themed bookplate to go along with your gift giving. Aside from a personal bit of written rambling from me, I am also quite prone to drawing some pretty mean snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, what have you.... as long as it's in the US of A. Sorry, both of my international fans!
Please spread the word to those you might think want to give the gift of ME and my Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for the holidays. Retweet and Facebook it at will.
Four weeks(ish) to go!
But for four magical weeks, my Grinchlike heart grows three sizes, they say, and I get giddy with holiday love. So now is the season for giving and getting, I'm all sentimentally commercial like that, and to that end I extend an offer to you up through the holidays.
If you plan on giving any of my books as a gift this next month, email me at anton.strout@gmail.com and I will send a holiday-themed bookplate to go along with your gift giving. Aside from a personal bit of written rambling from me, I am also quite prone to drawing some pretty mean snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, what have you.... as long as it's in the US of A. Sorry, both of my international fans!
Please spread the word to those you might think want to give the gift of ME and my Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for the holidays. Retweet and Facebook it at will.
Four weeks(ish) to go!
September 3, 2010
July 15, 2010
Strout and about
12:46 San Diego Comic-Con plans are shaping up! If you are there, let me know! #SDCC # 15:49 @alebodden11 as God intended them to be! # 15:49 @JocelynnDrake Same here... 75% chance you can come cry to me at booth #1117. # 15:58 faithful readers out & about arranging books AS THE ALMIGHTY HIMSELF INTENDED! twitpic.com/25a651 # 16:40 @uriel1998 thanks for reading it! ESPECIALLY after getting to know me! # 16:50 @OldSpice As an urban fantasy author, I would like to know where you stand on the...
July 14, 2010
Strout and about
14:14 Has a nonstop loop of The Addams Family sound bites running around his head thanks to a pinball addiction that needed feeding... # 16:23 I secretly suspected that the "I write like" meme going around would say "like a effing fourth grader," but thankfully no. # 20:07 @uriel1998 whose? George RR. Martin? # 22:20 nothing sez sexy in an opening scene like your hero vomiting... # 22:24 @undeadapproved I like that you find puking a good sign of something :P # 09:31 wow.. a day of work is...
July 13, 2010
That meme thing
[image error][image error]Hmm... I suspected as much and will be taking my life in 3, 2, 1....
(Actually, I got Ernest Hemmingway for Dead To Me, but my latest, Dead Matter, was more like Raymond Chandler... I loved Hemmingway when he wrote about homicidal bookcases, chupacabras, and mutant vampires destroying Taco Night, didn't you?)
(Actually, I got Ernest Hemmingway for Dead To Me, but my latest, Dead Matter, was more like Raymond Chandler... I loved Hemmingway when he wrote about homicidal bookcases, chupacabras, and mutant vampires destroying Taco Night, didn't you?)
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