Martha Wells's Blog, page 145
November 24, 2012
Thanksgiving and Books and Stuff
I had a very good Thanksgiving. We mostly sat around with friends and had turkey, dressing, green beans (braised in bacon, onion, and garlic), mashed potatoes, rolls, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Plus there was a cheesecake, a pumpkin pie (that my husband made), and a chocolate fudge cake that I made. It's a chocolate mayonnaise cake that my mother used to make, and it's really really good. I'll post the recipe if anyone is interested.
Today we're going to Murder by the Book in Houston for small business Saturday. (We'd go there anyway because one of our friends is from out of town and really likes to go there when she's in state, but it's nice that it's also small business Saturday.)
For Small Business Saturday:
* My post with the list of art, craft, fair trade, small press, and links to find local independent bookstores you can buy online from is here.
Holiday Book Drive:
* There is a holiday book drive for Ballou High School Library in Washington, DC There are lots of sale books and new books under $10.00 on the Powell's wishlist. You can buy a book for 9.95 and give a gift to 1200 kids.
The Cloud Roads Kindle US Sale:
* The first Raksura book, The Cloud Roads, is still on sale in the Kindle US ebook version for $1.99. I think the publisher will probably put it back to the normal price at the end of November, so if you ever wanted to check it out or know someone who wants to check it out on ebook, now is a good time.
Today we're going to Murder by the Book in Houston for small business Saturday. (We'd go there anyway because one of our friends is from out of town and really likes to go there when she's in state, but it's nice that it's also small business Saturday.)
For Small Business Saturday:
* My post with the list of art, craft, fair trade, small press, and links to find local independent bookstores you can buy online from is here.
Holiday Book Drive:
* There is a holiday book drive for Ballou High School Library in Washington, DC There are lots of sale books and new books under $10.00 on the Powell's wishlist. You can buy a book for 9.95 and give a gift to 1200 kids.
The Cloud Roads Kindle US Sale:
* The first Raksura book, The Cloud Roads, is still on sale in the Kindle US ebook version for $1.99. I think the publisher will probably put it back to the normal price at the end of November, so if you ever wanted to check it out or know someone who wants to check it out on ebook, now is a good time.
November 20, 2012
New Cover and Links
I got a snazzy new cover done for the ebook reprint edition of The Element of Fire. It's not showing up on all the retail outlets yet, but it is at Amazon US and Barnes and Noble. It was made by Tiger Bright Studios who also did the cover for the ebook version of Wheel of the Infinite
Click to get the big version
***
* George R.R. Martin will be appearing at Texas A&M University on March 22 to give a talk and a reading, as part of the opening for the Deeper Than Swords exhibit on the Game of Thrones books at the Cushing Special Collections Library. (Cushing did a big exhibit on their SF/F collection last year, and it was awesome.) The tickets to the reading are free, but you have to pick them up in person Memorial Student Center Box Office. Here's the web site for the event: Deeper Than Swords
* A book auction for hurricane Sandy Relief: Authors Assist Hurricane Sandy Victims
* Free story at Black Gate Magazine: The Poison Well by Judith Berman.
* New fantasy novel by Judith Tarr, from Book View Cafe: Living in Threes
* Cat Rambo has a special on online writing classes: Two Classes For One Price
Fun link:
* Nine Legendary Monsters of North America
Click to get the big version
***
* George R.R. Martin will be appearing at Texas A&M University on March 22 to give a talk and a reading, as part of the opening for the Deeper Than Swords exhibit on the Game of Thrones books at the Cushing Special Collections Library. (Cushing did a big exhibit on their SF/F collection last year, and it was awesome.) The tickets to the reading are free, but you have to pick them up in person Memorial Student Center Box Office. Here's the web site for the event: Deeper Than Swords
* A book auction for hurricane Sandy Relief: Authors Assist Hurricane Sandy Victims
* Free story at Black Gate Magazine: The Poison Well by Judith Berman.
* New fantasy novel by Judith Tarr, from Book View Cafe: Living in Threes
* Cat Rambo has a special on online writing classes: Two Classes For One Price
Fun link:
* Nine Legendary Monsters of North America
November 19, 2012
Books and Things
* First thing, I did a post yesterday Art Sites for Holiday Gifts, with a list of retail sites by artists, craftpeople, and fair trade places where you can buy gifts online and support small/tiny business. If you have any to add sites to the list please put them in the comments.
* Second thing, The Siren Depths is shipping early, and some people have already gotten it and some people have already read it. (The ebook should be available around December 1, the book's original publication date, and I don't know about the audio book.) If you see it in a bookstore, please let me know in comments. If you've read it and have any sort of opinion on it, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, B&N, GoodReads, or wherever you review stuff. Reviews and word of mouth recs are the only advertising most books get, and the only advertising that really works. Especially on Amazon, where the number of reviews determines whether or not the book will be recommended to other readers and how often it will show up.
And if you see any fan art posted publicly, let me know so I can link to it on the Three Worlds Compendium. I love fan art! (Fanfic is great too, but I shouldn't read it so I don't link to it though I really want to.)
* Other second thing, I've been really swamped for time lately, but this weekend I got some editing and writing done in the morning, then took a break, and went to a friends' party, saw Skyfall, and read Lois McMaster Bujold's new book Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. I really enjoyed this one. It's set before Cryoburn, which was okay, but not really my one of my favorites. It's an Ivan story, and though it starts out on Komarr it moves pretty quickly to Barrayar, and you get to see Gregor, Miles, Duv Galeni, Lady Alys and Simon etc. (Cordelia and Aral aren't it in except as background.) The back cover (everyone I've talked to has a "What the hell is that?" reaction to it) with the two semi-naked women in sketchy poses has nothing to do with the book. The book is sexy at about the same level of sexiness as the previous books. Anyway, I enjoyed it and though it won't knock aside Barrayar, Memory, Mirror Dance, The Vor Game or any of my other top favorites in the series, it was still quite good.
* Second thing, The Siren Depths is shipping early, and some people have already gotten it and some people have already read it. (The ebook should be available around December 1, the book's original publication date, and I don't know about the audio book.) If you see it in a bookstore, please let me know in comments. If you've read it and have any sort of opinion on it, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, B&N, GoodReads, or wherever you review stuff. Reviews and word of mouth recs are the only advertising most books get, and the only advertising that really works. Especially on Amazon, where the number of reviews determines whether or not the book will be recommended to other readers and how often it will show up.
And if you see any fan art posted publicly, let me know so I can link to it on the Three Worlds Compendium. I love fan art! (Fanfic is great too, but I shouldn't read it so I don't link to it though I really want to.)
* Other second thing, I've been really swamped for time lately, but this weekend I got some editing and writing done in the morning, then took a break, and went to a friends' party, saw Skyfall, and read Lois McMaster Bujold's new book Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. I really enjoyed this one. It's set before Cryoburn, which was okay, but not really my one of my favorites. It's an Ivan story, and though it starts out on Komarr it moves pretty quickly to Barrayar, and you get to see Gregor, Miles, Duv Galeni, Lady Alys and Simon etc. (Cordelia and Aral aren't it in except as background.) The back cover (everyone I've talked to has a "What the hell is that?" reaction to it) with the two semi-naked women in sketchy poses has nothing to do with the book. The book is sexy at about the same level of sexiness as the previous books. Anyway, I enjoyed it and though it won't knock aside Barrayar, Memory, Mirror Dance, The Vor Game or any of my other top favorites in the series, it was still quite good.
November 18, 2012
Art Sites for Holiday Gifts
I tried to do this last year and it killed Live Journal, so let's try it again. Here's a list of small/tiny businesses either locally owned or owned by an artist or craftsperson, that you can buy from online for holiday gifts. If you have more suggestions for the list, go ahead and put them in comments. (FYI: I haven't purchased things from all of these, some are suggestions from other people.)
* Art calendar: Kickstarter for John Picacio's 2013 Calendar John is a Hugo and World Fantasy award winning artist. You can also check out the set of Loteria cards he's working on on his web site here.
* Belaurient Arts Jewelry, and quirky plush dolls, and fandom fripperies.
* Holy Goats Emporium Handmade soaps and lotions.
* Dancing Dog Dairy Soaps (10% of the soap proceeds go to Heifer International), bath salts, wool dryer balls (helps clothes dry faster), salves.
* By Lillian stone and custom wirework jewelry. (I've bought some of Lillian's work at cons and it's gorgeous.)
* Baby Mojo homemade baby items.
* The Woodie Guthrie Store CDs, clothing, and other items celebrating Woodie Guthrie. You need the This Machine Kills Fascists sticker for your laptop or your guitar.
* Little Bright Studio jewelry.
* The Mincing Mockingbird pretty/funny bird art.
* Danmade whacky pottery.
* Noodly Appendage Designs apparel, comics, art.
* She Said Pop disturbing art (check out both store and gallery)
* Zhi Tea from Austin, Texas. All organic and fair trade tea.
* Equal Exchange Fair Trade chocolate, coffee, and tea.
* Recycled Sweater Clothing by Katwise These sell out so fast, it's hard to buy anything here.
* Wyrding Studios one of a kind fine art wire jewelry.
* Galveston Historical Society Shop Purchases support the historical society of Galveston.
* DRM-free ebooks from Small Publishers:
- Night Shade Books (the Raksura books' publisher)
- Yard Dog Press
- Schlock Mercenary
- SRM Publisher (Liaden Universe stories)
- The Robot Trading Company (includes Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry Books (publisher of Emilie and the Hollow World) plus other small presses
- Ebooks Direct From Diane Duane (includes the Young Wizards ebooks and the "Tale of the Five" books, highly recommended.)
* Small Press SF/F Magazines
- Clarkesworld
- Black Gate
- Apex Magazine
* Art calendar: Kickstarter for John Picacio's 2013 Calendar John is a Hugo and World Fantasy award winning artist. You can also check out the set of Loteria cards he's working on on his web site here.
* Belaurient Arts Jewelry, and quirky plush dolls, and fandom fripperies.
* Holy Goats Emporium Handmade soaps and lotions.
* Dancing Dog Dairy Soaps (10% of the soap proceeds go to Heifer International), bath salts, wool dryer balls (helps clothes dry faster), salves.
* By Lillian stone and custom wirework jewelry. (I've bought some of Lillian's work at cons and it's gorgeous.)
* Baby Mojo homemade baby items.
* The Woodie Guthrie Store CDs, clothing, and other items celebrating Woodie Guthrie. You need the This Machine Kills Fascists sticker for your laptop or your guitar.
* Little Bright Studio jewelry.
* The Mincing Mockingbird pretty/funny bird art.
* Danmade whacky pottery.
* Noodly Appendage Designs apparel, comics, art.
* She Said Pop disturbing art (check out both store and gallery)
* Zhi Tea from Austin, Texas. All organic and fair trade tea.
* Equal Exchange Fair Trade chocolate, coffee, and tea.
* Recycled Sweater Clothing by Katwise These sell out so fast, it's hard to buy anything here.
* Wyrding Studios one of a kind fine art wire jewelry.
* Galveston Historical Society Shop Purchases support the historical society of Galveston.
* DRM-free ebooks from Small Publishers:
- Night Shade Books (the Raksura books' publisher)
- Yard Dog Press
- Schlock Mercenary
- SRM Publisher (Liaden Universe stories)
- The Robot Trading Company (includes Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry Books (publisher of Emilie and the Hollow World) plus other small presses
- Ebooks Direct From Diane Duane (includes the Young Wizards ebooks and the "Tale of the Five" books, highly recommended.)
* Small Press SF/F Magazines
- Clarkesworld
- Black Gate
- Apex Magazine
November 16, 2012
Links:Article by Kameron Hurley: What living in South Afr...
Links:
Article by Kameron Hurley: What living in South Africa taught me about racism in America
So when people tell me that including “so many” non-white characters in my fiction is “political” or that I’m trying to make some kind of “statement” I can’t help but counter with the fact that the “statement” made by every writer with a white monochrome world is also deeply political, even more so because it’s based on a false sense of normal that’s been carefully and systematically constructed for hundreds of years in this country (and others).
***
Worldbuilders has started! Worldbuilders, run by Patrick Rothfuss, is a giant fundraiser for Heifer International. Contributions enter you into a drawing for tons of books and other prizes, and you can also bid on auctions for specific items. First group of books.
***
Holiday shopping time is coming up, and I wanted to do a list of artists who sell their own work on the web, so people could check them out and maybe find some cool gifts and support small/tiny businesses. I have a few already, but if anyone has some suggestions, put the link in the comments and I'll compile them for a post later.
Article by Kameron Hurley: What living in South Africa taught me about racism in America
So when people tell me that including “so many” non-white characters in my fiction is “political” or that I’m trying to make some kind of “statement” I can’t help but counter with the fact that the “statement” made by every writer with a white monochrome world is also deeply political, even more so because it’s based on a false sense of normal that’s been carefully and systematically constructed for hundreds of years in this country (and others).
***
Worldbuilders has started! Worldbuilders, run by Patrick Rothfuss, is a giant fundraiser for Heifer International. Contributions enter you into a drawing for tons of books and other prizes, and you can also bid on auctions for specific items. First group of books.
***
Holiday shopping time is coming up, and I wanted to do a list of artists who sell their own work on the web, so people could check them out and maybe find some cool gifts and support small/tiny businesses. I have a few already, but if anyone has some suggestions, put the link in the comments and I'll compile them for a post later.
November 14, 2012
Carol Burnett and Me
We saw Carol Burnett last night at the university. It was her show "Laughter and Reflection" where she shows clips from her show and answers questions from the audience, and yes, did the Tarzan yell. I knew I really wanted to see her, but it affected me more than I thought it would. Like, as in I started crying when she walked on stage. It's weird how you sort of forget things that were important to you, and I basically never try to think about anything that happened before I went to college, but watching her show with my mother and one of my aunts was one of the happy parts of my childhood.
Carol Burnett was also a strong female presence, and probably affected me as much as Barbara Jordan and Anne Richards did later. She told the story last night about how the only reason she was able to get her variety show was a forgotten clause in her contract that said if she asked for a show within five years they had to give her one and commit to it for a certain number of episodes. When she tried to exercise the option, they told her only men had variety shows. (Her show lasted eleven years, and the Wikipedia article makes it sound like it was CBS' idea, which is not what she said last night. They did offer her a sitcom called "Hey, Agnes!" (yeah, you should have heard how she said that title) as an attempt to keep her from getting her female cooties on a variety show.)
Seeing her made me remember other things, like the times my father was working out of town and my mother and I were able to watch Saturday Night Live and Richard Pryor's specials. And I felt like part of a family instead of an inconvenient guest.
Anyway.
***
Books:
* Laura Anne Gilman has a new mystery out: Collared under the name L.A. Kornetsky
* The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout, a great middle grade SF novel, is on sale for only $1.99 on Kindle US.
* Crossed Blades by Kelly McCullough, the third Fallen Blade novel, is about to come out. I love the cover of this one.
Carol Burnett was also a strong female presence, and probably affected me as much as Barbara Jordan and Anne Richards did later. She told the story last night about how the only reason she was able to get her variety show was a forgotten clause in her contract that said if she asked for a show within five years they had to give her one and commit to it for a certain number of episodes. When she tried to exercise the option, they told her only men had variety shows. (Her show lasted eleven years, and the Wikipedia article makes it sound like it was CBS' idea, which is not what she said last night. They did offer her a sitcom called "Hey, Agnes!" (yeah, you should have heard how she said that title) as an attempt to keep her from getting her female cooties on a variety show.)
Seeing her made me remember other things, like the times my father was working out of town and my mother and I were able to watch Saturday Night Live and Richard Pryor's specials. And I felt like part of a family instead of an inconvenient guest.
Anyway.
***
Books:
* Laura Anne Gilman has a new mystery out: Collared under the name L.A. Kornetsky
* The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout, a great middle grade SF novel, is on sale for only $1.99 on Kindle US.
* Crossed Blades by Kelly McCullough, the third Fallen Blade novel, is about to come out. I love the cover of this one.
November 13, 2012
Links and Chicks Unravel Time
I would tell you what I've been doing when I haven't been writing, but seriously, it's boring. I did laundry and cleaned out the spice shelf. Yeah, see, it's just not that interesting. It's all writing, writing, writing.
***
First review for The Siren Depths at SF Signal.
(and The Cloud Roads is still $1.99 for the Kindle US version at Amazon)
***
This is also the official release day for Chicks Unravel Time. My article in it is "Donna Noble Saves the Universe." You can comment on the editor's post here to be entered into a Doctor Who giveaway.
***
* Exploring the World of Chesya Burke: Black Women in Speculative Fiction: A Brief Investigation
* Rainbow Book List: GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens: Rainbow Project Final Nomination List
* Inexplicables by Cherie Priest, the next book in the Clockwork Century series, is out today!
* Knifesworn by Mazarkis Williams is out today!
* World SF Blog: Tuesday Fiction: “Brita’s Holiday Village” by Karin Tidbeck
***
First review for The Siren Depths at SF Signal.
(and The Cloud Roads is still $1.99 for the Kindle US version at Amazon)
***
This is also the official release day for Chicks Unravel Time. My article in it is "Donna Noble Saves the Universe." You can comment on the editor's post here to be entered into a Doctor Who giveaway.
***
* Exploring the World of Chesya Burke: Black Women in Speculative Fiction: A Brief Investigation
* Rainbow Book List: GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens: Rainbow Project Final Nomination List
* Inexplicables by Cherie Priest, the next book in the Clockwork Century series, is out today!
* Knifesworn by Mazarkis Williams is out today!
* World SF Blog: Tuesday Fiction: “Brita’s Holiday Village” by Karin Tidbeck
November 12, 2012
Monday Links
We had a cold front come in last night with some rain, and now it's in the 40s, though it should warm up to the 60s this afternoon. I really hate cold weather, this is why I live in a temperate swamp-desert.
Me:
If you missed it last week, Amazon says The Siren Depths is shipping early. I haven't heard any reports of it showing up in bookstores yet, and the ebooks will not be out until December, the original publication date. Not sure about the audiobook yet.
I also posted about great food I had over the weekend and upcoming appearances yesterday.
Other books:
* A round-up of guest posts on the anthology Outlaw Bodies an anthology of feminist, queer, disability and cyberpunk themed SF. Now on sale in print and e-book.
* art site: Jacquline Hurlbert. This is just cool.
* Black Gate book recs: What I Found at Hoole Jeffrey E. Barlough’s Western Lights series may be the best fantasy books you don’t know about and Carrie Vaughn Steals the Show on paranormal mystery Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn.
* Black Gate free fiction: Godmother Lizard by C.S.E. Cooney
A young woman makes a dangerous journey across a fantastic desert landscape in a desperate attempt to save her childhood friend.
Me:
If you missed it last week, Amazon says The Siren Depths is shipping early. I haven't heard any reports of it showing up in bookstores yet, and the ebooks will not be out until December, the original publication date. Not sure about the audiobook yet.
I also posted about great food I had over the weekend and upcoming appearances yesterday.
Other books:
* A round-up of guest posts on the anthology Outlaw Bodies an anthology of feminist, queer, disability and cyberpunk themed SF. Now on sale in print and e-book.
* art site: Jacquline Hurlbert. This is just cool.
* Black Gate book recs: What I Found at Hoole Jeffrey E. Barlough’s Western Lights series may be the best fantasy books you don’t know about and Carrie Vaughn Steals the Show on paranormal mystery Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn.
* Black Gate free fiction: Godmother Lizard by C.S.E. Cooney
A young woman makes a dangerous journey across a fantastic desert landscape in a desperate attempt to save her childhood friend.
November 11, 2012
Yesterday we went to a restaurant in Houston called the D...
Yesterday we went to a restaurant in Houston called the Downhouse, named after Charles Darwin's house, and decorated with Darwin-themed art and objects, and the food was fabulous. I had chicken and waffles that were just incredibly good. The waffle had really good flavor would have been excellent by itself, but the fried chicken had a dark, maybe slightly carmelized batter, and with pepper honey on it, and I cannot describe how yummy. After we ate, it was like we wanted to tell the waitress to bring the menu back so that we could now have Second Lunch.
And we stumbled on it completely by accident, having never heard of it before, because we had gone down there to go to a specialty spice store.
Oh, and speaking of Houston, here's my appearances schedule so far for December and next year:
Saturday, December 8, 2012.
I'll be at Murder by the Book, in Houston, Texas, from 3:00 to 4:00pm, for a local author signing. (The bookstore also does mail order, so you can order a book and have them get it signed for you and ship it.)
February 15-17, 2013.
ConDFW, in Dallas, Texas.
August 29-September 2, 2013.
LoneStarCon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention, in San Antonio, Texas.
And we stumbled on it completely by accident, having never heard of it before, because we had gone down there to go to a specialty spice store.
Oh, and speaking of Houston, here's my appearances schedule so far for December and next year:
Saturday, December 8, 2012.
I'll be at Murder by the Book, in Houston, Texas, from 3:00 to 4:00pm, for a local author signing. (The bookstore also does mail order, so you can order a book and have them get it signed for you and ship it.)
February 15-17, 2013.
ConDFW, in Dallas, Texas.
August 29-September 2, 2013.
LoneStarCon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention, in San Antonio, Texas.
November 9, 2012
Books!
I'm going out of town this weekend, so I feel like I have a ton of stuff to do today, though it's pretty much just 1) make my writing goal 2) go to the post office. I think it's stress and decision fatigue.
Stuff I have coming out:
* I have an article in this book, and it's coming out next week on the 13th! Chicks Unravel Time Review on SFX It's available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
* Amazon is showing the The Siren Depths as in stock and that it will be shipping within the next few days. I'm not sure when it will start showing up in bookstores. The ebook will probably not be out until the original release date of the book, which is after December 1 This is under the control of the publisher and the ebook retailers. I don't know when the audiobook will be out, but I'll post as soon as I know.
* The cover and first chapter of Emilie and the Hollow World has been posted. It'll be out April 2013.
Stuff Other People Have Coming Out:
* Cover and Synopsis of Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson As the only one in the family without magic, Makeda has decided to move out on her own and make a life for herself among the claypicken humans. But when her father goes missing, Makeda will have to find her own power–and reconcile with her twin sister, Abby-if she’s to have a hope of saving him...
* Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss This is the warning the Astrologer-Sorcerer gives Giulia when she pays him to create a magical talisman for her. The scorned illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman, Giulia is determined to defy the dire fate predicted by her horoscope, and use the talisman to claim what she believes is her heart’s desire: true love and a place where she belongs–not likely prospects for a girl about to be packed off to the cloistered world of a convent.
***
Plus:
* 25 Very Strange Places that are actually real
Stuff I have coming out:
* I have an article in this book, and it's coming out next week on the 13th! Chicks Unravel Time Review on SFX It's available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
* Amazon is showing the The Siren Depths as in stock and that it will be shipping within the next few days. I'm not sure when it will start showing up in bookstores. The ebook will probably not be out until the original release date of the book, which is after December 1 This is under the control of the publisher and the ebook retailers. I don't know when the audiobook will be out, but I'll post as soon as I know.
* The cover and first chapter of Emilie and the Hollow World has been posted. It'll be out April 2013.
Stuff Other People Have Coming Out:
* Cover and Synopsis of Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson As the only one in the family without magic, Makeda has decided to move out on her own and make a life for herself among the claypicken humans. But when her father goes missing, Makeda will have to find her own power–and reconcile with her twin sister, Abby-if she’s to have a hope of saving him...
* Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss This is the warning the Astrologer-Sorcerer gives Giulia when she pays him to create a magical talisman for her. The scorned illegitimate daughter of a Milanese nobleman, Giulia is determined to defy the dire fate predicted by her horoscope, and use the talisman to claim what she believes is her heart’s desire: true love and a place where she belongs–not likely prospects for a girl about to be packed off to the cloistered world of a convent.
***
Plus:
* 25 Very Strange Places that are actually real
