Martha Wells's Blog, page 194
January 17, 2011
Finally got to see The King's Speech on Friday night. Th...
Finally got to see The King's Speech on Friday night. That was an excellent movie. Other than that, it was a cold rainy weekend, and I got some writing done, but not much else.
(ETA: The starred Publishers Weekly review for The Cloud Roads is on their site now. I can't link directly to it but it's here on page 6 about midway down.)
Cynthia Leitich Smith posts about the Diversity in YA Fiction site:
Diversity in YA seeks to bring attention to MG and YA books featuring people of color and LGBT characters. Peek: "We envision DIYA as a positive, friendly gathering of readers and writers who want to see diversity in their fiction. Every week on our website we'll be featuring books that include diversity, from realistic, contemporary novels to absorbing historicals and adventurous fantasy."
Hidden Fires, the second book in the Fires of Nuala by Katharine Kimbriel is now on Kindle
The contest to win a free copy of Kameron Hurley's God's War is going on all week on The Night Bazaar. The theme of the week is favorite women protagonists.
(ETA: The starred Publishers Weekly review for The Cloud Roads is on their site now. I can't link directly to it but it's here on page 6 about midway down.)
Cynthia Leitich Smith posts about the Diversity in YA Fiction site:
Diversity in YA seeks to bring attention to MG and YA books featuring people of color and LGBT characters. Peek: "We envision DIYA as a positive, friendly gathering of readers and writers who want to see diversity in their fiction. Every week on our website we'll be featuring books that include diversity, from realistic, contemporary novels to absorbing historicals and adventurous fantasy."
Hidden Fires, the second book in the Fires of Nuala by Katharine Kimbriel is now on Kindle
The contest to win a free copy of Kameron Hurley's God's War is going on all week on The Night Bazaar. The theme of the week is favorite women protagonists.
January 16, 2011
Just made another guest post over at The Night Bazaar: My...
Just made another guest post over at The Night Bazaar: My Favorite Women. The theme for posts this week is favorite female protagonists.
There's also a book giveaway contest to win free copies of Kameron Hurley's God's War. It's available now, and Publishers Weekly says Hurley's world-building is phenomenal... (she) smoothly handles tricky themes such as race, class, religion, and gender without sacrificing action.
There's also a book giveaway contest to win free copies of Kameron Hurley's God's War. It's available now, and Publishers Weekly says Hurley's world-building is phenomenal... (she) smoothly handles tricky themes such as race, class, religion, and gender without sacrificing action.
January 14, 2011
I got very good news yesterday. The Cloud Roads got a st...
I got very good news yesterday. The Cloud Roads got a starred review from Publishers Weekly. I'm very happy and also really relieved. You can't see it on the site yet unless you register, but the quote sentence is:
Wells (The Gate of Gods) merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with.
To commemorate this, I have awarded myself my Teal'c Indeed icon. (see icon)
I'll post the rest below and cut it because it's a bit spoilery:
Moon's world is populated by many different intelligent species (none of them human), and he has never known which one he belongs to. Orphaned at a young age, he's wandered from tribe to tribe, hiding a dangerous secret. Like the universally hated Fell, whose only aims are slaughter and conquest, Moon can fly--which leads to predictably violent cases of mistaken identity. When he does find his own people, the Raksura, life doesn't get any easier, since their internal politics are vicious, and they too are in imminent danger from the Fell. Cue hairsbreadth escapes and feats of derring-do, as Moon helps his new family evacuate their doomed colony and then rescues a group of kidnapped children. Wells (The Gate of Gods) merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with. (Mar.)
Last night for dinner I made chicken in an onion and green chili sauce, and it was yummy.
Other links:
Signal Boost: Sale of items to pay vet bills. The posted is listing books, DVDs, graphic novels, toys, craft items, etc. Plus, she has some really lovely metal jewelry on her etsy shop here.
Cracked.com: Five Self Defense Books for Women Who Want to Lose a Fight a critique of five odd self-defense manuals. Some of the critiques are funnier than others, but one of the books, Looking Forward to Being Attacked is batshit nuts. I laughed so hard I think I injured a lung.
I can't remember who posted this link: From Bestseller List to Blacklist: Dashiell Hammett's Hard-Boiled Life Hammett wrote only five novels, but two of them were The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man.
Poor health did not prevent Hammett from becoming deeply entrenched in political activity. In the 1930s, when not writing or delving into investigative intrigue, Hammett spend much of his time involved in the anti-fascist movement. Devout in his beliefs, part of the reason for Hammett's separation from the Pinkerton Agency was his disapproval of the agency's anti-union stance. Hammett's beliefs, vocal denunciation of Nazism, membership of the Communist Party and eventual role as vice-chairman of the deemed-subversive Civil Rights Congress (CRC) was noticed by the authorities. In the late 1940s and early '50s, his activities were highlighted as 'un-American' under Senator Joseph McCarthy's reign of anti-communist hysteria. In 1951, the author was imprisoned on contempt charges for six months after he refused to testify against four fellow communists in a conspiracy trial for whom the CRC had posted bail.
Wells (The Gate of Gods) merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with.
To commemorate this, I have awarded myself my Teal'c Indeed icon. (see icon)
I'll post the rest below and cut it because it's a bit spoilery:
Moon's world is populated by many different intelligent species (none of them human), and he has never known which one he belongs to. Orphaned at a young age, he's wandered from tribe to tribe, hiding a dangerous secret. Like the universally hated Fell, whose only aims are slaughter and conquest, Moon can fly--which leads to predictably violent cases of mistaken identity. When he does find his own people, the Raksura, life doesn't get any easier, since their internal politics are vicious, and they too are in imminent danger from the Fell. Cue hairsbreadth escapes and feats of derring-do, as Moon helps his new family evacuate their doomed colony and then rescues a group of kidnapped children. Wells (The Gate of Gods) merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with. (Mar.)
Last night for dinner I made chicken in an onion and green chili sauce, and it was yummy.
Other links:
Signal Boost: Sale of items to pay vet bills. The posted is listing books, DVDs, graphic novels, toys, craft items, etc. Plus, she has some really lovely metal jewelry on her etsy shop here.
Cracked.com: Five Self Defense Books for Women Who Want to Lose a Fight a critique of five odd self-defense manuals. Some of the critiques are funnier than others, but one of the books, Looking Forward to Being Attacked is batshit nuts. I laughed so hard I think I injured a lung.
I can't remember who posted this link: From Bestseller List to Blacklist: Dashiell Hammett's Hard-Boiled Life Hammett wrote only five novels, but two of them were The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man.
Poor health did not prevent Hammett from becoming deeply entrenched in political activity. In the 1930s, when not writing or delving into investigative intrigue, Hammett spend much of his time involved in the anti-fascist movement. Devout in his beliefs, part of the reason for Hammett's separation from the Pinkerton Agency was his disapproval of the agency's anti-union stance. Hammett's beliefs, vocal denunciation of Nazism, membership of the Communist Party and eventual role as vice-chairman of the deemed-subversive Civil Rights Congress (CRC) was noticed by the authorities. In the late 1940s and early '50s, his activities were highlighted as 'un-American' under Senator Joseph McCarthy's reign of anti-communist hysteria. In 1951, the author was imprisoned on contempt charges for six months after he refused to testify against four fellow communists in a conspiracy trial for whom the CRC had posted bail.
January 13, 2011
I woke up with allergy-related vertigo this morning. It ...
I woke up with allergy-related vertigo this morning. It made getting down stairs and back up with the cat food entertaining. (We have to feed them upstairs because Bella reverted to her belief that the downstairs is evil and the haunt of monsters.) It's mostly gone now, as the various fluids in my head have settled into a better configuration.
I posted a second teaser chapter of The Cloud Roads on my web site.
Some other links:
France For Rent. I like to look at beautiful places I can't afford.
Tweeted by Victoria Strauss: Sisters in Crime's survey of Mystery and Crime Fiction Market
The study found that the majority of mystery/crime fiction buyers are women (68%) over the age of 45 (66% ). Buyers in the 18-to-44 demographic purchase 31% of the mysteries sold.
Some 48% live in the suburbs, 27% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. The South accounts for 35% of sales, followed by the West (26%), Midwest (20%) and Northeast (19%).
Bricks-and-mortar stores sell 39% of all mysteries, with library borrowing accounting for approximately 20% and online purchases 17%.
And here's a picture of Bella:
I posted a second teaser chapter of The Cloud Roads on my web site.
Some other links:
France For Rent. I like to look at beautiful places I can't afford.
Tweeted by Victoria Strauss: Sisters in Crime's survey of Mystery and Crime Fiction Market
The study found that the majority of mystery/crime fiction buyers are women (68%) over the age of 45 (66% ). Buyers in the 18-to-44 demographic purchase 31% of the mysteries sold.
Some 48% live in the suburbs, 27% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. The South accounts for 35% of sales, followed by the West (26%), Midwest (20%) and Northeast (19%).
Bricks-and-mortar stores sell 39% of all mysteries, with library borrowing accounting for approximately 20% and online purchases 17%.
And here's a picture of Bella:
January 12, 2011
Feeling kind of under the weather so far this week. I'm ...
Feeling kind of under the weather so far this week. I'm getting work done, but I'm having trouble mustering enthusiasm. Perhaps looking at Joe Flanigan will help.
Cat Looking for Home After Owner Passes Away - Houston Area Please pass this on. It really does help to get the word out.
This was going around on FaceBook: To display a list of New York Times best sellers for the week of your birth.
I think Bill Crider posted this one: Libraries of the Rich and Famous Karl Lagerfeld has a serious working library.
Doctors Without Borders report on Haiti They still need your donations.
Cat Looking for Home After Owner Passes Away - Houston Area Please pass this on. It really does help to get the word out.
This was going around on FaceBook: To display a list of New York Times best sellers for the week of your birth.
I think Bill Crider posted this one: Libraries of the Rich and Famous Karl Lagerfeld has a serious working library.
Doctors Without Borders report on Haiti They still need your donations.
January 10, 2011
Links and Big Sale
I have a lot of links today:
The big one: Night Shade Books announced a 50% off sale for all in stock and forthcoming books purchased directly through their site:
So for the next two weeks, from Monday, January 10 until midnight on Sunday, January 23, we're offering 50% off all in-stock and forthcoming* Night Shade books, with a four book minimum order. Just use the coupon code 50NSB2011 at checkout, and we'll do the rest!
This is everything, including my new book The Cloud Roads, not out until March. It also includes the upcoming trade paperback of Phil and Kaja Foglio's Agatha H and the Airship City, a Girl Genius novel, which is already sold out in hardcover.
Sunday Sweets on Cake Wrecks had Must See TV Cakes including a Stargate.
WebUrbanist: Secret Rooms The house I grew up in had a secret room, hidden behind a bookcase. You pushed on a panel that looked like solid brick to get into it. Yes, really.
Bill Crider posted this link: Ani - Ghost City of 1001 Churches this is spooky and enormously cool.
Jeff VanderMeer: If you need a capybara plush toy, you can get one here and help someone pay vet bills
Also, if you missed it yesterday: I made my first guest post on the new blog The Night Bazaar: The Night Bazaar: the Road Here and it's about The Cloud Roads, and its long and somewhat fraught road to publication. (Contains no spoilers for the story.) Some of it I've talked about here before, some of it I haven't, because it was a bit painful at the time.
Cat Update: Two cats settled, one more needs home -- these are sweet house cats left homeless when their owner passed away.
The big one: Night Shade Books announced a 50% off sale for all in stock and forthcoming books purchased directly through their site:
So for the next two weeks, from Monday, January 10 until midnight on Sunday, January 23, we're offering 50% off all in-stock and forthcoming* Night Shade books, with a four book minimum order. Just use the coupon code 50NSB2011 at checkout, and we'll do the rest!
This is everything, including my new book The Cloud Roads, not out until March. It also includes the upcoming trade paperback of Phil and Kaja Foglio's Agatha H and the Airship City, a Girl Genius novel, which is already sold out in hardcover.
Sunday Sweets on Cake Wrecks had Must See TV Cakes including a Stargate.
WebUrbanist: Secret Rooms The house I grew up in had a secret room, hidden behind a bookcase. You pushed on a panel that looked like solid brick to get into it. Yes, really.
Bill Crider posted this link: Ani - Ghost City of 1001 Churches this is spooky and enormously cool.
Jeff VanderMeer: If you need a capybara plush toy, you can get one here and help someone pay vet bills
Also, if you missed it yesterday: I made my first guest post on the new blog The Night Bazaar: The Night Bazaar: the Road Here and it's about The Cloud Roads, and its long and somewhat fraught road to publication. (Contains no spoilers for the story.) Some of it I've talked about here before, some of it I haven't, because it was a bit painful at the time.
Cat Update: Two cats settled, one more needs home -- these are sweet house cats left homeless when their owner passed away.
January 9, 2011
First Post on the Night Bazaar
The new cold front hit, and we had freezing rain all night. It must have been freezing horizontal rain at one point, because it leaked in through a downstairs window that's fairly well protected. I just hope I don't have to go anywhere today.
I made my first guest post on the new blog The Night Bazaar: The Night Bazaar: the Road Here and it's about The Cloud Roads, and its long and somewhat fraught road to publication. (Contains no spoilers for the story.) Some of it I've talked about here before, some of it I haven't, because it was a bit painful at the time.
I made my first guest post on the new blog The Night Bazaar: The Night Bazaar: the Road Here and it's about The Cloud Roads, and its long and somewhat fraught road to publication. (Contains no spoilers for the story.) Some of it I've talked about here before, some of it I haven't, because it was a bit painful at the time.
January 6, 2011
Posted a quote from the book I'm working on on FaceBook: ...
Posted a quote from the book I'm working on on FaceBook: "I do not understand how they can take a man away from his wife when he does not wish to be parted from her. Especially when his wife has such big teeth and claws." #wip I'll try to remember to do this more often.
I need to go to the grocery store and get all the things I forgot to get on Tuesday. It's supposed to get down to the 30s next week, and I'm not looking forward to it. My bones ache, and our upstairs windows leak.
Carol Berg has a new book out I'm looking forward to: The Soul Mirror With no magic talent of her own, Anne de Vernase must take on her sister's magical legacy to unravel the secrets behind the dark sorcery besieging the royal city of Merona-and to uncover the truth behind her sister's death. It's also available as an eBook.
I've been reading What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie, a mystery about a psychic woman who does ghost hunting. I love the ghost hunting and the mystery part, but the writing is a bit too twee for me.
I need to go to the grocery store and get all the things I forgot to get on Tuesday. It's supposed to get down to the 30s next week, and I'm not looking forward to it. My bones ache, and our upstairs windows leak.
Carol Berg has a new book out I'm looking forward to: The Soul Mirror With no magic talent of her own, Anne de Vernase must take on her sister's magical legacy to unravel the secrets behind the dark sorcery besieging the royal city of Merona-and to uncover the truth behind her sister's death. It's also available as an eBook.
I've been reading What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie, a mystery about a psychic woman who does ghost hunting. I love the ghost hunting and the mystery part, but the writing is a bit too twee for me.
January 5, 2011
I finally got a whole new part written yesterday, after a...
I finally got a whole new part written yesterday, after a long time of rewriting five chapters that took off in a wrong plot direction, so that was really nice. And we got some more rain, which was also really nice.
Confirmed conventions and appearances for next year so far:
February 18-20, 2011, ConDFW 10, in Dallas, Texas.
April 30, 2011, 4:30 pm. A book signing for The Cloud Roads at Murder by the Book, in Houston, Texas.
March 25-27, 2011. AggieCon 42, in College Station, Texas.
I don't know if I'll be on programming yet, but on August 17-21, 2011, I will be at Renovation, the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention, in Reno, Nevada.
Confirmed conventions and appearances for next year so far:
February 18-20, 2011, ConDFW 10, in Dallas, Texas.
April 30, 2011, 4:30 pm. A book signing for The Cloud Roads at Murder by the Book, in Houston, Texas.
March 25-27, 2011. AggieCon 42, in College Station, Texas.
I don't know if I'll be on programming yet, but on August 17-21, 2011, I will be at Renovation, the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention, in Reno, Nevada.
January 4, 2011
Cats looking for homes: shameless pimping of three beauti...
Cats looking for homes: shameless pimping of three beautiful cats left homeless by the death of their owner, combined with photos designed specifically to leave you helpless before the Cute, hands grasping in desperate come-hither-kitty movements.
Please pass this on.
Please pass this on.
