Martha Wells's Blog, page 203

I just made a 100 word micro-submission to The Thackery T...

I just made a 100 word micro-submission to The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. If it gets in, I get a free book, so wish me luck.


This was going around twitter: Ally Carter: The Crazies Now, many new writers might think that The Crazies go away after the first book, or after you hit "the list" or after...or after... And maybe they will diminish someday or at some time, but I can safely say that six years, seven books, five New York Times...

Things That Make You Wish You Were a Serial Killer

Had kind of a crappy day yesterday. I went out to eat breakfast migas with friends, and when I got home, our neighborhood was... I can't think of the words-- aurally deluged? Under aural attack? A "church" that had set up in a storefront on the commercial street about three or four blocks away had decided to have a party in the parking lot, set up loud speakers and a DJ, and was playing music and screaming at the surrounding buildings and houses. It was literally so loud at times, if you w...

We got rain! After weeks of temperatures in the 100s and...

We got rain! After weeks of temperatures in the 100s and zero rain, this is kind of a big deal. Hoping for more today.



Just a couple of quick links:

Slate: Fact-Checking the FranzenfreudeIs the New York Times' book section really a boys' club? Their answer is pretty much "yes."

j_cheney posted a warning and link to Absolute Write: about Astra Publications and their sudden flurry of supposedly pro-rate web zines, some with names similar to other well-established pro-rate web zines.

Doctors Witho...

Today everyone will be off at WorldCon and DragonCon havi...

Today everyone will be off at WorldCon and DragonCon having fun without us. I just thought I'd point that out.

Thanks again to everyone for the birthday wishes! Troyce took me out last night for a great birthday dinner at out local fancy restaurant, and it was delicious. It involved Vietnamese lettuce-wrap eggrolls and duck in a blueberry reduction. Yummy. Today I am writing and doing an immense amount of laundry and trying to make it rain via the power of will.

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Gregory Frost at The Lia...

It's my birthday today, and my husband gave me an iPad as...

It's my birthday today, and my husband gave me an iPad as a surprise combination birthday/anniversary gift! That was awesome! Then Verizon took my internet away for most of the day. That was not so awesome.

I just got it back and am trying to catch up on birthday wishes, but thank you, very much, to everyone who sent messages, and virtual LJ gifts and LJ tokens. That's been very awesome, especially since they all came at once!

Anyway, I'm still catching up, but here are the links I meant ...

A Couple More ArmadilloCon Bits and Links

At ArmadilloCon, the last panel I was on went over time, and we were still talking where there was a dramatic BANG pause BANG pause BANG on the door. Then it opened, and Jonathan Miles the programming director came in, and said, "You don't have to leave the convention, but you can't stay in here." That was the best way to call time on a panel I've ever seen.

Also, on the same panel (History as Background), we were talking a bit about why you have to know how things work in the real world -- ...

A long ArmadilloCon Report

Back from ArmadilloCon, dead tired. It was a very active and busy con this year, so between the programming and the socializing, I was pretty much in continuous motion. I realized it wasn't until Sunday that I actually had time to walk to the back of our hotel room and look out the window into the atrium. But it was all enormous fun.

(I noticed in my last post I said the hotel was in the Arboretum and had a good view of the part. By which I meant park. Though the view of the part probably...

I'm having a great time at ArmadilloCon and was actually ...

I'm having a great time at ArmadilloCon and was actually so busy this is pretty much my first time to post.

I got into Austin Thursday late afternoon, successfully reached the hotel, (which is in the Arboretum and has a very nice view of the part), met up with j_cheney and Patrice Sarath, and we headed off to the guest dinner at a really good Mexican restaurant. A lot of the guests and concom were there, and we got to talk a bit to the awesome Michael Bishop.

Friday I was teaching in the wri...

I'm getting ready to leave for ArmadilloCon later today. ...

I'm getting ready to leave for ArmadilloCon later today. Tomorrow I'll be teaching in the writers workshop all day, then Saturday I'll have a couple of panels, a signing, and I get to interview Guest of Honor rachelcaine at 2:00 pm. Sunday I have a reading and another panel, then to home. Hopefully in between all that will be lots of going out to restaurants and eating, and shopping in the dealers room.

I think the hotel might have free wireless, so if I get a chance I'll post a co report a...

I've noticed over the years that the first half of a book...

I've noticed over the years that the first half of a book goes much slower for me than the second. There's been a couple of exceptions, but normally the first half is a slow slog, with a lot of going back to revise and change and rewrite, etc. I suspect that's the way it is for a lot of people, at least those of us who don't outline and pretty much wing the plot as we go along.

Another word count for the third Cloud Roads book, which really needs a title:


40312 / 120000 words. 34% done!


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I w...