Nicola Griffith's Blog, page 30

Last chance to enter the Spear adjective competition: Clue #16

Here is Clue #16, the FINAL clue in the One Adjective to Rule Them All competition. Words from Maria Dahvana Headley. Background illustration taken from one of Spear‘s interior artworks by Rovina Cai.

Image description: Square graphic in blue-grey showing in the upper left two women by a lake and, larger, in the lower right a menacing figure approaching with a spear. Centred in white text, “A screamingly hot canon-queering epic filled with bloody battles, and world-shaking magic.” And below that, in red-orange, “Maria Dahvana Headley, author of The Mere Wife and Beowulf: A New Translation”

This is your last chance to enter. I’ll close the competition tomorrow—probably around noon Pacific time—and announce the winner/s next week.

The competition is OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD, NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! The winner gets 3 prizes in one:

A signed, personalised first edition first printing of Spear A specially designed by Forensics & FlowersA digital download of the audiobook, narrated by moi

For the rules, and to enter, see One Adjective to Rule Them All. Please note that this is your last chance to enter the competition.

Make sure you check the list of possible adjectives—there are now 36 that have been used more than 4 times.

Comments on this post are off because the only guesses that count are those on the original blog post or emailed directly to me.

Spear adjective competition: Clue #15

Here is the penultimate clue, Clue #15, in the One Adjective to Rule Them All competition. Words from “Cold Iron and Piercing Beauty in Spear,” from the Chicago Review of Books, by Jake Casella Brookins. The background illustration is taken from one of Spear‘s interior artworks by Rovina Cai. The final clue will be tomorrow; I’ll close the competition end-of-day Friday, and announce the winner/s next week.

The competition is OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD, NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! The winner gets 3 prizes in one:

A signed, personalised first edition first printing of Spear A specially designed by Forensics & FlowersA digital download of the audiobook, narrated by moi

For the rules, and to enter, see One Adjective to Rule Them All. Please note that I’ve amended the rules so you can enter once a day—refining your guesses as the clues mount up!

Make sure you check the list of possible adjectives—because it keeps growing. There are now 36 adjectives that have been used more than 4 times.

Comments on this post are off because the only guesses that count are those on the original blog post or emailed directly to me.

Spear adjective competition: Clue #14

Here is Clue #14 in the One Adjective to Rule Them All competition. Words from a starred review in Shelf Awareness by Kerry McHugh. The background illustration is taken from one of Spear‘s interior artworks by Rovina Cai Cai.

Make sure you check the list of possible adjectives—because it keeps growing (I added two just yesterday). And check out previous clues.

Image description: Square graphic in blue-grey showing in the upper left two women by a lake and, larger, in the lower right a menacing figure approaching with a spear. Centred in white text, “An atmospheric and lyrical tale steeped in historical detail. Griffith breathes vibrant and dazzling life into a stunning new take on Arthurian legend.” And below that, in red-orange, “Kerry McHugh, Shelf Awareness”

The competition is OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD, NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! The winner gets 3 prizes in one:

A signed, personalised first edition first printing of Spear A specially designed by Forensics & FlowersA digital download of the audiobook, narrated by moi

For the rules, and to enter, see One Adjective to Rule Them All. Please note that I’ve amended the rules so you can enter once a day—refining your guesses as the clues mount up!

DO CHECK OUT THE UPDATED LIST OF ADJECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN USED MORE THAN FOUR TIMES! We have a couple more words that crossed the threshold…

Comments on this post are off because the only guesses that count are those on the original blog post or emailed directly to me.

Friday 4/29, 6:00 PM, Brick & Mortar, Redmond: In-person event!

Image description: Square graphic with grey background, a headshot of a short-haired white woman next to the cover of a novel, Spear by Nicola Griffith, and text: “Brick &Mortar presents Nicola Griffith author of Spear, Friday 29th at 6:00 pm. Find out more at brickandmortarbooks.com/events“.

Friday evening I’ll be doing my final event for Spear—live and in-person!—at Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll be doing a version of what I did at the Seattle Central Library on Wednesday or whether I’ll do a version of what I’m planning tonight with Kelley for Mysterious Galaxy.

It’s a mystery! But as always the real point, for me, will be sharing stories about the making of Spear, meeting you in-person, and finding out what reading gives you joy, what you hope for—or don’t like, or want more of—and signing your books. So bring questions! I love—love love love—to talk about my work!

Also, it’s Brick & Mortar’s kickoff for Independent Bookstore Weekend—so I hope you’ll turn out and support this wonderful store.

For more information, see Brick & Mortar’s event page.

See you tomorrow!

April 29, 2022 | 6:00 PM PT IN-PERSON EVENTBrick & Mortar Books7430 164th Ave NE, Suite B105 Redmond, WA, 98052Info/Register

Thursday 4/28, 7:00 PM, Mysterious Galaxy!

Tomorrow evening I’ll be doing my very first event for Mysterious Galaxy! I’ve always wanted to visit in person but have never had the opportunity—one day! Meanwhile, I have something special planned for you.

Tomorrow will be another first for me: a virtual event with my best and favourite person in the whole world, the woman I have dedicated every single one of my novels to: the one, the only, Kelley Eskridge!

Although this our first virtual in-conversation thing, we’ve done this in person many times. Kelley knows my work inside and out—and she knows me even better. So tomorrow you’ll be getting a seriously real, deep, and interesting conversation. Plus the usual reading from the book and audience Q&A. I really hope you can join us.

For more information, see Mysterious Galaxy’s event page. Or just go register directly.

See you tomorrow!

April 28, 2022 | 7:00 PM PTVIRTUAL EVENTMysterious GalaxyIn conversation with Kelley EskridgeInfo/Register

Wednesday 4/27, 7:00 PM, Seattle Central Library: In-person event!

Image description: Square graphic with pink moiré borders top and bottom and on the left, a black and white headshot of a short-haired white woman and on the right the cover of a novel, Spear, showing an illustration of a Celtic hanging bowl bubbling in the flames and images of people curling up out of the fumes.

Tomorrow evening I’ll be doing my first live, in-person event for Spear (simultaneously live-streamed), at SPL’s Microsoft Auditorium downtown at the Central Library:

This event is being presented in person at Central Library, with the option to view the livestream from home. It is presented in partnership with Elliott Bay Book Company, and is supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation and the Gary and Connie Kunis Foundation. Thanks to media sponsor The Seattle Times.

There will be ASL interpretation and CART transcription for this event. The event will be recorded, captioned and then posted on the Library’s YouTube channel after the event.

For this one, I won’t have an interlocutor: it will just be me and Spear and the audience. In some ways it will be a throwback to pre-pandemic days when I always did these events on my own—reading from the book, and talking about why I wrote it, what I hoped for it, what was tricky, what was a delight, followed by a Q&A, then signing books and chatting to readers. In other ways, of course—such as the live-streaming component—it will be different.

But the essentials that I love will be the same: meeting you in-person, finding out what reading gives you joy, how you’re doing, what you hope for—or don’t like, or want more of—and signing your books. So do bring questions! I love—love love love—to talk about my work!

For more information, see SPL’s event page. Or just go register directly.

See you tomorrow!

April 27, 2022 | 7:00 PTIN PERSON EVENTSeattle Public Library (Hosted by Elliot Bay Book Co)Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium1000 Fourth AveSeattle, WA 98104Info/Register

Spear adjective competition: Clue #13

Here is Clue #13 in the One Adjective to Rule Them All competition. Words from a review by Andrea Rittschof in The Nameless Zine. The background illustration is taken from one of Spear‘s interior artworks by Rovina Cai.

Make sure you check the list of possible adjectives—because it keeps growing. And check out previous clues.

Image description: Square graphic in blue-grey showing a great, Celtic-style hanging bowl over the flames with smoke and steam fuming up, forming images of a woman in the woods, a fortified wall, a horse and rider, and more.. Centred in white text, “Spear is both subversive and brilliant… It is sublime, a work of art.” And below that, in red-orange, “Andrea Rittschof, The Nameless Zine”

The competition is OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD, NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! The winner gets 3 prizes in one:

A signed, personalised first edition first printing of Spear A specially designed by Forensics & FlowersA digital download of the audiobook, narrated by moi

For the rules, and how to enter, see One Adjective to Rule Them All. Please note that I’ve amended the rules so you can enter once a day—refining your guesses as the clues mount up!

DO CHECK OUT THE UPDATED LIST OF ADJECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN USED MORE THAN FOUR TIMES! We have a couple more words that crossed the threshold…

Comments on this post are off because the only guesses that count are those on the original blog post or emailed directly to me.

Today: Harvard Bookstore & Third Place Books, 4 :00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET, with Alix Harrow

In just a few hours, I’ll be talking with Alix Harrow for Harvard Bookstore, cooping with Seattle’s own Third Place Books (which now has a stack of signed copies specially for those who register for this event). And, oh, do we have plans for you!

Alix and I are both fascinated by the uses and abuses of retold tales, the way cliches can be both useful and dangerous. We both have Many Thoughts on subverting national fantasies—and fantasy in general—plus what works and what doesn’t, and why. Honestly, I think we could do five of these things and still have more to say, so it’ll be a jam-packed evening, fast and furious. Especially as we’ll also be gushing about each other’s work. (If you haven’t read A Spindle Splintered, you really should.)

So do please come listen to us talk about the past and present, representation and art. Bring a friend—bring two friends! Bring questions—lots of questions! I AM SERIOUS: BRING QUESTIONS! For me, part of the point of these things is to find out what you do and don’t like, what you want to know, what you don’t much care about. This is your chance to find out what you want to know. I really do like talking about my work.

Register here. It’s free.

See you soon!

April 25, 2022 | 4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ETVIRTUAL EVENT Harvard Bookstore and Third Place BooksIn Conversation w/Alix E. HarrowPlatform: Zoom Webinar Info/Register

Spear—plus furred, finned, feathered, and fluttery friends

When Hild came out, readers began to send me pictures of their pets variously disapproving, disdaining, destroying, dozing on or delighting in the book. Before Spear came out I made a few graphics of the ARCs with various beasts—T. rex, a horse, a hedgehog, a leopard—and now, five days after publication, others are continuing that noble tradition. So far we have a beagle, a parrot, butterflies, and several cats. But there’s always room for more!

So send me a picture of your beast/s—real or creative (I have a picture somewhere of the Hild hardcover surmounted by a crocheted tardigrade)—and I’ll retweet or repost or add to this post (which I’ll turn into a page).

Happy Sunday, and happy reading to you and your furry, finned, feathered, fiendish, and fluttery friends.

Algernon, always coordinated and fashion-forward — Angelique Corthals@readingbeagle InstagramSolomon, who fortunately doesn’t have to choose — @yetanotherkelly InstagramRomper Stomper, monstrously possessive@bookish_black_hole InstagramStella, star of the show — Lydia ZoellsBony, being patientCharlie — who does not like to share his (cough) wheelchairMarketing moggies of TordotcomHedgepig, heading for safetyKitty, like Romper Stomper, does not like to share

Spear adjective competition: Clue #12

Here is Clue #12 in the One Adjective to Rule Them All competition. Words from a review in Publishers Weekly. The background illustration is taken from one of Spear‘s interior artworks by Rovina Cai.

Image description: Square graphic in blue-grey showing a background image of someone in 6th-century armour, sitting on a stone blowing on a dandelion puffball. The seeds rise like smoke, hiding their face. Centred in white text, “Fresh, emotionally immediate, steeped in period texture…a genuine pleasure.” And below that, in red-orange, “Publishers Weekly”

The competition is OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD, NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! The winner gets 3 prizes in one:

A signed, personalised first edition first printing of Spear A specially designed by Forensics & FlowersA digital download of the audiobook, narrated by moi

For the rules, and how to enter, see One Adjective to Rule Them All. Please note that I’ve amended the rules so you can enter once a day—refining your guesses as the clues mount up!

DO CHECK OUT THE UPDATED LIST OF ADJECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN USED MORE THAN FOUR TIMES! We have a couple more words that crossed the threshold…

Comments on this post are off because the only guesses that count are those on the original blog post or emailed directly to me.