Jennifer Brozek's Blog, page 72
November 8, 2011
NaNoWriMo
I like to participate in National Novel Writing Month if my schedule allows it. I treat each time I participate as good way to write "draft zero" of a project. Or, as I like to say, to write a 50,000 word outline for the novel in question.
I have just completed my first week of NaNoWriMo and, for the first time, the words are coming almost faster than I can type—and I'm a very fast typist. I have never had a story come this fast or this easy before and I am enjoying the hell out of it, even if I'm forgetting to do just about everything else.
This is the first time I set out to write a YA novel—a sci-fi/horror YA novel. The kind of novel I wanted to read when I was a teen but could not find. The novel is called "If I Die Before I Wake" and I start the novel off by murdered most of South Dakota.
Here are my stats.
Nov 1: 3136 / 3136
Nov 2: 2928 / 6064
Nov 3: 4199 / 10,263
Nov 4: 4755 / 15,018
Nov 5: 5112 / 20,130
Nov 6: 4997 / 25,127
Nov 7: 5178 / 30,305
I have just completed my first week of NaNoWriMo and, for the first time, the words are coming almost faster than I can type—and I'm a very fast typist. I have never had a story come this fast or this easy before and I am enjoying the hell out of it, even if I'm forgetting to do just about everything else.
This is the first time I set out to write a YA novel—a sci-fi/horror YA novel. The kind of novel I wanted to read when I was a teen but could not find. The novel is called "If I Die Before I Wake" and I start the novel off by murdered most of South Dakota.
Here are my stats.
Nov 1: 3136 / 3136
Nov 2: 2928 / 6064
Nov 3: 4199 / 10,263
Nov 4: 4755 / 15,018
Nov 5: 5112 / 20,130
Nov 6: 4997 / 25,127
Nov 7: 5178 / 30,305
November 2, 2011
2012 Plans
Well. A couple days ago I got confirmation that my pays-the-bills job is pretty much going away in Feb 2012.
Just now I got an email that my tie-in novel contract has just been cancelled.
Well, damn.
No job and no book contract for 2012. What's an author to do?
Plan out a series of YA novels and cry later.
And be thankful me and the Husband both like ramen.
Just now I got an email that my tie-in novel contract has just been cancelled.
Well, damn.
No job and no book contract for 2012. What's an author to do?
Plan out a series of YA novels and cry later.
And be thankful me and the Husband both like ramen.
November 1, 2011
All Hallows Read
Neil Gaiman came up with the idea of "
All Hallows Read
." This is where, along with candy, you give out a scary book for Halloween. Most years, we are not actually home for Halloween. So, we just set out a big bowl of candy with a sign. It works well. The little kids come early and get candy. The big kids come by and clean out the bowl.
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This year, we were home but it's game night… and nothing stops game night short of a missing gamer. So, thanks to a little help from my gaming group, who I told about All Hallows Read, we had a box of books from Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson and John Crichton. The first set was in plastic baggies with a business card sized flyer that included the URL of All Hallows Read.
While we were gaming, we could hear the kids come up to the door to get candy and about a third of them got really excited about the books. I mean, squeaky, screamy, yelly, "Mom, they're giving away books!" excited. That really thrilled me. Though, next year, I need to prepare better and get some for the younger crowd—Goosebumps, Lemony Snicket, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and the like.
[image error]
The books went faster than expected. So, I grabbed extra copies of Close Encounters of the Urban Kind and Grants Pass for the book box. That disappeared. The third group of books I set out, didn't go. But that's because we set them out a little late.
I did not know how well the book giving would work and now I do. I need to spend part of the year scouring the used bookstores for good, cheap scary books for readers of all ages. I'm so pleased that it worked out and that we gave away at least 40 books last night.
[image error]
This year, we were home but it's game night… and nothing stops game night short of a missing gamer. So, thanks to a little help from my gaming group, who I told about All Hallows Read, we had a box of books from Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson and John Crichton. The first set was in plastic baggies with a business card sized flyer that included the URL of All Hallows Read.
While we were gaming, we could hear the kids come up to the door to get candy and about a third of them got really excited about the books. I mean, squeaky, screamy, yelly, "Mom, they're giving away books!" excited. That really thrilled me. Though, next year, I need to prepare better and get some for the younger crowd—Goosebumps, Lemony Snicket, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and the like.
[image error]
The books went faster than expected. So, I grabbed extra copies of Close Encounters of the Urban Kind and Grants Pass for the book box. That disappeared. The third group of books I set out, didn't go. But that's because we set them out a little late.
I did not know how well the book giving would work and now I do. I need to spend part of the year scouring the used bookstores for good, cheap scary books for readers of all ages. I'm so pleased that it worked out and that we gave away at least 40 books last night.
October 24, 2011
Once and Future Podcast
Come listen to the special Halloween podcast of "Once and Future Podcast." It features a bunch of creepy cool Halloween stories by Amber Benson, Tim Waggoner, Jennifer Brozek, Christopher Golden, Rachel Caine, Anton Strout, Heather Graham, Jonathan Maberry, and Nalo Hopkinson.
I have a Halloween story from In a Gilded Light in this podcast. Andy Mayor produced it for me and it was read by Tiffany Nygren.
http://blog.antonstrout.com/2011/10/23/of-podcast-ep-7-haunted-halloween-special.aspx
Related twitter handles:
@OandFPodcast
@rachelcaine
@amber_benson
@jenniferbrozek
@ChristophGolden
@NaloHopkinson
@JonathanMaberry
@TimWaggoner
I have a Halloween story from In a Gilded Light in this podcast. Andy Mayor produced it for me and it was read by Tiffany Nygren.
http://blog.antonstrout.com/2011/10/23/of-podcast-ep-7-haunted-halloween-special.aspx
Related twitter handles:
@OandFPodcast
@rachelcaine
@amber_benson
@jenniferbrozek
@ChristophGolden
@NaloHopkinson
@JonathanMaberry
@TimWaggoner
October 17, 2011
Stuff and Things
Life continues on at its breakneck pace.
Review: New HUMAN TALES review by a reader. Solid B grade.
http://ideatrash.net/2011/10/review-of-human-tales.html
Sale: I sold a new short story. "Trail of Breadcrumbs" went to Timid Pirate's FINDING HOME: COMMUNITY IN APOCALYPTIC WORLDS anthology. Pre-orders start on November 1st with the release of the book on December 15th.
http://www.timidpirate.com/2011/10/16/post-apocalypse-community-toc/
Publication: Issue 70 of The Edge of Propinquity has been published with two guest authors: Brandon Nolta and![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380451598i/2033940.gif)
seanan_mcguire
.
http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net
Review: New HUMAN TALES review by a reader. Solid B grade.
http://ideatrash.net/2011/10/review-of-human-tales.html
Sale: I sold a new short story. "Trail of Breadcrumbs" went to Timid Pirate's FINDING HOME: COMMUNITY IN APOCALYPTIC WORLDS anthology. Pre-orders start on November 1st with the release of the book on December 15th.
http://www.timidpirate.com/2011/10/16/post-apocalypse-community-toc/
Publication: Issue 70 of The Edge of Propinquity has been published with two guest authors: Brandon Nolta and
seanan_mcguire
. http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net
October 13, 2011
Interview with SF Signal
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011/10/the-sf-signal-podcast-episode-085-an-interview-with-jennifer-brozek/
I met Patrick at WorldCon and we got to talking (as you do) and the next thing I know I'm agreeing to be on his show. I had such a good time. It really was a blast.
I met Patrick at WorldCon and we got to talking (as you do) and the next thing I know I'm agreeing to be on his show. I had such a good time. It really was a blast.
October 12, 2011
Interview with Another Passion
http://www.anotherpassion.com/2011/interview/jennifer-brozeks-world-of-word/
I was interviewed by my PA, Miss Lily, for Another Passion. Topics covered: Career starter, running TEoP, the benefits of horror, love of sci-fi, benefits of travel and what I get out of being a member of SFWA.
This zine is run by Seattle local writing photographer Rasmus Rasmussen who took my latest round of pro pictures.
I was interviewed by my PA, Miss Lily, for Another Passion. Topics covered: Career starter, running TEoP, the benefits of horror, love of sci-fi, benefits of travel and what I get out of being a member of SFWA.
This zine is run by Seattle local writing photographer Rasmus Rasmussen who took my latest round of pro pictures.
October 10, 2011
Quick Update
New HUMAN TALES anthology review. Partial liking. Partial not. Interesting all the way around. http://roseneko.livejournal.com/398747.html
New podcast: The Genre Traveler interviews me about RPGs, research, and writing. http://www.thegenretraveler.com/fantasy/podcast-episode-55-anthologies-and-historical-rpgs/
Back from Lake Quinalt. Lovely birthday weekend for my husband. Now on to writing. Weird west and Battletech.
New podcast: The Genre Traveler interviews me about RPGs, research, and writing. http://www.thegenretraveler.com/fantasy/podcast-episode-55-anthologies-and-historical-rpgs/
Back from Lake Quinalt. Lovely birthday weekend for my husband. Now on to writing. Weird west and Battletech.
October 3, 2011
Making of an Anthology, Part 7: The Value of Proofers
Making of an Anthology, Part 7: The Value of Proofers:
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/blog/4218582-making-of-an-anthology-part-7-the-value-of-proofers
Leeloo ended up at the vet with an eye problem and that killed my weekend somewhat. Though, I did get some treasure hunting in.
Other than that, I've been focused on "pays the bills" work. I'm front loading that this month to help pay the vet bill while waiting for the pet insurance to kick in. Also, while stalled on the Battletech webseries, I'm working on a couple of short stories based in my weird west Mowry series.
When it comes to being stalled in one writing project, your best bet is to work on the next one until you can get the issue resolved.
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/blog/4218582-making-of-an-anthology-part-7-the-value-of-proofers
Leeloo ended up at the vet with an eye problem and that killed my weekend somewhat. Though, I did get some treasure hunting in.
Other than that, I've been focused on "pays the bills" work. I'm front loading that this month to help pay the vet bill while waiting for the pet insurance to kick in. Also, while stalled on the Battletech webseries, I'm working on a couple of short stories based in my weird west Mowry series.
When it comes to being stalled in one writing project, your best bet is to work on the next one until you can get the issue resolved.
September 26, 2011
Continuing On
On the work front, while I got almost nothing done on the current works in progress, I did end up writing a flash fiction piece called "That Bastard Called Hope" that was about a toy brawl in a pediatric ward of a hospital. I even sent it off to a prospective home. Mostly, I puttered around email and did what had to be done.
This included the release of my fourth anthology this year, Space Tramps , from Flying Pen Press. This is a fabulous anthology about the lost people of a space faring society; the hobo, the stowaway, the orphan, the jilly, and the refugee. It's got some great authors including Erik Scott de Bie, Dylan Birtolo, Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Shannon Page.
Beauty Has Her Way received a great review from Bestsellersworld.com. "Beauty Has Her Way is an impressive anthology of short stories about femme fatales that you'll love to read if you're a fan of fantastic fantasy and science fiction. Check it out today!"
Work on the Battletech web serial has stalled due to the loss of my Battletech fact checker. I really need someone who know the Battletech universe well and can answer all my questions about mechs, the culture and other such things.
Thus, I am shifting to get the two weird west stories I have due by November 1st done while doing the research on the big secret project codename "DL" for now (mostly because I don't have a real name for it yet). I'd like to return to Battletech next week. We'll see.
This included the release of my fourth anthology this year, Space Tramps , from Flying Pen Press. This is a fabulous anthology about the lost people of a space faring society; the hobo, the stowaway, the orphan, the jilly, and the refugee. It's got some great authors including Erik Scott de Bie, Dylan Birtolo, Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Shannon Page.
Beauty Has Her Way received a great review from Bestsellersworld.com. "Beauty Has Her Way is an impressive anthology of short stories about femme fatales that you'll love to read if you're a fan of fantastic fantasy and science fiction. Check it out today!"
Work on the Battletech web serial has stalled due to the loss of my Battletech fact checker. I really need someone who know the Battletech universe well and can answer all my questions about mechs, the culture and other such things.
Thus, I am shifting to get the two weird west stories I have due by November 1st done while doing the research on the big secret project codename "DL" for now (mostly because I don't have a real name for it yet). I'd like to return to Battletech next week. We'll see.
