Jennifer Brozek's Blog, page 79
March 14, 2011
After the Rainforest
I am home from the Rainforest Writer's Retreat. I had a lovely time. I really did. During the retreat I...
...edited 80K words
...wrote 3 columns
...wrote 1 forward for an anthology
...wrote 1 non-fiction gaming essay
......all of which amounted to 6000 words.
Not bad, eh?
...edited 80K words
...wrote 3 columns
...wrote 1 forward for an anthology
...wrote 1 non-fiction gaming essay
......all of which amounted to 6000 words.
Not bad, eh?
February 22, 2011
More Reviews of Me
First up - BEAUTY HAS HER WAY - by Innsmouth Free Press. It is an interesting feministic critique of the anthology. Pointed out some things I had not thought of. Half-dislike. Half-like. Very thoughtful - http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/?p=10792
BEAUTY HAS HER WAY - by Rise Reviews. In-depth review of the entire anthology. Nice discussion of the different genre sections. Some thoughtful criticisms and over all with the liking. http://risereviews.com/2011/02/07/beauty-has-her-way/
Next - CTHULHUROTICA - by Rise Reviews. A whole lot of liking with this one. Very strong feminist POV. I got a shout out. http://risereviews.com/2011/02/14/cthulhurotica/
As an aside, I like the way Rise Reviews is working out. This nascent review site really is putting its best foot forward in an attempt to have in-depth and well rounded reviews.
BEAUTY HAS HER WAY - by Rise Reviews. In-depth review of the entire anthology. Nice discussion of the different genre sections. Some thoughtful criticisms and over all with the liking. http://risereviews.com/2011/02/07/beauty-has-her-way/
Next - CTHULHUROTICA - by Rise Reviews. A whole lot of liking with this one. Very strong feminist POV. I got a shout out. http://risereviews.com/2011/02/14/cthulhurotica/
As an aside, I like the way Rise Reviews is working out. This nascent review site really is putting its best foot forward in an attempt to have in-depth and well rounded reviews.
Dundracon: Business but mostly fun
Dundracon was a great convention. I had panels and spent time with RPG designers
![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380442897i/1319734.gif)
macklinr
and
princeofcairo
. Talking was done and so was drinking. I managed to avoid the hangovers (barely) but I couldn't avoid the consequences of my carelessness. Lesson #1: Always be certain of your convention dates when making hotel and plane reservations. I wasn't and, thus, had to leave the convention a day early. Ah, well. I have a story due in less than a week. Plus, I got to see all of my old friends, get a LARP in and generally had a fabulous time.
macklinr
and
princeofcairo
. Talking was done and so was drinking. I managed to avoid the hangovers (barely) but I couldn't avoid the consequences of my carelessness. Lesson #1: Always be certain of your convention dates when making hotel and plane reservations. I wasn't and, thus, had to leave the convention a day early. Ah, well. I have a story due in less than a week. Plus, I got to see all of my old friends, get a LARP in and generally had a fabulous time.
February 15, 2011
Bits & Pieces
Review: Beauty Has Her Way – Rise Reviews - http://risereviews.com/2011/02/07/beauty-has-her-way/ - Over all with the liking with some interesting criticism.
Editor: Issue 62 of The Edge of Propinquity has been published with guest author Alma Alexander. http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net
Editor: I've sent out all of the acceptances and rejections for The Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey to be published by Graveside Books in June 2011. This is going to be a good one. I've got a nice mix of pro, up-and-comers, and new talent.
Author: I can finally announce it; I have sold my weird west story, Showdown at High Moon, to DAW anthology, Westward Weird, edited by Martin Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes! I'm really pleased with this one. This is my second pro-sale. One more and active SFWA here I come.
Editor: Issue 62 of The Edge of Propinquity has been published with guest author Alma Alexander. http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net
Editor: I've sent out all of the acceptances and rejections for The Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey to be published by Graveside Books in June 2011. This is going to be a good one. I've got a nice mix of pro, up-and-comers, and new talent.
Author: I can finally announce it; I have sold my weird west story, Showdown at High Moon, to DAW anthology, Westward Weird, edited by Martin Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes! I'm really pleased with this one. This is my second pro-sale. One more and active SFWA here I come.
The Edge of Propinquity - Issue 62
Issue 62: February 2011
Welcome to the Edge of Propinquity. Issue 62 is now published. The darker months of the year have passed and as the light grows, so do the revelations. This month we have bad dreams leading to the truth, warnings of impending doom, promises of pain, the discovery of legacy's wrath and the cost of impulse.
Credencium - The Dreamer's Dreams Escape - by Kaolin Fire AKA
kaolinfire
Flotsam - Warnings - by Peter M. Ball AKA
petermball
Idolwood - Fetishes - by Ivan Ewert AKA
ivan23
The Ones Who Call - The Big City - By Alina Pete
Guest Story - The Weight of Worlds - By Alma Alexander AKA
anghara
Have you ever looked over the edge and seen something looking back at you?
Sincerely,
Jennifer Brozek
Editor, The Edge of Propinquity
http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net/default.asp
February 11, 2011
The Ability to Say "No."
A couple days ago, I was talking to my friend Heather and I declared, "That's it, from September until December all I'm going to do is play an MMO." She laughed at me. I laughed with her. "Yeah, when I told Jeff I was going to collapse for the rest of the year after WorldCon he laughed at me, too. Told me that I always come home from GenCon and WorldCon with tons of projects…and he's right."
Heather looked at me and asked, "Can I ask you something? Do you know how to say 'No.'?"
The question surprised me. "Yes, of course, I do. And I do say 'No.' a lot. Especially towards the non-paying work these days."
But, really, I have a hell of a time saying 'No.' to people—especially when they are offering me cool work and wanting to pay me for it. Jess Hartley and I talked about how hard it was to walk away from paying work a couple years ago. Back then, I didn't understand why she would want to. Now, I do. And, sometimes, I don't manage my time as well as I should. Hence, the last month of juggling chainsaws.
My goals have changed. My work has changed. I'm looking to do more major house anthologies as well as longer pieces of fiction. I've got two longer projects to work on—a novella and a 50,000 word serial—and I've gotten much better at saying 'No.' because I know what kind of time I need for each.
Still, in the middle of those two projects I have two more anthologies, one RPG supplement, one story, one essay, and three columns due not to mention TEoP to publish. Fortunately, as I have all of these due dates in front of me, I'm getting really good at saying 'No.' to new projects. Yes, there are exceptions for previously discussed stuff but we'll see.
And now I realize I've gone completely off my intended topic AKA the importance of saying "No." When you are freelancing, you never say "Yes." to a project you cannot finish on time. So, as a freelancer, you need to hone two abilities: First, to know your schedule and your output rate, meshing the two so you aren't working crazy hours and doing a bad job all the way around; second, the ability to recognize when you need to turn down paying work along with the ability to tell a prospective client, "No."
This latter skill is not that easy. We are trained from a young age to be accommodating. There are ways to say 'No.' while being professional. Things like, "I'm sorry, I am booked out until May. If you want me to work on it after that, please let me know." You have to be prepared for the client to go to someone else. You also have to be prepared for the client to say, "Can you do it if the due date is May 15th?" This is where knowing your schedule and your output rate is crucial.
Heather looked at me and asked, "Can I ask you something? Do you know how to say 'No.'?"
The question surprised me. "Yes, of course, I do. And I do say 'No.' a lot. Especially towards the non-paying work these days."
But, really, I have a hell of a time saying 'No.' to people—especially when they are offering me cool work and wanting to pay me for it. Jess Hartley and I talked about how hard it was to walk away from paying work a couple years ago. Back then, I didn't understand why she would want to. Now, I do. And, sometimes, I don't manage my time as well as I should. Hence, the last month of juggling chainsaws.
My goals have changed. My work has changed. I'm looking to do more major house anthologies as well as longer pieces of fiction. I've got two longer projects to work on—a novella and a 50,000 word serial—and I've gotten much better at saying 'No.' because I know what kind of time I need for each.
Still, in the middle of those two projects I have two more anthologies, one RPG supplement, one story, one essay, and three columns due not to mention TEoP to publish. Fortunately, as I have all of these due dates in front of me, I'm getting really good at saying 'No.' to new projects. Yes, there are exceptions for previously discussed stuff but we'll see.
And now I realize I've gone completely off my intended topic AKA the importance of saying "No." When you are freelancing, you never say "Yes." to a project you cannot finish on time. So, as a freelancer, you need to hone two abilities: First, to know your schedule and your output rate, meshing the two so you aren't working crazy hours and doing a bad job all the way around; second, the ability to recognize when you need to turn down paying work along with the ability to tell a prospective client, "No."
This latter skill is not that easy. We are trained from a young age to be accommodating. There are ways to say 'No.' while being professional. Things like, "I'm sorry, I am booked out until May. If you want me to work on it after that, please let me know." You have to be prepared for the client to go to someone else. You also have to be prepared for the client to say, "Can you do it if the due date is May 15th?" This is where knowing your schedule and your output rate is crucial.
February 2, 2011
All Kinds of News
Things are trucking along here at Chez Brozek and, as usual, I am a busy-busy lass but I'm whittling my "To Do" list down to something more manageable these days. This is kind of where I am and stuff.
Editor stuff:
I turned in the full manuscript for HUMAN FOR A DAY for DAW. I am so damn proud of that thing. Some beautiful stories in it and my esteem for some of my authors has gone through the roof.
I have sent out the invitations to SPACE TRAMPS, Full-Throttle Space Tales #5 for Flying Pen Press. The Publisher is pleased with the authors I have writing for it and so am I.
I am in the process of reading stories for the BEAST WITHIN 2 anthology for Graveside Tales. It is slow going but mostly because of everything else on my plate. The authors will hear one way or another in a couple of weeks.
Author stuff:
I sold a story to a DAW anthology and I feel like I have leveled up as an author. I'm not naming the story or the anthology until the contract is signed but the editor has told me she's taking it.
I sold a story, "M.O.V.E.," to NO MAN'S LAND by Dark Quest Books. This is the fourth anthology in the Defending the Future series of anthologies and I'm very pleased to be sharing the TOC with the likes of Brenda Cooper, Ann Wilkes, and Danielle Ackley-MacPhail.
The big news: I just signed a contract to write a standalone tie-in novella for Dark Quest Games' new RPG setting, SHADESIDE. The novella is currently titled THE LADY OF SEEKING IN THE CITY OF WAITING and I'm thrilled to pieces. It combines all of my happiest thoughts with my most sought after goals—gaming, tie-in work, and long form fiction with the possibility of more work.
I have a couple of other things I must get done before I can settle in for the long term writing on LADY OF SEEKING—another anthology story, a Colonial Gothic PDF setting, Dice & Deadlines, and a non-fiction essay—but once those drop off the radar, it will be smooth sailing for a while.
I think.
Editor stuff:
I turned in the full manuscript for HUMAN FOR A DAY for DAW. I am so damn proud of that thing. Some beautiful stories in it and my esteem for some of my authors has gone through the roof.
I have sent out the invitations to SPACE TRAMPS, Full-Throttle Space Tales #5 for Flying Pen Press. The Publisher is pleased with the authors I have writing for it and so am I.
I am in the process of reading stories for the BEAST WITHIN 2 anthology for Graveside Tales. It is slow going but mostly because of everything else on my plate. The authors will hear one way or another in a couple of weeks.
Author stuff:
I sold a story to a DAW anthology and I feel like I have leveled up as an author. I'm not naming the story or the anthology until the contract is signed but the editor has told me she's taking it.
I sold a story, "M.O.V.E.," to NO MAN'S LAND by Dark Quest Books. This is the fourth anthology in the Defending the Future series of anthologies and I'm very pleased to be sharing the TOC with the likes of Brenda Cooper, Ann Wilkes, and Danielle Ackley-MacPhail.
The big news: I just signed a contract to write a standalone tie-in novella for Dark Quest Games' new RPG setting, SHADESIDE. The novella is currently titled THE LADY OF SEEKING IN THE CITY OF WAITING and I'm thrilled to pieces. It combines all of my happiest thoughts with my most sought after goals—gaming, tie-in work, and long form fiction with the possibility of more work.
I have a couple of other things I must get done before I can settle in for the long term writing on LADY OF SEEKING—another anthology story, a Colonial Gothic PDF setting, Dice & Deadlines, and a non-fiction essay—but once those drop off the radar, it will be smooth sailing for a while.
I think.
January 28, 2011
Reviews and stuff
I have been very much "heads down" on this final manuscript of HUMAN FOR A DAY for DAW. I'm pleased and even proud of what I've put together with the awesome authors who have contributed: Ian Tregillis, Jay Lake, Seanan McGuire, Tanith Lee, Fiona Patton, David Levine and Jim Hines...just to name a few.
Some of these stories are laugh out loud funny and others bring me to tears every single time I read them. I cannot wait to see this book in print.
In the meantime, here are a couple of reviews for my latest anthology release, BEAUTY HAS HER WAY by Dark Quest Books.
Fangirltastic Review: 4/5: http://www.fangirltastic.com/content/beauty-has-her-way-anthology
Goodreads by Nate Crowder: 4/5: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/142389270
Some of these stories are laugh out loud funny and others bring me to tears every single time I read them. I cannot wait to see this book in print.
In the meantime, here are a couple of reviews for my latest anthology release, BEAUTY HAS HER WAY by Dark Quest Books.
Fangirltastic Review: 4/5: http://www.fangirltastic.com/content/beauty-has-her-way-anthology
Goodreads by Nate Crowder: 4/5: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/142389270
January 19, 2011
Viral Video
Found: Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard - http://youtu.be/Dmop7EAY1Zg
Worth watching and passing on.
This is a story.
Worth watching and passing on.
This is a story.
January 15, 2011
The Edge of Propinquity - Issue 61
Issue 61: January 2011
Welcome to the Edge of Propinquity. Issue 61 is now published. It is a brand new year with three new authors and four new universe stories to enjoy. Take an international journey from Berkeley, California where perceptions are opened to Paradise City, Australia where crimes are hidden to Chicago, Illinois where boundaries are tested to Southern Saskatchewan, Canada where a heritage is discovered. Journey through worlds were nothing is what it seems and danger lurks in the most innocent of places.
Credencium - New Horizons like a Crack on the Head - by Kaolin Fire AKA
kaolinfire
Flotsam - Paradise City - by Peter M. Ball AKA
petermball
Idolwood - Foundations - by Ivan Ewert AKA
ivan23
The Ones Who Call - Grounded - By Alina Pete
Guest Story - Woman, Monster, Mother - By Steven Saus
Have you ever looked over the edge and seen something looking back at you?
Sincerely,
Jennifer Brozek
Editor, The Edge of Propinquity
http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net/default.asp
