Updates! Updates *everywhere!*

OK.

So.

My health was pretty awful in July and early August, thanks to one of the worst episodes of PMDD I've experienced since college. Basically, all I could do for about four weeks after Readercon was go to my day job, come home, sleep, and force myself through a few immediate commitments like book review deadlines and Steam-Powered II stuff. Needless to say, LJ and Tweeting pretty much fell by the wayside, and I've been spending the weeks in August where I haven't felt like crap playing Clean/Write/Edit/Review All the Things.

In my hiatus, a bunch of things have happened.

Lesbian Werewolves!

First, I have another anthology out. It's called Bitten by Moonlight , and it's a bit unusual as my anthologies go, in that it's a collection of four novellas/novelettes (how do we differentiate these anymore, btw?) this time instead of 12-15 short stories/novelettes. It's a super awesome book featuring stories by catherineldf , erzebet , and rm and Tyree Campbell, Sam's Dot Publishing's owner and a damn fine author in his own right who unfortunately is not on The Live Journal. I am really proud of this one--though I always am of my anthologies--because I think it offers a much-needed take on my favorite creatures of the night. The Kitty books and a few other paranormal romances aside, it is so rare to find stories about female werewolves where the wolves in question aren't either pathologized or dismissed as a joke (hi, Leah from Twilight!). To say this has disappointed me for years is a major understatement. So, with the kind permission of Zumaya Publishing, I put this book together.

I think the blurb on Amazon sums it up better than I could. So here it is:

The full of the moon is a time of transformation for the characters in this collection of four novellas, in more ways than one. Becca [Catherine Lundoff's story] discovers menopause is more than just a question of hormones. Gretchen's life, which she views with shame and horror, may not be the worst that can happen [Erzebet YellowBoy's story]. Paulina [Racheline Maltese's story] just wanted a place to sleep, but fate has other plans. And are there really vegan werewolves? [Tyree Campbell's story] Terror and joy, love and death, fear and courage: all facets of the human, and inhuman, condition evolve when you're Bitten by Moonlight.

Seriously. This book has a woman who is dealing with The Change and lycanthropy at the same time, a young woman whose lycanthropy is a beautiful metaphor for disability, a mannerpunk tale of wolves and oppression set in an alternate Rome, and a sweet romance set in Arizona--which opens with a werewolf ravaging a box of tofu.

The dead tree version can be purchased here and Kindlers can get their copies here. Fellow Nook users, I know that it's not yet available in Nook format, but we're working on getting Barnes and Noble to get that up. I will have a link for you shortly--and believe me, as a Nookie myself, I am very anxious to see this little wrinkle ironed out.

Given how fast this book ultimately came together, and some of the hiccups that happened along the way, I didn't have time to really blog about it before now. But there will be a few fun things surrounding its release. For example, I'm scheduled to appear at Bitten by Books, a super awesome site for All Things Paranormal Romance on Aug. 30. I'll be around pretty much all day answering questions, chatting about the book, and doing some fun stuff like giveaways. I'll post lots of reminders up to that time, but please drop in and say hi if you can, and spread the word if you can't. I really want to talk to you there!


And of course, if you want to review this thing for your website/blog/multi-national newspaper, please shoot me an email at upstart(dot)crow @ gmail, or leave a comment here. I or my publicist Jaym Gates will get in touch.

Steam-Powered II!

As of this week, Steam-Powered II is done, man. It's off to the publisher for proofing and its new release date is Oct. 26. There's a lot going on around and after its release, so stay tuned. And if you want to review it and/or Steam-Powered I, please let me know. I only ask if you request that you make good on putting up a review. Out of about 60 people who requested a review copy of SP1 last year, I think maybe 1/10th of those actually read and reviewed.

Femmes Fatales!

I've been meaning to post about this for ages, but ill health and fatigue kept messing up my plans. Femmes Fatales, my lesbian mystery/erotica/romance anthology for Lethe Press is again extending its reading period--to Oct. 15 (initially it was going to be Sept. 30, but as i'm two weeks late getting the word out...). As of now, I'm in need of about 4 stories and I HIGHLY prefer non-spec mysteries to mysteries with spec elements at this point. Basically, I have about five spec stories I've accepted for an anthology that isn't really a SF/F/H anthology, and I need to balance it out. Guidelines are here: http://upstart-crow.livejournal.com/442166.html (scroll down past the guidelines for Steam-Powered II).

PLEASE spread the word and PLEASE submit! I know my four stories are out there trying to find me.

Lace and Blade!

I thought I'd announced this, but apparently not. As of 2012/2013, I'll be taking over Norilana's Lace and Blade series. New guidelines will be up soon. Right now, I don't know whether my first book will be for 2012 or 2013, but I'll let you know as soon as I do.

And another reading period...

I'll be reading stories for another Zumaya anthology in September. And--wait for it!--this one will be my first book about gay men, which should be both challenging and exciting. Theme to be announced hopefully early next week, as I think this deserves a separate post and I've got ArmadilloCon to prepare for.

ArmadilloCon!

Schedule for that to be up in a moment.

I think that's all.