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Dusting off the blog...and where did all these drow come from?

  • Apr. 28th, 2012 at 11:12 PM

I'm back!  Tax season is finally over for another year, and though I'm still trying to regain my equilibrium, I'm ready to dive into writing again.  I just turned in a round of edits on the Mistshore sequel, which actually has a title!  My fifth Forgotten Realms novel is Spider and Stone, part of the Rise of the Underdark event.  Yep, it's Icelin vs. the drow.  I'm betting on Icelin, of course.  No Amazon/Barnes and Noble listing as yet, but as soon as the book is available for pre-order (ebook only at this point, as far as I know) I will make an announcement here.  Release is scheduled for December 2012.

In the meantime, I have two short stories to write, revisions on the YA steampunk novel, and an announcement about a new blog gig coming soon!  It's good to be back.
  • Mood: accomplished accomplished
  • Music:None

Poor Neglected Blog

  • Jan. 24th, 2012 at 8:05 PM

I'd been doing so much better on updating these past few months, but alas, it's time for another hiatus until the worst part of tax season is over.  Believe me, you wouldn't enjoy tax season blogging.  It's boring, all W-2s, e-filing snafus, and omg-I-want-to-light-all-this-paperwork-on-fire-just-to-get-it-off-my-desk!

Nudge me when it's spring.  :)
  • Mood: restless restless
  • Music:Blackhawks game

Happy Holidays

  • Dec. 24th, 2011 at 12:00 PM

Wherever you are, have a safe and wonderful holiday, and I'll see you all in 2012.  :)
  • Mood: happy happy
  • Music:Extraordinary Merry Christmas

Shadowbane Review

  • Dec. 18th, 2011 at 9:57 PM

“I will make of myself a darkness.  A darkness where there is only me.”  -Kalen Dren

There’s just something about bad boys.  That’s what I find myself thinking while reading the opening pages of Shadowbane, sequel to Downshadow, by Erik Scott de Bie.

The exotic, mysterious Myrin is attempting to reclaim her lost memories, but at the same time, she’s trying to forget about the man who rejected her: Kalen Dren, the aforementioned Shadowbane.  Kalen is afflicted with a spellscar that lets him feel no pain—unfortunately it seems to have deprived him of several other vital feelings as well, at least where Myrin is concerned.

Yet Kalen obviously still carries her in his own memory, keeping a note she wrote to him, and when word reaches him that Myrin is in trouble in Luskan, Kalen bulls his way into and through the city, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.  What he finds at the end of his search is an unexpected set of circumstances, and that’s where the story truly takes off.

“Touch my hands.” -Kalen
“Well, goodsir, I don’t think we’re quite that intimate.” –Rhett

Though Kalen and Myrin and their various conflicts take center stage in the novel, the secondary and tertiary characters sneak in and often steal their scenes.  Rhett, Kalen’s would-be apprentice, is a lighter counterpoint to Kalen’s grim demeanor, and the halfling Toytere is an entertaining and worthy antagonist with what is perhaps the best moniker ever.

Ultimately, though, what I enjoyed most about the novel is the theme of memory running through it.  There’s Myrin’s search for her own memories, of course, and Kalen’s past in Luskan, which seems always ready to leap out from shadowy corners and drag him down into the darkness.  But there are also memories of gods who once lived, and the mortals who carry on as best they can without them, and memories of cities now irrevocably altered and scarred.  Erik brings it all to life brilliantly.  The novel is rich in emotion, action, and steeped in Realmslore to more than satisfy long-time fans, yet accessible for readers new to the setting who just want to dive into the story of Myrin and Shadowbane.

Oh, and there are Ghostwalker references.  What’s not to love there?

  • Mood: cheerful cheerful
  • Music:SWTOR music

Foreshadows Now Available for Pre-Order!

  • Dec. 8th, 2011 at 5:17 PM

We warned you to watch the shadows, and now the future is here!  Foreshadows is a 19-story anthology featuring tales of dark science fiction packaged with a 19-track album of original soundtrack music and instrumentals linked to each of the 19 stories, including my own contribution, "Made in Brazil, Living in Japan."  A collaborative effort years in the making, Foreshadows: The Ghosts of Zero is now available for pre-order and will be released on February 21, 2012.

Find more details, including a trailer and author/musician list, at Foreshadows.net. 

I have to say, I've been excited about this one for a long time, and I can't wait to see it step out of the shadows and into readers' hands.
  • Mood: excited excited
  • Music:None

Much Ado About The To-Do List

  • Dec. 2nd, 2011 at 8:27 PM

Occasionally, it's helpful for me to look back over the recent months and reflect on the writing work I've done, particularly when I'm beating myself up over lack of energy and productivity (or when I'm feeling guilty for playing Dragonage or Skyrim).  It's a good way to remind myself that yes, sometimes this writing gig gets busy and stressful and tiring, especially when combined with work and family commitments, and even though sometimes I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything, all I have to do is look over the following list of projects and realize that, lo and behold, things are happening, and that I should relax.

So here it is, a list of the writerly things I've accomplished (or will have, by the end of December) since around June.

Wrote and edited first draft of YA steampunk novel - 80,000 words
Wrote promo prequel short story for upcoming anthology
Extensive research for potential future short story opportunity
Completed draft of Mistshore sequel - 90,000 words
Composed 5 academic papers for class in Imperial Russian History based on extensive readings
Maintained biweekly read and critique schedule for writer's group
Read and/or committed to read two full-length novels for review
Completed draft of short story for anthology submission
Composed one blog entry per week (since September)

Like I said, this is mostly for my own self-indulgence, and believe me I realize it doesn't come close to the schedules and number of commitments a lot of writers maintain, but as far as my personal goals for 2011, I think I'm in a good place.    
  • Mood: sleepy sleepy
  • Music:None

Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Nov. 23rd, 2011 at 9:31 PM

If you're traveling over the holiday, be safe.  I'm thankful to be spending the weekend with family and friends...and maybe if I have time, I'll slay a dragon and absorb its soul.*  You know, whatever comes up.  

*Yes, Mom, that was a video game reference.  Don't worry, I'll explain it later.  ;)
  • Mood: cheerful cheerful
  • Music:None

Bookplates for the holidays

  • Nov. 18th, 2011 at 3:19 PM

The holiday season is upon us (whether we want it to be or not, heh) so I thought I'd take this opportunity to remind folks that I still have bookplates available upon request.  All you need to do is drop me an email with your mailing address and to whom you'd like the bookplate personalized.  I noticed a spike in requests last year around Thanksgiving and Christmas, so if you need stocking stuffer ideas for any shadar-kai fans, remember, nothing says love like the gift of a spiked chain.  Barring that, give them a signed bookplate!  ;)  
  • Mood: working working
  • Music:None

Nov. 10th, 2011

  • 9:37 PM

Mistshore sequel status: 79,002 words and counting.  In other exciting news, we are closing in on a title for this bad boy.  Although I've been calling it the Mistshore sequel (or Mistshore 2, Mistshore Strikes Back, as it says on my Word document--not really) for so long that I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around any other title.

I also imported the YA steampunk book into Scrivener for Windows to take the program out for a test drive.  Overall I'm liking it.  I'm not sure I'm on board with composing a novel in the program, but importing a completed rough draft opens up all kinds of opportunities for tinkering, and I am all about the tinkering.  The cork board options are particularly appealing and nifty, as is the outline mode.  I remember the first novel I ever wrote I tried to do something similar with the organization by breaking the chapters down into separate Word files, which was helpful in some ways because I was able to keep track of the length of each and find plot points and character info easier, but it also got a little unwieldy for me, so I ditched that method--along with the novel, although I did get a nice rejection letter on it from Harlequin romance. 

Anyway, if you're interested in Scrivener, there's a nice 30-day trial you can take advantage of.  See what you think.
  • Mood: awake awake
  • Music:None

Trick-or-Treat Recap

  • Oct. 31st, 2011 at 9:39 PM

Final count: 287 trick-or-treaters.  And one very tired sorceress.  

Popular costumes this year included Mario and Luigi (as usual), ninjas, witches, Spider-man, Scream costumes, and Transformers.  We had a particularly aggressive Bumblebee who jumped up onto the step and attacked the candy bowl while her mother called out anxiously from the street, "Hands down!  Hands down!"  Bumblebee was not impressed.

My favorite costumes were the little boy dressed as a John Deere tractor complete with working headlights, and the girl dressed as Thing 1 in the front and Thing 2 in the back.

Funniest moment:
Luigi: *Holds up candy bag*
Me: *Holds out handful of candy* "What are the magic words?"
Luigi: *Looking at the offered candy* "I don't want that kind."
Me: "Those aren't the magic words."

Only two epic fails this year.  First, I could not accurately identify the kid dressed as General Grievous.  To be fair, he was dressed as a character from  a movie I didn't like all that much.  Second fail, (and I probably should have added this to my Halloween guidelines) don't ever assume gender, especially when you're dealing with costumes.  My house is probably going to get soaped over that one.

Ah, Halloween.  Still one of my favorite holidays.  :)
  • Mood: amused amused
  • Music:None

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