Once, there was a writer who’d completed his first novel. It was decent. It was ready to go out, or at least as good as he could make it. And then his computer’s hard disk died. Completely. And it took the novel with it. “That’s okay,” he said. “We have a backup.” No, he didn’t.Continue reading “Why Backups are Important”
Category Archives: Writing
Author Interview: Reese Hogan
Today I’m presenting an interview with my fellow Debut 19 author Reese Hogan. Her novel, Shrouded Loyalties, comes out August 13th from Angry Robot books. Naval officer Mila Blackwood is determined to keep her country’s most powerful secret – shrouding, the ability to traverse their planet in seconds through an alternate realm – out ofContinue reading “Author Interview: Reese Hogan”
Book 2 Cover Reveal!
Here I am, writing away, trying to turn raw ideas into entertaining fodder, and–What’s that? There’s a new book listing? Oh! Well, then. Let’s talk about that. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce the cover for The Blood-Dimmed Tide, book 2 of The Remembrance War. Nice, isn’t it? I’m really happy with this design; there were three possibilities,Continue reading “Book 2 Cover Reveal!”
Debut Author Interview: Dan Stout
Obviously, I’m not the only new SFF writer of the year. Today I’m bringing you the first in a series of interviews with Science Fiction and Fantasy authors also debuting in 2019. Today we have Dan Stout, author of Titanshade, out March 12th from DAW books. Dan, what’s the book about? Titanshade is a fantasy noir thrillerContinue reading “Debut Author Interview: Dan Stout”
The Importance of Local Bookstores for Authors–and the Reading Public
Long ago, in the dark days of my early-to-mid-twenties, I was a bookseller at Books, Inc. in Sacramento. It was an odd job; very “Empire Records”-like in the way the staff interacted. I kind of miss it sometimes, even though I rarely worked more than 20 hours in a week and I had to eventuallyContinue reading “The Importance of Local Bookstores for Authors–and the Reading Public”
On Reviews of My Work, and How I’ll Handle Them.
Sometime in the very near future, reviews of my book will be appearing in the wild. I’ve gotten a lot of well-meaning advice from friends to the effect of “don’t read them.” But let’s be honest, here. I wrote this book. I sent it out for three rounds of Beta. I rewrote parts of it extensively. Continue reading “On Reviews of My Work, and How I’ll Handle Them.”
The Widening Gyre Now Available For Pre-Order!
Exciting news! The Widening Gyre, my debut novel coming in March from Flame Tree Press, is now available for pre-order (in some formats)! NB: Only the hardcover, paperback, and non-Kindle ebook are currently available to order. If you want it as a Kindle book or an audiobook, you’ll have to wait a bit longer to pre-order.Continue reading “The Widening Gyre Now Available For Pre-Order!”
Pre-Production Report: The next WIP
I’m currently in “pre-production” on a new-ish project, by which I mean I am engaged in working the kinks out of an idea I’ve been kicking around for some time. In movies, pre-production is when art, financing, casting, etc. are done. The script is finished, then broken down into scenes, and storyboards. Location scouting, costuming,Continue reading “Pre-Production Report: The next WIP”
Debut Diary, Part 3: The Cover
Yesterday, I received an email from my editor. Yes, I still love to say “my editor.” Anyway, I thought it was going to be my edits, but no–it was cover design ideas. He presented me with two, told me his preference, and asked for mine. I’ve thought about this moment a lot, even before IContinue reading “Debut Diary, Part 3: The Cover”
My First Worldcon
So I attended Worldcon 76, in San Jose, CA. It was my first Worldcon; the last one in my neck of the woods was Reno in 2011, and I was not in a good enough financial space to go to that one. All in all, I enjoyed the experience, but as a baby writer whoseContinue reading “My First Worldcon”