Yeah, it’s a little early, but I’ve got a million things to do in the next few days before I hit the sky for London, so here’s chapter 3 of The Broken Kingdoms. In which Oree figures out a little more of the mystery surrounding her strange houseguest, and readers of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms get to see a couple of familiar faces…
Have a going-away pressie KEEP READING
Busy week coming up, boys and girls, as part of the run-up to The Broken Kingdoms’ launch. A list: Sunday, Oct 24: I’ll be reading from my short story “The Effluent Engine” at Steampunk Day at the Dumbo Lofts, here in NYC. Then I’m leaving on a jet plane, and… Wednesday, October 27: I’ll be in London! Reading at the BSFA meeting there, and getting interviewed in person by Niall Harrison. ::wibble:: Might also be doing a Q&A with Orbit UK; more on this later. Then… Saturday, Oct. 30: I’ll be doing a signing with Karen Miller at Forbidden Planet!
Stuff happening in places with people doing things! KEEP READING
ETA: China reports the ersatz Chinas (Chinae?) have been removed. Behold the power of geekdom! And no need to spread further, now. Trimming this down, accordingly. Post title borrowed from Marie Brennan, from whom I heard about this. Basically, author China Miéville is having some issues with Facebook. I’ll let him sum up, in a letter (actual paper letter!) that I have reposted with his enthusiastic permission to all.
China Miéville is not your Facebook friend. Owl Goingback might like to be. KEEP READING
What I’ve been doing in my spare time lately: I was one of the judges for the Speculative Literature Foundation’s Gulliver Travel Research Grant this year. I was one of the winners of this grant a few years back, and I used it for a kickass trip to Canyon de Chelly in Chinle, Arizona, in the Navajo nation. Winning this grant was one of the pivotal experiences that helped me feel like a “real writer”, and persist long enough to get an agent and sell a novel. So it felt great to give back, so to speak, and help another
Now that the first two chapters of The Broken Kingdoms have been posted, and you’ve gotten a glimpse of what life is like in the city beneath Sky, I have a question for you: would you want to live there? For those who haven’t read the sample chapters, I’ll give you a brief description of the city. Spoilers for those who haven’t read The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms!
The City of Shadow: A Tour KEEP READING
This past weekend was crazy busy for me because of two events: Orbit’s third anniversary in the United States, and New York Comic Con. I wasn’t sure until the last minute that I’d be able to attend NYCC, but a friend helped me out — so I got to wade through packed aisles full of cosplayers and creative reenacters, fans and professionals, and all kinds of booksy goodness. NYCC isn’t just about comics anymore; there’s a growing SF/F-writer presence there, and all the big publishing houses were out in force promoting their stuff, including Orbit. (And a few lucky people
It’s Really, Really, Real! KEEP READING
This has nothing to do with writing, though it is partly inspired by some stuff I’ve seen in the SF/F blogosphere lately. Sorry in advance for that. Heard today about the decline of the Tribune company, which once managed some of the most respected newspapers in the United States. There are probably a lot of reasons why the company fell apart, not the least of which is the general decline of print media overall, but I was struck by this article’s descriptions of changes that occurred at the company headquarters when new management took over. Among other things, the new
The “harm” of political correctness: a rant KEEP READING
Whoa, just realized this is out — Postscripts 22/23 from PS Publishing! The Postscripts anthologies are put out twice a year, and feature big-name authors writing some really cutting-edge stuff. And now one of them features little ol’ me, and my story “Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters,” set in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward during and after Hurricane Katrina. Some of you heard this at the New York Review of Science Fiction reading back in June, at which I attempted to accurately recall and reproduce the deliciously chewy New Orleans accent. An excerpt for
A little N’Awlins in the UK KEEP READING
One month to go ’til The Broken Kingdoms launches… and one more sample chapter to tease you and tide you over ’til then. Oree, who discovered a dead godling in chapter 1, gets into more trouble in this chapter thanks to the actions of a certain very problematic houseguest. Enjoy!
Chapter 2 of THE BROKEN KINGDOMS KEEP READING