What I’ve been up to lately

So, it’s been awhile, blogosphere; my apologies. I would’ve updated sooner, but I had some technical difficulties (now fixed thanks to a move to a new web host) and a series of cascading deadlines that was… well, not fun. But for the first time in awhile, I’ve got room to breathe! So here’s what you missed, if you don’t follow me on Twitter or FB.

“The Awakened Kingdom” and Inheritance Trilogy omnibus are on the way!

You can preorder the ebook version now. Just sent off the page proofs today! And here’s the cover, if you missed it:
Awakened Kingdom ebook cover - shows stylized brassy stars exploding on a burgundy background, and book title.

Clarion!

I came back from Clarion into a massive deadline and a fresh bout of bronchitis, so didn’t update at the time. Fortunately, a number of Clarion students have blogged about this summer, including Martin Cahill’s account of how the dreaded Week 4 went with me on deck. (Hint: I shot them. I SHOT THEM ALL.) It was grueling, inspiring, frustrating, and humbling in the best way. Clarionites, I miss you guys!

Some members of Clarion UCSD mugging for the camera, and me
Photo credit Vida Cruz, July 2014

Birthday!

Sept 19th was my birthday, so for a personal treat I finally got around to doing the thing I’ve wanted to do since 2004 when my first novel got me an agent, which I consider to be the starting point of my pro-writer career. I’m a big believer in the importance of acknowledging personal milestones; without those, I don’t feel like I’m making any progress in life. So to demarcate the point where I took a great flying leap toward the achievement of a lifelong dream, ten years later I’ve gotten my Gatherer tattoo. Those of you who’ve read the Dreamblood may recall that when a Gatherer-Apprentice is accepted into that path, he is marked with an identifying floral tattoo (since Gatherers’ faces are generally unseen — everyone knows them as “the Rose”, or “the Nightshade”). Nijiri’s is the blue lotus. I started to go with an Egyptian design originally, and some of you may recall that I solicited ideas from readers about what the Gatherer tattoo should look like. I got several good designs — thanks, folks. But nothing really grabbed me, and since I didn’t have the money to spare at the time, I set the idea on the back burner again. But then lo and behold, artist Lee Moyer and I got to talking about some things re Arisia (where we’ll both be GoHs next year), and he showed me a pretty, and that was it. That was Nijiri’s lotus. So with his kind permission, I have applied his art to my flesh.

This is the tat freshly done. Can’t show you the final form because it’s still healing and looks kind of gross right now. -_- Maybe later.

Image of Jemisin's left shoulder with tattoo of a stylized blue lotus
Design by Lee Moyer, tattoo by Willie at Brooklyn Tattoo.

And a little something more…

ETA: Almost forgot; I’ve been busy with a few other things lately. A few reprints newly out, plus another NYT SFF roundup review is coming soon. I can’t talk about the review, but I suppose I can gloat a little about at least one of the books I’ve gotten to read lately, thanks to this NYT gig…

Photo of three books -- two anthologies featuring Jemisin reprints, the third a review copy of Ann Leckie's ANCILLARY SWORD

So that’s all the news that is news in Noraville. How’s by you guys?

9 thoughts on “What I’ve been up to lately”

  1. Glad to hear about the omnibus! Still working through my backlog of reading material, coming up soon is The Shadowed Sun. Really looking forward to it.

  2. Argh, my flipping the table emoji didn’t translate.
    Well, it was a flipping the table emoji, just so you know.
    *flips table*

  3. Having deadlines is good;* having met them is the best! Congratulations on the work being done, and on getting to read Ancillary Sword before the rest of us — it is as good as we’re expecting, right?

    *my spouse is a freelance journalist, not having anything due is the pits

  4. I am a new reader to the world of Noraville and I can’t. Stop. Reading. I’m currently on the third book of the Inheritance Trilogy and the fact that there’s a 4th book coming well…let’s just say, my roommates needed earplugs for the excited noises.

    Love the tattoo! Absolutely lovely!

  5. I really like the color of the tattoo! And I really can’t wait for your next work. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!

  6. Pingback: 2014 Holiday Letter | Lee Moyer

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