October book job in...

A new publisher for me, and also a new book line. This manuscript is SF. :>


In other news, Nick Mamatas sold a nonfiction book called Starve Better: Surviving the Endless Horror of the Writing Life to Apex Publications.

Joe Haldeman and John Varley won the 2009 Robert A. Heinlein Award.

The great Slush God, John Joseph Adams, is soon leaving F&SF and will be editing a new online magazine called Lightspeed. See the press release on his blog.

JJA is nifty in many ways. Because he posted about Shimmer wanting another copy editor over two years ago, a friend sent me thence, right as JJA was guest editing the Pirate Issue -- which became my first issue. :> This year JJA picked up John's Hugo for EV in Montreal.

And... he's a very nice guy.

Books, 'zines, promotion...

From Moonrat, Your Pub Date, Minus... and Novice Authors Must Promote Themselves.

Shimmer's Issue 11, the Clockwork Jungle Book, is due out soon. So is Electric Velocipede 19. You can catch up with my editors -- Beth and John, respectively -- at the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose.

My friend's thoughts about e-books, from a discussion on Tor.com (Bells, Whistles, & Books) .

For anyone who wants to find print books a good home, and/or exchange books for other books, PaperBackSwap.com has the best selection and very nice users, while swaptree.com expedites swapping books, CDs, DVDs, and video games.

Last weekend's ConClave 34 was awesome: The Baen Barflies. Marcon's brownies. Travis Taylor's "Sex in Space" panel with M. Keaton. A really great workshop. The Great Lakes Gaylaxian's room party...

Running full slam...

This October is a little... busy.


Support Our 'Zines Day was 1-Oct-09. If you didn't know, do stop by your favorite and show your appreciation!

The SOZD progress report, by its creator, Damien G. Walter. Charles Tan lists a few more 'zines. I recommend Cheryl Morgan's post, with her link to Amanda Palmer, for anyone who thinks highly of the starving artiste motif.

The first World SF round table.

This weekend I'll be at ConClave. We'll be doing the writing workshop. Hope to see you there. :>

PSA: Chocolate at IGMS.

J.F. Lewis has a story in IGMS, issue 14 ("FWoC"). His first book _Staked_ came out March 2008 from Pocket Books; the sequel _ReVamped_ came out March 2009.

I love these books. I can't wait for more. They are violent and the language is not for everyone. :< I'm not everyone. If I was a vampire, I'd probably be a lot like Eric.

At least, I hope I'd be. I'm tired of whiny vampires too.

Besides, _Staked_ starts with one of the best openings ever.

Whatever's take. :>

Detroit and TIME

TIME Magazine bought a house in Detroit. Because they care, say I.

=smile= Sports Illustrated said because Detroit is at heart a sports town.

I know that to many people who don't live in Michigan, Detroit stands for Michigan. I love my state. I remember coming back on Greyhound once, and seeing Detroit got me all choked up. That meant I was really home, seeing the Ambassador Bridge, the Fox Theater, the Ren Cen... knowing the parts you couldn't see from the road, like Belle Isle and Trappers Alley. Things I cannot describe easily here, even. As much a part of my life as Oakland University is.

Detroit's my city too. Right now I live a few miles from the edge of city limits.

So this hasn't anything to do with my usual links about writing and publishing, or cons -- but there's journalists here.

We're all in this together. ("You, me, her and him," as Sondheim says.) Libraries, cities, states... people.

Losing libraries.

Moonrat posted about Philadelphia's libraries and publishing. I began from her link because she talks about the importance of libraries to readers and to publishers.

Max told me about a local library's problems. The Troy Public Library or 20 police officers??

So I found that Michigan's libraries got cut also. Here is MeL's save library funding.

Please look around at your libraries. See if they're in trouble. Ask if there's anything you can do, or your kids, or your family, or your friends: Volunteer. Donations. Spreading the word.

We need our libraries, all of us. Don't let them die.

Lies, plot, & publishing 'zines.

Jeremiah Tolbert has the 5 Lies Writers Believe About Editors. Not only is it marvelous, and funny, it makes perfect sense. Even to me -- and I'm not an acquisitions editor, I don't read slush, nor do I handle line/content editing.

And Patrick said something excellent about plot, involving, ah, contrivances... which I found hilarious.

The first two came from Moonrat, earlier this month. :>

ETA: Whither Goest Thou, Print Short Fiction? About running a 'zine, e-rights, etc. Do note that some of the links inside the comments are broken and revert to the main article instead.