Web Log
Wonderful Reviews from Publisher Weekly & Library Journal & a Brief Perspective
Somehow I never got around to blogging about the last two Pre-pub reviews that came in during 2009. I’ll post them below and then reflect briefly on how this aspect of publishing appears to the eyes of a newbie author.
The first review is from Publishers Weekly. The complete review can be found here. It’s solid [...]
Turning 30 on the 30th!
NOTA BENE: THE FOLLOWING POST IS A SHAMELESS PLEA FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN & BIRTHDAY ATTENTION. THOSE WHO ARE NOT A) CLOSE FRIENDS, B) FAMILY MEMBERS, C) PEOPLE WHO OWE ME MONEY OR A FAVOR, OR D) BARFLIES IN THE BAY AREA, MAY NOT WANT TO READ THIS.
Dearly Beloved You People:
It’s hard to get people to [...]
A First Publication in an Academic Medical Journal
Last spring, before the grueling process of studying for the first part of the US medical licensing exam, I had the privilege to discuss literature and medicine with Abraham Verghese, one of the physicians and novelists I admire most in this world. Out of that discussion came an article that examined Tolstoy’s The Death of [...]
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SPELLWRIGHT’s Beautiful World Map!
Likely any fan of fantasy literature can relate to poring over the maps of foreign worlds, imagination afire with images of what each city or spectacle might look like and what adventures might be had between them. Of particular importance to me were the beautiful illuminated map of Robert Jordan’s world, Robin Hobb’s Six Dutches, [...]
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Early Review Love for Spellwright: Realms of Fantasy & A Dribble of Ink
One of the most nail-biting times for an author is the period after a manuscript has been finalized (and therefore can no longer be improved) but before reader reactions start to come in. We’re still a ways away from that the deluge, but some early reviews have come in.
The first is from Matt Staggs at [...]
SPELLWRIGHT UK & Australia Cover Rethink
Just got word from my UK editor that they have been pondering their cover for SPELLWRIGHT and looking for a way to work the academy of Starhaven (a magical academy based loosely on a university in New Haven) onto the art. I hadn’t been aware that cover art might change, so don’t take this as [...]
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Belated End of Year Updatery
Dearly Beloved YOU PEOPLE:
Apologies for the dearth of blog posts. After my publicity blitz for the interview I wrote up for A Dribble of Ink, I was pretty tired of the-business-of-writing and wanted to get back to actual writing. Progress on SPELLBOUND is moving along. I hit the 36,000 word mark last night and feel [...]
An Interview about Spellwright & my Contemplations Fantastic
Check out my first interview as a debut author!
Aidan Moher and his uber-slick SFF blog, A Dribble of Ink, showed up on my radar last summer and since then ADoI has become one of my favorite blogs. It’s got all the current genre news, great presentation of the latest cover art, thoughtful reviews, and wonderful [...]
Why Adolescent Medicine is Awesome
(The following dialog is the amalgamation of several patient encounters and represents no actual patient encounter. All identifying information has been removed to avoid an authorial HIPAA violation and a teen OMGWTFHOLLA violation.)
Girl-who-thinks-she-got-a-higher-verbal-SAT-score-than-I-did: Look I just need you to sign my physical form so I can play volleyball. And I’ve been waiting for like…ever.
Blake [...]
World Fantasy Convention 2009 Report
My second WFC. The first was Austin 2006, right after I signed with Tor. This year WFC felt different–not only in the physical details of city, hotel, programming, but also in the spirit of the convention. I must have had five different conversations about the “present state of publishing and the economy.” Some of this [...]
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