I’m offering two prizes for the Worldbuilders campaign this year, a partial manuscript critique and a query letter/synopsis critique with a video chat consultation.
The query/synopsis critique and online consultation
I’d appreciate any signal boosting possible, as the Worldbuilders charity is a great cause.
In case anyone still hasn’t seen this story, I direct your attention to Writeahouse, a charity that’s buying up abandoned, run-down houses, providing work to fix them up to 80% restored, then giving them to writers, who get the house free if they live there, do the last 20% of the restoration, and will get to keep the house if they stay long enough.
Given the numerous and serious problems facing Detroit, including a huge PR problem of ‘who would want to live in Detroit?’ offering artists a chance at super-affordable housing and a ready-made community is very intriguing.
If they did something similar in Baltimore, I might be up for it. Right now, we can’t leave where we are, due to my fiance’s work. And living anywhere but New England/East Coast is a no-go for my Angry Robot work. I have to stay within striking distance of New York City.
More info on Writahouse here:
http://boingboing.net/2013/12/18/free-houses-for-writers.html
This year is going to be big.
I’ve got conventions, publications, new projects, and high ambitions. If I pull off 2014 right, I might just have taken over the world. Or at least, it’ll feel like I’ve done so.
Here’s a summary of what’s coming up for me in 2014, including 2 novels, a novella, a graphic novel, and at least one short story. Whew. I’m already tired just thinking about what’s in store.
Publications:
Squeaking in just under the wire, here’s my 2013 in review as it applies to my life. Favorite Media will come later.
In The Writing Life:
I released CELEBROMANCY, the second Ree Reyes novel, as well as my first ever sequel. I wrote CELEBROMANCY in less than half the time it took to write GEEKOMANCY, and I’m proud of several things from that novel, mostly in terms of characterization challenges that I gave myself. Plus, I got to write a fight scene with a dragon in it, as well as extended LEVERAGE homage. Another delight with CELEBROMANCY was hearing Mary Robinette Kowal bring it to life in an excellent audiobook edition.
I sold three more books to Pocket Star – ATTACK THE GEEK, which is coming April 7th, 2014, plus two books in a new series, The Younger Gods. Getting a second book deal with your first publisher is a big deal, and a strong vote of confidence from the Pocket Star team.
I sold SHIELD AND CROCUS to 47North, as well as a companion graphic novel (name to be finalized). SHIELD AND CROCUS had been with me for several years, so I was even more excited than normal to find it a home. Plus, comic! More on that soon, I hope.
I spent time focusing on craft in taking a short fiction class online, to great results. I have a writing sprint method now, which has given me two new short stories to revise, as well as the promise of being able to apply it over to novel-writing, with some adjustment.
This year also brought me many amazing moments connecting with readers, fellow writers, and the publishing world. For the first time this year, I was the subject of someone’s fangirling moment at a convention, which is just about the coolest thing ever. Knowing that my work has moved people makes all the long evenings and working weekends totally worthwhile.
I wrote a novel, a novella, and two short stories, as well as two other pitch packages for novel projects yet to sell. I outlined a separate novel, re-outlined a short story, and put several short pieces out on submission. I also committed to writing for the Tianxia anthology, which was funded via Kickstarter.
Conventions I attended solely for my writing included ConFusion, WisCon, the Baltimore Book Festival, and World Fantasy.
Brought on by Sarah Pinsker, I helped her launch a SF/F readings series in Baltimore – the Dangerous Voices Variety Hour, hosting authors such as Leanna Renee Hieber, Fran Wilde, Lois McMaster Bujold, and more.
After several excellent guest spots, I joined the Skiffy and Fanty podcast and blog crew, contributing to the blog and participating in podcasts, mostly author interviews and the Shoot the WISB media review/snark/squee series.
According to my spreadsheets, I wrote 133,867 words of fiction this year. I’d like to get that to at least 150K in 2014, but next year will involve a lot of revision, where it’s harder to keep track of new words, and takes lots of effort on its own.
In Angry Robotic Life:
Between our three imprints, we released over forty amazing science fiction, fantasy, and crime novels, including launching Exhibit A, a hard-hitting cinematic crime imprint.
I got to help dozens of authors get their work out into the world, worked on marketing plans, supported the amazing Random House sales team in getting our books shelf space in stores, and worked with my colleagues on hatching many insidious plans, which you’ll see hatch over the next few months and beyond.
In 2013, I attended BEA, ALA, Convergence, WorldCon, and Bouchercon for work, making connections, selling books, and supporting our authors. I also visited NYC for several author events at stores such as Singularity & Co. and WORD Bookstore.
Among those cons was my first crime convention, Bouchercon, in Albany, NY. Despite being a Crime Padawan, I was welcomed with open arms, made new friends, and learned a ton about the genre and the community. Huge thanks there go to my now-colleague, Bryon Quertermous, for several great talks over the weekend.
In Life-in-General:
I got engaged! Holy crap! We’re not looking at having the ceremony until around Fall ’15, so we have lots of time to plan. As-is, 2014 is already going to be incredibly busy for me, what with putting out three books, writing at least one new novel, and overseeing a graphic novel.
Moved to Baltimore, MD – In March, Meg got a government job in DC, so we moved down to Baltimore, with me working from home, thanks to the grace of my Robot Overlords.
Early in the year, I was studying German Longsword, which was marvelous fun. I haven’t connected with a Maryland group yet, but I know they’re out there. I’ve been busy with the writing stuff, but hope to do more martial arts in 2014.
Next month, I’m returning to ConFusion, just outside Detroit, Michigan. I had a marvelous time when I went last year, and one of the most fun parts was the programming. I’m honored to be a participant again next year.
Here’s my schedule:
Bechdel, Mako Mori, and the “Strong Female Character”
Sandra Tayler, Michael R. Underwood, Brigid Collins, Rae Carson, Christian Klaver
6pm Friday – Southfield
A female character is not strong just because she can kick someone in the head. What are the limitations of the Bechdel Test (2 female characters have a conversation about something other than a male character)? How does the Mako Mori test come into play? And when did the notion of a “strong character”–meaning a rounded character with agency and a backstory–get replaced by simple physical strength? How does all of this apply beyond female characters and move into representations of other marginalized groups?
Missed Trends in Urban Fantasy
Lucy A. Snyder, Christian Klaver, Michael R. Underwood, Courtney Moulton, J. C. Daniels
9am Saturday – Erie
Sometimes an idea fails to find an audience, or zeitgeist just zigs when a story zags. For whatever reason, there are a number of unexplored areas of Urban Fantasy that we might want to revisit.
Writing Young Adult/Middle Grade
Sarah Zettel, Michael R. Underwood, Kelley Armstrong, Courtney Moulton, Merrie Haskell
2pm Saturday – Southfield
Everything you wanted to know about writing young adult and middle grade fiction.
Reading with Bradley Beaulieu and Michael R. Underwood
Big Six now the Big Five
Laura Resnick, Myke Cole, Bradley Beaulieu, Michael R. Underwood
5pm Saturday – Southfield
How does the consolidation of publishers affect the landscape of publishing?
Right now I’m working on the copy edits for ATTACK THE GEEK, the Ree Reyes Side-Quest (coming April 7th of next year!). It’s a shorter story, weighing in at about 1/2 the size of a normal Ree Reyes novel, so it’s making the revision steps go quite a bit faster.
When working through copy edits, the copy editor, usually a freelancer, will suggest changes to the manuscript based on house style, the series’ style sheet, and continuity. Copy editors are awesome. They do the kind of editing that I’m weakest at, the super-granular nitty-gritty stuff, and for that, they have my eternal thanks.
But since the series is so pop-culture-tastic, sometimes the copy editor doesn’t know what I’m up to, and they make changes based on Normal World grammar and style as opposed to Geek Word style (TM). Which means that when I go through the copy edits, I end up using STET (a typography term for ‘leave it be,’ and rolling back their changes.
Here are some of the funnier STETs from ATTACK THE GEEK:
My friend Jack Norris is running a Kickstarter for a wuxia RPG called Tianxia: Blood, Silk, and Jade. Jack and I go way back in gaming, and I had the fortune of testing an early early version of what would become Tianxia, and even then it was awesome. The game is 99% done and printer-ready, and the Kickstarter has hit its initial goal and several stretch goals.
But there’s one more stretch goal, and this one is particularly important to me: If we get a total of 1000 backers (48 more at the time of this writing) or hit $35,000 ($2,692 more at this time), then Vigilance Press will produce a fiction anthology called Tianxia: Year of the Snake. I’ve committed to writing for the anthology if it happens, and I’d be in the company of gaming luminaries such as Robin D. Laws, Gareth Skarka, Allen Turner, T.S. Luikar, and John “Leverage” Rogers, a personal writing idol of mine.
So if you’re a gamer or you like wuxia stories, kung fu action, or cool fiction anthologies, please go take a look at the Kickstarter page and consider pledging to help us reach this last goal.
This exciting news hit my Twitter feed today, courtesy of Publishers’ Weekly.
I’d been wondering why S&S didn’t have a dedicated SF&F imprint, since it’s a genre that’s adapted well to digital distribution, and is continuing to garner a ton of buzz and an avid fanbase in the reading world.
Congrats and good luck to all involved. I’ll be watching this news with great interest.
W00t! It’s that time again, folks – It’s Angry Robot Open Door time!
“But Mike, what are you talking about? I am conveniently unaware of the Angry Robot Open Door periods for informative purposes.”
Angry Robot, being constantly on the lookout for fresh blood and new approaches to the genre, periodically open our doors to unagented submissions, allowing writers to submit directly to the publisher for consideration. We’ve acquired a number of books this way, and some of those have gone on to be our stronger sellers.
Updated:
Bonus: If Angry Robot acquires your book, you and I will get to work together!
Today I have a special bit of funny for you all. Mary Robinette Kowal, who narrated CELEBROMANCY, snuck out of the recording studio with a blooper reel from the sessions, and has provided that reel for me to share with you all.
My favorite bit? “Patently paternal…that’s just mean.” And it was. Not intentionally mean, but funny nonetheless. Despite my failings in producing (just a few) audio clunkers like that line, Mary did a fantastic job on the audiobook, and I recommend it as a great way of engaging with the story.
What these bloopers remind me of is how important it is to bring in your ear when doing revisions. Since I can now ambitiously assume that I’ll either sell audio rights or want to exploit them myself on all of my major works, I think it’s especially important to consider the aurality when doing revision. Sometimes, I don’t do enough, as we can hear from the bloopers, but I’ve tried to incorporate a read-aloud stage to my revisions whenever possible.
On the one hand, having bloopers is funny, but on the other hand, I’d rather have narrators who love performing my work extra because I manage to avoid such aurally preposterous phrases.
Sometimes, a line that plays really well in text will cause a headache for an audio narrator, and you have to choose which audience you’re primarily serving, or figure out if there’s a way to re-phrase or re-approach that works both ways. It’s a balance I’m still working on, and will beg forgiveness from my audio narrators in the meantime while I try to figure things out.
#SFWApro