Sparkly Cover Goodness

Yeah, I know, you've been wondering whether I forgot how to do this blog thing. Not quite. I just wanted to save it until I had something to make you go Ooooooh! And I do, Ben Fogletto's wonderful cover for Hellfire Lounge 2, where you'll find one of my darker little stories, "Billy's Monster".
I don't have an ISBN or release day yet, but when I do, you'll hear it here first. Not to worry, you won't be bored in the meantime. It'll take days to see all the fabulous details in this image. Enjoy!

Happy Dancing Through Tuesday

This is so good I'm dancing. Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier announced the table of contents for their new fantasy anthology, The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity, coming from DAW Tekno Books in March 2012. And the writers are:

Introduction by Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier

"We Will Not Be Undersold" by Seanan McGuire

"Changeling" by Susan Jett

"Water-Called" by Kari Sperring

"The Roots of Aston Quercus" by Juliet E. McKenna

"To Scratch an Itch" by Avery Shade

"Continuing Education" by Kristine Smith

"How To Be Human™" by Barbara Ashford

"How Much Salt" by April Steenburgh

"Hooked" by Anton Strout

"Crash" by S. C. Butler

"Fixed" by Jean Marie Ward

"A People Who Always Know" by Shannon Page & Jay Lake

"The Slaughtered Lamb" by Elizabeth Bear

"Corrupted" by Jim C. Hines

Yes! That’s me on that list! “Fixed” is the story of a teenaged cat shifter who gets taken to an animal shelter while wearing fur. Needless to say, he really REALLY doesn’t want to get “Fixed”.

Although you won’t be able to hold the book (or the pixels of the ebook version) in your hands until March, The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity is available for pre-order on a number of sites, including Amazon. Buy, buy, buy! In multiples, if you can. Patricia and Joshua were so much fun to work with, I’d love to do it again.

Meanwhile, I’m grinning from ear to ear.

My first video interview from behind the camera

Be afraid. I'm back to asking nosy questions again, and this time I'm armed with a video camera.  And you thought the Rapture was scary.
My first video interview from behind the camera is now live at BuzzyMultimedia.com.  Carole Nelson Douglas has been writing top flight science fiction and fantasy--to say nothing of her tales of Las Vegas's only cat PI--for thirty years.  In her Buzzy interview, the focus is on her Delilah Street Paranormal Mysteries.  But don't worry.  There are lots of entertaining feline detours along the way.  (Duz said it was vital to mention this point, and who am I to argue with the Feline Overlord?)
More interviews with wonderful writers are in the pipeline--folks like Connie Willis, Joe Haldeman and Michael Swanwick--along with a few surprises.  Meanwhile, my next job is finishing a short story and posting my Balticon photos.  Between the Nebula Awards Weekend and Balticon, it's been a fun couple of weeks.  But now it's back to work.

Nebula Weekend Photos

I know, two posts in a single week. Try not to die of shock. ;-)

I posted my photos of Nebula Weekend on Flickr. I wanted to get them done before heading to Balticon. They're smaller than usual. Next time I won't resize in Corel Paint, but I have the full-size originals if anyone is interested. Besides they're big enough to see the smiles.

When I get back from Balticon, I'll be working pedal to the metal on a fiction deadline as well as on a spate of video interviews for Buzzy Multimedia. Yes, me, making movies. Mwahahaha!

I turned in the first, an interview with Carole Nelson Douglas (the Delilah Street paranormal mystery series, among many, many others) on Tuesday. It should air in a few days. Next up will be the interviews I recorded at the Nebulas: Connie Willis (this year's winner for best novel--I think Connie owns more Nebulas thany anyone), John Scalzi, Joe Haldeman, Mary Robinette Kowal and Chris Claremont.

Who knows who'll find themselves in my lens in Balticon? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

But don't forget to attend my panels!

My Schedule for Balticon 45

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

No, not the big Red/Green holiday. I mean con season! For me it’s kicking off in a big way with Balticon 45 at the Marriott in Hunt Valley, Maryland, this weekend, May 27-30. So far, my schedule includes six panels and events:

Friday, May 27
7 p.m. , Salon B – Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
Join us for a selection of sweet and savory readings by seven exciting women authors.
Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, D. Renee Bagby, Vonnie Winslow Crist, Gail Z. Martin, Roberta Rogow, Jean Marie Ward (moderator), Phoebe Wray.

10 p.m., Parlor 1041 – Anime: Why Do We Love It?
Anime fans in self-analysis. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Panelists: D. Renee Bagby, Ruth Lampi, Grig “Punkie” Larson, Jean Marie Ward (moderator).

Saturday, May 27
1 p.m., Salon B – Whose Program Is It Anyway?
Panelists—and audience members—behaving badly at cons. What’s the worst thing that ever happened to you or somebody you know at a con? Those are the best stories EVAH!
Panelists: Hildy Silverman, Jennifer Stone, Michael Swanwick, Jean Marie Ward, Leona Wisoker (moderator)

7 p.m., Belmont – Clark Ashton Who? Great Forgotten Science Fiction Authors
So much great literature, so little time. Panelists discuss their favorites among yesterday’s greats and their candidates for that great File 13 in the sky.
Panelists: Marc “Grailwolf” Bailey, Carl Cipra (moderator), Michael Swanwick, Jean Marie Ward, Diane Weinstein.

Sunday, May 28
4 p.m., Salon D – Best SF TV Shows
The audience is invited to help the panel decide which science fiction television shows (a) are really science fiction and (b) the best.
Panelists: Marc “Grailwolf” Bailey, T.J. Perkins, Hildy Silverman (moderator), Suzanne Rosin, Jean Marie Ward.

5 p.m., Salon B – Science Fiction Title Chain
It’s a game! The audience provides the words for a science fiction story or novel’s title. The panelists arrange them in a more or less coherent order, and each panelist comes up with a descriptive synopsis. The audience votes on the synopsis they like best.
Panelists: Lisa Adler-Golden (moderator)Nancy Brauer, Brian Koscienski, Grig “Punkie” Larson, Jean Marie Ward.

And if I’m lucky, I may be added to two more:

History as a Source of Fantasy, 4 p.m. Saturday, Belmont Room.

Ghosts, 5 p.m., Saturday, Salon C.

See you in Hunt Valley!

###

Foxy Folklore

Just got home from DC's Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Street Festival).  The weather was grim, but the performances were great.  (I'm listening to the new Aun CD I bought after their show and will post pictures...soon.  Soon.  Really.  ;-))  But all the fun meant I'm slow posting the link to my new Beyond the Veil blog, "Foxfire".  Appropriately, considering the occasion, it deals with foxes, among the most iconic creatures of Asian folklore--and among the West's most reviled.  Enjoy!

SynDCon Schedule

As you probably guessed from my silence on the blog-waves, I’m lost in the writing cave again. But I’ll emerge for two days this weekend to participate in the seminars and wonderfulness that is SynDCon, the Washington DC area’s premier gaming convention.
My schedule comprises three panels in the auditorium of the con hotel, the Hilton Conference Center in Rockville, MD. (It really is only steps away from the Twinbrook Metro!)

Saturday, April 2
Noon – 2 p.m.
Getting Published in Fiction
Four crazy writers tell you how they convinced people to pay them for doing what they’d do for free. I suspect there will be some funny rejection stories, too. After all, misery does love company.
Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail (moderator), Vonnie Winslow Crist, Jean Marie Ward & Diane Whiteside

6 – 8 p.m.
The Literary Handyman Mini-Writer’s Workshop
This is where Dani puts on her editor’s hat and gets to the guts of what makes a good, saleable story, with Vonnie and I sharing our scars--er, learning experiences.
Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail (moderator), Vonnie Winslow Crist & Jean Marie Ward

Sunday, April 3
Noon – 2 p.m.
Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading
Join the women writers of Broad Universe for a selection of small yet tasty bites of fiction. The current plan calls for each of us to read twice. I’m planning a selection from “Personal Demons” (my contribution to Hellebore & Rue) and the first unveiling of a Sooper Sekrit ProjeK, which will not be mentioned in paper or pixies--er, pixels until the anthology table of contents is announced…by somebody else. But I can tell you this: There will be cats. And of course, chocolate. Can’t have an RFR without chocolate!
Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Kelly A. Harmon, Jean Marie Ward (moderator) & Diane Whiteside.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Outer Alliance Podcast Featuring Hellebore & Rue

The Outer Alliance Podcast featuring HELLEBORE & RUE is now live. Host Julia Rios did a great job of interviewing editor Catherine Lundoff, contributor Lisa Nohealani and me last Sunday. Particularly fascinating are Catherine's insights into the story selection process and Lisa's discussion of her wonderful story, "And out of the Strong Came Forth Sweetness". And oh yeah, I talk about and read from "Personal Demons", too.

A peek inside a book restorer's workshop

Last month I had the chance to visit the workshop of the book restorer working on the 18th century bible on display in the Carlyle House. Since we're all book lovers here, I thought the results might be interesting, especially since there's bacon involved. You can read all about it in today's Samhain Publishing blog. Enjoy!

Of Anthologies and Podcasts

I knew from reading my co-contributors' stories, that I lucked out placing "Personal Demons" (aka The Little Story That Could) in Hellebore & Rue. But I didn't realize all the fascinating stories behind the anthology until I sat in on an interview with Catherine Lundoff and fellow writer Lisa Nohealani Morton this Sunday. Host Julia Rios plans to post the interview this weekend. I'll share the link as soon as it goes live. In the meantime, I think you'll enjoy Tracy S. Morris's interview with Catherine and co-editor JoSelle Vanderhooft.

You'll also enjoy Tracy's Tranquility Series which really is The Beverly Hillbillies meets The X-Files, but that's a different blog entirely.

On the podcasting front, it was my privilege to host the March edition of the Broad Pod, a monthly selection of short readings from the members of Broad Universe. Broad Universe is an international organization dedicated to promoting, celebrating and honoring women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. March is Women's History Month. In honor of the occasion, the selections of this month's five featured authors focus on the many aspects of Woman Power:

- Charged with treason, Gail Z. Martin’s pregnant queen Kiera must wage a war of words to save herself, her friends and her unborn child.

- In Larissa N. Niec’s selection, the goddess Rhianna’s high priestess embarks on a dangerous spirit quest to seek help for her dying land.

- Theresa Crater introduces her heroine—and us—to the legendary Morgan le Fey in the land beneath the hallowed hill.

- Then journey with Diane Whiteside to present-day Virginia, where a psychically gifted homicide detective learns just how powerful a woman working for the FBI can be.

- Finally, soar into the future with Danielle Ackley-McPhail and a squadron of hell-raising women fighter pilots led by the infamous Scarlet Jay.

And this is only the beginning of the week's entertainments. If I've been quiet on the blogosphere of late, it's only because so much will be happening this week. There will be blogs at Beyond the Veil and Samhain, as well as Julia's interview for Outer Alliance.

To say nothing of lots of green beer. Cheers!