Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: thoughtful
  • Music: Little snippets of unfinished things.

Live by the compliment...

"Live by the compliment, die by the criticism." —Monique, Sinfest.

So I am in a really fascinating position right now. Like, really fascinating. See, I have two relatively new books on the shelves, one as myself, one under the pen name of "Mira Grant." One is urban fantasy, one is a science fiction medical thriller with horror elements. Both of them are in their primary visibility windows, those periods of time where the majority of books will get the majority of their reviews. Book reviews will continue to come in probably forever—even out of print books get the occasional newly-written review, as they're discovered by new readers, and that's awesome—but otherwise, it's a literal application of the old "penny in the pot" fable. (Short form: If a couple puts a penny in a pot for every time they make love during their first year together, and takes a penny out of the pot for every time they make love after the first year, they'll never run out of pennies. No, I'm not saying this really happens, so please don't tell me how many pennies you've spent.)

Because most of your reviews come in during the first few months of release, it makes sense that the majority of your "extreme" reviews would come in during this window. By "extreme" reviews, I mean...

"This book causes spontaneous orgasm and cures cancer and did my laundry and bought me flowers!"

...and...

"This book kills puppies and causes pandemic flu and its publication means that the terrorists have already won!"

It's fun! It's insane! It's like a roller coaster inside your head, one that goes from "dude, I'm awesome" to "dude, I should be recycled into Soylent Green to protect the English language from my foul attacks" like sixteen times a day. And you can't get off the ride, because the ride operator is a total jerk and refuses to release the brakes. And maybe you shouldn't have eaten all that cotton candy before you started. And maybe this amusement park sucks.

Finding balance between the peaks and valleys of the coaster is really hard. I have to watch the curve, and throw away the things that go too far in either direction. I'm pretty sure my books neither cure cancer nor kill puppies. Crying myself to sleep because someone says I caused the death of the dinosaurs with my prose isn't going to do anybody any good, and neither is declaring myself to be a golden god of love. But wow, can it be difficult to hold on to a sense of perspective when it seems like I'm being hit from every possible side, all at the same time.

Live by the compliment, die by the criticism.

Stay sane by the Diet Dr Pepper.
Tags: contemplation
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jeffreycwells

May 4 2010, 16:57:19 UTC 7 years ago

I don't know how you do it. I would freak out so hardcore.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 16:58:05 UTC 7 years ago

Really, really massive quantities of Diet Dr Pepper helps. Also a firm "do not ever read your own Amazon reviews" policy.

bayushi

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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paradisacorbasi

7 years ago

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touch_of_ink

May 4 2010, 17:00:04 UTC 7 years ago

Not to sound too fannish here, but I can't imagine a situation where a person with two brain cells *and* who understands what your stories are about, could give you a bad review.

Ergo, any bad review given to you is by someone that doesn't have two brain cells (and can therefore be discounted as not your target audience) or is someone that doesn't get what your books are about (and can therefore be discounted as not your target audience).

jeffreycwells

May 4 2010, 17:09:31 UTC 7 years ago

DOGBERRY: This is your charge: you shall comprehend all vagrom men; you are to bid any man stand, in the prince's name.

SECOND WATCHMAN: How if a' will not stand?

DOGBERRY: Why, then, take no note of him, but let him go; and presently call the rest of the watch together and thank God you are rid of a knave.

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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apocalypticbob

May 4 2010, 17:01:49 UTC 7 years ago

I'm now in the last hundred pages of FEED, and I've started to slow down because I don't want it to be over. I know there are two more coming, but that seems like it is forever away. I cried last night over [Spoiler redacted, but I'm sure you can guess]. Sobbed. Put my book on my chest (I was lying in bed reading) and bawled like a baby. I don't know how long it has been since that has happened over a book, but it happened last night.

spectralbovine

May 4 2010, 17:08:32 UTC 7 years ago

I cried last night over [Spoiler redacted, but I'm sure you can guess]. Sobbed.
I think she did too.

Me, I just yelled at her in all caps.

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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k_crow

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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desperance

May 4 2010, 17:05:05 UTC 7 years ago

I'm pretty sure my books neither cure cancer nor kill puppies.

Of course not. They cure puppies and kill cancer.

Enjoy the ride!

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 18:40:04 UTC 7 years ago

What are they curing puppies of? Breathing?

tieleen

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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desperance

7 years ago

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PS

desperance

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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paradisacorbasi

7 years ago

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lysystratae

7 years ago

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spectralbovine

May 4 2010, 17:10:23 UTC 7 years ago

The dinosaurs were dead long before you started writing, it's okay.

I know I would have trouble with this. I'm afraid for when that time comes. Assuming it comes. I hope it comes? Somehow?

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 18:40:18 UTC 7 years ago

*sniff*

I miss the dinosaurs.

deire

May 4 2010, 17:11:12 UTC 7 years ago

You are very, very talented. I look forward to reading FEED, when I am allowed to enter bookstores again in two weeks, and I desperately want my copy of WICKED GIRLS. I am a mean, mean woman, so I shared that longing and inflicted lyrics on three other friends who now also want their copies too please. I am spreading out the wantwantwant. This is akin to my sharing horrid images in the hopes that they will leave my brain and take up residence in someone else's :QuigonnJarjarandI'msosorrybutdeargodstheTongue: :cough:. :duck and run:

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:50:31 UTC 7 years ago

*giggle*

Enjoy your crazy!

deire

7 years ago

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vixyish

May 4 2010, 17:16:37 UTC 7 years ago

I have neither cancer nor puppies, so I'm safe! :D

spectralbovine

May 4 2010, 17:20:58 UTC 7 years ago

ICON!

Are you still in town for the release party?

vixyish

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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obsessivewoman

May 4 2010, 17:41:49 UTC 7 years ago

Good for you for gathering support and trying to stay healthy despite the stress. (I raise a glass of diet cola to you.)

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:51:19 UTC 7 years ago

Diet cola makes everything better.

jaylake

May 4 2010, 17:44:15 UTC 7 years ago

My approach to reviews is much like my approach to sex. Lots and lots, and as long as they get my name right, I'm cool even if it wasn't so hot. Plus I mostly find bad reviews of my work funny.

But then, I'm weird. Not bulletproof, just weird.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:53:58 UTC 7 years ago

Yeah, my latest bad review resulted in lots and lots of giggling (and one sudden codification of a pejorative that I've been trying to identify for a while now). I don't mind the bad reviews when they're insane. It's the "could have done better" reviews that make me sad.

redrob

May 4 2010, 17:53:27 UTC 7 years ago

someone says I caused the death of the dinosaurs with my prose

Look at it this way - if it were true, this would be proof of the existence of a time machine! Now we just need to find it!

Silver linings.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:54:07 UTC 7 years ago

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo, POINT.

kyburg

May 4 2010, 18:10:57 UTC 7 years ago

People wore out my ability to shed tears easily by 1997. I envy you at this point.

I'd warn you not to put your self-worth into other's hands (they like you, they hate you, you remain the great you you always were regardless) but you know that; you wrote before, you will write after and do all kinds of things people will never know because it ain't their bizness if you never tell them. Shoot, last night I was thinking of how you could do a My Little Pony YA novel series and about killed myself for it - but if you could, wouldn't THAT be a ride? No, a real one. A Good One. With more than one color of pony, neh? ;)

(I'm still owned by H.R. Pufnstuf. You know how hard that sucks?)

Where I am with FEED? About halfway, but I committed the cardinal sin of beginning to read the book backwards so I'm properly spanked already. I'm finding the zombies distracting from the lovely mystery novel I'm reading. And this place you wrote about it is so different, it's making my head work on it even after I put the book down (no, that wouldn't work, this would happen...and I wonder what would happen in this case - oh, there's the answer). I'm probably one of the few people who can talk bugs with food in front of them, BTW - so if nobody else wants to talk pandemics at mealtime, I can.

Perspective is the long view of the horizon, beyond what lies in front of you. Peaceful, unspoiled and waiting to be discovered.

No matter what, everything is well. And everything will be well. Promise.

In the meantime, it's almost time for the heirlooms to hit the markets, if they haven't already. And I'm considering building a recipe for pumpkin pie that isn't a custard, but a two-crust version. Girl's gotta have her priorities. ^^

And I'll let you know more when I'm done with the book.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:54:19 UTC 7 years ago

Enjoy reading!

kyburg

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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deire

May 4 2010, 18:19:24 UTC 7 years ago

Oh oh oh! Happy thing! TED.com has epidemiology talks. I especially recommend "Sex, Drugs, and HIV" if you have listening space for while you work on things.

http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_pisani_sex_drugs_and_hiv_let_s_get_rational_1.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_brilliant_wants_to_stop_pandemics.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_wolfe_hunts_for_the_next_aids.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_ewald_asks_can_we_domesticate_germs.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate.html

My professor sent me there. I was luuuuuured. It's not my fault. :nodnodnod:

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:54:32 UTC 7 years ago

SQUEE.

I approve.

gothicsparrow

7 years ago

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deire

7 years ago

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Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:54:45 UTC 7 years ago

That is awesome.

persis

May 4 2010, 18:29:39 UTC 7 years ago

I finished FEED last night. I do not like horror, so I picked this up with a bit of trepidation... but none of it squicked me so badly that I had to put it down and not finish. Now, I can't wait for the next one. You are brilliant. Now a lot more people know that.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:54:56 UTC 7 years ago

YAY!

beccastareyes

May 4 2010, 18:36:17 UTC 7 years ago

If Feed taught us anything, is that maybe it's all right if you don't cure cancer.

(Stayed up reading Feed, so I'll probably end up adding my review to my Goodreads account and my blogs.)

lostwind

May 4 2010, 21:35:04 UTC 7 years ago

Need an icon with the Feed logo & the quote, "maybe it's all right if you don't cure cancer."

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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gwynnega

May 4 2010, 18:37:07 UTC 7 years ago

I'm about 100 pages into FEED, and really enjoying it...

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:55:23 UTC 7 years ago

Yay!

ladymondegreen

May 4 2010, 18:56:25 UTC 7 years ago

because the ride operator is a total jerk and refuses to release the brakes. And maybe you shouldn't have eaten all that cotton candy before you started. And maybe this amusement park sucks.

But at least you're riding on the inside of the ride, not clinging to the outside with both arms.

seanan_mcguire

May 4 2010, 21:55:30 UTC 7 years ago

True...

palmer_kun

May 4 2010, 19:14:40 UTC 7 years ago

"This book ... causes pandemic flu"

You say that as if it was a bad thing...

I do have SAD NEWS though.

Chapters, the largest bookstore in Canada, does NOT carry FEED. Not ANYWHERE in Canada.
It's listed on the website as "Out of stock, ships in 1-2 weeks" which really means special order.

I will comb the indies, but the few I've checked already also don't have it. This is my sadface.

paradisacorbasi

May 4 2010, 23:06:24 UTC 7 years ago

That's because they did away with the bookstore named after me.

palmer_kun

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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palmer_kun

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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markbernstein

May 4 2010, 19:15:39 UTC 7 years ago

Here's something you can read safely, because it's not a review. :) I've jotted down some thoughts about certain characters in the Toby books. Hope you like it.

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 02:00:12 UTC 7 years ago

Awesome! This pleases me. :)

markbernstein

7 years ago

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markbernstein

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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spectralbovine

May 4 2010, 19:22:48 UTC 7 years ago

You may want to buy this shirt.

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 02:00:34 UTC 7 years ago

Heeee.

archangelbeth

May 4 2010, 19:35:07 UTC 7 years ago

Well, if anyone says that Feed has caused pandemic flu... Just remember: Mira Grant thinks that's a statement of fact, and vaguely wonders why anyone is surprised.

*pats sympathetically*

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 02:01:56 UTC 7 years ago

Okay, yes, you've got a point.

xjenavivex

May 4 2010, 20:14:44 UTC 7 years ago

Great Pumpkin protect you.

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 02:34:57 UTC 7 years ago

I hope so.

seattlejo

May 4 2010, 20:16:17 UTC 7 years ago

See and here i imagine you calculating the science it would take for a book to start a pandemic flue.

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 02:35:15 UTC 7 years ago

It was fun!

keristor

May 4 2010, 20:39:59 UTC 7 years ago

"This book causes spontaneous orgasm and cures cancer and did my laundry and bought me flowers!"

"This book kills puppies and causes pandemic flu and its publication means that the terrorists have already won!"

So, which is the bad part of either of those? OK, I suppose killing puppies, but it's balanced by the pandemic flu so that's all right...

(Isn't it a matter of all reviews are good, what to dread is not getting any at all? Because that would mean that no one cared.)

seanan_mcguire

May 6 2010, 03:12:26 UTC 7 years ago

Absolutely! I would rather a bad review and publicity than dead silence. But it's still an interesting crazy roller coaster ride.

judifilksign

May 4 2010, 20:56:27 UTC 7 years ago

All I can say, is that my darling, darling husband bought me a copy of FEED for an early Mother's Day gift, and I Sqeeeeeeeeeee'd with delight.

My mom, somewhat confusedly asked me if it was a diet book.
My dad said noone got that excited over diet books.

It sucks me in. I don't want it to end...

paradisacorbasi

May 4 2010, 23:05:43 UTC 7 years ago

I am afraid of anyone who thinks FEED (with that cover design) is a diet book omg.

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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markbernstein

7 years ago

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