Ninety-nine bottles of blood on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of blood...: seanan

Ninety-nine bottles of blood on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of blood...

As of today, it is ninety-nine days to the release of Discount Armageddon. This is the first book in the InCryptid series; it's my first new series since 2010 (and wow, does that feel like a weird thing to say). It's the introduction to my huge, crazy, wonderful family of cryptozoologists and happy eccentrics, who think that taxidermy and talking mice are perfectly normal things to have around the house.

I am excited. I am terrified.

See, when A Local Habitation came out, some people compared it to the latest Dresden files book and said that Toby lacked the emotional resonance of Harry Dresden. This was sort of understandable, given that I had two books to build my character, and Butcher had like eleven, but it also awoke in me a deep existential dread. Which is now back, full-force, since following One Salt Sea with the start of a new series is a really good way to invoke that same critique. I don't borrow trouble. I rent it, and yes, I am an insecure blonde sometimes.

I am also mad happy, because I love this series so much, and I love this family so much, and I'm writing nine books to make you care enough to let me write book ten, Spelunking Through Hell: A Visitor's Guide to the Underworld and have you really really care and WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT. You know I was an alien pod plant when you picked me up.

While I'm loving on things, I love my cover (and so do some other people, which is mad awesome, much like the cover itself). I love my subject matter experts. I love my Machete Squad. I love my publisher. I love my editor. I love The Agent. And I love everyone who has been involved, no matter how tangentially, in making this series a reality. It's had a long, weird genesis, and I am excited beyond words.

It's gonna be a book.

silvertwi

November 29 2011, 01:05:55 UTC 5 years ago

New comment

Whee! March 6 means I'll be able to read it more-or-less right away, since my spring break starts on the 9th!. (Still haven't gone to get One Salt Sea because any time I have one of your books sitting unread nearby, my school work tends not to get done,* and I kinda only have three more semesters before I graduate, so I need to do that work on time. Luckily, winter break is a few short weeks away.)

*Such as when I decided to re-read Feed on the grounds that I was sick and not capable of doing other work, and Deadline was coming out soon. Hoo boy, was that a mistake right before finals. I had to get an extension on a paper, which thankfully was granted because I was sick for something like the fourth time that semester. (The problem has since been solved with daily antacid medication, if anyone is wondering how the illness thing turned out.)

seanan_mcguire

February 18 2012, 17:09:47 UTC 5 years ago

I am glad you're better!

matociquala

November 29 2011, 01:19:27 UTC 5 years ago

You're an adorable pod plant, though.

February 17 2012, 18:53:28 UTC 5 years ago

I will devour your neighbors!

mythusmage

November 29 2011, 01:53:49 UTC 5 years ago

Someone is stoked about her new book. :)

February 17 2012, 17:36:05 UTC 5 years ago

If I weren't, it would be a sign that I HAD DIED.

off topic

xjenavivex

November 29 2011, 01:57:23 UTC 5 years ago

I did not mean to drop your account from my flist. I know you practice flist amnesty, but this was an accident as I was trying to get things sorted. I need your words in my life. Please forgive me.

Re: off topic

November 29 2011, 02:00:32 UTC 5 years ago

Of course, honey! I figured you were just overwhelmed.

5 years ago

paksenarrion2

November 29 2011, 02:05:38 UTC 5 years ago

Ooo-thanks for the reminder.

*runs off to Amazon to place on pre-order*

*emails self at work to talk book up to co-workers*

I tried to get into Harry Dresden, I really did. But I find that Jim Butcher tends to write Harry as treating women a little to patronizingly. Even if the characters themselves are strong females. It just bugs me personally.

February 18 2012, 16:50:21 UTC 5 years ago

You're welcome!

idancewithlife

November 29 2011, 02:35:46 UTC 5 years ago

The quotes you have been posting on Twitter are great teasers. I'm really looking forward to the new series!

February 17 2012, 17:35:24 UTC 5 years ago

Yay!

hoppytoad79

November 29 2011, 03:12:15 UTC 5 years ago

See, when A Local Habitation came out, some people compared it to the latest Dresden files book and said that Toby lacked the emotional resonance of Harry Dresden.

Well, Toby isn't Harry, so I fail to see what the deal is. Harry's also had nine additional books to develop and grow and for readers to get to know him. It's not fair to you or Toby to hold her up to Harry and say she, and by extension you, are lacking somehow. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think you rock as an author as much as Stephen King and you're my favorite author.

February 17 2012, 17:30:23 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you! <3 <3 <3

anna_en_route

November 29 2011, 04:12:58 UTC 5 years ago

You probably already know this, but Charlaine Harris just recommended Discount Armageddon on her blog.

Definitely can't hurt....

February 17 2012, 17:30:06 UTC 5 years ago

I love Charlaine.

tsgeisel

November 29 2011, 04:19:51 UTC 5 years ago

I (almost) hate to ask, but is there going to be a similar guide to the Toby-verse?

November 29 2011, 05:47:33 UTC 5 years ago

I don't know what you mean.

November 29 2011, 06:13:07 UTC 5 years ago

You mentioned Spelunking Through Hell: A Visitor's Guide to the Underworld , and I'm not sure if you were being facetious or not.

I'd love to see a similar thing for the Summerlands. As much as it's possible, that is, geography being what it is...

supersniffles

November 29 2011, 11:28:11 UTC 5 years ago

Talking mice!!!!!!! I have been waiting and waiting for the Aeslin (I hope I got that right!) mousies!!!!!!

(Yeah, yeah... Critter in icon is a hamster. It's him or ratties!)