Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire

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And where the hell have you been, blondie?

I am a bad, bad blonde blogger, and shall have no blogger blondie brownies, which breaks my heart, because blogger blondie brownies are the best brownies, better than butterscotch or banana brittle, and as I have now fucked around with alliteration for like, way longer than anyone really should, I will stop. Ahem. Anyway:

There's been an unplanned radio silence here, and for that, I apologize. The world sort of reared up and slapped me across the face with a wave of busy, and I've paddling frantically as I try to keep my head above water, my word counts marching in the right direction, and my cats from eating me. I'm trying to get things back to normal, but it's going to take a little while (and will probably happen just before I leave for Disney World on the 17th, thus making the entire enterprise pointless).

I did want to mention something, though, while we have the natural conversational opening of "I've been overwhelmed." And here it is, in bold text and everything, so that you can't miss it:

Unless you are my agent, my editor, a member of my proofing pool, or my significant other, your email/inquiry is not prioritized above anyone else's.

Please don't email me three times asking whether I got your email. If you sent it less than a month ago, the fact that you haven't heard back doesn't mean the message is missing; it means I have 300 emails to answer, and you're halfway down the heap. (If you did email more than a month ago, yeah, go ahead and email me. Once.) Please don't send me Tumblr asks or private messages going "hey why haven't you linked to..." or "you haven't replied to my comment on..." I'm getting to everything just as fast as I can, but triage is hard, and only certain things get an automatic float to the top.

If you're inquiring about a missing shirt, or something similar, use the merch address, which Deborah monitors for the sake of responding faster than I can. If you're asking about something time sensitive, feel free to say so in your email, but also understand that I may look at your question, go "that's not time sensitive to me," and resume emailing my editors/agent/machete squad about things that have firm, unbreakable deadlines.

I will continue to try to be as accessible as I can, but this is a super-busy time for me, and I'm exhausted and out of cope. Thank you for understanding.
Tags: busy busy busy, state of the blonde, utterly exhausted
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  • 48 comments
Are people truly that rude/insensitive/thoughtless? It truly boggles my mind. I read about some of the stuff that happened with the Hugo's. People really are all of the above plus some I won't say in public. Since I'm already writing this I will add a couple of things, I usually don't comment on your posts because I know you already have lots to keep up with, but this one just couldn't go unanswered also, thank you for the hours of enjoyment I have gotten from Toby and Newsflesh. I'm still getting my head around Incryptid (I can't spell today) But I know that Vicky, my Daughter and Mike my oldest Son have also read and enjoyed your books. The only other writer with a higher number of people reading him is Jim Butcher, he has all five of us. three out of five is better than Terry Pratchet or Neil Gaman. I think that got away from me. Keep up the great work, I am looking forward to the next Toby book with great anticipation.
Fans are VERY entitled at times. Neil Gaiman is famously quoted as saying "The author is not your bitch."

smoooom

4 years ago

autographedcat

4 years ago

mariadkins

4 years ago

dornbeast

4 years ago

seanan_mcguire

4 years ago

Good luck on catching up, looking forward to the new Mira Grant this fall.
Me, too!
I was aware of the silence. I limited myself to praying for your health. I am glad you are okay.

I'm not a fanatic type fan. I'm a likes their work type fan.
<3

You are awesome.
As I am normally a lurker on your blog and tumblr, and don't even know where you live, I can only say take care of yourself, and here's a gift.

*sends you virtual blonde blogger brownies*
Mmmm, brownies.
it's sad that posts like this must be made. {{hugs}}
Sad but needful.
Please make sure you reserve time to eat/sleep/breathe so you don't get sick.
I am trying!

Deleted comment

I hope so. :(
That was why I didn't bug you for a reply last year, when I was in the area; I assumed busy writer was busy.
Sad but true.
Considering the massive amount of quality work you've put out over the last little while, I'm suprised you post as often as you do.

So you know, thank you for that
You are very, very welcome.
Take all the time you need! I'd give you more if I could figure out how to transfer the stuff...
Must now look up recipes for blogger blondie brownies.
Brownies, ALWAYS welcome.
I'm sorry that you have to state this for people, though sadly not surprised. You are amazingly accessible to your fans, which makes many of us love you all the more, and it's a shame that some get to feeling entitled about it. I'd much rather you be healthy & rested than have an immediate response to things like this comment. *hugs* (also virtual toddler hugs from Josh)
Toddler hugs make everything better.

Everyone wants some of your time, because you are so frickin' AWESOME!

It's wonderful to feel wanted, and it can get daunting when the fan base competing for your attention is in the--what? Thousands? Tens of thousands? I've no idea, but it must be a heck of a lot by now.

It impresses me almost as much as the staggering amount of high-quality projects you turn out, how accessible and willing to respond to messages you consistently are. Thank you for that.
I do my very best. Sometimes I just get outnumbered.
Don't forget to sleep. It's good for you.
I'm trying!
Take care of yourself. I have *nothing* in your email, and need no responses anywhere. When wanting a reply from you, people should, I think, think of their busiest times at work, and double that,at least, since you do so much public relations. I have known you weren't dead from your tumblr, but been wondering why the radio silence here.
Mostly because here takes thinking, and Tumblr takes clicking a button.
For when they are convenient for you, and with no response expected: *virtual hugs* and *virtual blogger blondie brownies* (blondies and brownies at the same time? yum. :)
Thanks, hon.
:mock judgmental flounce: I, of course, have cycles to spare for work, school, online socializing, AND creative endeavors. :hides reference pics of unstarted Machete Kitten beneath couch cushion: Not.
Yes, dear.

:P

deire

4 years ago

*hugs*

That is all.
*hug*
Nobody can know for certain how busy someone else is, so if someone who hasn't got a reply for several weeks asks if anything went wrong I can't find this particularly inconsiderate or stupid. (But then, I have no idea what's going on, I admit.)
Still, I'm sure it would have been possible to say "I'm busy, be patient" in a less patronising tone.
If somebody asks once after waiting several weeks, I don't find it inconsiderate (although it doesn't necessarily prioritize my replying to them, depending on the topic). If someone asks three times in the same day, or multiple times in the same week, I do. I never find it stupid; I suffer from "but I emailed you five minutes ago WHY HAVEN'T YOU ANSWERED ME" as much as anybody else. I just find it exhausting.

I'm very sorry you found my tone patronizing; that wasn't my intention.
Not relevant to the current topic and not requiring any kind of substantial response, but I just tore through all of Newsflesh and then inflicted it on my partner. This led to the observation that, instead of traditional 'zombie' body count (in which the cast dwindles by attrition), Newsflesh has 'thriller' body count (in which the cast cycles by attrition, because you keep adding characters).

Leading to the coining of the phrase "ablative redshirts". I thought you'd want to hear that one.
That pleases me.
The world sort of reared up and slapped me across the face with a wave of busy...

In other words, about what I'd expected. I have enough feelers out there that "Seanan has been sucked into the Hellmouth" or "Seanan's disappeared, but there was a tiny doll that looks like her lying on her bed" would have come up. (Or any other possible Horrible Reasons For Unexpected Radio Silence. And I know that if you'd run off with the Doctor, you'd still make word count; your agent would just have to get used to you sending in hundred-year-old manuscripts.)

Be well.
Thank you, honey.

<3
Glad you're finding ways to cope and prioritize. It sounds so crazy! I've dealt with the types of work or past-times where others just don't get why you're not available 24-7 and/or the folks who just don't get that certain things have to be gotten to in their own time. *sigh* People are hard to figure out sometimes. *hugs*
They really, truly are.