Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: grateful
  • Music: Talis Kimberley, "Ten Years."

The end of September: four years of publishing.

Today is the last day of September, 2013.

The first October Daye book—Rosemary and Rue—was published in September, 2009. It was not my first publication, thanks to a few anthologies that managed to speed through the publishing process (Ravens in the Library and Grant's Pass), but it was my first real sale, and it was the book that opened the door that led to those anthologies. Without Toby, I don't know that I'd be in either book, even though both were edited by friends of mine, because no one really thought of me that way. Not yet.

Since September 2009, I have published fifteen books, ranging from Toby to Velveteen. I have appeared in enough anthologies that I honestly can't tell you how many; not without counting them. I have experienced the soul-crushing terror of the Hugo Awards as viewed from the front row (which is a flavor of fear that I never truly appreciated until it was wrapping its arms around me and squeezing me tight). I have written more than a million words of fiction. Possibly more than two million words. And while I have been stressed and strained and stretched too thin, I have never lost sight of how incredibly lucky I am. I get to tell these stories. I get to see my name in bookstores, which is an honor and joy beyond compare. It's never not exciting. I hope it never will be.

Thank you. Thank you so much, for reading, for talking, for reviewing, for helping, by your very presence, because without people, there would be no publication. A book that is unread is a book that falls into obscurity, and has no sequels, and has no future.

I am very tired, but I am very grateful. The last four years have been amazing. I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Now let's go steal me four more.
Tags: contemplation, gratitude, so the marilyn
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reedrover

September 30 2013, 15:49:20 UTC 3 years ago

Wow. So short and so long a time.
Better be careful, or we'll steal the years from you even while you are building the worlds we then inhabit.

Of course, now I'm picturing a crowd of fen showing up at a knowe with two U-hauls, programs, wi-fi hotspots, tables, and badges, and declaring a new con. Welcome to Knowe-it-all-con or something silly.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:17:53 UTC 3 years ago

That would be amazing.

dornbeast

3 years ago

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aiela

September 30 2013, 15:50:42 UTC 3 years ago

I still remember the day autographedcat and I were browsing in a bookstore, and he stopped dead in his tracks and took a picture of the display of copies of Rosemary and Rue. What an amazing ride it's been, and thank you for taking it. It's much appreciated by your readers :)

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:47:31 UTC 3 years ago

<3

mlerules

September 30 2013, 15:52:26 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks for writing and sharing the stories. I thoroughly enjoy 'em and've been turning others on to 'em as well.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:47:45 UTC 3 years ago

You are very welcome.

lollardfish

September 30 2013, 15:55:35 UTC 3 years ago

You know how at gigs, sometimes, hecklers (even loving ones) say, "Don't quit your day job?" Ok, well, that happens to me, and it's true. I shouldn't quit my day job.

One of my hopes for you, on the other hand, is that you can quit your day job. :) Congrats on 4 years.

qnofhrt

September 30 2013, 16:04:04 UTC 3 years ago

I'll second that! It's been a great ride and we're all looking forward to the next new world.

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

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shandralyn

3 years ago

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maladaptive

3 years ago

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wendyzski

3 years ago

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taldragon

September 30 2013, 16:02:53 UTC 3 years ago Edited:  September 30 2013, 16:03:42 UTC

no, thank _you_ for being stubborn and determined enough to make the process work so that we can read the newest book (Chimes at Midnight in my case. oh _Toby_!). and for accepting the stress and strain to tell All The Stories.

and for Toby and Verity and Velveteen and all the others (past, present and future).

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:48:05 UTC 3 years ago

:)

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:48:14 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

vixyish

September 30 2013, 16:12:57 UTC 3 years ago

I feel like I've been watching nieces and nephews grow up and go off to school and get jobs and and and this is what's known as 'pushing the metaphor.'

Happy four-year anniversary, darling. Here's to decades more.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:48:30 UTC 3 years ago

WOO DECADES.

rhoda_rants

September 30 2013, 16:18:59 UTC 3 years ago

Wow, I hadn't realized it had been that long already! Here's to you, and another four years. :)

*raises glass*

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:48:41 UTC 3 years ago

Yay booze!

raidswindmills

September 30 2013, 16:19:06 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations!

Also 15 books in 4 years?!? I'm constantly amazed by how much you accomplish!

Thank you for all of your hard work and for bringing us Toby and George & Shaun Mason and Verity Price.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:48:52 UTC 3 years ago

You are very welcome. :)

FunIsReading

September 30 2013, 16:21:18 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for bringing all of these books to life!

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:49:00 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome!

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:49:07 UTC 3 years ago

Yay!

rhoda_rants

3 years ago

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ducktape74

September 30 2013, 16:50:31 UTC 3 years ago

I still remember getting the first Toby book - a Border's employee suggested it when I was spending too much of my Christmas money on new books. "Oh, you like Jacqueline Carey? Have you ever read Seanan McGuire?" (I miss Borders SO much.)

Congratulations - here's to four more years plus infinity!

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:49:18 UTC 3 years ago

I miss Borders, too. :(

pixel39

September 30 2013, 16:50:39 UTC 3 years ago

Thank YOU for writing the awesome!

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:49:27 UTC 3 years ago

Yay!

herewiss13

September 30 2013, 16:53:34 UTC 3 years ago

I'll always remember how long it's been since Rosemary and Rue came out, because I bought it on my honeymoon just as it came out (my wife is a deeply understanding woman). There'd been some word-of-mouth that brought it to my attention, but mostly I remembered your name from the Underhilll poetry tutorials. :-)

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:49:44 UTC 3 years ago

Ah, the poetry tutorials.

Now there's a blast from the past.

museclio

September 30 2013, 16:57:03 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you. Thank you for being an author whose books I buy on release day, and stay up until midnight (or later to read). Thank you for bring worlds to life in ways that mean my obsessive brain doesn't play spot the weird inconsistency. Thank you for writing books where I know I won't be ambushed by unintended rape culture stupid shit. Thank you for creating awesome, non-perfect, relateable people (and critters and crypids) as characters.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:50:00 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome, on all counts.

the_gneech

September 30 2013, 17:09:49 UTC 3 years ago

Awww yeah!

Congrats!

-TG

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:50:11 UTC 3 years ago

Congrats to you too!

the_gneech

3 years ago

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missingvolume

September 30 2013, 17:23:04 UTC 3 years ago

Congrats!

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:50:19 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you.

morningapproach

September 30 2013, 17:41:46 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations! <3 I am so happy that I've been able to read your books - your writing has made such a huge influence on my life, and I am CONSTANTLY recommending your books to everyone I meet.

I need to admit something embarassing however: I bought Chimes at Midnight while I was out east visiting my boyfriend, and he pointed out that I've been saying your first name wrong this whole time - I have been pronouncing it Shawn-in, instead of Shannon. And I felt like such a huge dolt! I have never heard your name read aloud, so I had no idea :( So, my apologizes <3

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:50:51 UTC 3 years ago

Um, your boyfriend is wrong. My name is pronounced "SHAWN-in," as in "Let Sean in the house" without a pause between the words.

morningapproach

3 years ago

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elialshadowpine

3 years ago

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dornbeast

3 years ago

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listicath

September 30 2013, 18:06:16 UTC 3 years ago

So many books* in so little time. Here's to forty more!

Congratulations!

*And all the rest.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:51:03 UTC 3 years ago

Glee.

vettecat

September 30 2013, 18:08:34 UTC 3 years ago

I was actually wondering about that just the other day, while re-reading Ashes of Honor yet again. Best wishes for continued success. Please try not to die of overwork.

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:51:13 UTC 3 years ago

I will do my best.

phoenix_singing

September 30 2013, 18:11:01 UTC 3 years ago

Thank YOU for sharing your stories with us. You are a remarkable gifted storyteller and I am so happy I ran across FEED in that airport bookstore (it was my "gateway drug" to all the rest of your writings).

Congrats on 4 years, and here's to many, many more!

seanan_mcguire

September 30 2013, 18:51:27 UTC 3 years ago

CORN KITTY APPROVES.

Life remains good.

coloursofdusk

September 30 2013, 18:18:34 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for writing the stories that make me laugh and cry and read parts out loud to others, and especially for your characters who are all kinds of genders/sexualities in a world where that is still unusual to find done at all, let alone with the grace and understanding with which you write.

Here's to many more years!

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:12:05 UTC 3 years ago

Here here!

juglore

September 30 2013, 18:24:22 UTC 3 years ago

Congrats.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:12:23 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks!

beccastareyes

September 30 2013, 18:26:54 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for setting the stories in your head to paper (or electrons) for the rest of us. It's a hard job, but I'm glad you did it. As long as you are writing, I will probably be reading (and adding to your 'non-Seanan cat food' fund) and possibly nominating for the Hugos, and telling my friends.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:12:36 UTC 3 years ago

<3

Best.

ladymurmur

September 30 2013, 18:29:49 UTC 3 years ago

I do not remember how I first came to pick up Rosemary & Rue, but I never once looked back, and it has been an amazing ride ever since. I do know that it was one of the last paperbacks I bought before getting my birthday kindle, and it is the most-loaned, and (miraculously) most-returned title on our shelves. the almost universal reaction has been variations on "OMG! You have to loan this to X! I'm off to buy the series!" :-)

Congratulations on four years! And THANK YOU for all the stories and worlds and characters (esp the Aeslin mice)!

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:12:49 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome!
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