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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anna_en_route

September 30 2013, 19:01:41 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you so much for the stories =)

I hope you're able to find a period of rest.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:13:05 UTC 3 years ago

I need a nap.

It will be glorious.

thedragonweaver

3 years ago

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kassrachel

September 30 2013, 19:06:36 UTC 3 years ago

I am so happy that your books exist -- that your characters exist -- that your worlds exist -- that you exist. Thank you for bringing countless hours of joy into my life. Seriously. I know this sounds corny, but your books have brought me SO MUCH JOY, I cannot begin to quantify. You've made me laugh and made me cry and broadened my horizons and I am so happy for it.

(And that's not even getting into the whole thing where I also get to enjoy the fact of sharing your books with other people who love them as much as I do, and waking up on Christmas morning to stories set in your universes because other people love them as much as I do, and -- you know how it is: joy shared is joy multiplied.)

Here's to four more years. May your publishers be showered with accolades and with gold. :-)

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:28:43 UTC 3 years ago

<3 <3 <3

dornbeast

September 30 2013, 19:21:06 UTC 3 years ago

You know better than I do how long you've been working on October, and on the InCryptid series. I know just enough to know that you haven't stolen a thing; it's all hard work coming back to you, as if you invested time into writing, and it started paying dividends.

Hard work? Yes. Luck? Probably. Theft? Not a chance.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:28:53 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you, dear.

hms42

September 30 2013, 19:24:22 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations on the 4th anniversary of being a published author. May you be busy enough to have the writing be your day job someday, soon! (And hit the top of the best seller list, too!!!!)

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:29:02 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

tikiera

September 30 2013, 19:35:15 UTC 3 years ago

I was there for Ravens and for Grant's Pass. I remember the feeling of joy of having your stories in print. And then came the novels and then the anthologies, and as the wonder and amazement of the sheer prolific nature of your work.

When I was little, I wished for a writer to write things I liked, often enough that I wouldn't feel like it had been forever since I last read something new from them. I read way too fast.

I got my wish.

So thank you. For writing such wonderful stories and somehow doing the impossible with how much you write.


seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:29:17 UTC 3 years ago

I am so glad to be your shooting star.

lysystratae

September 30 2013, 19:39:07 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for gifting us with your worlds.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:29:27 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

ladymondegreen

September 30 2013, 19:44:13 UTC 3 years ago

I still do a little dance every time I see your books on someone's shelves.

May you have good health, long life, and plenty and plenty of time to write.

catnip13

September 30 2013, 20:11:26 UTC 3 years ago

I do too. It's not like I need more copies, but I always check every library and bookstore for them, just because it makes me happy to see them.

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:29:46 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

greyduck

September 30 2013, 20:04:11 UTC 3 years ago

Hail! Hail the anniversary of The Day Upon Which Seanan Burst Forth Upon The Publishing World Which Had No Idea What It Thus Had Gotten Itself Into!

(I just watched my final-season Leverage DVDs... Let's go steal, indeed. *wry grin*)

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:29:59 UTC 3 years ago

I miss my show.

greyduck

3 years ago

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seabhac_mhor

September 30 2013, 21:20:23 UTC 3 years ago

I remember...

When you had free time, and we'd get together and talk about so many things: about Toby's universe (because that was the one in your head at that point) and about Shawn and Georgia's universe (because you also had that in your head) and all the things other things too. And it amazed the hell out of me how creative you were.

And now, I get to read the result of your creativity, attend occasional events, and be absurdly happy that things are going so very well for you as an author.

This is me having compersion for you. (And here's hoping the link works!)

May blessings shower upon you so that you can continue to give us your words, and your worlds.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:30:16 UTC 3 years ago

What a great word!

bookblather

September 30 2013, 22:05:52 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for writing these books, for giving us your time and your talent and your amazing, incredible stories.

and A+ Leverage reference, will steal four years for you anytime.

jenfullmoon

October 1 2013, 05:16:45 UTC 3 years ago

Hah, watching season 5 right now. Yay Leverage.

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

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reynai

September 30 2013, 22:12:38 UTC 3 years ago

Congrats! And also thank-you, not only for creating such wonderful worlds to immerse myself in, but for putting people like me in them.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:30:44 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

kyburg

September 30 2013, 23:11:57 UTC 3 years ago

Gods, only four. Xander came home in 2009 - and while I'm aware of every day that's passed since then - it's still only four years. Only four.

What a wild, strange trip it's been, neh?

Yes. Four more, please.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:31:03 UTC 3 years ago

You can pack a hell of a lot into four years, when you really try.

phoenixrave

September 30 2013, 23:45:55 UTC 3 years ago

So, I was finally out of grad school and in the Bay Area at a filk con, seeing my favorite band, Tricky Pixie play for the very first time...I'd been out of touch with fandom for awhile...After their gig, they were telling me that they would be performing again in 3 days at a book release...I said that I would definitely be there, and 3 days later, I headed to Borderlands...

Now, I vaguely recognized the name Seanan McGuire, but I could not remember where from. I heard before I got there that she was a filker...You had me at hello! I had a reading queue the length of Highway 5, so I thought that I might "pay for my supper" by purchasing a cd of Seanan's. I was disappointed to learn that none of her CDs were there, but I was getting a free concert. I went next door to buy the book. Well, that release, "A Local Habitation" was a sequel. I decided that I'd buy R&R...but Alec, Betsy, and Sooj are great people. They love this woman. This woman brought me more of them. I bought both books. There was a raffle that night. I got a ticket from buying those books. That ticket won ALL THREE of Seanan's CDs for me!!! Karma, thank you!

In fiction and in filk, on the blog (which, thanks to my move to Scotland, I'm months behind on) and in person, I enjoy the world SOOO much better with you in it Seanan. Thank you!

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:31:38 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome!

All hail coincidence.

chaos_wrangler

October 1 2013, 00:10:43 UTC 3 years ago

It's been only 4 years?! ... Oh, ok, 15 books - that explains it. Clearly I've been counting book years rather than calendar years. Please keep 'em coming as fast or as slow as you like, and we'll be very happy to keep reading 'em.

seanan_mcguire

October 2 2013, 17:31:52 UTC 3 years ago

I will do my very best.

chantry

October 1 2013, 00:14:18 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for the wonderful stories. It's been a joy and a pleasure following along with you.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:02:11 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome. :)

jammiesest

October 1 2013, 00:43:11 UTC 3 years ago

Happy four year anniversary, and thank you so very much for Toby and Georgia and Verity and Frances and Sarah and everyone.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:02:17 UTC 3 years ago

<3

amanda_nye

October 1 2013, 01:01:17 UTC 3 years ago

Pure awesome!

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:02:26 UTC 3 years ago

Glee.

weds

October 1 2013, 01:29:05 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations! I'm still perfectly happy to doll-hunt for you if it helps you claw a little time/sanity back.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:02:36 UTC 3 years ago

This is because you are best.

umadoshi

October 1 2013, 01:39:31 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you so much for every single one of those books. I thank you especially for Georgia, but they're all amazing. *^^*

Congratulations on four years! May there be many, many more books and stories to come, and may their creation bring you joy and their sales allow your cats to feast!

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:02:46 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

ironed_orchid

October 1 2013, 01:43:02 UTC 3 years ago

Wow, 15 books in 4 years is AMAZING.

I guess that means it's 3 years since you came to Australia and won the Campbell. It feels simultaneously much longer and much shorter than that.

<3

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:03:01 UTC 3 years ago

Doesn't it, though?

tigertoy

October 1 2013, 02:05:09 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for the wonderful stories and all the hard work you put in to bring them to us.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:03:11 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

calico_reaction

October 1 2013, 02:12:48 UTC 3 years ago

Only four years? It feels like so much longer, but go you! Thanks so much for sharing your words, your worlds, your characters, and your passions with us!

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:03:32 UTC 3 years ago

It does, which makes some things doubly hard, as people assume I have a lot more experience than I do.

Thank you!

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:03:43 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

:)

ohari

October 1 2013, 04:58:09 UTC 3 years ago

Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:03:54 UTC 3 years ago

Yessssssssss.

ohari

3 years ago

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