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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jenfullmoon

October 1 2013, 05:19:37 UTC 3 years ago

Four years ago, I was in a (RIP) Borders and came across an autographed copy of Rosemary and Rue. (Nowadays I feel pretty stupid at missing the one time you came to my town, apparently....) Picked it up and just kept on reading addictively ever since.

Thank you so much for all of your work. But uh, especially Toby and Luidaeg and Georgia :) I will also pass on the thanks from my friends who have now gotten hooked on you as well.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:11 UTC 3 years ago

You are best. :)

gothrockrulz

October 1 2013, 05:37:52 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations! You've earned it several times over. :)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:21 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

arcaneblades

October 1 2013, 09:54:44 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for your stories, and sharing them with us at what, from a regular perspective, is amazing speed. The fact that I always finish the latest Toby book chomping at the bits for another is just a feature of how I read, as well as a feature of how well you write. As long as you keep producing things, I will continue to buy them. I buy on release day, or as with the last book, *arrange* for someone else to pick up my copy whilst I work. I wish you many more years of pleasant and productive writing.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:32 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

mysterysquid

October 1 2013, 09:56:37 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations!

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:41 UTC 3 years ago

HAMS

joecoustic

October 1 2013, 10:34:59 UTC 3 years ago

It's been a fun four years and here's to many more multiples of four. :) *hugs*

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:49 UTC 3 years ago

*hugs*

jenjen4280

October 1 2013, 12:00:36 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for Toby and the gang and for making urban fantasy more inclusive of the LBGT community.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:04:59 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

notalwaysweak

October 1 2013, 13:45:26 UTC 3 years ago

I am eternally proud of you. Really and truly. I remember when your highest level of publication was your frequent appearances on metaquotes, where I first found you and fell in love with your unique way with words, and I remember pre-ordering Rosemary and Rue, and I remember when Chimes at Midnight finally arrived in my letterbox and I dropped everything to read it.

Also, the anthologies count is somewhere between 'lots' and 'needed their own shelf on my to-read bookshelf'.

(Also also, your roller derby stuff is coming very soon; I had to get the t-shirt size swapped (we're the same size so I tried it and sadly it was a wee bit small).)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:06:13 UTC 3 years ago

:) :) :)

You are best.

liddle_oldman

October 1 2013, 14:59:56 UTC 3 years ago

Four years?!?

Now that is accomplishment. Especially considering the quality of what you've produced. (As in, it has a lot of it.)

I think you're now officially the poster person for "overclocking". :)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:06:25 UTC 3 years ago

Soon I will explode!

liddle_oldman

3 years ago

  • New comment

mac_arthur_park

October 1 2013, 17:03:08 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for giving us Toby, and Verity, and wonderful music along the way.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:06:35 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

groblek

October 1 2013, 17:18:57 UTC 3 years ago

Congratulations! It feels like it's been longer with all the books and release parties since, but I vaguely recall hearing about Rosemary and Rue at my second Consonance, and I can track how long I've been reading your books by adding ~7 months to Josh's age. Here's hoping for many, many more years - Sarah and I will keep reading for as long as you keep writing. We'll see about Josh when he's old enough for your books. :)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:07:03 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you so much for being a part of my odd little community. You rule.

saendie

October 1 2013, 19:00:44 UTC 3 years ago

I've always enjoyed reading your books.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:07:15 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you.

gothicsparrow

October 2 2013, 00:43:29 UTC 3 years ago

I ordered Rosemary and Rue into my local bookshop because I'd been reading this awesome writer-person's blog for a while before R&R came out, and if the author person was awesome the book was probably going to be awesome, and it ended up being one of the best urban fantasies I've ever read.

(They couldn't order in A Local Habitation because Australia, but thank Pumpkin for geek shops and living near a state capital - I have all the Seanan novels except Chimes and Blue-Light, with plans to aquire soon.)

(Hail, Princess of the Land of Poison and Flame!)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:07:34 UTC 3 years ago

Hail!

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:08:14 UTC 3 years ago Edited:  October 3 2013, 16:08:38 UTC

Thank you.

You were just what I needed, just when I needed it, and I am eternally grateful.

yellowblackhaze

October 2 2013, 08:43:13 UTC 3 years ago

My reading life was certainly enriched by seeing you at the 2010 Worldcon and that prompting me to go out and seek what I could find under either the name of Seanan McGuire or Mira Grant. I thank you for that.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:08:27 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

Charles Ellis

October 2 2013, 11:41:12 UTC 3 years ago

Now let's go steal me four more.

Only four? It's not like there are term limits for authors. Hell, not even death can keep some authors from publishing.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:08:53 UTC 3 years ago

True.

Disturbing, and true.

elialshadowpine

October 2 2013, 12:27:19 UTC 3 years ago

...only four years? Wow. It sure feels like longer. I remember seeing Rosemary & Rue in, I think, Borders (augh, I miss that store, we had an awesome two story one only about twenty minutes away... not that it would really help us much that we can't read physical books anymore, but still!) and picking it up to look at by virtue of the awesome cover art. It came home with us and my partner and I devoured it in short order. (I still have a lot of catching up on the series... I'm a binge reader, I buy series books as they come out and then read through once I have a whole bunch saved up.)

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:09:07 UTC 3 years ago

I miss Borders so bad. :(

elialshadowpine

3 years ago

  • New comment

wendyzski

October 2 2013, 15:00:32 UTC 3 years ago

You know I'm a huge fan anyway, but I wanted to tell you - your work is really helping me cope with a really annoying situation.

Minor electrical fire - my bunbun and I are fine, but I'm living in a hotel for a month and can't get to pretty much all of my stuff and bunny is being boarded and everything is just a huge annoying mess (though I am well aware it could have been much worse)

I am occupying myself with a massive Toby reread, on e-books because all of my deadtree books are being treated for smoke stink, and it's been nifty to re-immerse myself in her world while looking for your hidden breadcrumbs. Also, I finally got to the Squeecast this morning, and listening to you squee about Haunt season makes me smile. 8 seasons at Fright Fest, so for me fall smells of crisp leaves with a slight undertone of pee and the distant sound of screaming and laughter.

So I wanted to say Thank You - and now everyone go check you smoke detectors.

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:09:23 UTC 3 years ago

I'm glad you're okay!

And thank you.

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

October 3 2013, 16:09:33 UTC 3 years ago

I will!

serge_lj

October 3 2013, 18:17:36 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks for writing all those tales.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 14:48:59 UTC 3 years ago

You are so welcome.

hrhleia

October 4 2013, 22:00:50 UTC 3 years ago

Delurking to say congratulations and thank you for all of your stories! I LOVE the Toby Daye series and have bought all of them as soon as I could afford to. Only a lack of time and funds are keeping me from the Incryptid series, because that is right up my alley (I seriously wanted to be a cryptozoologist when I was little - made business cards and everything). I have never been interested in the zombie genre, but all of the amazing reviews of Feed et al make me want to read them too! I also enjoy your writing style and opinions in general - I follow your tumblr as well and the majority of my content is reblogs from you. Fifteen books in four years is an amazing publishing rate, and I can only cheer and hope it continues. So THANK YOU and may you continue to enjoy doing what you (and we) enjoy so much for many years to come!

seanan_mcguire

October 5 2013, 18:24:10 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you!

thedragonweaver

October 5 2013, 18:21:57 UTC 3 years ago

If you've been published "only" since 2009, I feel less bad about not discovering your work until 2011. And dang that's some fast writing.

Thank you for inviting us along on the ride. It's a fun one, even with the zombies attacking.

seanan_mcguire

October 5 2013, 18:24:22 UTC 3 years ago

Just push them away with a stick.
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