It's review roundup time! The time where the points are made up and the prizes don't matter. Today's reviews are all blasts from the deep past, beginning with...

From 2012, Fangs For the Fantasy has posted a good, thorough review of An Artificial Night, and says, "Relatedly, Toby is a much stronger, more active participant in this book. She isn't being constantly injured and recovering (though she is injured) nor is she flailing around without seeming to know what to do next and letting events happen. She's more active, she’s leading the plot, she's directing the plot and she's resolving the plot very much on her terms." There's also some excellent, spot-on commentary about diversity in the cast as of this point in the series.

From 2011, SFFWorld has posted an excellent, if spoiler-heavy review of Deadline. Not recommended unless you've read Feed. The review says, "The Newsflesh Trilogy is turning into one of my favorite SF stories and one that is continuing to surprise me&mdsp;up until the very end of Deadline. This second installment raises the stakes considerably and brings new players into the game, while maintaining the blistering pace of Feed, its predecessor. I can’t say enough good things about this novel, which has made the concluding volume Blackout, quite possibly my most anticipated novel publishing in 2012." Yay!

From 2012, Cannonball Read has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "While I’ve enjoyed the previous three October Daye books, and especially admired the world building, this is the first one I actually had trouble putting down." Neat!

Also from 2012, Cannonball Read has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and recommends you not start at this point in the series. I love this sort of recommendation.

Finally (for now), from 2012, Fangs For the Fantasy has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "All in all, this book got so much right. The balance between emotion and plot, the pacing, the main character and the rich, amazing world that it not only continued a great series in the same line but took it a step higher as well. I loved this book and am eager to read the second one&mbspthis series is heartily recommended." I'm assuming "second" means "next." She also fairly called me out on "crazy" as shorthand in the early Toby books, and I've tried to unpack more about what's actually going on with fae biology and behavior because of critiques like this one.

You may have noticed that all these reviews are old, and that newer reviews are getting rare. There's a reason for that. Whether I'm more secure (I don't feel like I am), more exhausted (I do feel like I am), or whether more bloggers have just moved to Goodreads and Amazon, I don't pull as many review links as I used to. That may change when I finish clearing the backlog, or I may decide that this ship's time has sailed.

We shall see.

Links blah blah oh sweet Great Pumpkin SAVE ME FROM THE LINKS. Anyway...

The Telegraph has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "Intelligent and exciting, Deadline raises the bar for the genre." Short, sweet, perfect.

SFFWorld has posted a review of Feed, and says, "Feed is a brilliant novel that embraces the tropes of the zombie story, expands the zombie mythos, speaks to modern fears, plausibly renders a political landscape, and forces the reader to turn the pages to see what happens next." Yay!

Romance Reviews Today has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "If you love fantasy, and particularly urban fantasy, do not miss this series. The author possesses great depth in her vision." Awesome.

Mervi's Book Reviews has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Once again, McGuire blends action, humor, and pretty dark themes excellently. However, there's again an air of tragedy on the story." Toby is the fairy godmother of tragedy, it's true.

Old Firehouse Books has posted a review of Feed that is deeply personal and very well-balanced. I have no pull quotes from this one, but you should definitely check it out.

This is also where I want to take a moment to note that while I am still cleaning out the old reviews in my link file—I thought they were important enough to save, I'm not going to just delete them—I have gotten a lot less likely to add new reviews, because I am a lot less twitchy on a day-by-day level. This is why there are fewer reviews of newer books. This will change, I'm sure, as I launch new universes, since I'll still be deeply insecure about them.

Reviews!

I'm still sick (but getting better), and so, in order to keep myself from dwelling on the frailty of the flesh, here is a review roundup. Yay.

Yeti Stomper has put me on notice with great aplomb. I am honored and afraid. And also amused.

Broad Universe has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "This is an exciting book for fans of Seanan McGuire and the October Daye series. It hints at so much more to come and I can't wait to find out what's next." There's an interview with me attached to the review. Bonus!

The Word Zombie has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "With Feed, Mira Grant established herself as a major new voice in zombie fiction. With Deadline, she proves that 'zombie' is a superfluous addition to that accolade. Without the subtlety of her storytelling, the layers of conspiracy at the heart of this book would have ripped apart like so many sheets of rice paper. Instead, she parceled out the story with the literary timing of Stephen King at his best, while managing to do what King has suffered with so much in recent years—tying the story together in the end and leaving the reader with an emotional punch akin to being hit in the chest with a Taser." ...wow.

Apex has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "This seamless expansion of the fae world in and around the story being told is one of my favorite things about McGuire's writings. She is a master at informing the reader without the dreaded info dump. One Salt Sea is a worthy addition to the marvelous October Daye series and one I will happily reread again." There's also an interview after the review. Yay!

Rie has posted a review of Rosemary and Rue, and says, "I really enjoyed Rosemary and Rue, though it took me a bit to get a handle on the new style after reading some of Seanan's other work first. It was an entirely new pacing and flow, and the switch was not an automatic one. I don't want to imply that the plot is slow moving—it isn't, it's a rich, complex plot that has an appropriate pace for its style and genre—it just wasn't as non-stop action as Mira's Feed." Since this is something I worry about a lot, this is reassuring to hear.

...and that is all for today. I'm tired, and need a nap.

...merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

Today's first review comes from libris_leonis, who has posted a review of "Countdown", and says, "This is a grim, compact little story that works really well, but also really grimly; not uplifting, but certainly excellent, although it does require knowledge of the Newsflesh world to really work to its full effect." Yay!

You know, that review was so nice, let's visit the reviewer twice. libris_leonis has also posted a review of "San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats", and says, "Overall, "San Diego 2014" showcases Grant's best talents; emotionally resonant and effective work, drawing out similarities between characters and readers, and the occasional (more common here than across the rest of the Newsflesh cycle) reference to modern geek culture. A very nice novella." Hooray!

Sadly, one reviewer does not a full roundup make, and so we move on. The Mad Reviewer has posted a review of Blackout, and says, "Funny, dark, suspenseful and full of plot twists, Blackout was no disappointment. And it even had a satisfying, if not entirely happy, ending. What else could I really ask for?" A pony. You can always, always ask for a pony.

Persephone Reads has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "For every knock she takes—and this installment’s knocks would make a heavyweight prizefighter proud—Toby finds a way to get back on her feet. She’s not invincible; she sways and stumbles, but she stands when others might fall. In these pages, Toby’s brand of strength and vulnerability found its sweet spot. It’s no great shock that I continue to be a pom-pom wielding, card carrying member of her cheer squad." Go Fighting Pumpkins!

The Family Addiction has posted a fun, and funny, review of Discount Armageddon. There are no really good pull quotes this time, but it's definitely worth clicking through.

A Modern Hypatia (love the name) has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "Deadline is also an amazingly strong second book—often the weakness of trilogies. There are some places that's obvious (especially the end), but the beginning does a great job of easing you back into the world and reminding you how things work before the story accelerates (which it does quite rapidly.) And then there's a solid plot that both serves this book, but is clearly laying down foundation for a powerful conclusion." Victory is mine!

Finally for today's extremely random review roundup, Monsters and Critics has posted a review of Home Improvement: Undead Edition, and says, "This collection is a treat; the stories are strong and most reward the reader with a pleasing plot twist. The paranormal element added to the mundane yet trying experience of home or business renovation was an inspired theme certain to strike a cord with anyone who has lived the experience. Just the thing to enjoy on a languid summer day with a tall glass of cold lemonade." Works for me.

So that's me purging a little more of the link file. Look for more of these in the next few weeks, as I struggle to get things under control before Ashes of Honor hits shelves.

Tired cat is tired. Have some links in lieu of actual content.

Hey, what's that at #8 on the Barnes and Noble Book Club list of the best paranormal fantasy releases of 2011? Is it Late Eclipses? Why yes, I do believe that it is.

And what's that at #19 on Ranting Dragon's best fantasy releases of 2011? Is it Deadline? Again, yes, I do believe that it is. Both my personalities get the love!

Meanwhile, over at Chicks With Crossbows, there's some Tybalt-hunting funny business going on. Now, I don't know whether I'd go looking for Tybalt, since if I found him, I might also find Toby, and she might be annoyed about me bothering her resident Cait Sidhe monarch, but I'm glad someone took the risk! Totally hysterical.

Oh, and also, what's that appearing on both best of 2011 lists? Toby books and Newsflesh books, oh, my!

And those are today's links. Real content later.

So after hoping and praying and telling people to write to Brilliance Audio instead of writing to me, I am absolutely overjoyed to be able to announce that the audio book rights for Late Eclipses and One Salt Sea have been sold. Here are some Amazon links, in case you don't feel like looking for them yourself:

Late Eclipses, the audio book.
One Salt Sea, the audio book.

I am so happy right now. I know that the lack of audio books for book four has been a big deal for people with vision problems, or who like to listen to books while they drive, or who just prefer things in an audio format. Being able to make those readers happy makes me happy.

And now is where I turn to you, or at least those segments of the greater "you" who asked for these editions, and I say: Please, buy these. Brilliance Audio has been wonderful, and the letters you wrote expressing a desire for these books is what enabled them to go back into the studio and make the books happen. But the sales need to be strong if we want them to continue the series; this is not the same as my contract with DAW, and does not have a one-to-one guarantee.

The unabridged audio book of One Salt Sea in MP3 form on a single CD is less than eleven dollars on Amazon right now. If you are one of the people who asked for these audio books, and have an interest in seeing Toby's adventures continue in this format, please, order a copy. This is how we make them keep letting us have nice things.

Audio books!

Would you like fries with that?

After the day I've had, I lack the focus to do anything more involved than a review roundup. And so, with no further ado, I present...the review roundup. Again, it's cut-tagged because it's huge; I'm trying to winnow the list enough to get back to my customary sets of five.

( We cut because we love. Also because we have knives.Collapse )

Again, links eat world. But also, as of today, we are ninety-five days out from the release of One Salt Sea, and that means I need to make sure people remember Toby! So here is today's Toby-centric review roundup.

We start with a review of Rosemary and Rue by Fuzzy Steve, who says, "Damn good. Classic Urban fantasy, with a strong female lead. If you like the Dresden files, you'll probably like these. So give the first book a chance." I like "damn good" as a sales pitch, frankly.

Also Rosemary and Rue-related, although a bit more specialized, here's the Unshelved Book Club review of the audio edition, which says, "My previous attempts to listen to urban fantasy novels left me thinking I needed to read a faerie encyclopedia. But McGuire gave all the background necessary to Daye's world, with all the grit, deception, and intrigue I feel is essential to a mystery. And Kowal voiced the characters—both otherworldly and human—with distinction, personality, and just the right amount of tension." Yay!

Moving on to a later book, Fantasy Literature has reviewed Late Eclipses, and says, "The world-building is great, featuring a plethora of fae beings from folklore, and the political intrigue is always interesting. Late Eclipses has the added bonus of new revelations about the nature of Toby's mother, Amandine, and of Toby herself. Yes, I love these books. Even when they're flawed." She goes on to call out several of these flaws, and they're a fair cop; this is a good review.

It's time for another Book Pushers review! Yay! This time, it's a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Late Eclipses is a solid and enjoyable entry in the series. Lush mythology and darkly imaginative and tense, I was caught up with the mystery and developments that bring forward ongoing plots and characters. I eagerly await for the next book, to see what else will be unveiled."

Finally, for right now (since I try to stop at five links), the Cookies, Books, and Bikes review of An Artificial Night, which says, "I throughly enjoyed this book. It was completely engrossing and I loved learning more about many of the other characters within this book." Rock and roll.

And that's it for today. More soon.

Am I behind on my review roundups? Yes. Yes, I am. Am I about to drown in links? Yes. Yes, I am. So here. Reviews for you!

First up for this batch, Paul Goat Allen wrote one of the most beautiful explanations of the Toby Daye books I've ever seen over the Barnes & Noble Book Club, and said, "For me, these novels are ultimately about Toby's inner quest—her search to find herself, her place in the world, not some soul mate or better half who will 'complete' her. It’s delicious existential speculation wrapped up in fantastical candy-coated shell. That's why this unique and addictively readable saga resonates so powerfully with me—I identify with Toby as the proverbial outsider, the seeker, the misunderstood hero."

Um. Wow.

The Discriminating Fangirl posted a lovely review of Late Eclipses, and says, "I think this is my favorite book in the series so far. Everything that I loved about the first three books came together in a perfect storm of awesomeness in Late Eclipses. The plot is smooth, engrossing, and terribly exciting." Also: "If you’re already a fan of the Toby Daye series, Late Eclipses definitely won’t disappoint. If you’re a newbie looking for some great, original urban fantasy, get thee to a bookstore and pick up this series. You won’t be disappointed." Victory!

Charlaine Harris listed Late Eclipses as one of her books of the week, and says, "Seanan McGuire is another of my favorites, and Late Eclipses continues her saga of the life of October Daye, a true and acknowledged hero in the world of the fae." Also: "It's impossible not to like Toby." Could someone tell the Queen of the Mists that? It would make book six ever so much easier to write.

Angela over at The Outhouse has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "For the past three books, I cringed at the 1st person narrative that gave little details painstakingly slow about Toby’s life. For the past three books I wanted to grab October by the shirt and ask her why won’t she push farther into her odd standings with Tybalt. For the last three books, I nearly cried when Toby would just bend over and take it from the Fae court. And now here is the fourth fantastic book and it has been worth every little bit of frustrating agony! Seanan McGuire is a sneaky woman, knowing how to play her audience like a fiddle book by delicious book; never giving too much, but making you want a whole of a lot more." I'm a fiddler! Amy would be so proud.

Finally, for right now, it's our requisite LJ review, from ambermoon, who has posted a lovely review of Late Eclipses. She says, "Each novel passes the Bechdel Test with flying colors, and I love the heroine. Toby (short for October) is smart, funny, sarcastic, and believable. She's capable without being either 'too good at everything' or unwilling to accept help. She gets literally carried several times, but I never felt her agency was reduced. She has maternal aspects without that being the source of her strength or relegating her to a caretaker role. She can sometimes be a jerk, and sometimes seems almost deliberately obtuse about personal matters, and she's extremely stubborn. The books are first-person narration so Toby carries all the action, and she doesn't disappoint." Yay!

That's all for today. Next up, Deadline reviews! Yay!

Did you miss the latest iteration of the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show? Do you like your events a little more low-key? Do you want to hang out and get things signed? Well, you're in luck on all three counts, because I will be at the Other Change of Hobbit in Berkeley, California this Friday, from seven to nine PM.

Yes, I will read; yes, I will sign; yes, I will answer silly questions. Yes, there may be music, because I am me, and it is borderline inevitable that there will be music when I go around being me in a public place. Yes, the bookstore has copies of Late Eclipses, as well as all my other recent publications, including Whedonistas. Yes, I hope to see you there.

Book events are fun!

I have to do this occasionally, or the file I use to store my links may actually CATCH FIRE and EXPLODE. True fact. It's been known to happen. Anyway...

Kenda over at Lurv ala Mode has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "This series is an exceptional example of unique urban fantasy, with characters that grow more and more in depth with each installment. The plots for each book are twisted and complicated, enough so that interest is piqued and toe tip pressure never lessens since we’re constantly on them. The series isn’t complacent, as it ups the excitement and action and development overall with each book. And that, fellow readers, is how I like it." Yeah, that's a long pull quote, but it's an awesome review, and it waited a long time to be posted. So I'm sharing my enthusiasm.

Kristen at Fantasy Book Cafe has posted a review of Late Eclipses (and how is it that my early reviews are being linked so late this time? Uncool, blonde girl...), and says, "Late Eclipses had everything I’ve come to love about the October Daye series and then some since it exceeded my expectations. It’s a lot of fun with some very satisfying revelations and is the strongest installment in the series yet." Yay!

But what about the seeeeexy? Well, Rebecca at Dirty Sexy Books has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Is it too early to look forward to the next book in the October Daye series?" No. No, it is not.

calico_reaction provides our obligatory Livejournal review, and says, "This installment is my favorite to date, horribly difficult to put down. There's so many revelations in this book that really cast Toby and her purpose in a new light, and the cast is just delightful. I can't say more without gushing, so I'll shut up, and say that if you're an urban fantasy fan and you haven't at least read up to book three, An Artificial Night, you're missing out. And if you're already a fan, you definitely don't want to miss this one." Hooray! No, like, seriously, hooray.

Finally for this batch, SFRevu Review has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "A great installment in a series that is becoming a must-read, Late Eclipses will satisfy even the most demanding urban fantasy reader."

On that short, sweet note, I conclude this review roundup and return to my word count for the evening. Catch you soon!

This past Saturday was my fourth Toby-related book event at San Francisco's Borderlands Books, home of naked cats, tolerant employees, and, every six months or so, the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show. We've appeared in other locations, but Borderlands is the one we keep going back to; Borderlands is the home base for this particular flavor of insanity. Why? Because we like them.

This particular party was slated to start at six and run until nine, giving us three hours in which to sell books, answer questions, make music, and feed people vast quantities of sugar. We arrived at the bookstore en masse around four-thirty, while the prior event was tearing down, and toted ALL THE THINGS inside. Seriously, when we go into carnie mode, we're a scary mob of ALL THE THINGS. It looks like we're planning to actually move in. Wisely, people scattered; just as wisely, Kate (who met us at the bookstore) hauled me away to put food in me, since I'm about as much help during setup and tear-down as a Gila monster with a machine gun.

People began showing up around five-thirty, while we were in the midst of final touches, final placements, and soundcheck. Jeff ran our small but spunky sound system, while Kate worked the raffle table and ensured (along with Mom) that everyone got a ticket of their very own. Six o'clock hit, heralded by the arrival of my cupcakes, and we got that party started.

As always, the festivities were divided between music, Q&A, baked goods, and drawing prizes in our raffle. The questions were new and different, the raffle prizes were an awesome mix of standard and surprising (including some special additions by the bookstore, which made things even more spectacular), the cupcakes (from Cups and Cakes Bakery) were delicious, and the music was rocking. The set lists:

SET ONE:
1. "Thirteen." Michelle "Vixy" Dockrey, lead vocals, tambourine; Maya Bohnhoff, Seanan McGuire, backing vocals; Tony Fabris, guitar; Betsy Tinney, cello.
2. "Dear Gina." Seanan, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, creepy creepy cello.
3. "High Desert." Maya, lead vocals; Jeff Bohnhoff, guitar; Kristine Bohnhoff, backing vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Betsy, cello.
4. "Pocket Man." Maya, vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.
5. "We Can Be Anything." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.

SET TWO:
1. "Radio Free Luna." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
2. "Manhattan Sleeps." Maya, Kristine, vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.
3. "Tam Lin." Vixy, Maya, Seanan, vocals; Jeff, guitar; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello; Vixy, djembe; Maya, shaker.
4. "Walmart." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello; Vixy, tambourine.
5. "Oak and Ash and Rowan and Thorn." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Vixy, djembe.

SET THREE:
1. "Alligator in the House." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, kick-ass cello.
2. "Tanglewood Tree." Seanan, Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
3. "Apprentice." Vixy, lead vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Jeff, Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
4. "Got to Fly." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar.
5. "Wicked Girls." Seanan, Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.

"Thirteen" and "Apprentice" are on Vixy and Tony's first album, Thirteen.
"Dear Gina" is on Seanan's third album, Red Roses and Dead Things.
"High Desert" and "Radio Free Luna" are on Jeff and Maya's fourth album, Möbius Street.
"Pocket Man" is on Jeff and Maya's third album, Aliens Ate My Homework.
"Manhattan Sleeps" is on Jeff and Maya's second album, Manhattan Sleeps.
"Tam Lin" and "Alligator in the House" are on Tricky Pixie's first album, Mythcreants.
"Tanglewood Tree" and "Wicked Girls" are on Seanan's fourth album, Wicked Girls.
"Got to Fly" is on Marian Call's second album, Got to Fly.

A good time was had by all. We raised the roof; I signed more books in a single sitting than I ever have before, even at Comicon; the cupcakes lasted eight minutes, tops; nothing got broken. We're already making plans and getting our ducks in row for the next time that the Circus comes to town.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and to everyone who didn't...see you next time!

People of Earth, consider this your final warning: The Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show will be descending on Borderlands Books tomorrow, from six to nine in the evening. There will be cupcakes from Cups and Cakes Bakery, including the famous (or infamous) Mad Tea Party cupcakes originally conceived for the Emilie Autumn concert. (Chai cake, ginger buttercream, and strawberry jam.) We will endeavor not to eat them all before you get there, but it's gonna be hard.

There will be no actual snakes.

This iteration of the Circus includes Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff, who have never joined us for this particular madness, and are going to go a long way toward rocking the proverbial house. We'll have a raffle, a Q&A period, book signings, and all the random cheering you can stomach. There may even be some random dancing. Do you hear me? RANDOM DANCING!!!!

Come help us celebrate the release of Late Eclipses, and my first appearance on the New York Times bestseller list. If you can't attend, remember that you can order signed and inscribed copies of any of my books from Borderlands, and they'll be happy to hook you up.

Hope to see you there!

It's time to do another review roundup, as not only are my links getting out of control, I've started losing things in the mucky morass of twisty words, and that's not fun for anybody. Least of all, let's be honest here, me.

Travels Through Iest has posted a Late Eclipses review, and says, "Late Eclipses is another welcome addition to Toby's exploits." Also (and I like this part), "Seanan is proving to be somewhat of a literary chameleon with this series, so far she's written them in a noirish Chandleresque style, something reminiscent of Agatha Christie and now Late Eclipses which has elements of a Grisham type legal thriller." I'm a lizard that writes books! I win!

Library Journal has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Vibrant writing and a likable narrator make this one of the stronger entries in the urban fantasy genre. It should appeal to fans of Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files.'" Cool. Now can you help me get Jim's sales numbers...? 'Cause that would be keen.

Obligatory LJ review! janicu has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "If you are an urban fantasy fan, you should read this, but don't stop at the first book, because the overarching storyline builds up as the books go along. It is rewarding to keep reading the series—if I think over what was revealed in this book, I become positively gleeful." Also, "To me, this series just gets better and better, and this is the best installment yet." Yay!

Scooper Speaks has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Seanan McGuire's October Daye series is the bom-diggity-dog." Yeah...the review's good too, but I'm gonna stop there, because that is awesome.

Finally for today, Julia at All Things Urban Fantasy has posted a review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Overall, Seanan McGuire has done a stellar job of developing her characters while interweaving action and suspense. As much as I enjoyed the romantic tension in Late Eclipses, it was the details about Toby's family, both blood relation and adopted, that truly touched me. The story as a whole has me on the edge of my seat for One Salt Sea in September, I am eager to find out how all this will play out." So am I!

So that's all for today; I'm going to post a few more review roundups soon, just in an attempt to take back my notes file. Between this and the convention ribbon order, let's just say that it's a mess in there...

Reviews!

Friday night, I was chilling at my computer when an acquaintance of mine congratulated me. On what?, I wondered. A link was provided. I clicked the link. The link took me to the New York Times Best Sellers, which seemed like a bit of a cruel joke, since I would have known if I had made the list. Right? Right?

I scrolled down the list.

Late Eclipses, the fourth October Daye adventure, held the #32 slot.

I stared at it for a few minutes before calling Vixy and asking her to click the link. I didn't tell her why, because let's face it, I wanted to know if she could see it, too. She made inquisitive noises as she scrolled...and then she started shrieking. Okay, so yeah. She could see it.

Lots of screaming and flailing followed, as well as a phone tree that managed to double back on itself about seventeen times. Oxygen was not a priority. The Agent eventually returned my call, and then we spent a lovely half-hour or so going "Oh my God" a lot, which is basically what I was hoping she would do (sometimes, being coherent is for other people). The cats watched all of this with disdain, thus proving that the essential laws of reality had not changed, and eventually, I watched Fringe and went to bed.

I'm a New York Times bestselling author. Me.

I still can't believe I'm not asleep.

What: Late Eclipses release party.
Where: San Francisco's own Borderlands Books, home of the naked kitties.
When: Saturday, March 19th, from six to nine PM (probably followed by decamping down the street for dinner, because That's How We Roll).
Why: Because we like you!

The Traveling Circus is descending upon Borderlands in a new incarnation, to dazzle, delight, and entertain you as we celebrate the release of Late Eclipses. This particular circus spectacular will feature Vixy "Kitsune Girl" Dockrey, Tony "Tony" Fabris, Betsy "The Cellonator" Tinney, Jeff "Heavy Metal Squid" Bohnhoff, and Maya "The Crusher" Bohnhoff. Oh, also, me. This is the first time the Bohnhoffs have joined us for a Traveling Circus, and I'm very excited about the whole thing.

There will be a raffle, readings, Q&A sessions, music, and cupcakes. Borderlands Cafe will be open right next door, to satisfy your nourishment needs (because let's face it, man does not live by cupcakes alone). We always have a great time at these things, and part of what makes them so awesome is the way people show up and help us party. So please, show up! Help us party!

It's going to be a fun night.

To celebrate the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], here. Have an open thread to discuss the book.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

Seriously. If anyone comments here at all, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. So please don't read and then yell at me because you encountered spoilers. You were warned.

You can also start a book discussion at my website forums, with less need to be concerned that I will see everything you say! In case you wanted, you know, discussion free of authorial influence.

Have fun!

It's official! Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] is now available from fine bookstores everywhere in North America, and from many fine bookstores elsewhere in the world! HOORAY!

Here are a few things to help you celebrate:

Firstly, there are gorgeous Late Eclipses wallpapers and icons available now at my website! Dress your computer in its Toby-related finery, and enjoy Tara's increasingly incredible work every time you make a post or minimize your active windows. Wallpapers and icons from previous books are also available.

I've done a shiny new interview over at the Qwillery, and you can win a copy of Late Eclipses! Dust off your Shakespeare and get ready for a good time, or at least the kind of time that involves hearing about my writing process in faintly silly terms.

Because people ask a lot: every sale counts, and if it's a legit sale (IE, not from a guy in a trenchcoat standing behind the 7-11), I get paid for it. In order of "how helpful is this," it goes brick and mortar stores first, because a sale from them often leads to a re-order; online retailers second, since again, they have to restock when they run out; and ebooks third, as those never need to be replenished. Take two, they're small.

Finally, I am going to be at Borderlands Books this afternoon, doing a swing-through stock-signing. If you want a signed book, and will be unable to make my March 19th Borderlands event, you can call the store and place an order any time after 12:00 PST (when they open). I'm also willing to sign the first three books, Feed, Zombiesque, and Tales From the Ur-Bar (also coming out today).

Happy bookday to me!

Monday is almost over. Tomorrow is Tuesday, March 1st, which makes it the official release date for Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], the fourth of the adventures of October "Toby" Daye. This is the first book that wasn't part of my original contract. I'm excited and I'm terrified and I'm really grateful that you haven't all thrown things at me for doing this countdown. And now, for our last entry, I give you one big thing I learned from Late Eclipses.

You can always get better.

Every time you think you've already reached the bottom of the well, that you've found all your frog princes and golden balls, you can dive a little deeper, scrape away a little more of the muck, and find your way to another clear, cool spring. Every time you think "that's it, my best work is behind me," you can stretch a little further, and you can find something you didn't know that you were capable of.

Faith and trust and pixie dust will get you a long way. Work and dreams and testing seams will get you even further.

Thank you all so much for being here.

Since Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] comes out, you know, tomorrow, I figured it was probably time for a review roundup. Let's see what people are saying, shall we?

Diana at Fresh Fiction reviewed Late Eclipses, and says, "The October Daye series is gritty and glittering urban fantasy at its best and Late Eclipses is no exception." Short, sweet, and to the point. I like it!

Leslee at Night Owl Reviews made Late Eclipses a Top Pick! She says, "Every time I finish a book in this series, I think 'Oh, that was the best one! It can't get any better than that!' and then I get the next book. Ms. McGuire continues to improve on perfection with each volume." I think I may frame that quote and put it above my bed.

Tori the Book Faery reviewed Late Eclipses, and says, "Unlike past books, Late Eclipses has the perfect balance of action and investigating, and thus, was a book I was unable to put down." Rock and roll!

GlamKitty at The Literate Kitty (owner of a lovely bluepoint Himalayan) posted her review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Late Eclipses is chock-full of everything I can’t get enough of in this series." Also, "Bottom line? I am beyond thrilled with this latest entry in what is, hands down, my absolute favorite urban fantasy series." Glee!

Finally (for now), Rachel at Geek Speak Magazine has posted her review of Late Eclipses, and says, "Madness abounds, especially among those enemies, and Toby is caught up in a morass of political machination and unjustified vendetta that makes for a fast-paced, breathless, and ultimately very satisfying read."

That works for me.

Here's to tomorrow, to good reviews, to successful releases, and to me getting more caffeine before I'm forced to rampage. Happy Monday!

It is now Sunday; Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] officially comes out in two days. This is terrifying and amazing. This is my fifth book. I mean, seriously, people, what the hell? Did I hit my head? Is this a really weird dream? How have I published five books?!

In honor of really weird dreams, I give you two stories I very much hope I get to tell.

1. I occasionally mention a book called Nativity of Chance. It's what I call my "Tim Powers book," because it's not the sort of book I usually write. It's about alchemy, and math, and language, and second chances, and siblings, and the families we find as opposed to the families we're given. It's about a girl named Dodger who loves numbers like she loves nothing else, and a boy named Roger who loves words like he loves nothing else, and the way they love each other. It's about Oz. It's about finding a place in a universe that loves you like a broken heart loves a last goodbye. I want to write it so bad, and I have to write at least five more books, first, because I'm just not good enough yet. But I can finally see good enough on a clear day, and that's very, very new.

2. The tenth InCryptid book is called Spelunking Through Hell: A Visitor's Guide to the Underworld. It's the story of Alice Price-Healy and Thomas Price and why true love is bad for you, and all the books before it are necessary, in part, to put the pieces in position for this last big story. I desperately want the series to do well enough to let me get this far, to let me show you what it looks like in the forests of my heart. I am good enough to tell this story. I just have to show my math if I want you to love it the way that I do.

Because this has become a very popular question in the past few weeks, here's the status of the Toby Daye audio books:

Brilliance Audio, which has been wonderful to me, and a joy to work with, only initially bought the rights to record the first three volumes. Audio book production is not cheap, and that makes producers move with caution. Right now, there is no contract to continue the series. I'm very sorry about that, but it's the only answer that I have.

Now, this does not mean you should flood Brilliance with demands that they continue; they need to know that there's a market, but no one likes to be nagged. It does mean that you can increase the chances that the series will continue in audio form by buying additional copies of the existing recordings for friends or family members who might have an interest in audio books.

I've occasionally seen people say, when authors made posts like this, "It's not my job to support your career." This is absolutely true, and I am in no way asking you to support my career (beyond, you know, buying books to feed my cats). But! If you are someone to whom the audio book editions are important, the best way to get more audio books is to buy things from and provide feedback to my audio book publisher. I can say there's a demand until I'm blue in the face; if the sales figures don't support it, I will not be heard.

Again, Brilliance has been nothing but a joy to work with. I would love to do more Toby with them. If the sales figures of the first three volumes support that, I will hopefully be able to do so.

Ah, Saturday. A day for sweet relaxation. A day when the working author can at least pretend to get caught up on all her word counts. And, well. A day that marks Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] being exactly three days from release. (Yes, I know, some stores have it out early. This doesn't make me a happy bunny, so please stop telling me about it. OCD means never coping well when people change your math.)

Some people have asked me why, exactly, they should spend their hard-earned dollars on my books, rather than on all the other lovely things they could be spending their dollars on. So I am here to present you with three excellent reasons why you should buy my books. Take two. They're small.

Reason #1:



Reason #2:



Reason #3:



Buy my books so I can continue to feed the furry monsters that sleep with their many, many sharp kitten-teeth only inches from my tender flesh. (That's Lilly, Alice, and Thomas, in order. It's actually an older picture of Alice, but she was so damn cute that I couldn't resist.)

Three days!

Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] is nearly upon us, and you know what that means. TRAVELING CIRCUS TIME!

The Traveling Circus (this time consisting of myself, Betsy Tinney, Vixy & Tony, and Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff) will be descending on San Francisco's own Borderlands Books on March 19th, where we will do our best to blow the roof off with our characteristic mix of music, madness, and random, unexpected cheering. There will be a raffle, and the cafe will be open to fill your bellies with delicious food. This is Jeff and Maya's first day at the Circus, so please show up and help us show them how we roll.

I'll post a reminder when we get closer to the event, and of course, all events are listed on my website appearances page.

Also potentially of interest, for those of you who can't make it to the party: remember that Borderlands Books will take orders for signed and inscribed books, and will happily ship them all over the world. I'll be swinging through the store on Tuesday, where I'll happily sign any books that are waiting in my queue. So if you want a personalized book, drop the store a line, and trade some cash for the knowledge that my pen has been put to paper in your name.

It's really a book!

It's Friday. There's barely a weekend between us and Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], which officially hits store shelves in four days. I can barely believe that it's so close. I'm still a little stunned when I look at my shelf at home, and there's book four, staring at me. But the show must go on, and in honor of that fact, here are four exciting things coming in the next year.

4. Well, naturally, Deadline. The second book in the Newsflesh trilogy is coming out at the end of May, and it's exciting and terrifying and Feed was so well-reviewed that I'm considering disabling my Google spiders and hiding under my bed for a week when this one comes out, just to escape the inevitable comparisons. I think it's a good book. I even think it's maybe a better book. But it's not a sequel in the "do the same, only bigger" sense, and that makes me twitchy.

3. "Through This House" is my first novella set in Toby's world. More, it's my first novella appearing in a Charlaine Harris/Toni Kelner anthology, which still has me a little WAIT WHAT NO WHO IS DRIVING? BEAR IS DRIVING!! HOW CAN THIS BE?!? about the whole thing. I love the story, which bridges the span between Late Eclipses and One Salt Sea, but isn't necessary to enjoy either. And I love that I was somehow lucky enough to be allowed to write it.

2. Book Expo America! This is one of the biggest literary trade shows in the world. It's like, the Emerald City of giant book expos. I've never been before. And this year, I get to go. Lemme hear a "woo" from the crowd! Hell, I'll do it myself. WOO!

1. One Salt Sea. It comes out in September; I'm in final editorial revisions now; it's the book where, well, once again, everything changes. It's also the book I sometimes thought I would never finish, because it required admitting to myself that the series would make it five books, and I never quite believed that. But I did, and it did, and soon, you'll get to read it, and I'm so excited.

And that's four exciting things in the year ahead.

Well, here we are. Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] is officially five days from release, and most of those days are part of the weekend, which means they'll pass in like, eight minutes, flat. The point of no return is sending nice postcards, and wishes we were still there. Sadly, we've passed it. In honor of passing things, here are five things I wish I'd known when I started publishing (but am probably glad I didn't).

5. By the time you've survived peer critique, the agent search, submissions, and editorial, you're pretty much accustomed to bad reviews. You'll never be used to them, but they're no longer the shocking "but...but...but I'M THE PRETTIEST PRINCESS" catastrophes they were in the beginning. This will do absolutely nothing to prepare you for the bad reviews which have nothing whatsoever to do with your book. Bad reviews I have received: "This costs too much, so it sucks." "This book had no sex in it and I wanted sex, so it sucks." "No one told me this book would have fairies in it." There is no avoiding these reviews. No matter how much you want to.

4. Everyone in the world is going to assume that you, as author, have a great deal more knowledge and control than you do. You will constantly be asked questions to which you will not have the answer, and some people will not believe you when you tell them that really, you don't know. Also, if you're wired anything like me, you'll start having trouble not snapping at people after the seventy-fifth time you're asked something. This is a problem, unless it was the same person asking the question seventy-five times. In that case, snap away.

3. Again, if you're wired anything like me, you'll probably have become a writer because you enjoy writing. It's what you do for fun. Yay, writing! This becomes a little complicated when suddenly, writing is also your job. Sadly, the odds are good that after about six to eight months of existential angst, you'll find yourself unwinding from a long session of writing by...writing something else. On the plus side, your agent will love you.

2. An awful lot of traditional publishing is "hurry up and wait." Patience is a virtue. So is the ability to distract yourself with bad television.

1. It never stops being terrifying, exciting, and basically the most interesting thing going on in your world. It may, however, stop being terrifying, exciting, and the most interesting thing in the world for your friends. Be prepared to buy interest with chocolate.

Item the first:

lilysea was one of our winners in the random book drawing, but had forgotten that she had already ordered a copy of Late Eclipses. So, because she is a glorious and generous soul, she has allowed me to draw a new winner! calico_reaction, you have won a copy of Late Eclipses of your very own. Please email me with your contact information, so that I can get your book into the mail. As always, you have twenty-four hours (although I may not pick again if you don't claim your prize, as I want to do my mailing this week).

Item the second:

All my cats share the same favorite toy, a fuzzy red squid on a stick from the Animal Planet line of cat toys. They made cat toys for like, six weeks, and then discontinued them, which is terrible, because their toys were AWESOME. The squid is the last survivor of the original batch, and is put carefully away when not in use, since otherwise the fur squad would turn it into so much cotton calimari.

Last night, Thomas and I had a good squid-swing, and I put the squid away, not noticing as I did that he was watching, intently, to see where it went. On a shelf. Six feet above the ground. Fifteen minutes later, I heard a loud clatter, and got up to see what was going on. Nothing appeared to have been knocked over; I shrugged and went back to watching Glee.

Clatter clatter clatter. Clatter. The hell? I got up again, and discovered that the clattering noise was the stick, banging against things, as Thomas proudly toted the squid around the house. I took it away. I put it away. Ten minutes later...

CLATTER.

Sigh.

So yeah. Maine Coons are a) capable of logic, and b) big enough that they can jump really bloody high when they want something. You have been warned.

And now, ladies and gentlemen...Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] is officially six days from release. That's less than a week! How am I supposed to get all my freaking out finished in less than a week? Since flailing around screaming that the sky is falling doesn't help with my countdown, here are six things you may not know about me.

6. I love snakes and spiders, have no fear of sharks, and tend to giggle hysterically when I'm on a plane and it hits a patch of turbulence that makes it feel like we're going to fall out of the sky. I am, however, morbidly terrified of pudding. This translates into a fear of any type of slug that isn't so ludicrously colored as to seem like a special effect.

5. I will not go into brackish water, because of the potential for leeches. Even if I am assured that there are no leeches in the entire country, I will not go into brackish water, because of the potential for leeches. Leeches are just not okay. Thank you, Stand By Me. In an attempt to conquer my fear, I kept a jar of leeches in my kitchen for a whole year. Those leeches were okay, because they were behind glass.

4. My collection of My Little Ponies is epic and vast, and contains almost all of the larger buildings from the original 1980s run of the toy line. Yes, including the Paradise Estate, which is roughly the size of a large card table. In that misty, far-off future where I actually have an office of my very own, it's going to wind up evenly divided between research material and plastic horses. Because that's just how I roll.

3. I grew up really, really, really poor, and I read really, really, really fast. These things combined mean that I grew up a dedicated re-reader, and will read books that I enjoy five, ten, or even twenty times. My count on The Stand is somewhere in the mid-fifties. The weirdest thing about my current bounty of available reading material is the lack of re-reading. I haven't read any of my favorites in over a year, and it's making me twitchy.

2. I have these long, elaborate, lucid dreams that seem entirely real when they're going on, even down to my needing to eat and use the bathroom in my sleep. They always end when someone tells me that I'm dreaming, and while they tend to be very realistic and grounded, they also tend to involve elements of "in a perfect world," like, you know, being published. Part of me spends every day afraid someone's going to tell me I'm dreaming.

1. My childhood idols were Vincent Price, Marilyn Munster, and Doctor Who. Considering that, and considering the way my life has turned out, I don't think I'm doing so bad. And I think they'd be proud of me.

Well, here we are. Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] comes out in one week, exactly. If past trends hold true*, people will begin reporting sightings in the wild any day now. This will either cause me to clap my hands, cry, hyperventilate, or all of the above. Safe money is, as always, on "all of the above." And so here are seven things you can do to help with this book release!

7. Talk about the book. Are you excited that it's coming? Awesome. Are you excited about the series as a whole? Awesome. Do you plan to use Late Eclipses to fuel your world-buster canon? Rock on. Word-of-mouth is the best advertising there is.

6. Review the book. Do it on your blog, on Amazon, on Goodreads, wherever you feel comfortable. Reviews help more than almost anything else. (But please, please, do not send me copies of your Amazon reviews. I try to avoid that particular pitcher plant of pain.)

5. Loan copies of Rosemary and Rue to people you think might be interested. The first hit's free!

4. Do not poke at me with sharp, sharp sticks. I am a very thinly-stretched blonde right now, on account of book release and all, and I am neither fast to respond nor particularly well-suited to being jabbed at. Please, be gentle, and understand that right now, you're looking at a longer than normal response time.

3. I love fan mail, and I respond to everything I get, although it can sometimes take a while. Please don't get upset if I don't answer right away.

2. Also? Please don't ask for kitten pictures. Seriously.

1. And the number-one thing you can do to help Late Eclipses have a successful launch is...buy the book. Please, please, buy the book. During the first on-sale week if you possibly can, because that's the week that counts against all the bestseller lists. Making those lists is a long shot, but a girl's gotta dream, right? So if you're planning to buy the book, please, go out and do it. Let's see if we can hit the NYT.

If we do, I promise to faint.

(*Past trends may not hold true. Traditionally, early copies have been spotted at Borders, and I don't know whether Borders will be receiving any shipments of Late Eclipses. I actually dare to hope that my on-sale date may be accurate this time.)

Thanks to everyone who participated in my recent massive drawing for free copies of my books! After feeding everyone's names into an Excel file (to sort them) and then into a random number generator, the winners are...

Rosemary and Rue winner #1: amber_fool
Rosemary and Rue winner #2: bahnree

An Artificial Night winner #1: Dayle Dermatis
An Artificial Night winner #2: myre_angel

Late Eclipses winner #1: gwyd
Late Eclipses winner #2: lilysea

And now, the fine print! Each of you has twenty-four hours to contact me, via my website contact link, with your mailing information. If you're outside North America, we can work out postage payment at that time. If I do not hear from you within twenty-four hours, I will draw another winner for your prize. I kept the file just in case this happens.

Thanks again to everyone who tossed their name into the hat; watch this space for more giveaways and drawings.

We are now eight days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. I've been counting down to the book release with a variety of lists, some directly related to Toby's world, some not. Today is more like a "well, maybe." See, people ask me about my research. And today, I figured I'd acknowledge those questions by listing eight of the reference books I couldn't live without.

Not all of these books are currently in print. I can't stress that enough. I'm not saying "run out and replicate my reference library," I'm saying "these are the books I use." I've provided Amazon links where possible. Enjoy!

8. The Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook [Amazon]. The second edition of this book has come out in paperback recently, and it's so, so worth it if you're doing anything with characters who don't have modern American names. I use this book once a story, and sometimes more often. It won't replace the need for independent name research, but it takes a lot of the weight off.

7. An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures [Amazon]. Out of print. If the Toby universe has a folklore Bible, this is it. This seminal work by Katharine Briggs was, and is, regarded as the definitive work on fairy lore of its type. I have learned more from reading her footnotes than I learned in some folklore classes. While out of print, used copies are reasonably easy to find. This is a real must for anyone working with European fairy folklore.

6. The Book of Poisons [Amazon]. This is part of the Writer's Digest series about ways for writers to kill people. It's a beautifully put together and researched volume, and while parts of it naturally became out of date while it was still being edited, the historical and natural poison sections are invaluable. Just, ah, don't read it on the airplane.

5. The English and Scottish Popular Ballads [Amazon]. Is this a five-volume set of song lyrics with footnotes and no sheet music? Yes. Yes, it is. Is it an incredible cornerstone in our understanding of the evolution of English and Scottish folklore, and an absolute must for anyone working in those traditions? Yes. Yes, it is. Francis James Child, I salute you.

4. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable [Amazon]. The Wordsworth reference dictionary collection is one of the most amazing, most frustrating reference sources in the world. They're impossible to find; there's no exhaustive list; even after years of tracking them down, I keep finding titles at used bookstores that I've never heard of before (and need desperately). Despite all that, if there's a Wordsworth in your area of study, get it. They're amazing reference books.

3. The Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology [Amazon]. This book is still in print. It also costs ninety dollars, so unless you're serious about your cryptid reference library, you can probably find cheaper alternatives. That said, I can use this book to kill rattlesnakes, spiders, and possibly home invaders, so it's totally worth it.

2. A Field Guide to the Little People [Amazon]. Nancy Arrowsmith's Field Guide is another of those absolutely priceless references for fairy and folklore, and had I made this list two years ago, I would have needed to add an "out of print" footnote. But not right now! This is a great book, and I'm so thrilled that it's available again.

1. The Monster Spotter's Guide to North America [Amazon]. Is this a serious work of cryptozoology? No. But it can lead you to new research channels, it can suggest cryptids you might want to look into, and it's just plain fun, which makes it a great reference book for the beginner. It's amazing how a fun gateway book can make a dry-as-dirt advanced course worth it.

Happy reading!

We are now nine days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. I've been talking a lot about books and reading and stuff, but I haven't been talking all that much about what makes me write. Since inspiration and ideas are an integral part of the writing process, I figured that today would be a good day to post about nine things that inspire my writing.

9. Music. I have an entire YA series that was inspired, without irony, by listening to the Counting Crows song "Have You Seen Me Lately?" while half-asleep. I hit the line "I was out on the radio, starting to change/Somewhere out in America, it's starting to rain," and suddenly I had this whole complicated story in my head. It was pretty awesome.

8. Biology. I like to read books about parasites and diseases and the weird new discoveries we're making in the cloud forests of Borneo, and all these things lead to new concepts that will inevitably appear in my writing. Almost all the cryptid biology you're going to encounter in InCryptid comes from this particular exercise.

7. Travel. I love finding new places and new environments to set things in. It's a rare trip where I don't come away with at least one new concept gnawing on the back of my brain, going "oh, oh, no, really, come on, let's destroy Melbourne!" Or, you know. Something like that. Travel broadens your list of available things to smash.

6. Listening to my friends talk to each other. If I have a conversation with Kate, barring unexpected disconnects, I know roughly how we'll both react. If I listen while Kate has a conversation with Vixy, anything goes. I find that listening to conflicting viewpoints from people I know well can make me write a lot of interesting things.

5. Movies. No, I'm not saying "I go see a movie about robots and then I write a robot book." I'm saying "I go see a movie about robots, and there's this interesting moment in the middle where someone wants some pudding, and I start thinking about it, and then it's twenty minutes later and something's exploding and I have no idea what's going on."

4. Sociological constructs. I often think "wouldn't it be nice if society did..." for values of "did" that can involve damn near anything. And then I construct worlds to justify society doing whatever it is I've said "wouldn't it be nice" about. Sometimes this requires trilogies.

3. Dreams. Like almost every other author I've ever met, sometimes things come to me in dreams. I am not ashamed of this. My dreams kick ass.

2. Irritation. Haven't we all thought "sure, but I could do it better" about something? With me, the "something" is often a story or a concept or even a real-world event, and the result is often unnerving.

1. Paying attention. I walk a lot. I look around me a lot while I walk. The number of stories this has caused is legion.

We are now ten days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. Since this is the fourth book in the series, people who've been following since the beginning have come to know a great deal about Toby and her world. So here is a list of ten things that have surprised me about these books. (Note: These are ten things about the text of the books themselves, not ten things about the publishing process.)

10. Danny. No, seriously. Danny was not originally in Rosemary and Rue; he was added when I revised the book for publication and needed to shuffle the action around a little bit. So I gave this big Bridge Troll a walk-on role, and figured I was finished. The joke turned out to be on me, as Danny gradually became a bigger part of the cast, and is now utterly integral.

9. In the same vein...Quentin. Quentin has been a part of the series since the beginning, but was originally intended to be much more of a mini-me for Etienne. You know, mannerly, proper, well-trained, and regularly scandalized. Then came the revisions on A Local Habitation, and suddenly he had ideas of his own. I love him so much more this way, but wow, was it a shocker.

8. The pixies. They were supposed to be setting. They turned into something a great deal more important, and more fun to write. Even if they don't make sense, as such.

7. The fae being nocturnal. In the original drafts of the first few books, almost everything happened at night, but it was never explicitly stated that the fae were nocturnal. Despite their magic being damaged by sunrise, and despite midnight being explicitly stated as "fairy time." Luckily, I caught on before anything saw print.

6. The Luidaeg. Like Danny, she was supposed to be a one-time character, someone who showed up, did what she needed to do, and then left. But Toby just had to start bringing her bagels...

5. April.

4. The naming structure of the months. All the fae with month names have those month names for a reason. It's even a good one. But I never dreamt that the series would include more than just October herself, much less the sheer number of them to have fetched up at this point.

3. The names of the books themselves! The original name of book one was Hope Springs Eternal, to be followed by The Fall Won't Kill You and Winter of Our Dismemberment. Yes, it was a seasonal theme. No, I don't know what I was thinking. Yes, I like these names better.

2. The importance of geography. I know most of the Kingdoms in North America, and most of the Duchies and large political divisions on the West Coast. I never thought this would be important. I am an idiot.

1. Toby's diet. I have no idea why she eats some of the things she eats. At least she's happy? Also, ew.

It's time for my exciting Book Four GIVEAPALOOZA!!!! (Cue iCarly excited crowd noises.) Because Late Eclipses drops in just eleven days, I want to get everybody excited through the most basic means available to me:

Giving things away.

Specifically, I am giving away six books: two copies each of Rosemary and Rue (book one, for beginners!), An Artificial Night (get caught up!), and Late Eclipses (because new releases are awesome!). This giveaway is open only to North American addresses, unless you indicate in your entry that you're willing to pay postage. I'm really sorry about that, I just can't afford to both give books away and ship them overseas.

So here's how this will work:

1. Leave a comment on this entry. Leave it on the entry, please, not in response to another comment (replies to comments cannot win).
2. Indicate which book you want.
3. Indicate why you want it. Be as factual or as ridiculous as you like. Is it your birthday? Do you plan to encase it in amber and throw it in the ocean? Are termites involved? Have a party!
4. If you are outside North America, and willing to pay postage, include this in your comment.

...and that's all. The winners will be selected by our old friend, Random Number Generator, on Tuesday, February 22nd.

Game on!

ETA: Guys, remember, An Artificial Night is book THREE. I sadly do not have any copies of book two in this giveaway, and if you try to read book three or four without reading books one and two, you're going to be really, really confused.

We are now eleven days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. I like to read almost as much as I like to write, and I like to read urban fantasy. So here are eleven urban fantasies you should check out.

11. Dead to Me, Anton Strout. The first of the Simon Canderous adventures, Dead to Me is sort of like a big transcription of the most awesome Bureau 13 book you never got to play in. Simon has actually met Toby in comic strip form, which tells you just how cool I think he is. The fourth (and currently final) book in the series, Dead Waters, comes out real soon now, so this is your chance to catch up!

10. Spellbent, Lucy Snyder. Jessie Shimmer is to most of the lipsticked, high-heeled girls of urban fantasy as Bruce Campbell's Ash is to the movie star leading men of most horror movies. She laughs in their faces, and then she blows the living shit out of something, just to show how awesome she is. I could not love this book (and series) more if it came to my house and baked me cookies.

9. Death Most Definite, Trent Jamieson. I sometimes feel like way too much urban fantasy is set in the United States, when there's this whole huge amazing world out there in need of some shit randomly exploding. Trent Jamieson's Death Works series addresses this gaping hole in my life with style, elan, and yes, massive property damage, which is something I like in a good Australia urban fantasy.

8. Spiral Hunt, Margaret Roland. The Evie Scelan books use aspects of deep Celtic mythology that just blow me away, because they're the sort of thing that shows loving, passionate research. The fact that they are combined with a loving, passionate story about the world's most paranormally gifted bike messenger (who is a total bad-ass) is basically just icing on the cake. The cake of awesome.

7. Staked, J.F. Lewis. Maybe I'm pushing the definition of "urban fantasy" a little by including this hard-rock vampires and demons and extensive property damage oh my delight, but I really don't care. My post, my genre, my rules...and my stars, do I love this book. It's fun, it's frantic, and it's a whole new take on vampires. Including a main character who regularly bursts into flames.

6. Carousel Tides, Sharon Lee. This isn't urban fantasy in the "bright lights, big city" sense. It's urban fantasy in the "magic leaking in around the edges of the world, all the things you never noticed, but somehow always knew had to be there" sense, and it's brilliant. It's a sweet, brilliant book, and the fact that the scope of the setting is small makes the story that much bigger.

5. Night Shift, Lilith Saintcrow. I liked Dante Valentine; I love Jill Kismet. But more, I love where this series goes. Seriously, even if the first two books were shit (which they're not; they're good, and get better with each volume), it would be worth reading just to get to book five, which contains some of the bravest, ballsiest writing I have seen in this genre. Seriously awesome.

4. Summon the Keeper, Tanya Huff. Out of everything Tanya has written, I think I love the Keeper books the very best of all. I went through three copies of this book before I stopped reading them to death, and I only stopped because I developed a large enough "to be read" shelf that I don't have time for that sort of literary abuse anymore. This series remains fascinating and unique.

3. War for the Oaks, Emma Bull. This was one of the foundational works of modern urban fantasy. Without Eddy and the Fae, your bookshelf might look very different. I know mine would. If you haven't read War for the Oaks, and you like urban fantasy, you really should, if only so you can see where some of our modern tropes and traditions came from. Also, the book kicks ass.

2. Bitten, Kelley Armstrong. This is not my favorite volume in Kelley's Women of the Otherworld series, but it's the first, and it's brilliant in its own right. Plus, if you like it, you've just unlocked a multi-volume series that persists in getting better and better with every page she writes. I am in awe of this world.

1. Welcome to Bordertown, edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner. You can't read this yet. It's not out yet. But just you wait; it'll blow you away.

We are now twelve days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. I'm starting to freak out, and that means it's time to talk about things that make authors freak out. Here are twelve things about authors.

12. Asking an author who has just released a book (or is in pre-release for a book) "When's the next one?" is like asking a woman who's nine months pregnant "When's the next one?", only the author is probably not nine months pregnant, and is thus more likely to hit you. I am aware that this metaphor makes me out to be one of those faintly frightening women with twelve children, planning for twelve more. It's still true.

11. Most authors don't know where their ideas come from. Which doesn't mean you shouldn't ask; I seriously doubt I could be the one who killed that question in the hearts and minds of readers everywhere (although if I was, SFWA would probably saint me). It just means that when we answer you, we're probably lying.

10. No, that nice author you met on the bus once doesn't want to read your manuscript. I'm sorry. That nice dentist you met on the bus once doesn't want to clean your teeth for free, either.

9. An author on deadline is faintly neurotic, faintly obsessive, faintly hysterical, faintly depressed, and faintly insane. Sometimes just one of these; sometimes all five. Poke at your own risk.

8. Most authors are writing the genres they're writing because they love them. Telling a romance writer he or she should write a real book is a good way to find out how heavy that romance writer's satchel or purse really is.

7. I would do anything for love, but I won't do that. I would, however, do that for research, especially since research, unlike love, is tax-deductible.

6. Authors who say "I'm staying home to write on Friday night" aren't saying "I am lonely, please save me from myself." They're saying "I'm staying home to write on Friday night." This goes double for authors with day jobs.

5. I dare anyone who says writing isn't work to copy-edit and revise a three hundred page manuscript in under a month. Oh, and it has to be better when you finish than it was when you started. If you can do that, you can say anything you want.

4. Authors tend to be fiscally conservative, because there's rarely a guarantee of when the next check will come. This makes us dangerous in warehouse stores. We really do go "I could totally buy enough toilet paper wholesale to survive nuclear winter." Never look in an author's pantry.

3. Ways not to introduce yourself to a working author: "Nice to meet you. I read your last book, and it was shit." If you do that, please expect to get "Nice to meet you. I hope you have medical insurance," as a reply.

2. Everything eventually shows up in a book. Everything. Yes, even that. No, we're not trying to be mean. It's just how our brains work.

1. Authors write because we have to. It's how we're made. So please forgive us for those Friday nights, okay?

We are now thirteen days from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], and to celebrate, here are thirteen things about San Francisco!

13. Yes, parking is as difficult to find as I make it out to be in the Toby books. In fact, it's usually slightly worse; because Toby has magic (and narrative flow), she usually manages to find street parking after only a paragraph or two of driving around. The rest of us usually wind up paying for our parking. Lucky Toby.

12. In areas like Valencia, you can walk for miles without seeing a Starbucks, although you will encounter dozens of small, independent coffee shops and cafes. In areas like North Beach and the Financial District, you can find a Starbucks every two blocks. It's like the city has a median average to maintain, and has decided to dump them all in the same place.

11. Many San Francisco natives rarely, if ever, visit the rest of the Bay Area, and are surprised when interesting things happen in the East Bay. (Not 100% true, but definitely supported by my personal experience.)

10. San Francisco is a city which never met a hill it didn't think "hey, I could put houses there, and people will totally figure out how to park at an eighty-seven degree angle." And because parking is at such a premium, people do.

9. It may be apocryphal that Mark Twain once said the coldest summer he ever spent was in San Francisco, but there's a reason so many people believe it. Thanks to the marine layer, we often have heat waves in December, and cold snaps in July.

8. Despite the hills and the messed-up weather, we still have joggers. Joggers are insane.

7. San Francisco's pigeon population is fairly epic, and most of them are pretty healthy, because there's so much food dropped by the tourist trade. Also, they eat their own sick. It's disturbing and fascinating, like an avian recreation of The Lottery.

6. Cable cars, not really worth it. No, seriously. They're not.

5. Ghirardeli Square sells a sundae called "The Earthquake" which costs around twenty dollars and needs at least five people to eat it. It's a towering monument to gluttony, and all visitors to our fair city should treat it as a mandatory undertaking. Unless you're lactose intolerant or diabetic.

4. San Francisco proper covers a span of 46.7 square miles. That's why we have South San Francisco, San Bruno, and Colma. Because otherwise, we'd run out of space really, really fast.

3. A team of fae without human disguises on could probably run the Bay to Breakers without anyone saying anything but "cool costumes, man."

2. The Ferry Building Farmer's Market is one of the best in the state. It's huge, diverse, and a little bit scary, since who really needs an heirloom tomato the size of a human head? Me, that's who. Now gimme.

1. I do an incredible amount of geographic research when introducing a new location in the Toby books. Half of it gets thrown out the window in the interests of not turning into a guidebook, but I do it. And this city is really weird. That's what makes it so great.

We're fourteen days from the release of Late Eclipses, my fourth published urban fantasy! And so I give you fourteen things about urban fantasy that I think you ought to know. You're welcome.

14. Urban fantasy has its roots in fairy tales and folk stories. Remember that when "Little Red Riding Hood" or "The Boy Who Had No Fear" were first being told, they were about contemporary people, in contemporary settings. Despite its relatively recent resurgence in popularity, urban fantasy is a very old genre.

13. You can usually tell the difference between urban fantasy and paranormal romance based on the covers (but not always). If the woman has a head and all her clothes, it's probably urban fantasy. If she's naked or headless, it's probably paranormal romance. If it's a fully-clothed man, it's definitely urban fantasy. If it's a shirtless man, it's definitely paranormal romance. Both genres like brooding gazes and leather trousers.

12. Not all urban fantasy is set in cities; you get urban fantasy set in small towns, rural areas, and even the suburbs. "Urban fantasy" is just a convenient label.

11. Much modern urban fantasy draws aspects from westerns, film noir, horror movies, fairy tales, and yes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's a good genre for magpies and people who enjoy writing snarky dialogue.

10. One of the big advantages of urban fantasy is the way it lends itself to writing series. If you want to do twelve books about the adventures of your Ikeamancer, you're a lot more likely to succeed in urban fantasy than in any other genre.

9. One of the big disadvantages of urban fantasy is the way it lends itself to writing series. Stories set in these worlds tend to splinter, and because the readers are there, it's harder to resist the urge to just roll with it. (I am a natural serial thinker, so this is perfect for me. Other people, it ends in tears.)

8. No, not all urban fantasy involves sex you don't want your mother reading.

7. The label "urban fantasy" is just an umbrella for something that can include comedy, horror, romance, adventure, mystery, wackiness, and good old-fashioned caper stories. It provides a frame. Individual authors will provide the details.

6. A lot of the issues people have with urban fantasy covers are there to give a visual clue as to the contents of the book. Tattoos, leather pants, and impractical shoes have become hallmarks of the genre, and they're likely to be on the cover whether or not they appear between it.

5. I created Verity Price partially to justify having a heroine wearing impractical shoes. I'm probably not the only one.

4. Good urban fantasy is enthralling because it's so immediate. The present-day world is there; all you need to do is buy into the changes.

3. Bad urban fantasy is bad because it's so immediate. The present-day world is there, and changes that aren't supported by the text are going to be jarring in the extreme.

2. Most urban fantasy writers are writing what they do because they love it. That's why it's such a rich, varied genre right now, with so many things to offer. Urban fantasy really does have something for everyone.

1. I love it, and read it, too.

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for my latest wacky ARC giveaway. The random number generator has spoken, and our first winner is...

...alicetheowl! Alice, please email me via my website contact form within the next twenty-four hours to claim an ARC of Late Eclipses for your VERY OWN. Blah blah failure to contact me will be taken as not wanting your prize, blah blah picking a new winner, blah blah do not taunt happy funball, blah blah YAY YOU'RE A WINNER NOW LET ME MAIL YOU THINGS!

Our second winner, selected by using the random number generator again, this time on a list of my favorite questions, is...

...seawench! Congratulations! Lady of the Waters, please email me via my website contact form within the next twenty-four hours to claim an ARC of Late Eclipses for your waterlogged enjoyment (book is not waterproof, management is not responsible for damages stemming from attempting to read in your submerged living room). Again, blah blah blah blah follow the rules or I'll have your voice and it'll be NO LEGS YOU FOR, YOUNG LADY.

And that's our giveaway! More to come, because I like giving out prizes when I'm twitchy (and wow does waiting for a book to drop make me twitchy). Thanks again for participating, everybody, it was super fun!

1. I'm still taking entries in my "ask a question, win an ARC" drawing. Remember that two prizes will be awarded, one by our old friend, Random Number Generator (oh, Genny, you're so capricious), and once by me choosing the best question of the bunch. Please, please don't ask for spoilers. Ask questions that would potentially be found in an FAQ, even one as profoundly silly as mine.

2. I'm a Barbie girl! Well. Sometimes. The brilliant Tara O'Shea (who does my website graphics, and isn't she amazing?) does Barbie customs, because she is marginally insane, and is now making me my very own Alice Price-Healy, because I am marginally insane. Tracking down 1/6th scale weapons and camping gear is surprisingly soothing. As is the part where, when I'm done, I get to ship it all off to Tara, and not deal with it until it comes back as a real, live Barbie of one of my characters. My life is so hard sometimes. (This will not be my first custom Barbie. That honor goes to Lt. Anis Bihari of the USS Rutan. She has spots!)

3. According to DAW, finished copies of Late Eclipses now exist, and I should have mine in a week or so. So you can look forward to pictures of Thomas putting the now-traditional toothmarks in the cover of my file copy, right before I start hyperventilating.

4. Yesterday, I went to two flea markets with my mother and youngest sister, both of whom acquired Immense Amounts of Crap. Despite bringing my naked Gloom Beach Draculaura along so that I could try clothes on her (Monster High dolls can wear many Bratz and Moxie Girl fashions), I managed not to buy anything except for a bottle of water. I compensated for this by swinging through the Berkeley Half-Price Books and acquiring yet another sack of books I won't get around to reading for a month or more. I need help.

5. And by "help," I mean "I need someone to come over and shelve things with me for about seven hours solid." Even that may not conquer the leaning piles of literature and restore my capacity to see the floor, but I am occasionally a crazy idealist where such things are concerned.

6. In an effort to not be a total wreck today, I spent about two hours last night sitting on the couch, watching telly. Specifically, the post-Superbowl episode of Glee, which I loved, and the first episode of the North American Being Human, which I loved. So it was a night full of love. That's even before you take into account the seven-month-old Maine Coon draped across my lap, loving me so loudly that I had to turn up the volume on the TV (kid has a purr like a lawnmower).

7. CD Baby has sent me their restock request, and so I'll be mailing them restock of Wicked Girls, Red Roses and Dead Things, and Pretty Little Dead Girl tomorrow. If you're looking for Stars Fall Home, I really am sold out, but Southern Fried Filk has several, as do many other filk dealers I know.

That's my Monday. What's new in the world of you?

Publishers Weekly has spoken on the subject of Late Eclipses, and they say:

"In October 'Toby' Daye's fourth outing, following 2010's An Artificial Night, the half-Fae private detective is once again run through the wringer when problems plaguing the San Francisco Fae community strike home on a personal level. First, in an unprecedented, unexpected move, the Queen of the Mists promotes Toby to countess. Given that the Queen hates her, it's quite obviously a trap, but not something Toby can refuse or avoid. Subsequently, several of Toby's closest friends are struck down through poison and illness, and she's accused of murder. Has an enemy from Toby's past resurfaced, or is she losing her mind? Physically, emotionally, and magically drained, faced with tragedy and despair, Toby's forced to deal with the long-hidden truth behind her Fae heritage. In this tightly plotted adventure, McGuire mixes nonstop action with a wealth of mythology to deliver a wholly satisfying story."

They like me! They really like me!

Pardon me while I dance THE DANCE OF JOY.

Whee! Time for another ARC giveaway! Once again, I'm giving away an ARC of Late Eclipses, the fourth book in the October Daye series, which comes out in twenty-seven days. So you could get an early chance to find out what's going on! Also, I'm actually giving away two books this time. Curious? Read on!

If you've been to my website recently, you may have noticed that my Toby FAQs are a trifle, well, sparse. Whole books are missing. Since I'm getting ready to shuffle things around to make room for InCryptid, I'd like to fix this. So here's what you need to do to enter today's ARC giveaway:

1) Leave a comment on this entry containing a suggested question for one of my FAQs. FAQ-type questions only, please, like "Is the date at the beginning of An Artificial Night correct?" or "Why has Quentin's hair changed color?", not "Will Toby and Tybalt ever get together?" or "Is there going to be a movie?"

2) Leave the comment on its own, please, not as a reply to someone else's comments. Comments on comments can't win, even if they have the BEST QUESTION EVER.

3) That's all.

Now here's the twist: I will be choosing two winners. One will be chosen by the random number generator, cruel mistress that it is, and the other will be chosen by me, based purely on my personal "that's the BEST question" reaction. Also, I will use your questions to improve the FAQ, so really, everybody wins.

I will choose a winner at 2PM PST on Tuesday, February 8th.

Game on!

Point the first: the winner of our random drawing "picture of your pet with one of my books" contest is...the_liz666! Please contact me via my website contact link within the next twenty-four hours to claim your prize. If you don't, I will choose another winner. Also, can I just say, I am SO VERY GLAD this was an explicitly random number-based contest? If I had to choose from the awesome, awesome entries, my head would have exploded. There was Perry the Platypus! And cats! And videos! And fish! AND A FRIKKIN' TIGER! I have the best fans in the whole world.

Point the second: I recently received some old ARCs from my publisher, found during one of the rare but vital "let's clean all the things" sessions. Is anyone out there doing cool art projects with books right now? I have two copies of A Local Habitation and three of An Artificial Night, and I'd love to see them turned into something awesome. Let me know if you have any ideas about where these books could go. (Donating them to a women's shelter doesn't work very well, because they're ARCs; they don't stand up well to repeat reading. Turning them into art, on the other hand, is both awesome and forever. Everybody wins!)

Point the third: I need to do a few more contests, naturally, before finished copies of Late Eclipses start showing up. Does anybody have any cool suggestions? And no, "Just give it to me" doesn't could, and may get you swatted at.

It's time for another ARC giveaway, this one requiring slightly more effort than the usual "random draw." I've noticed that there's always a spike in book orders right after I post pictures of one or more of my cats being adorable with a book (expect pictures of Thomas with An Artificial Night in the near future). So we're doing pet photography again! The rules:

1. Take a copy of my book.
2. Take a pet (your own, or someone else's, although you should ask before borrowing the neighbor's cat).
3. Take a picture.
4. Post the picture.

Entries will be taken until the morning of Monday the 24th, at which point I will use the random number generator to choose from amongst the eligible submissions. I reserve the right to award a second prize if there's a picture that just slays me, like if someone gives a copy of Feed to a tiger or gives a copy of Rosemary and Rue to a dolphin. Be creative, have fun, and show me your pets!

(Yes, small children in cat costumes count as pets for purposes of this contest, but they have to be yours.)

It's the holiday season, and nice things are vital to our continued equilibrium. Equilibrium is nice! And so I present you with some nice things, to maintain this blessed state.

First of all, The Toby Wallpapers and Icons page has been updated over on my website. You can now download some basic wallpapers and icons for Late Eclipses, as well as wallpapers and icons for Nebelbann (the German edition of A Local Habitation). Plus there's a fantastic new wallpaper/icon set for An Artificial Night, showing dear Katie, all toned in beautiful blues and whites.

Second of all, the cover for Late Eclipses has been nominated as one of the Beautiful Book Covers of 2011. While I'd love it if you'd go and vote for me, this counts as a nice thing because some of these covers are truly gorgeous, and I hadn't seen the majority of them before. I'm really excited about the books coming out in 2011! It's going to be a banner year for reading.

Third of all, because I am me and I truly do regard this as "a nice thing," here is a list of really cute animals that will seriously fuck you up if given the opportunity to do so. Hooray! Some of these animals are really cute. And all of them are really included to make you wish that you'd never been born. I tend to regard this as awesome.

Happy Wednesday!

And the winner of the very first ARC of Late Eclipses is...

georgiamagnolia!

Now, the administrative:

You have twenty-four hours to contact me via my website contact form with your mailing address. If I do not receive your mailing information within this time frame, I will choose a new winner for the ARC. I'm planning to do some pretty massive mailing on Thursday, so there's a lot of potential here for an early January delivery. I'm just saying.

Thanks to everyone who signed up, and watch for more giveaways coming soon!

Yes, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for: the moment where I give away the first ARC of Late Eclipses, fourth book in the October Daye series. Because I am an enormous dork, I literally waited to open this giveaway until I had my book-specific icon in place. STOP JUDGING ME. I am a dork, I embrace my dorkitude. Anyway...

Who wants to win an ARC? About what I figured. I'll have some more effort-intensive contests in a little bit, but first up, it's our old favorite, the random drawing. To enter, please do the following:

1) Leave a comment on this entry. Leave it as a comment on the entry, please, not on someone else's comment. Comments left on other comments cannot win.

2) That's all.

Please don't comment going "pick me, pick me," if you could be so kind. I don't pick anyone. The random number generator picks the winner, and it is a cruel mistress which has never yet picked a comment containing "pick me." Instead, why not tell me why you're excited about this book? I'd really love to know.

I will choose a winner at 2PM PST on Tuesday, December 21st.

Game on!

We are now seventy-five days out from the release of Late Eclipses [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], the fourth book in the ongoing saga of "Toby tries to drink a cup of coffee without something trying to eat her face off." Poor Toby.

My ARCs came last night. The large print of the front cover (which is gorgeous, and can be ordered directly from the cover artist, should you ever decide that you want Toby watching you sleep) is on my living room wall. I expect I'll have my cover flat for the actual book soon, and then that, too, will wind up framed and hanging somewhere in my house (the living room is sort of filling up). And sometime around the middle of February, finished copies will appear, like a magical gift from the Bookmaker's Elves.

It's all getting very real.

Late Eclipses is the book that takes me out of "trilogy" territory, and into the big wide world of "the series." Toby's story has never been a trilogy, but people have persisted in calling it that, because that's how we're conditioned to think about things that come in blocks of three. Late Eclipses is also the first book that wasn't a part of my initial contract. DAW could easily have published An Artificial Night and said, "Well, that was fun, what other series do you have?" Instead, they said "We believe in Toby," and they bought this book. I am so grateful. I am so determined to prove that they were right.

I'm really proud of this book. A lot of things get resolved here, and a lot of things get set up; all the rules of Toby's world are fully in place, and I don't have to deal with them anymore. Plus, the whole of what I consider to be the "central cast" is now in place, which gives me a surprising amount of freedom. I'm happy. I hope you will be, too. (And remember, a pre-ordered book makes a lovely holiday treat for someone. Maybe even for yourself. I'm not picky, here!)

Book four is already almost here.

Wow.

Dear Great Pumpkin;

Another harvest season has come and gone, rich with tricks, treats, and unexplained disappearances in the haunted cornfield. I hope you have been well. Since my last letter to you, I have not wiped out mankind with a genetically engineered pandemic, or challenged any major religious figures to duels to the death in the public square. I have loved my friends and refrained from destroying my enemies. I have given out hugs, cupcakes, and cuddles with kittens freely and without hesitation. I have offered support when I could, and comfort when it was needed. I have not unleashed my scarecrow army to devastate North America. I have continued to make all my deadlines, even the ones I most wanted to avoid. I have not "accidentally" put tapeworm eggs in anyone's food. So as you can see, I've pretty much been a saint, by our somewhat lax local standards.

Today, Great Pumpkin, I am asking for the following gifts:

* A smooth and successful release for Late Eclipses, with books shipping when they're meant to ship, stores putting them out when they're supposed to put them out, and reviews that are accurate, insightful, and capable of steering people who will enjoy my book to read it. Please, Great Pumpkin, show mercy on your loving Pumpkin Princess of the West, and let it all be wonderful. I'm not asking you to make it easy, Great Pumpkin, but I'm asking you to make it good.

* Please let me make the revisions to One Salt Sea and Discount Armageddon smoothly, satisfyingly, and in a timely fashion, hopefully including a minimum of typographical and factual errors, plus a maximum level of awesome and win. If this request seems familiar, Great Pumpkin, it's because I make it just about every time I have a new book on the table, and this time is doubly important. One Salt Sea concludes a major arc in Toby's story, and Discount Armageddon kicks off a whole new series. I want them both to be amazing. Pretty please with candy corn on top?

* While I'm at it, please let the next books in their respective series be up to my admittedly nearly-impossible standards for myself. Let Ashes of Honor be exciting and worth the commitment, let Midnight Blue-Light Special be peppy and perfect in its insanity, and let Blackout seal the deal on the Newsflesh universe. It's wonderful to be working on three totally new books. It's also terrifying. There's a period at the start of a novel, where I'm trying to chip the shape of the story out of nothing, that's just scary as hell, and I'm there times three right now. Please show mercy, and let this work.

* I thank you for Alice's return to health, Great Pumpkin, and ask for your blessings as she continues her recovery. I thought I was going to lose her. I'm still shaky when I think about it. Please let her keep getting better, and please let her be exactly the same goofy, graceless cat that she's always been. While you're at it, please make sure Lilly and Thomas stay healthy, and that Thomas continues his incredible, faintly frightening growth. I think he doubles in size once a week. It's awesome. Look out for my cats, Great Pumpkin. They mean the world to me.

* As I approach the 2011 convention season, I ask for your blessings. Let things be smooth when they can, and let me take that which is not smooth with good humor, good grace, and a good sense of restraint. Let me be clever when I need to be, calm when I need to be, and a good guest for everyone who has been kind enough to invite me to their convention. Let me be the kind of guest that is remembered with joy, not the kind who is remembered with glum "and then there was the year of the great tragedy" stories.

* Thank you, thank you, thank you again for shining your holy candle upon the Campbell Award, Great Pumpkin. I hope only that I did you proud with my acceptance speech, and that you are pleased with my endeavors. It may be a little forward of me to point this out, but Feed is eligible for both the Nebula and Hugo Awards this year, and, well...any assistance you wanted to throw my way would be very much appreciated. I think my mother would catch fire if I came home with either award, and that would be fun to watch.

I remain your faithful Halloween girl,
Seanan.

PS: While you're at it, can you please make Oasis get back to me? I'd really like to be done with Wicked Girls before I'm done with 2010.

Psst. C'mere. Wanna see something really pretty? I mean, really pretty? I'll give you a hint: if you're a Toby fan, it's something you've been waiting for ever since the cover to An Artificial Night was released. I think you'll be pleased. I know I'm pleased.

Go ahead. Take a peek.

( Cut-tagged for the protection of your friends' list, which really doesn't need something this huge suddenly showing up without warning. But trust me, you should totally click.Collapse )