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.

Reviews! Interviews! All the 'views!

I did an interview with Drey's Library about a million years ago (as in, "talks about Ashes of Honor as the upcoming Toby book"), and now you can read it, because I finally remembered to link things. Sometimes I am slow.

The Discriminating Fangirl chose some of my books as their Best of 2011! I am honored and...yeah, really, really slow. I am almost ashamed of this roundup. Holy crap.

Larissa's Life has posted a review of One Salt Sea. No good pull quotes, some minor spoilers, overall awesome review. Thanks, Larissa!

One Good Book has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says "I can't say that this book was my favorite in the series, but it had many more moments that thrilled me than didn't, and it tied up a few loose ends that I felt had been dangling too long. It was a fully entertaining read that left me highly anticipating the next installment." Fair enough!

Boat Girl has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says "For me, it was a really satisfying book in that it tied up some long dangling loose ends." Yay! I really do view One Salt Sea as the end of Act I, and it's nice that people see it that way.

So, yeah. I am trying to catch up on my roundups, because the age of these links is just embarrassing. But the links themselves are awesome. Thanks to all the reviewers I've linked, and those I've missed (or haven't gotten to yet).

I'll be honest here: I haven't been capturing most reviews of late, because the urge to read reviews has declined dramatically over the last six months or so. This may have something to do with the fact that I have at least a hundred unposted, and I'd like to be able to fit my links-in-waiting on a single screen before I die. So I'm hoping that, by doing a few solid roundups, I can get my groove back. This is the first.

My Friend Amy's Blog has posted a review of Deadline, written before the release of Blackout. There are no good pull quotes, although it's a very thoughtful review; there are Feed spoilers and comparisons throughout.

Want Some has posted a review of Feed, and says, " Tl;dr: Not your average zombie fare, highly recommended, part 1 in the Newsflesh Trilogy." I kinda admire the brevity.

Errant Dreams has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "All in all, I found One Salt Sea to be another solid addition to the October Daye series. Its slower emotional pacing (because of the similar kidnapping plot) gave me a chance to sit back and watch changes being played out without the entire combination being too overwhelming." And this is why sometimes, types of case repeat.

Happy Booker has posted a review of Feed, and says, " My masochistic heart can do nothing but rate this book a full 5 stars. I have to commend Mira Grant on how she managed to create such a compelling story and include zombies (which I don't even like btw) and introduce me to these amazing characters that I have no choice but to fall completely in love with and then, without warning, take it all away. I can almost picture the sadistic smile on this author's face as she gleefully ripped my heart out, stomped on it, then poked it a few times with Shaun's zombie stick, leaving me a broken, sobbing mess. Nice, Mira Grant, very nice." Yay!

Finally for today, Morgan and Whitney have dished on Discount Armageddon. Lots of fun, some great points; I recommend taking a look.

Next, the weather.

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!

Reflections of an Emo Mom has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "The world makes sense. The divisions and alliances make sense. The relationships between various fae breeds (and changelings) are believable. Her characters have depth, they have motive and they have history behind them to explain their actions. She takes her time telling Toby's story - it moves along at just the right pace to keep you hooked. And you can't always guess where she's going (which I frankly love), but when she takes you there you know its the only place the story could have gone. Know what I mean? It's just one of the best UF series out there. So get out and buy it. This series should be on your shelves!" I love making sense!

Book Banter has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "McGuire has a lot of fun with One Salt Sea, exploring her protagonist a little more and how Toby is really dealing with everything that's happened to her, as well as finishing up some storylines and revealing some great origin stories for the world of fae. Fans of the series will be completely swept up with this fifth book, hooked to the very end where they get some answers and finally enjoy that satisfied feeling that not many books deliver this well." I really did have a lot of fun with this book. This is 100% true.

Medieval Bookworm has done a splendid overview of the Toby series, which leaves few good pull quotes, but a lot of lovely, lovely text. I am well pleased.

Janicu has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "The way these books build upon each other is extremely gratifying and long running story arcs are cleverly integrated with each self contained mystery. I should probably also mention that there’s plenty of wry humor, a cast of three dimensional side characters that grows as the series progresses, and wonderful world-building. I am so addicted." Hooray!

Book Spot Central has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "A little outside of the ordinary paranormal investigator, Toby Daye is fun to follow around with her hang-ups, her insecurities, her competencies, and her motley adopted family. Out of the many female investigators of varying sorts and styles out there in urban fantasyland, Toby feels very much to me like the girl you would see in the neighborhood store, or the one you see on a regular basis stopping in at the coffee shop. She seems like real people. I like that." Yay!

And now, a word from our sponsor:

I've received a few emails recently asking, in essence, why I haven't linked to "review X." There are a lot of answers to this, but the most simple is that I have less time than I used to, and hence review roundups are rarer and honestly less essential. I mean, Jiminey Christmas, this is a review roundup focusing on a book that came out last fall: by this point, I've either got you or I've lost you, for the most part. I don't have as many Google spiders as I used to, and the roundups are a little pickier. And I don't link negative reviews unless they raise really interesting discussion points that I feel we can talk about without attacking the reviewer. So...I guess I haven't linked to any given review because I haven't linked to it. I may eventually. I may not. Who knows?

Not me!

So you may have noticed that review roundups are getting more and more out of date. This is largely because my link file is getting more and more out of date, to the point that I actually forgot to set alerts for a few books. I wish this spoke to a growing serenity, but it really sort of speaks to the opposite, so...whoops. Anyway, here: have some reviews.

Bookshelf Bombshells has posted a review of Feed, and says, "You wouldn't expect a book that’s laden with so many technological details (the genesis of the virus, the virus’s after-effects, biological scanning equipment, and the various gadgets that the bloggers use) to be a gripping, fast read, but it really is." Aw, yay.

Ranting Dragon has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "Read this book for the action. Read this book for the worldbuilding. But most of all, read this book for the characters and the story. McGuire truly hits her stride in this novel, and it shows, both in pacing as well as her character work." Glee.

Persephone Magazine has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "I was pretty critical of the first book in Mira Grant's zombie-tastic Newsflesh trilogy, Feed. The second book, Deadline, was everything I wanted Feed to be. It was a tighter story, it relied less on clever tricks and more on great storytelling, the characters were richer and deeper, and the whole book was cleaner and felt more intentional." Hooray!

Galavanting Girl Books has taken a slightly different approach, posting, not a review, but a breakdown of October Daye herself as a heroine. It's a really well-done review of Toby's growth over the first five books, without spoilers, and ends with, "Toby Daye I really hope faerie isn't done screwing with you. I love you, but I'm not ready to let you go yet." How much love? All the love.

Rescue Fins has posted a review of Feed, and says, "It's common enough for zombie literature to be used as a medium for discussion of social issues and underlying societal fears, and Grant's book does that brilliantly, taking on not just government control and the trade-off between freedom and security, but tackling the sociology of fear itself." I love it when people catch that, I really do.

So that's five reviews, which makes for a roundup. I'm getting my link file under control, and while I don't know how long I'll continue posting reviews in this format—it's time-consuming, which is bad, but it's also a great way to point out thoughtful, interesting book blogs, which is good—but at least I've started my day by getting something done.

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.

Whee!

Jill Bearup has posted a review of One Salt Sea, complete with recreation of the book's cover, and says, "One Salt Sea is gorgeous. Well-thought-out, sparklingly witty, and heartbreakingly sad all at once." Aw, yay.

Genre Reviews has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "There are a couple of plot twists that from a lesser writer would feel gimmicky, and with someone else I'd roll my eyes and whine about them. Coming from Grant, however, I have to believe she's building up to something, and I'm more than willing to let her do the convincing, because at this point she's earned that bit of reader trust." Readers who trust me make me happy. (Warning: review contains Feed spoilers.)

calico_reaction has posted a review of Deadline, and says, "Because at this point, she's more than earned my trust as a reader. I think most, if not all, of the major complaints (unless you just didn't like the characters) people had in Feed are addressed here, and they're addressed in such a way you know it's an organic part of the story, not just the author plugging in a bit to respond to critics of the first book." More trust! And more spoilers! I love calico_reaction's reviews; even when they aren't glowingly positive, they're honest and well-thought out, and very worth reading.

Publishers Weekly has reviewed A Fantasy Medley 2, and says, "Seanan McGuire’s “Rat-Catcher,” set hundreds of years before her October Daye books, is both charming and gut-wrenching. Tight ties to established settings are sacrificed for the sake of accessibility, resulting in four excellent stand-alone stories." Woo! Shipping soon!

Mandy Reviews has posted a review of Blackout, and says, "Grant will pull you through her world at break-neck speed, she demands you stay on the ball, use that grey matter (sorry, couldn't resist) and keep up with both the characters and the science." Mmmmm. I love reviews that talk about the science.

Erin at the Toasted Cheese Literary Journal has posted a review of Ashes of Honor, and says, "Toby's world gets richer and deeper with every book, a testament to McGuire's worldbuilding ability. I've never found a trip into Toby's San Francisco (and the pockets of Faerie that overlap it) disappointing, and I'm always looking forward to the next time I can return." Yay!

That's all for right now. Bit by bit, I will conquer this link file. BIT BY BIT.

...someday.

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.

It's December now (how did that happen?), and the links are out of control, so here are some reviews of One Salt Sea. People seem to like it. I'm very glad.

Fang-tastic Fiction has posted a review of One Salt Sea (you'll have to scroll down the page to find it), and says, "This is another strong book in an excellent series. McGuire's world building continues to be highly developed and consistent as she takes Toby through another story that is filled, as always, with action, tragedy, and love. McGuire tells Toby's story through a first person point of view, and she does it beautifully. The narrative and the dialogue are natural, graceful, and realistic." Rockin'!

Chicks With Crossbows (which may be my favorite blog title this month) has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire is the newest October Daye novel and the best yet. This is because—as with most series—now I'm not just familiar with most of the characters, I am invested in their happiness and well-being. And more than a little concerned about Toby’s rampant caffeine addiction. Don't get me wrong, I live on coffee (and vodka), but Toby makes me look a decaf drinker." If Toby ever goes cold turkey, watch out...

Mervi has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "Secrets are reveled, hard choices are made, and there are hints for future events. Once again, Toby's life changes. The final chapter is especially poignant." (Review of the audio edition.)

My Bookish Ways has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "As always, the author uses rich mythology and charming characters to wonderful effect in her fae universe, and I’ll certainly be there for Toby's next adventure." There's also a giveaway running at this site, open through December 6th!

Finally for today, Fantasy Fiction has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The October Daye series has swiftly become one of my favorites; another one to read when I want to go back and visit with an old friend. Toby and her companions are quite realistic, and I can’t wait for the next book to find out what is going to happen next."

And that, for the moment, is that.

Some of you ask me why I don't write many Toby songs. It's because they are, innately, rife with spoilers. This is a song I wrote about certain events in One Salt Sea.

( Lyrics, and hence spoilers, behind this cut.Collapse )

Why cut-tagged? Because I am trying, vainly, to slaughter a little bit more of the standing file, and I think it's unfriendly to make you look at more than five links at a go. (I know that for some of you, these roundups are a necessary evil, and I thank you for your patience. For me, they're housekeeping and a way of putting things where I can find them again if I need them later.)

Reviews!

( We cut because we care, and because boy howdy, do I have a lot of links.Collapse )

The first weekend in October was my fifth 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.

Normally, I try to be a little prompter with my write-ups of the parties and their aftermath, but let's face it here: I have been a little busy. Anyway, we started super-early on Saturday, since we all had to rehearse if we wanted to not suck. Rehearsal took place in Kate's basement, and featured the day's entire planned slate of musicians. Many things happened. Many of them were lovely. And then we all piled into a variety of cars and drove to San Francisco, hence to Make Things Go. The bookstore is used to us by this point, and no one batted an eye as we invaded the office, turned it into a green room, and began trashing the place like the good little circus that we are.

Jeff set up the sound system, which is both little and awesome, while Jude got the house in order, Mia set up with the pendants in her corner, and Shawn took over maintenance of the raffle table. I got cupcakes and candy set up (the important things), 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. "Let's Get the Monkeys to Do It." Paul Kwinn, lead vocals, guitar; Jeff Bohnhoff, guitar; Maya Bohnhoff, Michelle "Vixy" Dockrey, backing vocals; Betsy Tinney, cello; Beckett Gladney, harmonica.
2. "Caledonia." Paul, lead vocals, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.
3. "When I Go." Paul, lead vocals, guitar; Beckett, harmonica.
4. "The Dark Man." Paul, lead vocals, guitar; Jeff, guitar; Maya, backing vocals; Seanan McGuire, backing vocals; Betsy, cello.
5. "Where the Magic is Real." Paul, lead vocals, guitar; Maya, Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar.
6. "My Story is Not Done." Seanan, lead vocals; Paul, guitar; Betsy, cello; Beckett, harmonica; everyone in the store, backing vocals.

SET TWO:

1. "I Am the Walmart." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.
2. "Dairy Queen." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar.
3. "Dance in the Darkness." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar.
4. "Wil's Song." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar.
5. "Turn the Page." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Paul, guitar; Beckett, harmonica.
6. "Get Off Of My Lawn." Maya, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Jeff, guitar; Betsy, cello.

SET THREE:

1. "Still Catch the Tide." Seanan, lead vocals; Vixy, backing vocals; Tony Fabris, guitar; Betsy, cello.
2. "Eight-Legged Blues." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Beckett, harmonica; Paul, percussion.
3. "We Can Be Anything." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
4. "Six String Love." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar.
5. "Build That Wall/Setting Sail, Coming Home (medley)." Vixy, vocals; Maya, backing vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.
6. "The Ocean." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar.
7. "Got To Fly." Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar.
8. "Wicked Girls." Seanan, Vixy, vocals; Tony, guitar; Betsy, cello.

"The Dark Man" and "Where the Magic is Real" are on the first Puzzlebox album, Assembly Required.
"Caledonia" is on Dougie MacLean's album Craigie Dhu.
"When I Go" is on Dave Carter and Tracy Grammar's album, When I Go.
"Six String Love" is on Vixy and Tony's first album, Thirteen.
"Dance in the Darkness" and "Turn the Page" are on Jeff and Maya's second album, Manhattan Sleeps.
"I Am the Walmart" and "Wil's Song" are on Jeff and Maya's fifth album, Grated Hits.
"Build That Wall/Setting Sail, Coming Home (medley)" are on the Bastion Original Soundtrack.
"The Ocean" is on Dar Williams's album, Mortal City.
"Got to Fly" is on Marian Call's second album, Got to Fly.
"Still Catch the Tide" is on Seanan's second album, Stars Fall Home, and on Talis Kimberley's recent live album, By Request at Duckon.
"My Story is Not Done" and "Wicked Girls" are on Seanan's fourth album, Wicked Girls.

A good time was had by all, and the cupcakes lasted almost fifteen minutes this time, because we finally ordered enough. We're already making plans and getting our ducks in row for the next time that the Circus comes to town. And if you're curious, or want to see some pictures, you can check out Beckett's fantastic (and more timely) writeup of the event.

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

First, the oddity. My friend Jeri Smith-Ready wrote a song to accompany her truly awesome ghosts-and-true love YA novel, Shade. Then she said "I am not a professional lyricist," and let me take a whack at adjusting her lyrical scansion to make it more like a Top 40 alt-rock hit. And then she posted the result, which is basically awesome. Her characters, her world, her words, my helpful hand. I'm like bacon: a little bit goes a long, long way.

Next, the reviews. Tif of Tif Talks Books has posted a review of Feed, and says, "Grant's novel combines a number of realistic elements to the zombie apocalypse, which immediately drew me in. I was pulling for my fellow bloggers, trying to figure out the mystery, but loving the paranormal aspects along the way. The Masons are likeable. The plot was addictive. And, this reader simply could not Feed on the story fast enough!" Hee. Works for me.

Kristi of Books, Yarn, Ink, and Other Pursuits has posted a truly lovely review of One Salt Sea, and says, "I thought that it would be difficult to top Late Eclipses, but I should have known better. This book builds upon everything that Toby has been through the past stories and keeps leading her down the path of change. This is definitely a pivotal book, as relationships with many characters begin, end, and transform. McGuire's ability to make Toby strong and vulnerable shines in One Salt Sea, and her continued relationship with children, her own and others, show the parallels to Toby's own views on her relationships with her mother, her foster families, and the one she is creating around her."

Awesome.

Alisa at The Book Bundle also posted a review of One Salt Sea. It's a great review, but there are no simple pull quotes; you should just give it a read.

Dawn at Absolute Forest of Words has posted a nice Deadline review, and says, "I read Deadline and while not quite the same feel, it's still an amazing book." Warning: the review contains necessary spoilers for Feed.

Finally, for right now, Tia at Tia's Book Musings, has posted a review of Feed. She didn't like the book as much of some of the reviewers, but she has some solid points, and hey, it kept her entertained. Sometimes, that's all a girl can ask for.

More later!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you tomorrow's...

PARTY SCHEDULE!

4:00 PM: Setup, sound check, and final details. You can show up, but we may ignore you if you do. Sorry about that.
5:00 PM: Welcome to our party. We're done ignoring you now.
5:15 PM: Would you like some music?
5:55 PM: Perhaps you would like to win things.
6:00 PM: Now there will be cupcakes and autographing.
6:30 PM: More music?
7:10 PM: More prizes?
7:15 PM: Toby Daye Q&A and book discussion.
7:45 PM: Last music of the night.
8:25 PM: Let's raffle some more stuff off.
8:30 PM: Assuming people are not too busy buying books and eating cupcakes, I will read something. No, really.
9:00 PM: Last raffle drawing of the night and we close the evening.

This iteration of the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show will be in the bookstore proper; the cafe will be open throughout the evening, and they've promised to have plenty of bread and delicious pastry this time. Raffle tickets will be available through the two standard methods: show up, or buy something from the bookstore.

All performing musicians will have CDs for sale, because we're predictable like that. Mia will be there with pendants for sale, and they are gorgeous. There will be cupcakes and candy provided as part of the party, and a whole cafe full of delicious things to purchase and enjoy.

It's gonna be a good night. Hope to see you there.

Hey, gang, this is your friendly reminder that the fifth iteration of the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show will be appearing this Saturday, October 1st, at San Francisco's own Borderlands Books. Festivities will commence at five, and will include delicious baked goods, live music, our inevitable raffle, and a Toby Daye Q&A.

This iteration of the Traveling Circus and Snake-Handling Show includes, in alphabetical order, Jeff "Heavy Metal Squid" Bohnhoff, on guitar and sound; Maya "Sonic Boom" Bohnhoff, on guitar and vocals; Michelle "Ceiling Cookies" Dockrey, on vocals; Tony "Code Monkey Likes You" Fabris, on guitar and vocals; Beckett "Don't Lick That" Gladney, on harmonica; Paul "The Cute One" Kwinn, on guitar and vocals; Betsy "Living Improbability" Tinney, on cello and vocals; and me, doing my usual mix of vocals and random stage patter.

Kate and Ryan will be running support, because they are awesome, and my mother will be running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Jude and Naamen will be keeping the bookstore from burning down (respect the bookstore). Mia will be on hand for pendant sales, and Victor and Lara will be on hand for AWESOME (and inevitably getting drafted).

It's going to be an awesome time, with signings and questions and cupcakes, and you should come. If you can't attend, remember that you can contact the bookstore to place orders for delivery, and get your books signed by attending our Circus in your heart.

See you Saturday!

Review time, because I need to reclaim my browser from the deadly tab proliferation! Seriously, it's interfering with my attempt to check the Monster High fan sites for news. These tabs need to go. And so...

The Discriminating Fangirl has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "I'm a huge fan of Seanan McGuire's October Daye series, and I think it's hands-down the best urban fantasy series out right now. It's funny and clever and exciting, and the characters are so rich and understandable, even the ones you're not supposed to sympathize with. One Salt Sea, the fifth book in the series, is even better than its four predecessors, something that's pretty rare in series. Usually things start to go downhill around book five, but McGuire keeps knocking them out of the park."

Wow.

Travels Through Iest has also reviewed One Salt Sea, and says, "With One Salt Sea, Toby has climbed to the top of the heap and is seriously challenging Jim Butcher's wise cracking wizard Harry Dresden for the title of best Urban Fantasy protagonist ever!"

Double wow.

Reflections on Reading Romance has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "The book is a heart pounding adventure, as McGuire skillfully maintains the tension throughout the novel with non-stop action." Woo!

That's what I have for right now—I want to do a single-book roundup for once—but it's pretty high-quality, so I don't mind the lack of quantity. Remember, Borderlands Books in San Francisco is always ready to hook you up with signed copies, and most chain bookstores should have restocked by now.

Whee, that post release cleanup continues.

Wow, it's been a while since we've had one of these, hasn't it? The proofer spotlight is my way of publicly of thanking the tireless workers in the Machete Squad, who go through endless reams of bad prose and bizarre typos so that you won't have to. Seriously. I would have a lot more problems on the publisher end if I didn't travel with a trained squad of comma-killing, modifier-munching bad-asses. Hail to the Machete Squad!

It used to be a lot easier to get new proofreaders, because I didn't need to find people with the time, appropriate skill set, interest, and proven ability to keep their mouths shut until publication. I could literally just throw thirty people at a project, let them winnow themselves out, and keep whoever survived. Now I need to practice care and...gulp...discretion. But once in a while, someone new comes along.*

Enter Lauren and Priscilla.

Lauren has an amazing eye for time. She actually catches flow and logical progression in a way that none of the other currently active Machete Squad members tends to manage, which makes her invaluable to our cause. She also does line edits and presents herself with a dry, entertaining wit (I like funny in my critique). She's worked on Blackout, One Salt Sea, and Ashes of Honor, and she's amazing.

Priscilla is great with dialogue, flow, and detail work. She's one of my Manhattan-area subject matter experts, which is good; she's also a keen eye applied to general editorial matters, which is great. She's fun, she's funny, she's accessible, and she's enthusiastic, which is not something to be overlooked in measuring the value of a proofreader. She's worked on Discount Armageddon and Midnight Blue-Light Special.

And those are my newest proofers. Look upon their works, oh ye mighty, and rejoice!

(*Please do not comment here volunteering to read for me. I just wind up feeling awkward when I have to turn you down. I don't solicit readers in public, and I don't currently have any openings in need of filling. Thanks for understanding.)

Three days past the release of One Salt Sea, and everything's still a little damp around here. That's probably going to be true for a while. Anyway, the reviews are starting to come in, and I thought it might be nice to share them. Take a deep breath...

The incredible Cat Faber (catsittingstill) actually wrote her review of One Salt Sea in song form, which is usually the sort of thing I do to people, not the sort of thing that I have done to me. There's an MP3 and everything, and it's incredible. You should go and listen. Seriously.

Kenda at Lurv ala Mode has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "Geeze, how do you keep doing reviews for a series that consistently gets better and better? The books are anything but the same ole this and that, but it makes it progressively harder to pimp the things. Yes, this one was so fracking good—like the last one. Yes, it engaged me emotionally and made me cry—like the last one. YES, IT WAS AWESOME, OKAY? How often do I have to say it? Every time, apparently."

...right, I win at review. Let's all have ice cream. (She also says, "This series is a testament to just how deeply one can—and likes—to be drawn down, deep into a book." Seriously, I win.)

Kelly at Fantasy Literature also posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "One Salt Sea is the best October Daye book to date; everything that's great about the series comes together in one book. The plot is strong, the characterization is terrific, the tragedies hurt, a few things that were confusing are explained here, and McGuire's usual beautiful writing and dark humor are present and accounted for. This has become one of my favorite urban fantasy series, and I can't wait to find out what happens next." Yay!

Something to Muse About has posted a review of One Salt Sea, and says, "This series just keeps getting better with each book. Now we must deal with the grueling wait for Ashes of Honor." Short, sweet, and awesome.

Finally (for now) is a post that's half Feed review and half Wicked Girls review and generally just lovely. This Just In: Seanan McGuire is Awesome. Because how could I resist a title like that?

Now grab a towel and dry yourselves off. The waters are still rising.

To celebrate the release of One Salt Sea, 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!

...or any of my books, really. I'm not picky.

This afternoon, at roughly 3:00PM PST, I'm going to be heading over to Borderlands Books in San Francisco, California to sign stock. Borderlands takes phone and internet orders. They also take requests for signatures and personalization.

If you want to get a copy of One Salt Sea, or any of my other books, you can contact Borderlands (instructions on their website) and place your order now. I'll sign whatever's waiting for me when I get to the store.

I love my local bookstore.

As of today, One Salt Sea is officially available from bookstores all over North America, and from import stores all over the world. It's been spotted in the wild from California to New York, with several points between also chiming in to let me know that they've got copies. Hooray!

Since it's release day, I figured it was time to once again answer the wonderful people asking how they can help. So here are a few dos and don'ts for making this book launch awesome.

DO buy the book as soon as you can. Sales during the first week are very important—think of it as "opening weekend" for a movie—but they're not the end-all be-all. If you can get the book today, get the book; if you can get it at my book release party, get it at my book release party. Whatever works for you. Brick-and-mortar store purchases are best, as they encourage reordering. If you've already bought the book, consider buying the book again, as a single copy might get lonely. They make great gifts!

DON'T yell at other people who haven't bought the book yet. I know, that's sort of a "why are you saying this?" statement, but I got a very sad email from a teenager who'd been yelled at for not buying A Local Habitation the week that it came out. So just be chill. Unless you want to buy books for people who don't have them, in which case, don't yell, just buy.

DO ask your local bookstore if they have it on order. If your local store is part of a large chain, such as Barnes and Noble, the odds are good that the answer will be "yes," and that they'll be more than happy to hold one for you. If your local store is small, and does not focus specifically on science fiction/fantasy, they may have been waiting to see signs of interest before placing an order. Get interested! Interest is awesome!

DON'T berate your local bookseller if they say "no." Telling people they're overlooking something awesome doesn't make them go "gosh, I see the error of my ways." It makes them go "well, I guess it can be awesome without me." Suggest. Ask if you can special-order a copy. But don't be nasty to people just because their shelves can't hold every book ever written.

DO post reviews on your blog or on Amazon.com. Reviews are fantastic! Reviews make everything better! Please, write and post a review, even if it's just "I liked it." Honestly, even if it's just "this wasn't really my thing." As long as you're being fair and reasoned in your commentary, I'm thrilled. (I like to think you won't all race right out to post one-star reviews, but if that's what you really think, I promise that I won't be mad.)

DON'T get nasty at people who post negative reviews. You are all people. You all have a right to the ball. That includes people who don't like my work. Please don't argue with negative reviewers on my behalf. It just makes everybody sad. If you really think someone's being unfair, why don't you post your own review, to present an alternate perspective? (Also, please don't email me my Amazon reviews. I don't read them, I don't want to read them, and I definitely don't want to be surprised with them. Please have mercy.)

DO feel free to get multiple copies. No, you probably don't need eight copies of One Salt Sea for your permanent collection, but remember that libraries, school libraries, and shelters are always in need of books. I'm donating a few of my author's copies to a local women's shelter, because they get a lot of women there who really need the escape. There are also people who just can't afford their own copies, and would be delighted. I wouldn't have had half the library I did as a teenager if it weren't for the kindness of the people around me.

DON'T feel obligated to get multiple copies, or nag other people to do so. Seriously, we're all on budgets, and too much aggressive press can actually turn people off on a good thing. Let people make their own choices. Have faith.

DO check with your local library to be sure they have a copy of on order. If they don't, you can fill out a library request form. Spread the paperback love!

DON'T forget that libraries need books. Many libraries, especially on the high school level, are really strapped for cash right now, and book donations are frequently tax deductible. If you have a few bucks to spare, you can improve the world on multiple levels by donating books to your local public and high school libraries.

DO suggest the book to bookstore employees who like urban fantasy. Nothing boosts sales like having people in the stores who really like a project. If your Cousin Danny (or Dani) works at a bookstore, say "Hey, why don't you give this a try?" It just might help.

DON'T rearrange bookstore displays. If the staff of my local bookstore is constantly being forced to deal with fixing the shelves after someone "helpfully" rearranged things to give their chosen favorites a better position, they're unlikely to feel well inclined toward that book—or author. It's not a good thing to piss off the bookstores. Let's just not.

So those are some do's and don't's. I'm sure there are lots of other things to consider; this is, at least, a start. Finally, a few things that don't help the book, but do help the me:

Please don't expect immediate email response from me for anything short of "you promised us this interview, it runs tomorrow, where are your answers?" I normally make an effort to be a semi-competent correspondent, but with a new book on shelves, final edits due on Discount Armageddon, and Ashes of Honor in need of finishing, a lot of things are falling by the wayside. Like sleep.

Please don't ask me when book six is coming out. I may cry. Plus, the answer is September 2012.

Whee!

Tomorrow is the release of One Salt Sea. Tomorrow. It's being spotted in the wild; I couldn't take this book back if I wanted to. And to be quite honest, I don't want to. I'm excited as all hell to know that you're about to have the chance to read it. I hope you will. And because I am a blonde who is disturbingly fond of feeding her cats, I hope you'll buy it, too, and enjoy it as much as I enjoy knowing that it's out there.

I am currently working on Ashes of Honor, and am literally making this post to free up some tabs. So here, have some links:

Book Banter is doing a giveaway, in which you can win a copy of One Salt Sea. I love the gang at Book Banter. They are awesomesauce. So enter, and win!

Sara Anne, who I found through Twitter, has an excellent post on why official publication dates matter, and hence why authors get a little sniffly when people talk about finding their books early. I would really, truly love to make the NYT again with this book. I would love to make the print list even more, since that would mean I'd have something to frame. If I make the print list, I will do a giveaway the likes of which has never before been seen. Just saying.

And look! One Salt Sea is a Night Owl Reviews Top Pick! Hooray! I'm totally thrilled, because this is totally awesome. Hooray for good reviews!

See you tomorrow!

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's AWESOME WALLPAPERS AND ICONS by our very own Tara!

Check out the incredible Toby goodness.

Seriously, she just gets better with every book she does this for. Check out the goodies, take what you want, and enjoy the glory that is Tara.

I'm so happy!

Well, here we are. One Salt Sea 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 One Salt Sea to fuel your world-buster cannon? 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 One Salt Sea have a successful launch is...buy the book. Please, please, buy the book. During the first on-sale week if you possibly can (September 6th through 12th), 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 Borders is gone. I actually dare to hope that my on-sale date may be accurate this time. That said, I've heard unconfirmed reports of early copies found at Books-A-Million.)

After getting waylaid by life, I have finally selected the winners of our two most recent ARC giveaways! The random number generator has spoken, and the random number generator chooses...

judifilksign for Pimp My Website!
tal125 for Graphic Fun!

Please submit your mailing address via my website contact form. I will mail your ARC when I get home from WorldCon (Judi, if I'm going to see you next weekend at Context, just make sure to let me know, and I'll hand-deliver yours). Which brings us to...

I am about to leave for Reno, and will be gone until Sunday night. I will be catching up on my mailing when I get home (so, Monday). If you are expecting something from me, the odds are extremely good that it has not been sent out yet, and will be sent this coming Monday. I'm sorry for any inconvenience. It turns out that I have a carrying capacity. Who knew?

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Twenty-five days. That's how long we have between here and One Salt Sea. A dollar for each of those days would buy me a bucket of chicken from KFC, or two new paperbacks (with tax), or two tickets to a matinee, if someone else bought the popcorn. An hour for each of those days would give me time to take a nice long nap.

Twenty-five days.

I'm still amazed that this book is something real, that it's about to be something people can buy and have for their very own. I'm still sort of going "but but but the first one just came out, how can we already be on book five?" I'm writing book six. I'm dreaming book eight. And I'm scared as hell of the fact that book five is about to be on shelves.

I think milestones are always big and hard and scary. But this one is just weird. I am amazed and aghast and a little bit afraid of what comes next.

For Late Eclipses, I provided lists of facts and answered questions to ease people toward for release. What should I do this time? Suggestions welcome.

ETA: Guys, I can't, and won't, do drabbles. Not only are they very brain-intensive (and wouldn't you rather have book six?), but the effort of keeping them from being full of spoilers would explode my head. I've tried to indicate nicely that this isn't an option, and now I'm just saying it.

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!

Since website issues are thankfully limited, I'm going to kick off a second ARC giveaway. This one will be open until Monday, and is one of the ones that requires actual effort (sorry about that). This time, we're going visual! Make icons, do a photo manip, draw a picture, grab some friends and pose, whatever makes you happy. The rules:

1. The image must relate directly in some way to one of my available works. Meaning that both Velveteen and the Rose Marshall stories are eligible. Stage a hitchhiking ghost! Draw a bunny superhero! Or stick with Toby, or the Masons, and have a blast!

2. LOLcats are also eligible.

3. Once your submission is prepared, link or post it on this entry. Feel free to explain what's going on.

4. That's all.

The winner will be chosen Monday, August 15th, via random number generator.

So here's the deal. I have two websites, and I maintain them both myself, manually. That means nothing changes unless I go in and change it. The sites are here:

http://www.seananmcguire.com/
http://miragrant.com/

Parts of these sites are quite out of date, because I have been a busy little bee. We are thus going to play a little game.

Step 1: Go to my website. Either one.
Step 2: Poke around until you see something that could use improvement. A typo, a missing link, an unclear question on the FAQ, even a missing question on the FAQ. (Pages that aren't linked at all, like the Field Guide, or don't exist, don't count. Those are future improvements, not current issues.
Step 3: Post here, suggesting a correction/update.
Step 4: Step away from the website.

I will be making updates and corrections, partially based on this post, for the next week. On Friday, I will use our friend, random number generator, to choose a winner of an ARC of One Salt Sea (US-only, unless you can help with postage). No matter what, everybody benefits, since the end result should be an easier-to-use website.

Game on!

The random number generator has spoken, and our latest winner is...

bzarcher!

Thanks to everyone who participated. bzarcher, please submit your mailing address via my website contact form by noon PST on Tuesday, August 2nd. If I do not receive your contact information by this time, I will select another winner.

More giveaways and goodies will be forthcoming, as we approach the official release of One Salt Sea into the world.

Whee!

Who wants to win an ARC of One Salt Sea? Good. I'm going to make it easy on you, because I'm feeling mellow that way. To enter...

1. Comment on this entry. Be sure you're commenting on the entry, not on someone else's comment; only comments left on the actual entry will be eligible.
2. Tell me one thing you think will happen (or hope will happen) in One Salt Sea. You don't have to be serious! Make something up if it amuses you. I love me some silliness.
3. Wait.

I will choose a winner, using our old friend, Random Number Generator, on Monday, August 1st. So yes, this is a very short contest, and you should get in while the getting is good.

Game on!

For me, every book has a theme song, one that doesn't always have anything to do with the actual book. It's just the piece of music that gets stuck in my head whenever I start thinking about it. And for One Salt Sea, the song is "Ten Years," by Talis Kimberley.

Here's how it was, after he left me,
Queen of this island, and mother of his child.
I knew the risks—war's always chancy—
Still, I was happy to wait, for a while...

In fifty days—less, if historical stocking oopsies bear out one more time—you'll be able to walk into your local bookstore and pick up a copy of One Salt Sea, the fifth of the October Daye adventures. In fifty days, you'll be able to find out what happens next. In fifty days, you're done waiting, for at least a little while.

I admit it: I'm terrified. Late Eclipses was incredibly well-received, and that makes the stakes even higher for book five. What's more, One Salt Sea is the book that, for a very long time, I couldn't write, because I was so sure that the series would never find a home that I ran out of steam about a quarter of the way into book five, over and over and over again. In a way, I never did write that particular book. The one you'll be able to buy is very different, even though the skeleton is the same. The Brightest Fell, my original book five, may never see the light of day...or if it does, it will show up as something new and strange. And that's okay.

Fifty days. I can barely believe it. We've come so far, so fast, and it's all so strange.

Thank you for coming with me.

Because ten years is a very long time
When there's no guarantee he'll come home,
And the war was so far away,
And I was still Queen...Queen, and alone...

(All lyrics quoted today are by Talis Kimberley, who is awesome.)
(All twitchiness is mine.)

Late, but not forgotten! The winner of the random number casting game is...

thatrainbow! Your entry showed thought, effort, and creativity. So clearly, the random number generator has taste. Please email me, using my website contact form, and give your mailing address. I will then sign an ARC of One Salt Sea and send it off to be your loving buddy.

And the judge's choice bonus prize goes to...psiten! psiten, you may choose any one of my published books (the first four Toby books, the first two Newsflesh books, or the first three Toby books in German), and I will send it to you. For this magical thing to happen, you must first send me your mailing address, via my website contact form, along with the title you want to receive.

Thanks to everyone for playing; the next contest will be slightly lower-impact, as it will be overlapping San Diego, and I will not have the brain.

It's time for ARC giveaway #3...the casting call! Here's how this is going to work:

1. Leave a comment on this post with YOUR DREAM CAST for ANY of my projects. Want to cast the Toby books? How about Feed? Or Sparrow Hill Road? Have the perfect actress in mind for Velveteen? The sky's the limit!

1b. Be sure your comment starts its own thread. Only casting choices left on the original post (not as a comment on someone else's comment) will count as entries. You can suggest cast members for someone else's dream team, but they won't be entries.

2. One entry per project per person (so you can cast the Toby books and the InCryptid books in different comments, but not enter twice with different Toby casts).

3. Explain your cast in the comment. Why are they perfect? Why should we agree with you?

And then...GAME ON! I will choose a winner via random number generator on Friday, at 5PM PST. I reserve the right to supply a bonus prize or prizes for the person whose cast amuses me most, or strikes me as the best supported. (Yes, you can use my casting choices, but you do need to explain why you agree with them.)

Go Hollywood or go home!

To the surprise of absolutely no one, and despite strong showings by poodles and doll collections, the winner of the second ARC of One Salt Sea is ladyaraia and her massive group photo recreation of book three! Congratulations, and please get me your contact information by Sunday evening, through the form on my website, or another winner will be selected.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and I'll be opening the next contest on Monday.

Well, it's time; time to vote. Five entries have been selected by the random number generator, and five entries have been selected by me. Now it's in your hands. Choose your favorite, shill for your favorite, whatever works for you. The poll will remain open until Friday afternoon, at which point I will announce who gets an ARC of their very own.

Game on!

It's time for the second ARC giveaway for One Salt Sea, the fifth of the October Daye adventures. As per the usual pattern around here, this is the giveaway that requires a little more effort. To whit:

For this giveaway, we're going visual! Take a copy of one of my books. Take a pet, prop, or even a small child, whatever suits your fancy. An Artificial Night being held by a little girl with a candle in her other hand? A Local Habitation being used to prop up your DSL modem? Late Eclipses being menaced by an army of My Little Ponies? Whatever you can set up and snapshot, I want to see!

Post your pictures (or links to your pictures) here. On Tuesday, July 5th, I will choose my five favorites, and allow the random number generator to select five more. These will go up as a poll, and the world can vote! The final winner will be determined at 8am PST on Friday, July 8th. North American entries only this time, I'm afraid; I just can't afford the international postage right now. I'm sorry about that.

Be creative, be quirky, have fun, and show me what awesome things you can do with a camera, a book, and the desire to own One Salt Sea before your neighbors do!

Game on!

Well, it's a few hours late, but I've selected the winner of the first giveaway ARC of One Salt Sea. The random number generator has spoken, and the winner is...

...jaimecallahan.

Please contact me by noon PST on Sunday, using the "contact" form on my website. Provide your mailing address. If you do not contact me by noon on Sunday, I will choose another winner. Do not expose mermaids to water after midnig—oh, wait, it's unavoidable. Do not enter water when mermaids are present. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

Giveaway #2 will be announced next week. Thanks, everybody!

We are now seventy-five days from the release of One Salt Sea. Two and a half months, basically, before the fifth Toby book hits shelves and people can buy it and it's just out there. In the world. Where people will read it, and talk about it, and do all the things that people do with books, whether they like them or not.

This never gets any less frightening. In fact, right now, it comes with an extra bonus dose of frightening, because this is the last Toby book for a year—my March 2012 release with DAW is going to be the first book in the InCryptid series, Discount Armageddon. So this book has to be amazing enough to keep people from forgetting about me.

It's scary and exhilarating and a little "wait, what?" Because this was always the book I couldn't finish. Book five is where I ran out of steam, because these books were never going to come out, and five finished books was just too much for my heart to take. And now it's about to be on shelves. In seventy-five days.

Remember that I have an ARC giveaway going now, which you can enter through tomorrow afternoon. I'll open my second giveaway next week; it's going to involve photography, since we need to have something slightly less wash-and-wear.

Seventy-five days to high tide.

Wow.

Yes, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for: the moment where I give away the first ARC of One Salt Sea, the fifth book in the October Daye series. Today seems like a good day to open the contest, being as it's the summer solstice and all. Longest day of the year means free stuff for somebody! So...

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 Friday, June 24th.

Game on!

ETA: Y'all, please remember that I won't answer questions posed on a random number giveaway post. It messes up my ability to cleanly locate a winner, and that just makes things frustrating for everyone.

Oh, my stars and garters, the ARCs are here. One Salt Sea is a real book, for real and for true, and I can hold it in my hands.

And it is beautiful.

I am so conflicted and amazed by this book. It's the first Toby book written entirely A.D. (After DAW); the other four were finished, to one degree or another, when I got that very first contract. It's the final book of my second contract; Ashes of Honor and The Chimes at Midnight are actually part of my third contract. It's the book most changed by the improvements in my ability as a writer. The original villain isn't even in the book. The story is tighter, the action is cleaner, and some of the things that happen—some of the things that always had to happen—hurt ever so much more than I ever dreamed they could.

It's a real book. I wrote it, and it's real. It's what comes after Late Eclipses, and it's real. I'm honestly a little bit stunned. Part of me never dreamed that I'd make it this far. But I did, and I have, and the books are here, in my hands.

It's amazing.

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 Late Eclipses 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 )

April: Short story, "Riddles," in the anthology Human Tales from Dark Quest Books. This is a fairly small press, so you may need to buy the book online or ask your local bookstore to special-order a copy if you want one.

Short story, "Apocalypse Scenario #683: The Box," through the Orbit electronic fiction program. This story is being released on April 18th, as a Kindle download. It's a Mira Grant story, but is not set in the Newsflesh universe.

May: Novel, Deadline, from Orbit/Orbit UK, under the name Mira Grant. This is the second book in the Newsflesh trilogy. I do not have ARCs. Please do not ask me for ARCs. Deadline is e-ARC only, and I do not have download codes or physical copies. All asking does is add stress to an already stressful time, and then I have to go hide under the bed for a little while.

September: Novel, One Salt Sea, from DAW. This is the fifth of the October Daye books, and was preceded by Late Eclipses. It will be followed by Ashes of Honor, probably in September 2012.

March 2012: Novel, Discount Armageddon, from DAW. This is the first of the InCryptid books, and will be followed by Midnight Blue-Light Special, probably in March 2013. Yes, InCryptid is taking the March slot in my year. Yes, I consider this a good thing. Doing two Toby books a year is fun, but I need to diversify sometimes.

That's the schedule!

Current stats:

Words: 115,732
Pages: 427
Chapters: thirty-five of thirty-five
Started: February 15th, 2011
Finished: February 26th, 2011

So it turns out that when I'm really focused and not working too much on anything else (largely because I knew that failure to handle my revisions would make me useless as far as finishing anything else goes), I can get from one end of the longest Toby manuscript yet to the other end in eleven days. In case I ever need to go in for land-speed trials or anything crazy like that.

My timeline is fixed; my dialogue is tighter; my blocking is clarified; some questions have been answered; some new questions have been raised. I feel much more confident in Ashes of Honor now that I think I truly understand where the ground is at the end of One Salt Sea. It's a better book than it was eleven days ago. The Machete Squad has it now; I believe it will be a better book still when they're done with it. And then I can focus on the things yet to come, like Newsflesh three, and Toby six, and InCryptid two.

Sleep is for other people. Not me, and not Toby.

But it's a book, and I'm going to bed.

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.

Current stats:

Words: 114,399
Pages: 421
Chapters: five of thirty-five
Started: February 15th, 2011
Finished: ???

It's been exactly three months since I locked down my submission draft of One Salt Sea and sent it off to The Editor: long enough that the text now looks faintly alien, like maybe I wrote it, or maybe it was written by someone who was really, really good at faking my style. This is the perfect position to be in when starting revisions, which is good, because revision time is upon us at last.

The first five chapters have now been revised to fix issues pointed out by my editorial review, correct timeline glitches, and fix things that became visible only after three months of having nothing to do with the book. I'll probably do three to five more chapters tomorrow night, and then ship the .ms off to the Machete Squad, so they can make sure I'm not breaking anything. Thus will the pattern go, until the book is done and mailed back to The Editor for final review and printing.

It's a book. When the hell did that happen?

It's that time again! It's February 15th, and that means I need to write a big long post explaining what all I'm currently working on, just in case you'd started to think that I knew the meaning of the words "free time." This is the February 2011 list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving. And yes, the date is there for a reason. Largely so you can find the right post, if you insanely want to reference them.

To quote myself, being too harried to say something new: "These posts are labeled with the month and year, in case somebody eventually gets the crazy urge to timeline my work cycles (it'll probably be me). Behold the proof that I don't actually sleep; I just whimper and keep writing."

Please note that all books currently in print are off the list, as are those that have been turned in but not yet printed (Late Eclipses and Deadline). The cut-tag is here to stay, because no matter what I do, it seems like this list just keeps on getting longer. But that's okay, because at least it means I'm never actively bored. I have horror movies and terrible things from the swamp to keep me company.

( What's Seanan working on now? Click to find out!Collapse )

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.

Behold! For now I wear the human pants! I have processed all machete squad and agent notes on One Salt Sea, gone through the book end-to-end to make sure everything still makes sense, returned it to The Agent, and made final tweaks based on her commentary. Now it's finally off to have a nice nap on The Editor's desk while she's in Australia, which means a) I made my deadline, and b) I can finally get to work on Ashes of Honor.

The current book stats:

Pages, 420.
Words, 113,912.
Chapters, thirty-five.
Diet Dr Pepper consumed, probably equivalent to Loch Ness.

Despite vicious trimming and dropping several sub-plots, One Salt Sea still wound up fifty pages/almost 7,000 words longer than Late Eclipses, because frankly, there's a lot of shit going on, and very little of it is "padding" in any sense of the word. Toby has matured a lot from where I first met her, in the short story that pre-dated Rosemary and Rue, and it shows. I've matured a lot as a writer, and that shows, too. This book is so much better than I expected it to be, and I'm so excited to have The Editor turning it into something even more awesome.

In conclusion...

...DINO DANCE PARTY!