...a signed copy of Sparrow Hill Road!

Welcome to the tenth of the Thirteen Days of Hogswatch. I will be starting a new giveaway every day between now and December 13th. Each giveaway will have different rules and a different deadline, although all prizes will be mailed on December 30th, because I am bad at going to the post office (and also, I am avoiding the post office as much as possible until that other winter holiday is over).

The tenth giveaway is for a signed copy of Sparrow Hill Road. This is going to be a random number drawing, because honestly, that is all I am managing to keep up with. So...

1. To enter, comment on this post.
2. If you are international, indicate both this and your willingness to pay postage.
3. That's it.

I will choose the winner at 1PM PST on Saturday, December 17th.

Game on!

ETA: This drawing is now CLOSED!

Hey, y'all.

I try not to post too often about things for sale: given that the majority of my blogging is about books or conventions, I already feel a little more like a billboard than I like, and I never want you to feel like you're just being shilled to. That being said, when something has a limited period of availability, there's a little more urgency to the repeated reminders. So:

The Unicorn Empire pre-sale for the current Sparrow Hill Road shirts is currently scheduled to end tomorrow. There's a small chance it will be extended, depending on order volume, but that's never something to count on. If you were waffling over whether or not to get a shirt, now is the time.

If you are also a Steven Universe fan, be aware that there is also a pre-sale going for an amazing two-color Garnet design, and that ordering it means you can use a code for free shipping (US orders only, I'm afraid).

I am so excited about these shirts, and about supporting an amazing fan-owned business doing incredible, unique art. I hope you're excited too, and I can't wait to work with Amber and Unicorn Empire again!

You may remember that back in December, I ran a poll to determine the level of interest in Sparrow Hill Road shirts printed and sold by Unicorn Empire. The end result was a definite level of interest: enough that we decided to go ahead and open up the pre-sale! Woo hoo!

Now, this a pre-sale, not a sale. Why does this matter? Because before I give you the link for the shirts, I'm going to give you the link for how Unicorn Empire pre-sales work. Please, take a moment to read it. Amber, who runs Unicorn Empire, is a fan running a business for fans, out of her garage. She has help, but she's not a huge operation, and her timelines are thus longer than they would be for, say, Hot Topic. She's being awesome doing this for us, and I don't want to cause her any trouble.

Without further ado...

The Pre-Sale Is Now Live!

Based on your votes, we made both one and two-color versions of the design, available on T-shirts and tank tops. There is no extra charge for plus sizes, because Unicorn Empire is awesome that way. The pre-sale is only open until February 9th, so get your orders in soon! (We know international shipping is expensive, so if you wanted to coordinate a group order for Australia or whatnot, this would be a great place to do it!)

I'm so excited!

We've talked about Unicorn Empire and how awesome their stuff is. Now let's talk about why it may be relevant to you.

Here is the design I commissioned from Amber for Sparrow Hill Road. A very limited number of shirts were printed, for conventions I was attending. Some people have asked me what they'd have to do to get one. I've spoken to Amber about whether she'd be willing to do a small run, and she's agreed, as long as there's enough interest.

So this is me, checking interest. Note that if we were to move forward with this, all ordering and fulfillment would be done by Unicorn Empire; no waiting for me to go to the post office or fear of cats in boxes. I would also not be the one handling the money. It will go through her store, as with a normal order. This makes me very happy.

And now...the poll. If your answers are conditional, "IE, I will only order if it's not pink" or whatever, please indicate in the comments.

The random number generator has spoken, and the winner of a copy of the audio edition of Sparrow Hill Road is...

tsgeisel

Please contact me via my website contact form within the next twenty-four hours to provide your mailing information. All information must be received via my website to be considered valid. If I do not hear from you within twenty-four hours, you will no longer be eligible to receive your prize.

Six more drawings to go!

The random number generator has spoken, and the winner of a signed, personalized copy of Sparrow Hill Road is...

dragonsflame71

Please contact me via my website contact form within the next twenty-four hours to provide your mailing information. All information must be received via my website to be considered valid. If I do not hear from you within twenty-four hours, you will no longer be eligible to receive your prize.

Ten more drawings to go!

...a copy of the audio edition of Sparrow Hill Road!

Welcome to the sixth of the Twelve Days of Hogswatch. I will be starting a new giveaway every day between now and December 25th (some other winter holiday). Each giveaway will have different rules, and a different deadline, although all prizes will be mailed on December 29th, because I am bad at going to the post office (and also, still mailing shirts).

The sixth giveaway is for a copy of the audio edition of Sparrow Hill Road, on physical CD. This is going to be a random number drawing, because that's working well so far.

1. To enter, comment on this post.
2. If you are international, indicate that you are willing/able to pay postage.
3. That's it.

I will choose the winner at 1PM PST on Sunday, December 21st.

Game on!

...a copy of Sparrow Hill Road!

Welcome to the fourth of the Twelve Days of Hogswatch. I will be starting a new giveaway every day between now and December 25th (some other winter holiday). Each giveaway will have different rules, and a different deadline, although all prizes will be mailed on December 29th, because I am bad at going to the post office (and also, still mailing shirts).

The fourth giveaway is for a copy of Sparrow Hill Road. This is going to be a random number drawing, because that's working well so far.

1. To enter, comment on this post.
2. If you are international, indicate that you are willing/able to pay postage.
3. That's it.

I will choose the winner at 1PM PST on Thursday, December 18th.

Game on!

You know the drill: the link file is a dark pit into which no light falls, and from which few men emerge with their lives. The only way to fight it is to chip away at its power with review roundups, and with fire. As I am currently out of matches, have a review roundup.

First up, Tangent Online has posted a lovely review of Dead Man's Hand, and says, "McGuire's tale accelerates into an exciting high-stakes barn burner featuring gunshot wounds, giant bug attacks, memory loss, arson, mind control, and true love." Also, "The quick banter and roughneck personality of Brown acts as counterpoint to Healy's educated, formal, and proper demeanor. The chemistry between them sizzles and would have us turning pages even had McGuire not graced us with a well-structured plot rife with tension and mystery." Everybody loves Johnny and Fran.

Moving on, Bookworm Blues has reviewed Sparrow Hill Road, and says, "It's refreshing to read a book about a character who is that in control of herself, that self-assured and certain in the face of so much uncertainty." It's a great review, it just made pull quotes difficult.

Bookswarm went on a speed date with Sparrow Hill Road (what a neat format!) and had a lovely time.

The Book Smugglers have posted a review of Sparrow Hill Road, and say, "The collection reads as an engaging and surprisingly moving blend of Americana, thriller, and love story and as I read it, it struck me how the collection has a very distinctive feel from the rest of McGuire's oeuvre. It's not exactly the voice that gives that impression even though I thought Rose's voice was strong and relatable. It's more about the construct of the background story, the slow revelations about the ghostroads and the movers and shakers of this world, all of it stemming from what I understand to be a very American tradition of ghost-related storytelling." Wow.

Finally for right now, My Bookish Ways has posted a review of Sparrow Hill Road, and says, "This unusual, sometimes dark, but rather lovely and even poignant, book is a road trip that I was glad I took, and if things aren't wrapped up in a neat bow at the end, that's ok, it just means there will be more to look forward to from Rose and her very unique friends." I sure do hope so.

More to come, as always, as I battle against the links that never die.

This is not an anti-piracy post. I want to get that out there right up front. I am anti-piracy, but I don't really want to argue the situation right now, and I understand that it's complicated and all that. So this is not an anti-piracy post.

So here's the thing.

As is always the case when a new book is released, the illegal downloads for Sparrow Hill Road are popping up like mushrooms after the rain. They seem to be quite healthy, too. Swell; hopefully that means sales will be good. It definitely means that people are reporting them to me, because that's part of the circle of piracy. Which also means that some...other...links are getting reported to me.

Including the downloads for the original Edge of Propinquity stories.

I am aware that some people, on seeing me type that, will go "oh yay I can read them." And I am begging you: please don't. Please do not download these stories. Please do not save these stories. If you have them as historical artifacts, well, I can't stop you from doing that, but I would be much happier if you deleted them.

"Silly author, not understanding that the internet is forever!" No, I understand completely that the internet is forever. There's nothing in those stories that I'm ashamed of. The bulk of them have been preserved in the new volume, cleaned up and edited and improved by additional material. I'm not trying to hide anything. But those stories are out of canon, and I've been fielding emails and comments for the last two weeks about "but this contradicts..." or "but this story that isn't collected here says...". They've picked up in volume in the last two days.

So this isn't an anti-piracy post: it's a "please stop downloading what is essentially an early draft, and is out of canon, and is making me tear my hair out" post. You're not missing anything good by leaving it alone. You're just missing a lot of confusion about what year Rose actually died. And you're missing out on Mary and Amy entirely.

Really.

To celebrate the release of Sparrow Hill Road, here. Have an open thread to discuss the book. Judging by the comments I'm seeing, some of you've have had time, while others received review copies.

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. (I will not reply to every comment; I call partial comment amnesty. But I may well join some of the discussion, or answer questions or whatnot.) I will be DELETING all comments containing spoilers which have been left on other posts. No one gets to spoil people here without a label.

You can also start a 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, since I always wind up getting involved in these things.

Have fun, and try not to bleed on the carpet.

As of today, Sparrow Hill Road 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 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 things. 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 Pocket Apocalypse, and A Red-Rose Chain in need of finishing, a lot of things are falling by the wayside. Like sleep.

Whee!

Tip jar results.

All things have been totaled (at long last), and the results of the latest tip jar are in, coming to a princely $1,187. I am still awed and amazed by the generosity of my readers. You've allowed me to prioritize finishing three InCryptid stories over the next three months:

"IM"
"Oh Pretty Bird"
"Bury Me In Satin"

These will be going up around the start of June, July, and August, respectively; "IM" focuses on Artie, while "Oh Pretty Bird" and "Bury Me In Satin" are both from the Johnny and Fran era. (That era is sadly coming to a close very soon: there are only three stories remaining to be written. I'm going to miss her. The first of those stories, "Snakes and Ladders," has also been prioritized.)

Upcoming appearances.

The book release party for Sparrow Hill Road will be taking place at Borderlands Books on Saturday, May 10th, starting at 5:00pm. There will be cupcakes! I'm actually planning to do a reading! Truly, it is a time of wonders. If you're unable to attend, remember that Borderlands takes orders both via the Internet and over the phone, and would be happy to hook you up with a signed and personalized book.

(If you're not attending and are planning to have me sign a book for you, please, please contact the store before the event date. I realized recently that some of y'all may not realize that I actually live an hour's drive from San Francisco, which means that—now that I don't have a day job—I can't just nip in to sign a few things before I head home. I don't want you to have to wait for your books because you called after I had already left the city!)

Cats.

They are. So mad.

Seriously, you have not seen anger like the anger of cats who are being left on the regular because their human needs to travel. I've managed to have at least a week at home every month so far this year, but they're pissed off, and I can't blame them. Poor babies. Also, it's summer, and if there's one thing Maine Coons hate, it's the coming of the summer. (Lilly and Lizzy don't mind as much. Ah, the joy of not being longhairs.)

More to come soon, and happy May!

Next Saturday, May 10th, will be the book release party for Sparrow Hill Road. We're doing things a little differently this time: because this is the first book in what may or may not ever be a series, and stands alone nicely, I'm going to do a reading, and because we just had a Circus in March, I'm giving the band a break. Instead, we'll have some discussion of ghost stories, and some Q&A, and some readings, and some other fun stuff, and as always, the raffle.

And the cupcakes. Which is where you come in.

If you have a dietary restriction (dairy or gluten allergies, vegetarian, vegan, etc.) and will be attending the release party, please comment here and let me know. Please don't email me; this is where I'll be collecting data. I'm placing the cupcake order tomorrow afternoon. Please don't post here with flavor preferences, unless a) it's an allergy, or b) it's connected to one (example: "I am gluten-free, and I hate strawberries, but it seems like the gluten-free option is always strawberry," or "I have an egg allergy and I never get to have chocolate anymore, if there's any way it could be egg-free chocolate, I would die of joy").

Thanks, everybody! I'll see you super soon!

One week from today, Sparrow Hill Road will be on bookstore shelves everywhere, and you will finally be able to learn the tale of Rose Marshall as she always intended it to be told.

According to my file dates, "Pretty Little Dead Girl," the song that introduced most people to Rose, was written on December 17th, 2004. The first story appeared in The Edge of Propinquity in January of 2010. Six years to get from song to story, and that wasn't the end of it. Those original stories have been rewritten and revised and ripped up and ripped away until their bones showed through, and now, on May 6th, 2014, you finally get to see the actual shape of things. It only took a little under ten years.

According to Publishers Weekly, which got a few of the facts of Rose's complicated origin wrong, but got the feeling right...

"McGuire (the InCryptid series) brings empathy, complexity, and a shivering excitement to this well-developed campfire tale. Many stories have been told about a hitchhiker, a young woman—sometimes dressed in a prom dress or jeans and a T-shirt—who roams the highways in search of a ride. Rose Marshall is that hitcher, also known as the Ghost of Sparrow Hill Road. Rose has two purposes: one is helping the newly dead make the transition between states, and the other is hunting down Bobby Cross, the man who killed her in order to gain immortality. This is the story of her death, and her life. This mesmerizing tale had its beginnings in the short story The Edge of Propinquity; McGuire has smoothly turned it into a powerful blend of ghost story, love story, and murder mystery, wrapped in a perfectly neat package."

One week.

Rose is finally almost home.

1. This is the last day for the April tip jar! To tip me and keep the free fiction coming, PayPal to delirium@xocolatl.com. Fun for the whole family! (Things are tight all over; please believe me when I say that I do not resent anyone not tipping, and actually tend to forget names as soon as I finish processing transactions and updating the totals. So please, please don't worry that I'll be sad at you if you can't afford to tip. This is a thing I do because I was asked to, not because I think it's my due.)

2. If you're looking for a copy of Letters to the Pumpkin King, they are still available directly from NESFA, or by contacting Borderlands Books. There is no eBook, partially because a lot of the book is this blog. The original eBook!

3. I will be Guest of Honor at this year's Norwescon, in Seattle, Washington! I...flew home from Seattle so I could pack for Seattle. Why do I live in California, again?

4. Oh, right. My house is here. See you in two weeks, in Washington.

5. If you need to reach me, and it's important and needs a timely reply, please use my website contact form. Messages sent through LJ, Tumblr, or (shudder) Facebook may or may not be answered. (Also, it makes me sad that my spellcheck knows "Facebook" now. It still doesn't know "spellcheck.")

6. Sparrow Hill Road is out in less than a month! Woo, Rose!

And that is all.

So last weekend was Emerald City Comic Con. Lots of fun stuff there, lots of big things coming from some of our favorite creators, and lots and lots and lots and lots of walking. Ugh. I spent the weekend in the walking boot, and I still felt like someone had been beating my left foot and ankle with iron bars by the time it was all over. I had a great time; I can't wait for next year; I got home in dire need of a nap. That has basically been my week: "Seanan is in dire need of a nap."

As always happens when I'm sleep-deprived, pretty much anything that wasn't word count or absolutely essential business has fallen by the wayside. I'm behind on email, LJ comments, various accounting bits...everything. I managed to book my tickets to Europe (I'm going to DISNEYLAND PARIS!) and continue dealing with my taxes, but everything else? Hoo nelly, no. It's all been put off until I could say, with sincerity, "I am awake, and will not accidentally slice my fingers off."

On the plus side, I'm staying current with word count, and I'm on track to finish A Red-Rose Chain (aka "Toby book nine") this month, allowing me to get it off to the Machete Squad and move on to the next items on my list. I will never finish the list. The list is an endless road stretching off into the ever-moving future. But the list is a guide and a map and a benediction, and nothing makes me happier than knowing that it's always growing. I'll reach the end when I die.

Also on the plus side, I have finished copies of Sparrow Hill Road and Robot Uprisings, and they're both gorgeous. I have now filled two long shelves just with books I've written, and I'm about to have to rearrange my shelves again. So I'm doing okay at my job.

How's everybody else?

(Comment amnesty is on. I genuinely want to know how you are, but I don't want to put myself any further behind than I already am.)

Yesterday, with very little fanfare, we slipped under fifty days to the release of Sparrow Hill Road. In forty-nine days precisely—seven weeks, seven short, short weeks—Rose will be on store shelves, and everyone who missed her first road trip will have the opportunity to take it in a whole new way.

I am excited.

I am delighted.

I am terrified.

Rose is one of my favorite people. She's my pretty little dead girl and the spirit of Sparrow Hill Road; she's the girl in the diner and the girl in the green silk gown. She's a story about stories, and I am both beyond ecstatic that she's about to meet her wider audience, and incredibly nervous about the whole thing.

Let me tell you about Rose Marshall.

I promise she won't bite.

Psst. C'mere.

So it's no secret around here that I love, love, love my DAW covers, or that showing them off is one of my true pure joys in life. Aly Fell, who designs the covers for the InCryptid books, has been everything I could have hoped for in a cover artist. He's incredible. Want proof?

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 )

Who loves Rose Marshall? Who wonders what she's doing? Who can't wait for next year's release of her first big adventure, Sparrow Hill Road? Well, if the answer to any of those questions was "me," I think you'll be pleased: Coins of Chaos is available now, and features a brand new Rose Marshall story, "Train Yard Blues," in which Rose has a terrible day, and visits the trainspotters. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Coins-Chaos-Jennifer-Brozek/dp/1770530487

But wait, there's more! Bitten By Books is hosting an event for the anthology tomorrow, and you can win cool stuff if you have a chance to drop by. I won't be there, but I fully endorse giving it a little look-see. Who knows? You might win!

I am well pleased. This day can stay.

I am very pleased to remind you all that today is the release of the audio edition of Metatropolis: Green Space, a shared-world collection featuring Jay Lake, Elizabeth Bear, Karl Schroeder, Tobias S. Buckell, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ken Scholes, and me. My story, "Midway Relics and Dying Breeds," features a carnival, a choice, and a genetically engineered Indricothere, which Megan and I call "terror beasts" and covet above all else.

You can find details, prices, and ordering information here. Again, this is audio-only; there is no print or ebook edition at this time.

In other exciting news, Sparrow Hill Road is now available for pre-order, which means there should be a cover coming into the world pretty darn soon. In the meantime, the ISBN can be used to order from your local bookstore, if you have one, or from Borderlands, which will have signed copies, or you can use the link above and order for Amazon.

More Rosie Marshall for everybody!

Let me tell you about Rose Marshall,
The sweetest girl that you’d ever see.
They always say that the good die young,
Well, she died back in fifty-three,
Kept her prom night date with the cemetery...

They call her the spirit of Sparrow Hill Road. She's the girl at the diner, the phantom prom date, and the girl in the green silk gown. She's long gone, ashes and bones, and she'll never find the ride that brings her home.

Her name is Rose.

She's got a few stories she's been dying to tell.

I am delighted and a little bit blown away to be able to announce that Sparrow Hill Road, the book, will be coming from DAW Books in 2014. This full-length work will include heavily revised versions of eleven of the original "Sparrow Hill Road" stories, along with two all new stories, and a Price Family Field Guide to the Dead of the North American Ghostroads. (The story that was cut, "Bad Moon Rising," didn't add to the main plot of the book, and may appear in revised format elsewhere somewhere down the line.)

I seriously couldn't be happier about this, you guys. I'm just...Rose Marshall, the girl who thought she'd never get out of Buckley, is coming soon to a bookstore near you.

It's so cool.

...but this song ain't country. It's just another folk song about a train.

I am pleased as punch to announce that Rose Marshall—everybody's favorite hitchhiking ghost, although she's not likely to randomly follow you home from Disneyland—will be stepping out on another adventure. The story is called "Train Yard Blues," and it will be appearing in the anthology Coins of Chaos, out October 2013.

The nice thing about Rose is that there are huge gaps in her story, years and even decades where nothing has yet been written...and since she's basically impossible to kill, I can throw anything the ghostroads have to offer at her during those, ahem, dead spaces.

In "Train Yard Blues," we get our first clear look at another of the twilight ecologies: the ghostrails, where once the trainspotters ruled the world, before the rise of the roads to their current place of power. New ghosts, new dangers, and new rules are waiting, as Rose does her best to navigate a place she doesn't belong without finding herself in a world of hurt.

Coins of Chaos. Because my poor dead girl's life wasn't chaotic enough.

And now, the May 2012 current projects post, which makes me a little sad, because I made the April post from Cat's place in Maine, and I am not in Maine now. Oh, well. This is the post in which I tell you what I'm working on, and you finally understand why I don't have time for tea. 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 (Blackout, Ashes of Honor). 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.

Not everything on this list has been sold. I will not discuss the sale status of anything which has not been publicly announced. Please don't ask.

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

It wasn't until I went to my "current projects" tag to pull the format for this entry that I realized just how hectic and insane May really was: I didn't do a current projects post. That's like, earth-shaking busyness, and sort of terrifying. Almost as terrifying as the fact that it's June now, meaning that the year is officially half over. Already. Who the hell authorized this?

Anyway. Since I don't control time and hence can't reset us to February, welcome to the June 2011 list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving. 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 (One Salt Sea). 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 )

Pardon me for profanity, but how the fucking fuck are we already at the April list of current projects? This implies that we have somehow already consumed 1/3rd of 2011, and I, for one, am NOT OKAY with this idea. Seriously, I have Shit To Do in 2011, and not enough of it has been finished, which means that it can't be April yet. Okay? Okay. Come on, universe. Fix yourself.

...or not. Since I don't control time, welcome to the April 2011 list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving. 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 (Deadline and One Salt Sea). 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 )

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for: the one time in the year where I get to intone BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH and be topical, not, you know, weird. So! BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH, and beware also the March current projects post, wherein I will make it perfectly clear why I'm not coming to your birthday party. This is the March 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 (Deadline and One Salt Sea). 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 )

You all remember sweet little Rosie Marshall, the girl who crashed and burned on Sparrow Hill Road, don't you? Well, Rose's story is done now, but that doesn't mean that there aren't pieces missing.

I'm in the process of taking the twelve stories written during 2010 and turning them into a single episodic narrative. This is basically the "novel length" Sparrow Hill, and like any good expansion, it needs a little bonus content. So.

I need one more story to tell; one more episode or incident from Rose's world. It can be a flashback, but I should be able to fit it somewhere in the middle of the overall narrative—so before "Faithfully" and "Thunder Road," but somewhere after "Last Dance With Mary Jane."

What do you want to see? I can't promise to take your request in specific, but if you tell me where you think the holes are, there's a chance I can fill the one that's most important to you.

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 )

Blah blah links, blah blah drowning, blah blah I wanna go watch iCarly with the cats. So here is your super-rapid-fire review roundup, mostly Feed, some others.

On the Brink of Insanity has posted a Feed review, and says, "The science level explanations for the virus is amazingly well done. Grant made the possibility of a viral outbreak that actually creates zombies seem very real. I also really enjoyed the details given about the character's living conditions and the new technology and how one goes about surviving in a nation filled with zombies and what freedoms people are willing to give up to stay alive."

Dawn of the Lead has also reviewed Feed, and says, "For me, World War Z has always—since I read it, that is—been THE zombie novel. That position is now heavily contested by Mira Grant's Feed, the first part of her Newsflesh trilogy." Dude, win.

Post Whatever has posted a Feed review, and says, "Feed bucked my vision of what a zombie story would be. Sure, there were gory undead running around, along with super-charged security to help keep the living alive, but I didn’t expect to find a political campaign and an engaging conspiracy theory inside this book, regardless of what the cover blurb said."

Remember Sparrow Hill Road? Well, Rise Reviews has reviewed the last issue of The Edge of Propinquity to feature our darling Rose, and says, "'Thunder Road' of Seanan McGuire's Sparrow Hill Road series is far and away the best piece in this issue of TEOP. And for anyone who enjoys darkly all-American fare, this series is very satisfying to read." All of Sparrow Hill is available to read for free, in the archives!

Here's something you haven't seen in a while: a review of A Local Habitation, posted by Lesley W.'s Book Nook. Lesley says, "I loved this. Not quite as much as the first in the series, but it's definitely one of my favorite books of the year. October is an imperfect heroine. She makes mistakes, she's obtuse about some things. I think she wants to do the right thing, though, but she knows that that can come with a heavy price." Rock on!

That's about what I have time for right now. I'm going to go feed the cats.

Let's get this out of the way right up front: This list is five whole days late. I was at Arisia on the 15th, when the current projects post usually goes up, and too distracted with the convention that ate Boston to realize that I needed to be taking care of business. You have my apologies, although I won't promise that it won't happen again, because I am a little bit smarter than that. This is the January 2011 list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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 )

Let me tell you about Rose Marshall—
Might be the last thing you’ll ever see.
They say some stories will never die,
Well, she died back in fifty-three,
Kept her prom night date with the cemetery.

—"Pretty Little Dead Girl."

"Have you ever heard the story of the woman at the diner?"

—Rose Marshall, "Good Girls Go to Heaven."

Sparrow Hill Road is finished now. Twelve stories, twelve stops along a single stretch of highway. We didn't blow a tire or take any unexpected detours along the way, and that's good. And now here we are, and it's time to get out and stretch our legs, at least for a little while. The first part of the story's done.

I knew when I agreed to do Sparrow Hill that it was going to be a one-year commitment. Not only was I not sure how much of the story I'd be able to get through in a year—there was a very real chance that I'd finish the setting completely, leaving nothing untold—but I knew that 2011 would be extremely busy, which would make agreeing to a two-year tenure suicidal for me, and dangerous for Jennifer. A year looked just about perfect. That didn't stop it from being nerve-wracking at times. A few of the stories were turned in just as the ragged edge of my deadline was approaching, and the schedule I was on didn't really give me time to say "you know what? This story needs to be benched, let's do something else." But I never missed a deadline, and I never turned in a story I thought was bad. I can look back on the year with a sort of smug pride. I did that. I turned in one complete narrative a month, every month, for a year. And now I'm finished.

If you know me through filk, you may have met Rose as far back as 2004, when I wrote the song "Pretty Little Dead Girl," although most people didn't "meet" her until I was the OVFF Toastmistress in 2005, and did the song, along with my Rosettes, in a bright pink prom dress on the convention's main stage. I went on to write a bunch of songs about Rose, showing different sides of her story. I always knew I wanted to write the "what really happened" version, eventually, but it seemed too complex for lyrics.

Then Jennifer asked if I wanted to be one of the 2010 Universe Authors, and everything started falling together.

Sparrow Hill Road was challenging, exciting, and complicated in a way that neither novels nor short stories tend to be complicated. It was, essentially, my Green Mile: a serial novel told in strange installments. And like The Green Mile, I'm planning to revise it, turn it into a coherent whole, and see about finding a publisher. But that's going to need to wait a little while.

My big, big thanks go to Jennifer, for being the best editor I could have had on this crazy project; Amber, for taking amazing pictures; Torrey, for being Rose Marshall (and doing a bang-up job of it); Vixy, Amy, Brooke, Kate, Rebecca, and others, for editorial, copy-edits, and letting me talk things through with them; and Phil, always Phil, without whom none of this would have happened.

It was a good ride. It's over now, and there were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys I sent away, but it was a good ride.

Thank you for taking it with me.

It's December 15th, and at long last, after detours and pit-stops, unexpected meetings and unexpected losses, our journey is finally coming to an end. I want to thank you all for taking this trip with me. It's been hard and it's been easy, and it's been wonderful, at least for me. I hope that it's been good for you, too. I hope that you're glad you came along.

Issue 60 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the last of the stories in the current Sparrow Hill Road sequence is available. With "Thunder Road," we have finally reached the Last Chance Diner.

When Bobby Cross finally finds a way to strike at Rose without her getting out of his grasp, is there a chance in hell—or in the midnight—that she'll get away intact? All the adventures and all the allies in the world can't change what's coming, and all we know for sure is that Rose never gets away alive.

Now roll down the window, and let the wind blow back your hair. The night's busting open, and these four wheels can take us anywhere. We've got one more chance to make it real.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

November is halfway gone, and that means it's time for our last stop along the road that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner. Next month, we reach our destination; next month, old friends come calling, old bills come due, and everything comes to an end (hopefully with a minimum of steaming wreckage). Our year-long journey is finally almost over. But for now...

Issue 59 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the eleventh of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Faithfully" takes us back to Rose Marshall's past, and into the arms of Gary Daniels, the only man she ever loved among the living. But everything that loves dies. Can she help the man who once brought her home find his own way there?

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

We're already somehow halfway through November, which is a bit of an "um, what?" for me, but that means it's time for the monthly current projects post. I actually look forward to this one, most of the time, since it means I can demonstrate that I occasionally Get Things Done. Of course, it also means another month has somehow slipped away, which is a trifle stressful, but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles. This is the November list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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 )

Here we are at the middle of October, which means it's time for one more rest stop; one more pause along the road that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner. Unbelievable as it is to say this, there are only two more stops after this one, only two more pauses before Rose Marshall finishes this leg of her journey. Strange, isn't it? It feels like we could have kept on driving for the better part of forever. But we can't. The trip is almost over.

Issue 58 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the tenth of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Bad Moon Rising" lets us see how Rose Marshall spends her Halloween nights—and here's a hint: she doesn't get many treats to balance out her tricks. It's a chase in a cornfield, and a game that not everyone survives playing. Come along for the ride?

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

Today is the 15th of October, or, as the Disney Channel likes to call it, "the fifteenth day of Halloween." Since I have to put up with a full month of Christmas every year, I am okay with getting a month of Halloween to soothe my wounded, ghoulish soul. Anyway, welcome to my monthly current projects post, the regularly scheduled update which provides the only non-hysteria-inducing answer to the question "What are you working on?" It has the extra added bonus of proving that I am able to stop time, since otherwise, even I don't quite understand how the hell I'm getting everything finished in a timely manner. Seriously, I don't think I sleep. This is the October list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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. Late Eclipses and Deadline are off the list because they have been turned in to their respective editors, and I am waiting for page proofs.

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 )

Welcome to September. Half the month is already gone, and that means it's time for another mile along the route that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner; it's time to take another trip in the company of Rose Marshall, crankiest hitchhiking ghost this side of the Atlantic Ocean. We only have four more stops before we reach the end of this particular road trip, and things are getting a little darker all the time.

Issue 57 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the ninth of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Last Train" marks the return of someone Rose was really hoping she wouldn't have to see again, and more, the payment of a debt she knew would come due sooner or later. It's going to be a bad night all around.

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

Welcome to the 15th of September, aka, "the day where I make my monthly current projects post." This is the regularly scheduled update which provides the only non-hysteria-inducing answer to the question "What are you working on?" It has the extra added bonus of proving that I am able to stop time, since otherwise, even I don't quite understand how the hell I'm getting everything finished in a timely manner. Seriously, I don't think I sleep. This is the September list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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. Discount Armageddon is off the list because it has been turned in to The Agent. Late Eclipses and Deadline are off the list because they have been turned in to their respective editors.

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 )

It's the middle of August, and that means it's time for another mile along the route that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner; it's time to take another trip in the company of Rose Marshall, crankiest hitchhiking ghost this side of the Atlantic Ocean. We only have four more stops before we reach the end of this particular road trip, and things are getting a little darker all the time.

Issue 56 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the eighth of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Dead Man's Curve" follows Rose as she tries to take a night off in the company of some college kids...only it turns out they're on a mission, and it's one that just might get them killed. When Rose Marshall tangles with amateur ghost-hunters, it can only end in tears.

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

It's August 15th, and that means I need to take a break in my preparation for Australia and make my monthly current projects post. This is the regularly scheduled update which provides the only non-hysteria-inducing answer to the question "What are you working on?" It has the extra added bonus of proving that I am able to stop time, since otherwise, even I don't quite understand how the hell I'm getting everything finished in a timely manner. Seriously, I don't think I sleep. This is the August list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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. Discount Armageddon is off the list because it has been turned in to The Agent. Late Eclipses is off the list because it has been turned in to The Editor.

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 )

Looking for something to do tomorrow? Wondering what mischief you could possibly get up to? Longing for spooky stories, creepy environs, naked cats, and cupcakes? Well, your potentially haunted ship is sailing into harbor, because tomorrow (July 17th) is the second, and final, stop on the Murder and Mayhem Tour.

Jennifer Brozek (Murder) and I (Mayhem) will be appearing at Borderlands Books from 3:00 PM until we get bored and wander away. Jennifer will be reading selections from her new book, In A Gilded Light, while I'll be reading from "Sparrow Hill Road." To quote Jennifer:

"Together, Murder and Mayhem will read excerpts from their fiction, tell tales out of school and generally have a good time."

Also, there will be cupcakes.

Seriously, though, we'll be signing books, answering questions, and generally having a lovely time, and we'd love to have you. There's also a chance that I'll have copies of Mischief (the new SJ Tucker album), if they reach me in time.

See you there!

It's the fifteenth of July, and that means it's time for another stop along the road that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner; it's time to take another trip in the company of Rose Marshall, crankiest hitchhiking ghost this side of the Atlantic Ocean. With only five stories to go, the stakes are getting higher, the challenges are getting stranger, and the shadow of Bobby Cross is never far away.

Issue 55 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the seventh of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Do You Want to Dance?" takes us out of the ghostroads and back into the land of the living, where a girl named Bethany is preparing for the prom night of her life...and her plans include a ghost by the name of Rose. So get your prom dress, get your corsage, and get ready to stay until the music stops.

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

Dear Great Pumpkin;

It has been some time since I last wrote to you, but you have never been far from my thoughts. I just figured you could use a break. Since our last correspondence, I have refrained from starting any riots or overthrowing any governments. I have been kind to my friends, and relatively merciful to my enemies. I have offered friendship and support to those around me. I have given people cupcakes. I have not brought forth the end of days, nor capered gleefully by the bloody light of an apocalypse moon. I have continued to make all my deadlines, even the ones I most wanted to avoid. I have not talked about parasites at the dinner table. Much. So obviously, I have been quite well-behaved, especially considering my nature.

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

* A smooth and successful release for An Artificial Night, 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 help me finish the revisions to Late Eclipses in a smooth, satisfying, timely way, hopefully including a minimum number of typographical and factual errors, plus a maximum level of awesome and win. I'm about halfway through, which is wonderful—I'm almost done!—and terrifying—soon I won't be able to make changes anymore!—at the same time. I want to bring this book to a close, so I can get back to work on the fifth Toby book and the third Newsflesh book. What I have is good. Please let the rest be amazing.

* Since I'm being a Greedy Greta today, please let me swing back into The Brightest Fell with speed and elan, overcoming all challenges in my pursuit of the perfect ending. Thanks to changes in the book's overall plot, I no longer know for sure whether book six will be Ashes of Honor or One Salt Sea, and I'd really like to figure that one out. Please let the book be good, and please let the book be easy on my sanity. The more time I have to spend stressing out over this book, the less time I spend preaching your gospel to the unenlightened, or lurking in corn mazes scaring the living crap out of tourists. You like it when I scare the crap out of tourists, don't you, Great Pumpkin?

* I thank you once again for my cats, Great Pumpkin, who are wonderful and beautiful and a comfort beyond all measure. Alice is huge, puffy, and utterly without dignity. Lilly is sleek, smug, and satisfied with herself. Both are glorious representatives of their breed, and now, as I look to adding a third member to the family, I turn to you. Please make sure I find the right kitten, Great Pumpkin, the one which will enrich and benefit my feline family in ways that I haven't even thought of yet. Keep them healthy, keep them happy, and keep them exactly as they are.

* Please help me write a successful, smooth, and most of all, correct conclusion for the "Sparrow Hill Road" series of stories. It's been exciting and educational, and I've enjoyed the process of delving into Rose's world, but as I start moving toward the end of this particular journey, I start worrying about my ability to stick the landing. Please help me stick the landing, Great Pumpkin. Rose has waited a long time for her story to be told in a truthful, respectful manner, and she deserves a narrative that gets her all the way to the last exit on the ghostroads.

* I haven't said anything up to now about what I really want this year, Great Pumpkin, but...you know I've been nominated for the Campbell Award. You know that if I win, I'll be given a tiara, in Australia. You know that this is essentially what I've wanted my whole life. Some little girls want to be Prom Queen; I wanted to be Princess of the Kingdom of Poison and Flame. Please shine your holy candle upon the Campbell, Great Pumpkin, and, if you see fit, I will thank you in any speeches I have to give (which might be worth it right there).

I remain your faithful Halloween girl,
Seanan.

PS: While you're at it, can you please turn your graces on InCryptid? I really love these books. I want to be able to write more of them.

We're halfway down the road that runs from Sparrow Hill to the Last Chance Diner; we're halfway between the beginning and the end. And that means it's finally time for me to tell the one story Rose has that's been kept private up until now—the story of the way it all began, and the night that Rose Marshall, high school girl with her whole life ahead of her, became Rose Marshall, hitchhiking ghost.

It's June, and this is the story of the way Rose Marshall died.

Issue 54 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the sixth of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "Last Dance With Mary Jane" takes us back in time to 1945, where a teenage girl named Rose is about to lose her way forever. This is the ending that began everything. This is the real story behind the Phantom Prom Date, the Girl in the Diner...the Spirit of Sparrow Hill Road.

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Welcome to the ghostroads.

And now it is June 15th, which is sort of upsetting me a little bit, and that means it's time for my monthly current projects post. This is the regularly scheduled update which provides the only non-hysteria-inducing answer to the question "What are you working on?" It has the extra added bonus of proving that I am able to stop time, since otherwise, even I don't quite understand how the hell I'm getting everything finished in a timely manner. Seriously, I don't think I sleep. This is the June list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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 the first three Toby books (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night) and the first Newsflesh book (Feed) are off the list because they are now in print. The second Newsflesh book (Deadline) is off the list until The Other Editor tells me otherwise. Discount Armageddon is off the list because it has been turned in to The Agent.

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 )

First up, for those of you who've wondered what it's like to live with my cats, here's a video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2P0QVvqHys

Now don't say I never gave you anything.

Second up, I have just actually mapped out the remainder of my year, so as to see where the holes are. The holes are...nowhere. I'm booked. Like, until December. And that doesn't count the various things I need to be working on, since they're not so much "events" as they are "endemic conditions." You know, like mono, rather than strep throat. So if I turn down an invitation to come out and be social, it's nothing personal, it's just that I can't afford to catch anything else until I've received some mental medical care, and maybe a nice, long nap.

Third up, I should have the ARCs for An Artificial Night any day now, at which point it will once again be time for our summer giveaways. Get your thinking caps on; I want to have truly awesome contests this time, earth-shaking, world-shattering contests. Or, y'know, at least contests that don't bore me. You know, whichever way turns out to work for folks. Let me know if you have suggestions.

Fourth up, I am most of the way through the Sparrow Hill Road story for August, which may need a different title, since it's turned out to be rather more...antic...than was originally expected (it's currently called "Dead Man's Curve"). This seems to be the obligate humorous episode before things get really, really unpleasant, moving up to the December season finale, "Last Kiss," wherein everything becomes, well. Unpleasant for Rose and company. I've got a little time to work it out before things get really urgent.

Fifth up, today I get to go to my favorite bakery with a camera and a Flip video, where I will thoroughly document the process of Jennifer (the owner) making awesome, awesome brain cupcakes. I then get to walk away with the cupcakes. My life is awesome sometimes.

Sixth up, a request: if you speak any language other than English fluently enough to translate, please reply to this post with the following sentences in whatever languages you can, identifying them clearly:

"The dead are rising/walking! Run for your life!"
"I have been infected. Please shoot me."
"I am not infected. Please do not shoot me."

Thank you!

Rose Marshall has dared the Ocean Lady and come out the other side—but what does she have, and what has she paid? Her journey's barely starting, and she has a long, long way to go before she has a chance in hell of making it to harbor. And once you're dead, risking your life becomes a lot more terrifying...

Issue 53 of The Edge of Propinquity is live, and with it, the fifth of the Sparrow Hill Road stories is available. "El Viento del Diablo" takes us back into the daylight America, where Rose is running ragged...and a man named Bobby Cross is running too close for comfort. Deliver me from evil and deliver me from darkness, and deliver me, O Lord, from Bobby Cross.

There are a lot of stories trapped and tangled in the twilight. This is only one of them. But it's the one I have to tell.

Give a girl a ride?

I am now somewhere in the region of 80% done with my insanely intensive and invasive dental work. Today's session was supposed to last about an hour and a half. It ran three hours solid, all of which was spent under nitrous oxide, listening to Adam sing version after version of "Rain King." (It turns out, by the way, that I can get through approximately twenty versions of "Rain King" in three hours, intermixed with a truly awesome number of alternate lyrics. In case you were wondering, this is all that keeps me sane when I have to face my ultimate phobia...the friendly, smiling Dr. Mason. The characters were named before I got this dentist, I swear.)

Three hours of nitrous leaves me woozy, unsteady, and barely able to stand up on my own. My mother, who is sometimes a cruel woman, finds this hysterical, and likes to point and laugh. Luckily, she also likes to take me to IHOP for the calories necessary to put my stomach back into its original position. I might otherwise be forced to kill her.

The cats also find this hysterical, as well as useful, since I mostly sit still with my laptop on my legs, petting the cats and watching DVDs of The West Wing. I really wasn't planning to spend my entire day in a drugged stupor, but there you go. Peh.

On the plus side, I finally finished Sparrow Hill Road #7, "Do You Want to Dance?" It's off with my first-pass proofers now, getting smashed to pieces with hammers. I like this stage. It's the stage that I have nothing whatsoever to do with. This leaves me with five stories to go before the big finish, and then...well, then, I suppose I'll be focusing back on Velveteen and her crew. I actually have an installment in process right now, "Velveteen vs. The Secret Identity," which will almost certainly prove to be messy for everyone involved. Fun!

Now I sit here in my leopard-print nightie, trying to figure out where I left my feet. I am really not recovering from today's procedure in anything resembling a swift or coherent manner.

Peh.

It's May 15th—where the hell did April go?—and that means it's time for my monthly current projects post. This is the regular update wherein I prove to the curious that I either don't sleep or have access to some mechanism for stopping time (don't I wish). There's a reason I start to giggle and twitch whenever someone asks me "What are you working on?", and this post provides a bit of explanation. It also serves as something I can point to when the question gets asked, which it does. This is the May list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.

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 the first two Toby books (Rosemary and Rue and A Local Habitation) and the first Newsflesh book (Feed) are off the list because they are now in print. The third and fourth Toby books (An Artificial Night and Late Eclipses) are off the list until The Editor tells me otherwise. Discount Armageddon and Deadline are off the list because they have been turned in to The Agent.

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 )