Week of 16-22 October
Greetings all
I’m running like mad right now to get the full first draft of Where Now the Rider to my editor. I’m about there, but it’s the point where I’m having to power through everything. Alpha readers can expect something this weekend.
I was at Time Eddy last week, and I had a good time even if the con was smaller than anticipated. I met some new people and saw a couple of old friends (Hi, Lee!). More than anything it was fun chatting with James L. Young and Anita Young, and meeting Dane Kroll and Susanne Lambdin. Author Air War I was a success.
I’m starting to prepare for my trip to World Fantasy Con. I don’t expect to see too many people I know there, but that’s a good thing. I’m hoping for dinner with Cedar Sanderson and Sanford Begley, though. It sort of depends on my schedule.
Oh, and I also received confirmation that I’ve been accepted to be at Market Day in Birka. It’s in Manchester, NH. I’m excited to visit the East Kingdom with my books.
There’s probably more to say, but really, I have to get writing.
Quote of the Week
As I get ready for World Fantasy Con, I think about fantasy in a more philosophical sense and I reminded, as I so often am, of JRR Tolkien.
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
– JRR Tolkien
News and Works in Progress
– Where Now the Rider first draft will be done this week. Tentative release date is 30 November.
(chat).
– I’ve got a couple of short stories in Shijuren rambling in my brain. I’ll probably start dabbling at those next week as I’m waiting for the edited version of Where Now the Rider.
– It’s also getting close to starting the sequel to I Am a Wondrous Thing. My first step will be to reread IAAWT which I’ll probably do at World Fantasy Con.
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
– Nothing, really. Been focusing on words in the novel.
Upcoming Events
– 27-30 October: World Fantasy Convention
– 19 November: Toys for Tots
– 10 December: Kris Kinder
– 27-28 January: Market Day in Birka
Spotlight
Cedar Sanderson is a talented author and artist. She’s focusing on finishing her degree, so she’s not as prolific now as she has been, but she’s got a cool catalog of art and fiction out there to get.
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
Currently Available Works
Weekly Update Archive
Week of 10-16 October
Greetings all
First, I apologize for both missing last week and being late this week. It’s been an eventful past couple of weeks.
Much of my time has been focused on getting Where Now the Rider out the door. I’m getting close.
I’ve also been re-arranging my working area. I’ve moved my office into the room that I seem to find the most comfortable, and that’s taking time. However, after next week my home setup will be far better than it has been for quite some time. I actually hired a network guy to do in a couple of hours what would have taken me a few days, and much cursing, to get organized. Included in all of that is far better data protection, multiple network systems and printers, and a whole slew of other things that I’ve wanted for a while. I would have liked to have done this in a couple of weeks instead of while I was busy writing but timing is somewhat out of my control. Anyway, I’m excited.
I’m also excited because I’ll be at Time Eddy in Wichita this weekend. Come see me in the Dealer’s Room if you’re there. Part of my excitement is that I’m going to get to sit next to James Young, who writes a series of alternate history WW2 books I really enjoy.
Quote of the Week
This is sort of how I feel about this month.
“How did it get so late so soon?”
― Dr. Seuss
News and Works in Progress
– I am also making progress on the next Edward novel, which will be called Where Now the Rider. Tentative release date is 30 November.
– The updated electronic version of The Eyes of a Doll is now live on Amazon. If you already own it, you can add wiki links by contacting Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/clicktocall (phone) or http://www.amazon.com/clicktochat (chat).
– The podcast for Write Pack Radio will be live this weekend at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/writepackradio. I fascinated to hear how I sound, actually.
– As is always the case, I’m already contemplating ideas for the next book. I’ve got some fun ideas for what to do to Irina and the rest already bouncing around
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
– Not much, because I’ve been slacking, though I did fix a few small typos and other things needing corrections on the wiki
Upcoming Events
– 14-16 October: Time Eddy in Wichita, KS
– 27-30 October: World Fantasy Convention
– 19 November: Toys for Tots
– 10 December: Kris Kinder
Spotlight
Since I’ll be sitting next to him this weekend, I’d like to spotlight James Young. I really enjoy his Usurper’s War WW2 alternate history, in part because it does something real history did not. The US Navy, once the production lines started rolling simply was too powerful for the Japanese Navy. It’s probably a simplistic overstatement to say that once the Japanese missed the carriers at Pearl Harbor the war was over in the Pacific, however, it’s not that much of a simplistic overstatement. Young has basically created a world war where the US Navy will have a challenge worthy of its might.
Have a great week, everyone
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
Currently Available Works
Opinions and fiction of person misplaced in time.
