kinzel: (Default)
Yes, it does happen. Shameless Self promotion time!

Maine folks, and nearby New England folks, especially those connected with various genre fandoms ... AK Cyrway, Patrick Shawn Bagley, Friends of Liad, NESFA, PortConMaine, Gibran Vogue Graham, Cirque du Geek, not to mention folks associated with the media .... ( Katy England hint hint, do you still have connections?, Dave Isaac got anyone you know in the literary community or a connection to the BDN or other papers for interviews? hey, Maine Writers and Publishers), heads up!

Your friendly local authors of the Liaden Universe(R) are set for a Meet and Greet-style signing at Barnes & Noble in Augusta come May 13, from 1 PM to 3 PM. Sounds good, right?

But hey, a perusal of the calendar reveals that Sunday, May 14 happens to be Mother's Day. We'd love to have a great turnout of SF fans in general and Liaden fans in particular for our event in the state capital's biggest bookstore and there's some concern that Mother's Day shopping may make it hard for folks to find out (or remember) our event.

If you can help get the word out about this, we appreciate it; if you can come on by, that'd be good, too. Could be some photo ops for you digital camera whiz-types.... If you know someone who'd be interested, please do share.

Here's the B&N link for you to share with friends, https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780061861478-0 [https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780061861478-0&h=ator7ckeyk2xamt7edafxrt8g0-guzohb70kieoz7jecxy16hv3cngfgf_8g_6-jugv_plzepujae_rwhhxn9y-gmaweukrh8ydq3g-p6km78eproolnhxuvx7ulj8-3ujx1lz70azj0&enc=azorboxrcdvvgmhtoznt49rowexsiu06v0ecmlq-eaweuhzgmv7tk9t3z5bgxza7tkf28gzfy_epi8bq49vq-al5nb195_c9punhx5swa3zqllziq4rmnth2jmv4ptqme-wbjoetyqhapyhxfhcn9ljwbcbglc4qv1-nb302kbdtqxzayrjdftofs0f-wkyrz0k&s=1_green]

If you happen to tell someone and they want to connect for a podcast, an interview, or for additional meet-the-author opportunities, you've got plenty of time to reach us.

Thanks In Advance, from both of us.
kinzel: (Default)
True fact: some of what I post here is not cutting edge news. If you've been a regular reader of my bloggerly writing you've probably noticed that I mix and switch from the author's necessities to just-some-guy talking about his day ...

Today, the just-some-guy is an author, so here:

Free read, a short story, at Baen.

http://www.baen.com/cuttingcorners

Also, I'll be going over some of the posts salvaged from Live Journal and brought here to see if I can distill enough from them to form a basis for a chapbook from Pinbeam books.

Meanwhile, the weekend will include some reading (and recording), and, I hope, some posting, of one of our stories, over at Patreon. I'll have to push, but I still have more than 12 hours, right? Now cross fingers that our neighbors don't start mowing their lawn and cutting down trees again.

Patreon? https://www.patreon.com/leeandmiller
kinzel: (Default)
In the last week I've discovered that not everyone knows about our Splinter Universe website. Here's a link to a February page over there. You'll find a few voice files, pdfs, stories, splinters, and more over there ...

http://splinteruniverse.com/?p=1300
kinzel: (Lord Black Cat)
Well now, if you weren't there, you missed it. That's Chattacon.

As to some of the what you missed...

Sharon and I finished up Dragon Ship late last Monday, and early Tuesday we hit the road to Albany, which, yes, is not exactly a direct route for Tennessee. But then from here in Central Maine, what is?

Our usual protocol when going long distance South/Southwest/or West is to split driving, with one of us driving to either Kennebunk (http://www.findfuelstops.com/truck-stop-014106 )or the first New Hampshire Southbound liquor store and then drive on with new driver, with perhaps a switch off at the Lee, Massachusetts, rest area after a gas refuel there... and on to Albany for the Amtrak part of the run. For trips West we often drive directly to the train station, park, and board the train within an hour or so -- but that's for the Lake Shore Limited, to Chicago and points even Wester.

To hit NYC's Penn Station for a southern run we'll sometimes stop at the Fairfield Inn to get a morning train, and so we did this time, since Sharon's sprained ankle in the high-tech boot made it impossible for her to drive at all. That meant that I drove the entire way, including the first one hundred miles or more of snow and ice pellets ... and the last 50 miles or so of assorted icy weather. We stopped at the NH liquor store for a rest stop and to pick up a 4 pack of small Chardonnay for our coming train trip (train wine selections can be OK, but pricey).

Our overnight was at the Fairfield Inn, where we had cookies, a decent room, and a take-out dinner I walked to Denney's to get. The portion size was amazing (no, I *don't* get out often) and encouraged us to rise a little early and drive the 1 block or so to the restaurant so Sharon could have a non-TV news breakfast. We really hate being forced to watch TV with the "free" breakfast meals, yessir.

I here applaud Amtrak and Amtrak Redcaps. Sharon had been considering/assuming a hobble-hop from the upstairs lounge and waiting area down the escalator and two the business class section of our train. On AMTRAK, business class and first class tend to be at the rear of the train and require a bit of a hike to get to. In view of that, I approached a station attendant, pointed toward Sharon's boot .... and in short order we had a Redcap towing our luggage while pushing Sharon in a wheel chair after an elevator ride to trackside. More than that, said Redcap explained that we should ask our car attendant to call ahead, which we and he did... and got delivered directly to the Acela Lounge by Charlie the Redcap who also made it his duty to come BACK to the lounge at train time to deliver Sharon to the southbound Crescent.

Wonderful service ... credit where due. I note that we had good similar service on the way back. I note that we did not, however, appreciate the random drawing approach to unloading the luggage in Atlanta. Atlanta and Reno are now my least favorite "full-service" stations -- and I think both Atlanta and Reno should be much embarrassed by what the stations say about their civic commitment to rail travel.

The overnight trip to Atlanta was fine, and then we had a zoo of a time dealing with old information and ... Hertz shares with the the Atlanta rail station a "WTF" ... based on it costing us $20 plus to taxi to a place we'd been assured would send a car right to us when we arrived. Not fun with a schedule to keep, not fun with a bad foot limiting travel for Sharon.

A Texas-plated Nissan Versa was the car we were granted by Hertz and next time I'll specify a size up. The car felt squirrely in traffic with even a small wind; and though it WAS good on gas it didn't inspire the secure feeling the Civic we'd rented to get home from Toledo after the hurricane halted AMTRAK after WorldCon...

Next partial report ... later.
kinzel: (Default)
Dear Interwebz --

for those who have never met us in person, a chance to hear our voices and see us interact with each other... perhaps we'd be a perfect fit for your special library literary event, convention, meeting, or what have you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRp2APLF7Pw&feature=youtu.be yes, this is one of those somewhat delayed Lake Region TV interviews...

Also, there was this, shared with us today -- a NYT bestseller author discovers... guess who?
http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com/2011/12/friday-book-club_16.html

Steve
kinzel: (Default)
Last time around we mentioned the Liaden books were being named as classics in one blog's list of modern SF -- and now a reminder. Despite the fact that some stores are running low on stock, Ghost Ship continues to pick up readers and you can help by spreading the word ...

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Ghost Ship is in the semi-final round for Best SF book of the year at Goodreads; that means you ought to be able to vote for it and help keep this Baen hardcover in the running. It would be good to get to the finals, where the title would be up against a slew of NYT bestselling authors.

http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011#56598-Best-Science-Fiction

Please take this information to other lists, blogs, and discussion groups that might be appropriate. Not being on the NYT list so far puts this book at a disadvantage -- so help level the playing field, if you will.
kinzel: (Default)
Don Blyly says --

"A great list of bestsellers this month: local authors Patricia Wrede and Kelly Barnhill both outsold that Martin guy, champion monster-whupper Larry Correia got all four of his paperback titles onto the list, Michael Z. Williamson did a little warmup for his run at the September #1 hardcover spot, and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller topped the hardcover list by an impressive margin for a third month in a row (although they're butting heads with the Warrior Sheep for the top spot on the trade paperback list)."

I think there's 9 Lee/ Lee & Miller titles on this list, from three different publishers, and not all of them Liaden, either .... not too bad.

http://unclehugo-edgar.livejournal.com/213666.html
kinzel: (Lord Black Cat)
Yes, I'm still working on Dragon Ship. Some days major progress, sometimes Theo or Bechimo dig heels in and we don't go quite so far. Still, we slog forward on our memtrek, yessir.

I'm still on Second Life, but in throes of busy summer I'm not getting in often. Will try to do better.

As mentioned on twitter -- well, heck, here's the tweet, as sent from the Bechimo account this morning:

1/2 way to my goal, THX! Clarion West Write-a-Thon fundraiser, need another $299. Support Dragon Ship & my blog,too! http://clarionwest.net/events/writeathon/SteveMiller

In re the Write-a-Thon, there's still time, I suspect, for an extra writer to join in --and readers, after you give me some support (heh)... you can always wander about and add some for the rest of the great writers taking part, or just send the cost of a single Pinbeambooks.com ebook ($2.99) or more to the Clarion West folks to help out. I mean this: without Clarion West there's a very good chance there would not have been a Liaden Universe story arc for you guys to read! The next best thing may be written by someone you help here!

On other fronts, plans are moving forward for WorldCon, and the Lee & Miller part in it. As luck has it, there *will be* a Friends of Liad table at ReNovation! Go team! Now the question is, what do we need to have at the table? So far, it looks like ... Friends of liad (We have several volunteers so far) ... and paperstuff and a banner.

So, for the table:

Lists of Liaden books, and chapbooks, and the like. Maybe a bibliography. Maybe some of the stuff that was being put together for that Guide could be brought up to spec in pieces. How about pronunciations(?) Gah, well, that pronunciation stuff may depend on time at this end. Cards/paper with the room number of the FoL party. Maybe some overview of the Second Life presence that various FoL folks have. Ah ... a card with contact info for FoL mailing list, our blogs, the Lee & Miller twitter accts, the Facebook groups. Display books (and chapbooks if we have any left by then) ... If I can get it working maybe we can have a slideshow photoscreen of various Liaden book and story art.

Srsly, who has other ideas on this -- we have barely 4 weeks to go before we board the train, and we can't do all of it the last Friday before we go. Also, if you'll be in the area but aren't up to joining WorldCon this late in the game, we'll try get the room numbers for the FoL party out to folks somehow. These are usually busy-but-quiet parties, low-key, and a refuge from the hurly-burly of bidding parties. Yes, the FoL party usually rocks -- comfortably.

Oh, and that banner. I need someone more or less in the area or who will be at the con to receive some shipments from me: we still have one of the banners here but one has gone missing -- do *you* have a Friends of Liad banner rolled up in a mailing tube somewhere? One for the room might be nice if it can be found.

And elsewise: www.pinbeambooks.com has been a success so far -- for example, at one point TimeRags II was one of the top 100 poetry books in amazon's ranking of US poetry available on the Kindle (Sigh, OK. think we sold 4 or 5 copies that day, but still.....) We're also looking around to see what else we might do to bring the all-ebooks, all-the-time folks into the Liaden Universe tent.

Oh, and too, we're going to be part of another really special ebook thing, RSN -- copywriters are sharpening their quills even as I type -- one that may get mucho attention when it breaks. Names you know will be involved, yessir!

And, so I can get back to Theo, who has to face thiz leedle problem that came via pinbeam late last night, and which may involve a certain favor not yet invoked.... to do that, a summary summery wrap-up and renotification of stuff:

1: story goes forth

2: you can help me meet my personal support goals for Clarion West, which did wonders for me, thx.

3: WorldCon is on track, and us via Amtrak to it -- and and so, I ask if you have ideas for the Friends of Liad who will be there, or for the FoL table, or for the FoL parties, or wish to help out in person, or help with other FoL events (we'll be having some kind of FoL event to go along with the Post WorldCon signing in Minneapolis, for example) ... Volunteer, offer, help, give advice -- thanx.

4: www.pinbeambooks.com is up and running, as is the new kid on the block, Splinter Universe, which is a direct product of Sharon preparing for a long summer vacation -- with luck one that will last for years. That's at www.splinteruniverse.com in case you haven't been there.

5: Have fun. We hope to see you in person sometime in the next short while. If i forgot something, which usually do, I'll include it down the road.
kinzel: (Second Life)
And so as we move into summer we here at the Confusion factory are looking back a bit -- we've had a hectic 12 months and a day or two --

within the last 12 months we were in Orlando as Guests of Honor for last year's Oasis, then on to Chicago's Western suburb of Naperville for our joint Guest of Honor gig at DucKon. During those several weeks of Guest-of-Honor non-stop travel we decided to move forward on our search to relocate closer to the ocean in Maine in the next year or two, and have been working on that ever since ... but there were some delays (see following narrative). Part of that decision includes scaling back SRM because of space and time limitations (and the fact that we're running out of the cases Meisha Merlin titles that helped feed us for several years during the MM meltdown phase) -- expect some sales at srmpublisher.com starting tomorrow so we can eventually clear out the basement and be ready to move closer to the ocean by next December, if all else continues as is.

We had a bunch of Baen books come out (and more are on the way!), and then I went to AlbaCon in October ... and about a week after Albacon I ended up in the hospital for a week with pneumonia and a bonus diagnosis of cardiomypathy ... which led to the closing of the in-town SRM Publisher office and then to my ICD implant in January, as well as delayed publication of the annual chapbook, which finally turned up as Skyblaze.

The books continued to come out from Baen, and we continued to get offers to be guests at conventions, some of which we've now been able to schedule, including the RSN visit to PortConMaine. We also are looking forward to RenoVation -- WorldCon -- in Reno and a stop on the way home at Uncle Hugos for what may well be our biggest signing ever before the summer turns into September.

Meanwhile the ebook revolution was spinning along and we finally jumped back into the fray with our chapbook backlist and more via our http://www.pinbeambooks.com website.

We made a big deal about getting the Liaden Universe material up for Kindle and Nook, because, heck, many of our fans seem to like the Korval gang and their friends (and enemies!). But -- it turns out some of the Liaden readers don't know about or realize there are other Lee & Miller mini-universes and short things out there -- and our quick announcements on the Liaden books may have failed readers looking for more. For one thing, we made no special mention of Fellow Travelers, which is *the* Liaden Universe chapbook that convinced us we needed to keep doing chapbooks way back when.

But there was a little more to the technical details of aiming at the secondary markets than we'd realized and some of the "other" chapbooks went up while we were concentrating on those details, like trying to figure out our Smashwords ( http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rolanni/authors#published ) stuff (still not complete) because Smashwords is a practical way for us to get some of our books into the Apple system -- and though the books became available we weren't cheering them along the way we could have.

So: while we continue to add our existing ebooks to Smashwords one or two a day, where they slowly migrate into "premium catalogs" like Apple, you can still order the epub and other formatted other books for Kindle and Nook now if you don't want to wait. If you're looking for Lee & Miller stories you may have missed, try these locations at the Pinbeam Books catalog site -- http://www.pinbeambooks.com/ebooks-you-want-to-read/lee-and-miller/ which is some of our joint chapbooks as well as a novel (note that in Calamity's Child their is a Liaden story) ... and then there's Sharon's page (including links to her mystery novels!) http://www.pinbeambooks.com/ebooks-you-want-to-read/sharon-lee/ and my own, still in progress -- http://www.pinbeambooks.com/ebooks-you-want-to-read/steve-miller/ -- the poetry book TimeRags II will be added as time permits. TimeRags was my first book publication, way back in 1975.

So, we've been busy. You can help us clear the decks for summer travel by passing on the www.pinbeambooks.com website for your ebook reading friends and once the sales get up to SRM, doing something about them.

Here's a list of some of the chapbooks you may have missed, now findable electronically at the Pinbeam website, all available through major purveyors of ebooks for $2.99:

Chariot to the Stars -- a collections of my early fiction
Variations Three -- a collection of Sharon's early fiction
Endeavors of Will -- a collection of Sharon's fiction from her first 20 years of writing
The Cat's Job -- what can I say -- this has been a popular book for a long time. Each sale also helps keep Hexapuma in meds!
The Naming of Kinzel -- a young wizard, written years and years before Harry Potter. There's a lost Kinzel novel, by the way -- at one point we thought we'd make our living writing Kinzel stories!
Master Walk -- another universe we thought might make us a living -- I still think we may write in this one some more.
Quiet Magic -- a hers-mine-ours collection of Lee and Miller short fiction.
Fellow Travelers -- Adventures in the Liaden Universe number 2, I think...
and there's also a $4.99 novel, The Tomorrow Log, which also begs for a continuation and which we keep looking at to see how to go on with it ...
kinzel: (conshot)
Here, as requested by many, more information about Ghost Ship. Please understand that entire plot lines are left out of this: we needed to do it in under 200 words, and without the kicker it is 199.  Reiterating something mentioned earlier today elsewhere -- due on the shelves around WorldCon -- Renovation -- 2011. That'd be August of next year, for those who don't keep con fan time.

=  =  =  =

In the direct sequel to  I Dare and Saltation it  turns out:
 
You haven't arrived until they send the assassins –
 
Theo Waitley's not a kid anymore. Branded a “nexus of violence” before her first solo commercial piloting gig, she now wears a First Class pilot's jacket, has a job offer from Korval, carries multiple weapons, and may wear a Tree-and-Dragon pin, if she dares. Everyone she meets thinks she's dangerous, and most of them approve …
 
But that's only part of the problem – her “quiet academic” father has been exposed as a ship-killing Master Pilot with a secret life, and her new-found brother is an expert at hand-to-hand death dealing. She's the last hope of survival for her mortally wounded problem lover, if only she can make peace with the self-willed ship that's been stalking her across space. Then, when the assassins teach her that even the most competent pilot needs backup on some ports, the most able copilot she can find is a retired Juntavas sector Boss who knew her father's oddly undead first wife well.
 
So, things are getting complicated because she's her father's daughter; the enemy knows it, and the assassins mean business.
 
Oh yeah, and her mother wants to talk to her, too.

= = = =

Some plans for AlbaCon are coming together, some are not. Will see some of you there, I hope!
kinzel: (conshot)
So I went downstairs and grabbed a "to go"  breakfast and coffee and have been going over the workshop stories. I have time before my appointment at the SFWA table and other duties, so I'm taking things slow.

So I didn't tell you about the experience of passing a blazing motorhome on the side of the road in Virginia on Tuesday, close enough that I could feel heat through the window glass despite having the airconditioner on at the time. Black smoke hung away from the road, the field next to the vehicle was starting to burn.  There were people sheltering on the other side of an underpass, looked like several sets of older couples -- they had with them some motorists who had stopped -- and the entire front half of the semi-bus style contraption was burning ... here's a slightly more newsy story -- with photo
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/99887794.html

The odd thing was that I'd spotted the smoke a few minutes before, off to my right but as traffic was cruising at 75 or so didn't  think much about it, assuming something industrial -- but then the road curved and cars began slowing  down and i realized this was not some purposeful event. Luckily, it was not a full-scale tragedy -- I have family members who are truckers and they have sometimes told of the scenes they've ween along the roads -- but it was impressive enough that I decided to stop and take a walk-around break at the pretty rest area at Mile 262

http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/map-ra-newmarketsb.asp ;

Coincidentally, this is one of my favorite highway rest areas ever, complete with wooded trails and flowers... and I (and Sharon and I) have stopped there a  few times in the past until it has become a looked for stop. Oddly, I'd overlooked it my planning this time around, so it was a welcome chance to climb wooden stairs under the big trees and sit on a picnic bench for a snack, despite the heat. I also spoke briefly with Big Kake and Little Jake -- two nearly identical Dalmations who happened to be ... wait for it ... mother and daughter.

Breakfast today, by the way, included this interaction:

Me, hearing that the charge was $7.92, handing over $8 -- a $5 bill and three gold-toned coins.

The cashier looked up.  "I don'  like dees dollars," he said, turning the coins over and looking me in the face.

I pulled a pocketful of change out, pennies, a few quarters, and three or four more of "dees dollars" -- "What I have on me. We use these coins up north in Maine."

He shrugged, moved his change in the drawer around a little to make a place for them, and gave me my change.  

Oh, I know Canadians use coins in palce of bills at the low end -- how about Europeans?

And last night was the Guest of Honor dinner, which went well I thought, even though several people I was expecting to be there for dinner were not -- but lasagna, cheesecake, and a sititng at a table with folks sharing good conversation on topics like Andre Norton's publishing and residential history, fanzines, the fate of old collections  -- hey, good stuff. Right beside me sat Doug Fratz, who bought an article from me many years ago for his excellent review and commentary semi-pro zine THRUST SF. 

So SFWA table and dealers room coming up for me today. Hope to see some of you there!
kinzel: (Default)
Yep, a beautiful day in the neighborhood and I have to run to the office .... sigh.

Day lily count is three.

My Starbucks card is low. This is not a good way to start of a 2200 mile round-trip driving tour.

And oh ... korval.com/twincoffee22b.jpg

Last night we worked on story stuff, so this was how we get started in the morning ....
kinzel: (conshot)
NASFIC -- also known this year as RECONSTRUCTION  -- will be in Raleigh, NC in August. I'll be there.

http://www.reconstructionsf.org/


I mention this especially for those of you who may be in reasonable travel distance -- and have never been to an SF convention. This con bodes to be considerably smaller than your average Worldcon, and hence more accessible size-wise to first timers, while at the same time having a really good program participant list -- far larger and more diverse than an average regional convention --  http://www.reconstructionsf.org/?page_id=254 ...

and, we're going to do what we can about having a Friends of Liad breakfast, to boot. One of the reasons I mention this now is that the Marriott's room block for the con is closed, and the Sheraton is filling rapidly. Also -- convention pre-registration closes July 15, after which you'll need to do the buy-at-the-door thing, which is doable but not nearly as much fun as being preregistered.  You can take care of the business of joining the convention http://www.reconstructionsf.org/?page_id=6 if you want -- and if you just want to help out and can't make the convention, there's a supporting member option as well so you can help US fandom have it's American field day while the Worldcon is off visiting Australia.

While I'm at this let me mention that fellow Baen author Eric Flint is Guest of Honor, Brad Foster is Artists Guest of Honor, Juanita Coulson is Fan GoH ... and our editor and publisher at Baen, Toni Weisskopf, is the Toastmaster. You'll definitely be able to see some of today's best if you come on out to this! Party, listen and study, buy books and t-shirts, see and buy art -- this is a festival, and you get to take part.
kinzel: (bookish)
I've mailed off a half ton of books -- the first 812 copies of Saltation, or the first two thrids -- this morning; there are still more than 300 to go, but we just plain ran out of room to sign, stack, pack, the first batch. I hope to have the rest on the way, including the bulk of the overseas orders, Friday and Monday, since we still have almost 400 more books to sign. Sticker shock -- the books sent out of the North American continent will cost on the order of $13 plus (each) to mail -- and that's not including the cost of of the box. In other words, more than half of each support donation will be eaten by the US Postal Service. Sigh... is not sufficient!

Also, just in case we haven't mentioned this enough, here's your chance to help spread the Liaden word as well as help those ebook community see
they don't have to be stick with apple or amazon when it comes to ebooks.-- we're giving away 36 ebook copies of the Dragon Variation to celebrate the advent of Mouse and Dragon and The Dragon Variation and these are all designated for FIRST TIME Liaden readers.... if you've been trying to convince someone, here's a good way to get them started. Also? if you have a blog,  let us know that you've posted news of the drawing and you can be part of a drawing for a Barnes and Noble gift certificate!   See http://sharonleewriter.com/2010/07/expanding-universe-contest/

Also: Sharon will *not* be going to NASFIC, in Raleigh, but I will attend, and take part in such things as a Friends of Liad breakfast if we can raise enough early-risers one day -- and a Liaden Lounge if those plan have gone forth.  Watch for details, or write if you wish to take part or have already started planning. I hope to arrive the day before the con starts, but much will depend on travel conditions on way down ...

Steve
kinzel: (Default)

So, after a day where we put shipping labels on hundreds of Saltations for dispatch on Tuesday, we moved on to an experiment for us, a giveaway.

We figured that we've got high summertime now, right, and your friends need new reading for their Nooks, Kindles, IPADS, and PCs, right? And some of them have never read a Liaden book, right?

Cool -- we're have contest, a drawing, really, for 36 free ebook copies of The Dragon Variation, for people who have never readLiaden stories -- this is for first timers only -- but here's the thing -- you can tell friends about it, and if you post it in your blog,
you can let Sharon know and enter a drawing for a Barnes and Noble gift certificate --

details --

http://sharonleewriter.com/2010/07/expanding-universe-contest/

Spread the word to your reading and blogging friends!

 

kinzel: (Steve)
I haven't mentioned this recently, but in this well-connected (or perhaps over connected!) world it bears repeating: I'm probably not ignoring you on purpose --or at all-- if I fail to reply to something you've posted online, or mailed to me. In part it's that I'm stretched thin, and in part it is that, given the number of places people can send me notes, letters, emails, and comments, I may simply not have had time to read what you wrote -- or time to understand that this wasn't simply a *comment* you had for me, but something you expected an answer to, right now or RSN.

The thing is, over time, I've met a lot of people online and offline, as a fan and as a writer and sometimes as reviewer . Alas, people tend to think that since we've met once, or corresponded once, I have as clear a memory of them as they do of me. I wish this could be  true -- and in many cases it is. But in lots of cases (say you asked me a question from the audience while I was on a panel at ArtKane or TorCon or one of the several hundred other conventions I've been to) it isn't true.  Yes, we've interacted, and possibly I'll recall your face, but forgive me, my mind is far from infinite.  Harder, just because you've read my words or story it doesn't mean you've met me -- you've experienced the voice of the story and not necessarily my own voice or ideas. Miri pulls the trigger easier than I do.

Also, there are some kinds of things I tend not to reply to, out of policy.  If you *tell me* what story or novel I must write next, or what detail I must fit in, forgive me, but I won't likely reply.  There's a chance that scene, idea, or what have you is already incorporated into what we're working on, just as there's a chance we've already rejected it. if you insist on telling me these things I *must do* multiple times -- or if you already have -- chances are I won't see your note. Yes, I have filtering software and I'm not afraid to use it!

Now, you can tell me you'd like to see a story about such-and-so, or including more of whoever.  That's cool, and we take that into consideration when time permits.  But to say you need us to produce a particular story at a particular time? No. Only editors and agents (and co-authors, of course!) get to do this.  Additionally, over the years I and we  --the Lee and Miller we -- have been constrained at time by contracts and by copyright. So, no, we cannot just zip off the second book in the Beneath Strange Skies series as much as Jerel may deserve it, just as we may have an editorial direction to let Jethri sit on his pile of old-tech awhile longer, or prior contracts that mean something else gets written first.

Please note: really, this is serious special stuff, pay attention here! If you write to to tell me you know, in detail, what the plot of our next book should be, I'll urge you to please hold that letter and take your keyboard in hand and write your own story, create your own universe, answer that need yourself -- and not in a hazy fanfic, but in the full-fledged realization of your inner plotmonster. Now, I've been living with my plotmonster since 1962 or so (that'd be about when I *finished* my first self-generated, non-school driven story on paper) and it must play. If you have a plotmonster, let it play in a fresh space, and not where some line in a story you've never read (I've had a few million words published  for pay since 1968 -- have you read them all?) means it can't be done without trashing something.

So, yep, I get busy with life, and with stories, and with having a dozen or more venues where my attention is demanded. If I don't reply today, it most likely isn't on purpose. The world is too much with us.
kinzel: (Default)
Hi there -- we've been busy -- how about you?

We discover this morning, while sorting mail as the rain falls outside, that Fledgling (the mass market) was apparently the sole Baen book to make the Locus bestseller list in the June issue -- I think that covers March. Fledgling is listed as #10 in mass markets, and that's not too bad, is it? We're wondering what will show when July rolls around...

Yes, we are home from Oasis 23, which was a lovely convention. The Amtrak trip down was flawless, which was good since the drive to the station was fraught with Boston traffic tricks, turning what ought to have been a six hour run into a near eight-hour experience. Luckily, we'd brought a pack of CDs to listen to.

We arrived in Florida on  Thursday May 27, and left June 3rd... and had a blast.

We got to spend quality time variously on panels, signing, in the consuite and in the bar with fellow GoH Rob Balder (of Erfworld and Partially Clips) as well as guests Ben Bova, Jack McDevitt, and others. FoL and concom member Susan Cole took us on a tour of Orlando and got us to a couple of nice restaurants (yep, we got to add another Italian eatery to our lists of been there done that!) and after the con we visited the Pirates dinner theater on our own.  Besides signing a lot of books at the con we hit a bunch of area bookstores with pens in hand.  We had a host of fellow panelists and the panels were excellent!  And a fun thing -- someone with time on his hands was visiting Orlando from California and happened to turn a page in the entertainment section of the Orlando Sentinel -- to see a photo of us with information about Oasis -- and thus found himself at his first SF convention ever, because as he told us "you guys are my favorite authors ever! I couldn't believe you'd be here just when I got here!" 

We'll hope conventions we bew a habit for him, and are one for you, and  we're sorry if you were close to Oasis and missed us ...

The only downside of the trip was the (probably air-conditioner induced) dry-throat cough and cold I caught -- which elevated itself into sneezing/coughing/low fever just as we were getting ready to Amtrak home. I was able to sleep much of the return trip in our roomette,
which helped me be ready for driving some yesterday after we broke our travel Friday night in East Greenbush. Little did we know that we just missed some adventure on the way home, because some of the remarkable weather we saw near Lewiston. ME *really was* remarkable -- http://www.sunjournal.com/oxford-hills/story/858030 -- we may have been saved from actually seeing the funnel cloud by my suggestion of a Dairy Queen stop for a milkshake to help soothe my sore throat.

More as time and memory permit!

Oh yeah, we're hoping to see as many of you as we can at Duckon -- come on out!
kinzel: (Default)
Sales rankings of various Lee and Miller books -- an incomplete list on Sunday morning

The lists below were compiled this morning, with the help of some web friends, across an hour or two, so if you go look (or if you go and buy or order!) the ranking may vary a little. We have none of the Meisha Merlin books in these lists because they are, by force, out of print and we're unlikely to see much in the way of recompense for them, however many may sell -- likewise the Ace and Del Rey editions.  I shoul;d point out that the Baen novel collections start hitting on June 1, and if you're the kind of person who likes to point people to reads you like, it would be good (which is to say most helpful to us and to potential future readers) to point them at the new novels -- and at the Baen collections. 

Amazon.com

Mouse and Dragon     1996 / #23- Space Opera
Saltation                  10127 / #97-Space Opera
Fledgling      (mm)    16,966
Dragon Variation       20,524
The Agent Gambit     25,094
Carousel Tides          87,502
Longeye                 162,717
Fledgling hardcover  304,979
Duainfey   (mm)       328,286
Sword of Orion         816,901
*The Cat's Job        1,269,332
Local Custom MP3 1,485,927

*2002 edition


Barnes and Noble

Mouse and dragon    12,222
Saltation                  13,767
Fledgling     (mm)      38,902
Dragon Variation       52,696
Fledgling hardcover    62,152
Duainfey    (mm)      114,461
Longeye                  176,915
The Agent Gambit     unlisted
**The Cat's Job         253,414
Carousel Tides          442,028
Sword of Orion          594,154
Local Custom MP3    772,865

**2010 edition

PS --
we've located another pair Liaden filk songs ... wheee ... who knows, maybe we can do a Liaden filk songbook/chapbook down the road.
kinzel: (Default)

Dear Friends of Liad (and all the ships in space) --

Geek Speak Magazine is doing an interview with Lee and Miller (hey, one of them is me!) and a line to get your comments on the Liaden stuff has been opened up:

http://community.livejournal.com/liaden_readers/22768.html 

feel free to join in and share, and post to book lists and discussions groups where appropriate, if you would be so kind ...

Thanks!

Steve
kinzel: (Lord Black Cat)
And a reader with time on his hands compiled this incomplete list of Lee and Miller titles on sale in various venues, with
venue rankings, good through around 7 PM Saturday night, Eastern. I'm not sure what it shows; but hey, it's something to consider.

Lee and Miller books currently in play

Saltation
#46 in > Space Opera
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,961
B&N Sales Rank: 42,519

Mouse and Dragon
#56 in> Space Opera
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,183
B&N Sales Rank: 73,240

Fledgling (mass mkt)
#74 > Space Opera
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,411
B&N Sales Rank: 67,086

Fledgling hardback
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #249,033
B&N Sales Rank: 62,682

The Dragon Variation
#88 > Space Opera
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,278
B&N Sales Rank: 237,322

Carousel Tides
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,804 in Books
B&N: no listing

Duainfey
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #284,731
B&N Sales Rank: 142,101

Halfling Moon
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #985,245

As an odd end, we've been asked if it is OK for our "vanity plate" to be used in an upcoming book -- being asked doesn't insure use,
but hey, that's cool -- if you've been to a convention we drive to, yes, this is ours: http://platepoets.mycapture.com/mycapture/photos/JXImage.aspx?ImageID=521776&EventID=743312&CategoryID=49517&CollectionID=1132&Sort=

A lot of my time today went into going over my shelves and withdrawing such classics as guides to OpenOffice 1.0, Paint Shop Pro 7,
Xandros Version 3, not to mention a web design guide copyright 2002 which informs me that it was produced on Corel Ventura Publisher. Oh for the days when Corel was a real business! I hate to get rid of books, though, so pulling these is just so hard....

A reminder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm4vr_Vv7l4
is my first book trailer; right now I'm at work on concepts for several more, which I hope ot have complete before Easter 2012 ... or maybe even by July 1 of this year. We shall see.

I note that the proof for the new version of The Cat's Job was approved on Thursday morning, and despite the print shop's owner guessing it might be done by Friday late  the person who actually does traffic for the business laughed quite heartily and the suggestion and let me know that if we were the only people in line it might be theoretically possible to get it done that soon, if everybody on staff spent all their time working exclusively on... yeah, in other words, we ought to have them in house at SRM Publisher Tuesday or Wednesday, so those orders will get in the mail  RSN.

BTW, the cover for The Cat's Job, and an updated ad for SRM Publisher, can be found here:

http://serialuniverse.com/

Saturday means Sharon was writing, so I made breakfast (chicken tenders and Swiss cheese with tomato and mayo on English muffins) ... and lunch: eggdrop soup with lots of veggies over a no cholesterol whole wheat pasta ... maybe I'll just have a cheese sammich for supper.

Oh yeah, last night we had video night. My Neighbor Totoro is sure a change from Have Gun Will Travel! ....

Supper calls.

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