Signing at the Quisenberry Library

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My Stuff

Saturday,  February 4th, a gang of local and near-local authors held a signing in the new Quisenberry Library in Clinton, Mississippi. I wish I’d been able to get some exterior shots of the building itself, because it’s rather attractive as buildings go, set in a wooded area with a nature/walking trail on the grounds. The problem was that the cold front that should have been here weeks ago finally arrived and dumped buckets of water everywhere and it was pouring rain for most of the afternoon. Not the best of conditions when you want people out and about and coming to such local events, but it wasn’t a bad afternoon despite that.

Glen and Melanie Being Casual

J. Mulvihill Setting Up

As one would expect from a general signing, there was quite a range of subject matter on display, from cookbooks to thrillers to the science fiction and fantasy end of the spectrum. Authors in attendance other than me were Cynthia Leavelle, Melanie Atkins, Glen Stripling, Luther Knight, J. Moffett Walker, and Jennifer Mulvihill. Jennifer was the organizer, coordinating with Karen Sims, the President of the Clinton Friends of the Library. Aside from the authors, there was the Editor/Publisher of a new magazine, Real Girl Magazine, aimed at Teen Girls. I confess when I learned the editor’s name was Elizabeth Bennett my first reaction was “Seriously?” Yes, syrsly. It’s her married name

Elizabeth Bennett

and yes, she takes some ribbing for it. You can check it out at Real Girl Magazine.

As part of the event, an all-volunteer musical group, The Clintones, put on a set of jazz and bluesy numbers and I have to say they were pretty good, and any glitches in the set order or occasional mic problems were met with patience and good humor.

All right, that’s for that. So how did it all go? About as well as could be expected. The ad that was supposed to run in the local paper before the event, didn’t, so hardly anyone knew about it. That and the weather kept a lot of library patrons away. Even so, I’d do it again. I sold a fair number of books, including all the extra copies I had of THE HEAVENLY FOX, I met the President of the Friends of the Library and may be doing a presentation to the group at some point down the road. I also slipped away from the signing to visit the library book sale which happened to be going on at the same time and scored a copy of WAY STATION by Clifford Simak, which has been on my to-read list for a while. I sold more books than I brought home new ones, so I consider that a win.

Black Kath’s Daughter – Corporeal Edition

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Canemill Publishing Edition

I was a little hesitant to take this step, but as has recently been emphasized to me, not everyone has joined the ebook revolution. Odd that an old print snob like me had to be reminded of this, yet there it is. So. Today I’m announcing that, yes, there will be a trade paper print edition of Black Kath’s Daughter. In fact, it’s already orderable through CreateSpace. The Amazon page should show up in a few days. If you’re one of those people who think Amazon is the root of all evil, you can also order it through your local indie bookstore or even a B&N. It’s a real book. It has ISBNs and everything:

ISBN: 0615594778

EAN13: 978-0615594774

Putting this edition together has been an experience. I mean, I’m glad I did it, I learned a lot, and I won’t swear that I won’t do it again (in truth, I’m pretty sure I will), but it did remind me of just how much I don’t want to be a publisher. Getting a book into print is a lot of work, but that’s the least of it. The big drag is time. I only have so much, and when I’m editing, formatting, designing a cover, and proofing, I’m not writing. If I’m not writing, then what’s the point of all that other stuff?

Anyway, book is published, and I’m writing a new story. The fabric of reality is still holding up. For now. And if there is anything else of mine that now only exists in phosphors that you would like to see get a print edition, let me know. I may not write to the market but I do take requests.

Zen and the Art of Beating Your Head Against a Wall

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Subtitle: What Do You Think You’re Doing?

On another forum not too long ago, a well-known editor was expressing puzzlement. There was a very fine writer whose work he’d been promoting for years, buying their stories, featuring them prominently, doing all that was reasonable to do in an attempt to get readers to understand that this writer is worth paying attention to. And it wasn’t a complete bust by any means–the writer has done well by most standards: prolific, won several awards, publishes all over the place. Yet despite it all, they have no “career” to speak of. Sure, nearly every writer in the short-story field knows their work and most have high respect for it; if you follow the sf/f field at all in short stories, you’d recognize the name. But they have never developed the readership or name-recognition that the editor thought they deserved, and why is that?

Later in the thread the editor, in my opinion, answered his own question–it’s because the writer’s stories are too different. Not too different from what’s being published in the field; so far as I can see the sf/f field has a huge tolerance for the different, especially at short story level. Rather, the problem is that the writer’s stories are too different from each other.  Tone, theme, subject matter, you name it. Any reader could read three or four of the writer’s stories, all excellent, and never once realize that they were all written by the same person. Continue reading →

So Where DO You Get Your Story Ideas?

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The short but incomplete answer seems to be “everywhere.”  Or as Ursula Le Guin once remarked, turning the question back on her interviewer, “Where do you not get them?”  They’re all around, all the time. Despite this, show me the beginning writer who has not, at one time or another, bemoaned the fact that they want to write so very badly but don’t have the slightest clue as to what to write about. This makes them feel stupid and resentful. I know. I remember. One could pile on like a rat bastard by simply saying “If you can’t think of anything, then you’re probably not a writer. Give it up.”  That not only shows a meanness of spirit but, more to the point, it’s simply not true.  Beginners, like almost every other sentient human being, have lots of ideas. The actual problem is they don’t know which of them are stories. Continue reading →

In-Depth Interview Fail

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I’ve decided that I want to interview me. Because, to be blunt, there were things I’ve always wanted to know about me, but I’d never asked. 

Question: Where were you born?

Answer: Newton, Mississippi, Newton County Hospital. The hospital no longer exists. Newton, last time I checked, does.

Question: Where did you go to HS?

Answer: Hickory High School. It also no longer exists. Probably for the best.

Question: College?

Answer: Copiah-Lincoln Jr. College, University of Southern Mississippi, and Mississippi College. I have undergraduate degrees in Polymer Science and Math and Computing Science. I have no idea why.

Question: Enough biographical background that no one cares about, but we interviewers just ask to be polite. Can I ask something serious now?

Answer: Go for it.

Question: What was your first published story?

Answer: It’s in the bibliography. Honestly, do you guys even know who you’re interviewing?

Question: That tends to cloud our judgment. I like to keep an open mind. What about you?

Answer: Like a steel sieve.

Question: What’s your personal philosophy? Are you a Determinist?

Answer: I haven’t determined that yet.

Question: Fair Enough. Boxers or briefs?

Answer: The Boxer Rebellion was fairly brief, yes.

Question: You really are a silly git, aren’t you?

Answer: That’s the first intelligent question I’ve heard today. Would you like to try for two?

Question: I’m asking the questions here. You’re written a series of stories about a ghost hunter. Do you really believe in ghosts?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Why?

Answer: Mostly because it annoys the Baptists.

Question: Weren’t you raised Baptist?

Answer: My point.

Question: OOO-kay. Moving on. What are your current religious beliefs?

Answer: I firmly believe that this is no one’s business but mine and any deities involved.

Question: You’re not being co-operative.

Answer: I’m sorry, but you forgot to phrase that in the form of a question. I’ll take “Bored Audience” for a thousand, Alex.

Question: Do I look like a game show host?

Answer: Yes. Sorry.

 

Clearly, I suck at this, but if anyone has any actual questions, I’ll be glad to answer them. Or not, as the whim takes me. Otherwise, I’ll be spending some quality time with the Complacence Fairy.