Hope you're staying warm and dry. We've had quite a bit of cold and snow up here in the northeast. Yesterday I saw two cars spun out on two different highways while trying to make it home after the latest storm. :-(
Want some good news for a change? I've been interviewed in the December 2007 issue of Pandora's Gate, published by Paper Dragon Ink, "an online publishing company dedicated to providing entertainment and resources for creative independents with coverage of movies, novels, comic books, games and music." You can read the interview on page 3 at
http://www.paperdragonink.com/december07issue.pdf
Not a bad interview, if I say so myself. It covers the usual -- my two vampire novels (Darksome Thirst and The Old Power Returns), but also a little bit on writing. The magazine is laid out in landscape mode, with photos and illustrations on the right-hand side, a very pleasing layout for this magazine.
In addition to interviews with Jim Balent, Michelle St. Martin, Anastasia Rabiyah, Wendy Potter, and artist Niki Browning, this edition contains an introduction to the SCA by Jennifer Rhea. Check it out.
Morven
Author Morven Westfield comments on writing, vampires, the wildlife outside her window, and the writing life.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
The Witches' Almanac
My one-page non-fiction article on crystal balls made it into the 2008-2009 edition of The Witches' Almanac. If you see the almanac in a book store, you've got to take a look: it's absolutely beautiful. Artist Ogmios MacMerlin did a fantastic job of design, layout, and execution. He picked a very pleasing, but eerie, color palette, which just happens to go with the color palette of my latest book, The Old Power Returns.
The article ("Crystal Balls: Visions in Smoke") is on page 26.
The article ("Crystal Balls: Visions in Smoke") is on page 26.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Signing at Some Enchanted Evening, Saturday, Sept 8, 2007
It's been a busy summer, so busy that I've been behind in blogging. I don't know how people manage to blog everyday. I suppose it's like exercising, or writing, or flossing your teeth: You get into the habit and just do it. But that's the problem: I'm so busy doing the other stuff that I don't have time to blog! Whatever. I'm just not a creature of habit. I do it when I can.
Without further excuses, here's my recap of a book signing that I did at Some Enchanted Evening's 10th annual Psychic Faire, held in Spencer, MA.
This was the second time I've signed at their Psychic Faire, but the first time at their new location, an elegant old Victorian, which is just gorgeous. Is it the building itself or the fact that proprietor Diane Haynes is such a fabulous artist and decorator? I think it's the latter!
The building retains one of the features of old Victorians -- smaller separate rooms -- and each room is filled with beautiful, often shiny, things. I shared a room with candles, art, and tee shirts. Glass cases of pewter and porcelain figurines hugged the walls. Behind my signing table was a display tree on which dragon ornaments hung tantalizingly. I managed to avoid spending my earnings on the dragon ornaments, but fell prey to Diane's artwork, which you can see on
http://www.someenchantedevening.us/paganartworkbydiane.htm
I bought a print of Cloak Room (4015), which I love for its colors and humor. Humor is evident in another one of her works, Pit Stop (4017), which I found only in the notecard size. I also bought Magickal Cabinet (4021) and am thinking of framing the trio and hanging them together in my writing nook.
Many people showed up for the Faire, and a lot of them stopped by my signing table to talk as they waited for their reading, which made it fun. Nothing's worse than being an author alone at a table twiddling your thumbs, so having people stop by and chat was a relief.
It was a great day, marred only by the fact that when I left, I was too dumb to let out the hot air from my car before I drove away or at least roll down all the windows for the first few miles.
Yes, I have air conditioning, but the car had been sitting closed up, in the heat (mid-90s), and in the short hour it took to drive home, the AC couldn't cool down the car enough. When I got home, I was hot. Really hot. I was still hot at 11 pm, even though by then I had taken a cool shower, had held cold cloths to my face and neck a few times, had drunk ice water, and had been sitting in air conditioning for hours. Next time I'll know to let the hot air out of the car first!
Without further excuses, here's my recap of a book signing that I did at Some Enchanted Evening's 10th annual Psychic Faire, held in Spencer, MA.
This was the second time I've signed at their Psychic Faire, but the first time at their new location, an elegant old Victorian, which is just gorgeous. Is it the building itself or the fact that proprietor Diane Haynes is such a fabulous artist and decorator? I think it's the latter!
The building retains one of the features of old Victorians -- smaller separate rooms -- and each room is filled with beautiful, often shiny, things. I shared a room with candles, art, and tee shirts. Glass cases of pewter and porcelain figurines hugged the walls. Behind my signing table was a display tree on which dragon ornaments hung tantalizingly. I managed to avoid spending my earnings on the dragon ornaments, but fell prey to Diane's artwork, which you can see on
http://www.someenchantedevening.us/paganartworkbydiane.htm
I bought a print of Cloak Room (4015), which I love for its colors and humor. Humor is evident in another one of her works, Pit Stop (4017), which I found only in the notecard size. I also bought Magickal Cabinet (4021) and am thinking of framing the trio and hanging them together in my writing nook.
Many people showed up for the Faire, and a lot of them stopped by my signing table to talk as they waited for their reading, which made it fun. Nothing's worse than being an author alone at a table twiddling your thumbs, so having people stop by and chat was a relief.
It was a great day, marred only by the fact that when I left, I was too dumb to let out the hot air from my car before I drove away or at least roll down all the windows for the first few miles.
Yes, I have air conditioning, but the car had been sitting closed up, in the heat (mid-90s), and in the short hour it took to drive home, the AC couldn't cool down the car enough. When I got home, I was hot. Really hot. I was still hot at 11 pm, even though by then I had taken a cool shower, had held cold cloths to my face and neck a few times, had drunk ice water, and had been sitting in air conditioning for hours. Next time I'll know to let the hot air out of the car first!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Interviewed on WitchCrafting Podcast
A few weeks ago I accompanied a friend to a signing where podcaster Karagan of The WitchCrafting Podcast was doing interviews. He turned the mike on me and has just posted the episode on his site. I'm very pleased with the results. You can listen to it or download it at
www.twango.com/media/witchcrafting.witchcrafting
For more information on Karagan and his podcasts, visit his site at
http://witchcrafting.blogspot.com/
www.twango.com/media/witchcrafting.witchcrafting
For more information on Karagan and his podcasts, visit his site at
http://witchcrafting.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Enthusiastically recommended!
My latest novel, The Old Power Returns, was reviewed favorably by The Midwest Book Review (http://www.midwestbookreview.com/).
They're well-respected and their reviews are published on CDs that librarians use for acquiring books. That's probably not as important for fiction as it is for non-fiction, but it shows how important a review this is.
The review is online now, in their August 2007 Small Press Bookwatch at
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/aug_07.htm#fant
Here's what they had to say. Look at that last sentence!
"Set in the modern day, The Old Power Returns is a fantasy-horror novel about a group of Wiccans who must combine their powers and talents to confront a murderous vampiric menace. A dark saga of ancient hunger and the women who fought against it - or fell victim to it, The Old Power Returns seizes the reader's attention and does not let go until the final page. Enthusiastically recommended especially for fans of vampire stories."
Did you see that? "Enthusiastically recommended"!
I'm doing the happy dance!
Morven
They're well-respected and their reviews are published on CDs that librarians use for acquiring books. That's probably not as important for fiction as it is for non-fiction, but it shows how important a review this is.
The review is online now, in their August 2007 Small Press Bookwatch at
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/aug_07.htm#fant
Here's what they had to say. Look at that last sentence!
"Set in the modern day, The Old Power Returns is a fantasy-horror novel about a group of Wiccans who must combine their powers and talents to confront a murderous vampiric menace. A dark saga of ancient hunger and the women who fought against it - or fell victim to it, The Old Power Returns seizes the reader's attention and does not let go until the final page. Enthusiastically recommended especially for fans of vampire stories."
Did you see that? "Enthusiastically recommended"!
I'm doing the happy dance!
Morven
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
July is over
The crazy month of July is over and I'm finally unpacking. And unpacking. And unpacking. And doing laundry... It started with the Readercon convention the first weekend of July, followed by a trip to the west coast for my husband's cousin's wedding the following weekend, followed closely by the Necon convention the third weekend, and wrapping up with my annual camping trip with friends the last weekend. It rained heavily one of the days and off and on the rest, which means that unpacking involved making sure that everything was dry before I put it away for the season. It also meant cleaning off mud splatters and wet leaves, a step I get to skip when it *doesn't* rain.
Oh, and somewhere in the middle of that crazy month, I had a birthday. I got the latest Harry Potter book from hubby, but haven't had the chance to read it yet. I thought I'd start it a few nights ago, but realized that I didn't remember enough of the details of the previous volumes to get the most out of this all-important last book. I don't really have time, though, to go back to the first book and re-read.
Where could I find a quick cheat sheet on the books? A Google search for sites with synopses of the books yielded quite a few hits. The following one isn't exactly what I was looking for, but it sure is amusing:
http://www.booklore.co.uk/Authors/RowlingJK/HarryPotterSynopsis.htm
Going further down the list, I found the site I was looking for. This site is rich with synopses, trivia, and other facts.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/books-hp.html
It's *so* complete that it will take me a few days to get through the synopsis of each book, but I'm so glad I found it. Not only is it a good reference for the Harry Potter books, but it gives me an idea of how I might organize my notes for my next novel. (And it makes me feel MUCH better about having as many characters as I do and having the occasional odd name!) In the next novel, I'll be picking up some loose threads from each of the previous novels. I'll also be introducing a new character or two. Writing a synopsis where I list not only characters who are introduced, but characters who are *mentioned* should be quite helpful.
So, what's up next? I'll be accompanying Harvest Shadows author Jimahl di Fiosa on some of his events, minding the table and selling books (mine, too), but the next major events aren't until October and November.
Rock N'Shock (Oct 13, 2007)
I'll be attending if HWA/NE has a booth there. I don't have confirmation on that yet.
World Fantasy Convention 2007 (Nov 2-4, 2007)
Will be attending and participating in the Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading and selling my books at their booth there. If you're going, stop by the booth. They have an excellent selection of books by members and you get to meet the members who volunteer at the book. If you support women authors in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, consider joining -- even men and non-writers can join, but if you're female and a writer, you'll enjoy the side benefit of being able to sell your books at their table.
Well, time's a-wasting. More later.
Morven
Oh, and somewhere in the middle of that crazy month, I had a birthday. I got the latest Harry Potter book from hubby, but haven't had the chance to read it yet. I thought I'd start it a few nights ago, but realized that I didn't remember enough of the details of the previous volumes to get the most out of this all-important last book. I don't really have time, though, to go back to the first book and re-read.
Where could I find a quick cheat sheet on the books? A Google search for sites with synopses of the books yielded quite a few hits. The following one isn't exactly what I was looking for, but it sure is amusing:
http://www.booklore.co.uk/Authors/RowlingJK/HarryPotterSynopsis.htm
Going further down the list, I found the site I was looking for. This site is rich with synopses, trivia, and other facts.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/books-hp.html
It's *so* complete that it will take me a few days to get through the synopsis of each book, but I'm so glad I found it. Not only is it a good reference for the Harry Potter books, but it gives me an idea of how I might organize my notes for my next novel. (And it makes me feel MUCH better about having as many characters as I do and having the occasional odd name!) In the next novel, I'll be picking up some loose threads from each of the previous novels. I'll also be introducing a new character or two. Writing a synopsis where I list not only characters who are introduced, but characters who are *mentioned* should be quite helpful.
So, what's up next? I'll be accompanying Harvest Shadows author Jimahl di Fiosa on some of his events, minding the table and selling books (mine, too), but the next major events aren't until October and November.
Rock N'Shock (Oct 13, 2007)
I'll be attending if HWA/NE has a booth there. I don't have confirmation on that yet.
World Fantasy Convention 2007 (Nov 2-4, 2007)
Will be attending and participating in the Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading and selling my books at their booth there. If you're going, stop by the booth. They have an excellent selection of books by members and you get to meet the members who volunteer at the book. If you support women authors in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, consider joining -- even men and non-writers can join, but if you're female and a writer, you'll enjoy the side benefit of being able to sell your books at their table.
Well, time's a-wasting. More later.
Morven
Sunday, July 29, 2007
A busy July
July was an excruciatingly busy month. I guess it's good to be busy, and it was somewhat fun doing all the travel and events, but it made the month go by too quickly and now I'm facing that dreaded time of year -- the end of summer.
Some years, though, I don't find I dread it. I actually like the crisp autumn weather. This time I think I'm going to, though, because it just went by too fast.
Besides traveling and promoting the new book (The Old Power Returns), I've been doing a lot of blogging and socializing. I've sort of allowed myself the summer off to meet, greet, and connect. Come fall and winter, I'll start writing again.
I got a MySpace account and although I'm not too fond of the interface, I'm definitely loving the way it allows me to find and connect to other authors. Y'know, it's funny how one hears that the vampire sub-genre is dead, but then sees so many people who list that as an interest, and so many writers. I've stumbled across writers like Karen Koehler and a film called Bloodsucka Jones...
So many blogs to visit, and so little time!
Later,
Morven
Some years, though, I don't find I dread it. I actually like the crisp autumn weather. This time I think I'm going to, though, because it just went by too fast.
Besides traveling and promoting the new book (The Old Power Returns), I've been doing a lot of blogging and socializing. I've sort of allowed myself the summer off to meet, greet, and connect. Come fall and winter, I'll start writing again.
I got a MySpace account and although I'm not too fond of the interface, I'm definitely loving the way it allows me to find and connect to other authors. Y'know, it's funny how one hears that the vampire sub-genre is dead, but then sees so many people who list that as an interest, and so many writers. I've stumbled across writers like Karen Koehler and a film called Bloodsucka Jones...
So many blogs to visit, and so little time!
Later,
Morven
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Readercon, Necon, World Fantasy, and others
The summer is filling up fast. In July, I have something booked every weekend, whether it's a convention (or two) or a trip or a camping event.
I've been so busy with other things that I haven't updated my web site yet, so I thought I'd post the info here.
Readercon 18 (July 6-8, 2007)
Friday night at 8 pm I'll be participating in the Broad Universe Rapid-fire Reading. It you're not doing anything, stop by and hear readings from me and other members of Broad Universe. On Saturday and Sunday, you can find me from time to time at the Broad Universe table in the dealer's room, selling and signing copies of my new novel, THE OLD POWER RETURNS.
Broad Universe is an international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Readercon is an annual convention that centers on the writers, editors, critics, and readers of written science fiction, fantasy, and the wider realm of imaginative literature that involves some element of the fantastic. For more info, visit
-------------------------------------
Necon 27 (July 19-22, 2007) +++
On Friday, I'll be signing copies of my new book, The Old Power Returns. For more information on Necon, see www.campnecon.com
-------------------------------------
Rock N'Shock (Oct 13, 2007)
Tentative plans to attend. If HWA/NE has booth there, I'll be at the booth.
-------------------------------------
World Fantasy Convention 2007 (Nov 2-4, 2007)
Will be attending, and If Broad Universe has a booth there, I'll be at the booth signing copies of THE OLD POWER RETURNS.
-------------------------------------
Boskone 45 (Feb 15-17, 2008)
So far the only plans I have are to attend. Watch this spot for info as it develops. Boskone, a regional Science Fiction convention focusing on literature, art, music, and gaming and covering horror and fantasy genres as well. For more info, visit www.nesfa.org/boskone
-------------------------------------
WisCon 32 (May 23-26, 2008)
So far the only plans I have are to attend, but I'm sure I'll be busy with the other members of Broad Universe. WisCon is the first and foremost feminist science fiction convention in the world, with offerings ranging from science fiction to fantasy to horror to non-fiction. For more info, visit www.wiscon.info
-------------------------------------
[end of list]
I've been so busy with other things that I haven't updated my web site yet, so I thought I'd post the info here.
| Calendar events |
Friday night at 8 pm I'll be participating in the Broad Universe Rapid-fire Reading. It you're not doing anything, stop by and hear readings from me and other members of Broad Universe. On Saturday and Sunday, you can find me from time to time at the Broad Universe table in the dealer's room, selling and signing copies of my new novel, THE OLD POWER RETURNS.
Broad Universe is an international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Readercon is an annual convention that centers on the writers, editors, critics, and readers of written science fiction, fantasy, and the wider realm of imaginative literature that involves some element of the fantastic. For more info, visit
-------------------------------------
Necon 27 (July 19-22, 2007) +++
On Friday, I'll be signing copies of my new book, The Old Power Returns. For more information on Necon, see www.campnecon.com
-------------------------------------
Rock N'Shock (Oct 13, 2007)
Tentative plans to attend. If HWA/NE has booth there, I'll be at the booth.
-------------------------------------
World Fantasy Convention 2007 (Nov 2-4, 2007)
Will be attending, and If Broad Universe has a booth there, I'll be at the booth signing copies of THE OLD POWER RETURNS.
-------------------------------------
Boskone 45 (Feb 15-17, 2008)
So far the only plans I have are to attend. Watch this spot for info as it develops. Boskone, a regional Science Fiction convention focusing on literature, art, music, and gaming and covering horror and fantasy genres as well. For more info, visit www.nesfa.org/boskone
-------------------------------------
WisCon 32 (May 23-26, 2008)
So far the only plans I have are to attend, but I'm sure I'll be busy with the other members of Broad Universe. WisCon is the first and foremost feminist science fiction convention in the world, with offerings ranging from science fiction to fantasy to horror to non-fiction. For more info, visit www.wiscon.info
-------------------------------------
[end of list]
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Bullfrogs and deer ticks
I had a great weekend a few weeks ago: Caught a bullfrog, immolated a deer tick, and donned a dress and makeup for a photo shoot. Not all at the same time, mind you; catching a bullfrog in a dress wouldn't have been easy. Not on the same day, either; the photo shoot was a day later. Still, it was a wonderful, wacky weekend.
Let me explain the bullfrog. I was a tomboy as a child, and catching frogs was one of my favorite activities. So, a few years ago, when traffic was stopped on a local road due to the appearance of a large bullfrog, I pulled off to the side and approached it with confidence. I could save the poor critter's life by carrying him to safety. Or so I thought.
I bent over him, as I had as a child, hands ready to grab his sides, but as I got within an inch of him, I froze. (And he jumped.) I was afraid! I couldn't believe it. I loved frogs. And toads. And lizards. Why was I so afraid? Was I really afraid of the creature? Or just afraid that I'd fumble and embarrass myself?
Last year I was getting out of my car at home and looked down to see the cutest little garter snake. (Yes, snakes CAN be cute, especially when they're barely as big as a pencil and are totally harmless.) I wanted to move him out of the driveway before my husband got home because I didn't want the poor thing to get run over. I used to catch green snakes -- fairly large ones, at that -- and garter snakes, and here I was, afraid to pick up this little guy! I grabbed a tree branch to scoot him along, and even chuckled as the little cutie turned to hiss at me, but I couldn't bring myself to pick him up.
So when we were invited to a cookout and later went out with the flashlight-packing host to view the night critters, I had to redeem myself. There sat a big, fat bullfrog, temporarily dazed by the flashlight beam. I poised over him and quickly brought my hands together around his protruding sides. My hands -- which fit in a women's medium glove -- barely covered him. As I lifted up, he pushed with his strong arms and legs, easily propelling his slippery body from my grasp.
It was at that moment that I realized another cause of my fear. It was not just of making a fool of myself -- no fear in that -- but of hurting him. I didn't want to squeeze hard enough to hurt him. Still, I had to catch him one more time, to redeem myself. Again he pushed easily out of my grasp, but, no longer stunned by his girth and strength, I grasped his legs and lifted him upside-down, like they used to deliver babies, and presented him to the host. "MY GOODNESS. He's a big one."
Again the amphibian slipped from my grasp, and I tried once more to catch him and hold him upright, but he was too strong and slippery for me to hold him without hurting him, so I let him go. I wanted to pet him, feel his little toes, look into his unfathoming eyes. But it was not to be. Still, I redeemed myself. I could catch bullfrogs again...
Now where's that garter snake...
Let me explain the bullfrog. I was a tomboy as a child, and catching frogs was one of my favorite activities. So, a few years ago, when traffic was stopped on a local road due to the appearance of a large bullfrog, I pulled off to the side and approached it with confidence. I could save the poor critter's life by carrying him to safety. Or so I thought.
I bent over him, as I had as a child, hands ready to grab his sides, but as I got within an inch of him, I froze. (And he jumped.) I was afraid! I couldn't believe it. I loved frogs. And toads. And lizards. Why was I so afraid? Was I really afraid of the creature? Or just afraid that I'd fumble and embarrass myself?
Last year I was getting out of my car at home and looked down to see the cutest little garter snake. (Yes, snakes CAN be cute, especially when they're barely as big as a pencil and are totally harmless.) I wanted to move him out of the driveway before my husband got home because I didn't want the poor thing to get run over. I used to catch green snakes -- fairly large ones, at that -- and garter snakes, and here I was, afraid to pick up this little guy! I grabbed a tree branch to scoot him along, and even chuckled as the little cutie turned to hiss at me, but I couldn't bring myself to pick him up.
So when we were invited to a cookout and later went out with the flashlight-packing host to view the night critters, I had to redeem myself. There sat a big, fat bullfrog, temporarily dazed by the flashlight beam. I poised over him and quickly brought my hands together around his protruding sides. My hands -- which fit in a women's medium glove -- barely covered him. As I lifted up, he pushed with his strong arms and legs, easily propelling his slippery body from my grasp.
It was at that moment that I realized another cause of my fear. It was not just of making a fool of myself -- no fear in that -- but of hurting him. I didn't want to squeeze hard enough to hurt him. Still, I had to catch him one more time, to redeem myself. Again he pushed easily out of my grasp, but, no longer stunned by his girth and strength, I grasped his legs and lifted him upside-down, like they used to deliver babies, and presented him to the host. "MY GOODNESS. He's a big one."
Again the amphibian slipped from my grasp, and I tried once more to catch him and hold him upright, but he was too strong and slippery for me to hold him without hurting him, so I let him go. I wanted to pet him, feel his little toes, look into his unfathoming eyes. But it was not to be. Still, I redeemed myself. I could catch bullfrogs again...
Now where's that garter snake...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The M.R. Sellers/Doroth Morrison show, Part 2
One of the reasons that I wanted to meet M. R. Sellars was that he's trying to do what I'm doing: merging an existing genre with modern-day witchcraft. In his case, he's merging the mystery genre (sub-genre detective?) with a Wiccan who helps the police using his pyschic powers. In my case, I'm mergin a horror novel (sub-genre vampire) with witches who help a geekette fend off vampires.
We both face similar problems: Our main-genre readers (mystery, horror) won't be familiar with some of the beliefs and practices of our witch characters. Our Wiccan/Witch/Pagan readers, on the other hand, don't want a lecture about something they already know. Our main-genre readers expect the aspects of the genre that appeal to them; that is, each genre has its own set of conventions that an avid reader of that genre would come to expect. For example, in the mystery genre, there's going to be a dead body (usually). In the supernatural/vampire genre, there's going to be a vampire. And blood.
There are other conventions regarding lushness of description (or sparseness thereof), pacing, atmosphere, and so on. People who are reading one of our novels because it's part of their preferred genre will expect those stylistic conventions to be followed. For example, I've heard that in Romance, there needs to be a happy relationship at the end. (Don't know if that's always true, but that's what I've heard.)
Though readers who normally read those genres expect those conventions, people who are reading one of our novels because they're interested in (or are) witches or pagans aren't going to necessarily expect those conventions and might even be put off by them. They might normally read a completely different genre (science fiction, fantasy) or even just mainstream fiction.
Unfortunately, Murv (Sellars) and I never had time to talk about any of that, but we did talk a little about writing. And I did actually talk to "Morrison," too! :-)
Stay tuned for part three...
We both face similar problems: Our main-genre readers (mystery, horror) won't be familiar with some of the beliefs and practices of our witch characters. Our Wiccan/Witch/Pagan readers, on the other hand, don't want a lecture about something they already know. Our main-genre readers expect the aspects of the genre that appeal to them; that is, each genre has its own set of conventions that an avid reader of that genre would come to expect. For example, in the mystery genre, there's going to be a dead body (usually). In the supernatural/vampire genre, there's going to be a vampire. And blood.
There are other conventions regarding lushness of description (or sparseness thereof), pacing, atmosphere, and so on. People who are reading one of our novels because it's part of their preferred genre will expect those stylistic conventions to be followed. For example, I've heard that in Romance, there needs to be a happy relationship at the end. (Don't know if that's always true, but that's what I've heard.)
Though readers who normally read those genres expect those conventions, people who are reading one of our novels because they're interested in (or are) witches or pagans aren't going to necessarily expect those conventions and might even be put off by them. They might normally read a completely different genre (science fiction, fantasy) or even just mainstream fiction.
Unfortunately, Murv (Sellars) and I never had time to talk about any of that, but we did talk a little about writing. And I did actually talk to "Morrison," too! :-)
Stay tuned for part three...
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The M.R. Sellers/Doroth Morrison show, Part 1
I met authors M.R.Sellars and Dorothy Morrison a couple of nights ago and had a great time. They were doing a booksigning and lecture at Earth Spirits Herbal Apothecary in Sturbridge, MA.
The venue alone was worth the trip. The Apothecary is a fabulous, sprawling shop with multiple cozy rooms. Everywhere you looked was filled with tastefully arranged, colorful bottles, boxes, and more. It was like your typical chain pharmacy, but better -- holistic medicines have a tendency to have much more artistic packaging. I saw homeopathic simples, aromatic oils and diffusers, flower essences, herb teas, and Chinese patent medicines. There were shelves of books, gifts, jewelry, clothing, statues, candles, and incense. And fairies. Wicker chairs and small tables were arranged throughout the store and I thought that one particularly large area was where the lecture would be, but no! That was just for the "meet and greet" and book signing. The actual lecture was in a spacious lecture room with chairs lined up in four or so long rows.
The authors hadn't arrived yet because they had run into traffic on their way up from Pennsylvania. They've had an unbelievably aggressive tour schedule. In just the last five days, they had driven from Indiana to Pennsylvania to Massachusetts, which doesn't sound like much, but when I was a kid, the family often drove a summer trip that included crossing Pennsylvania, and that part alone took EIGHT hours. "Are we out of Pennsylvania yet?" was a familiar cry from the back seat of the station wagon. Anyway, they had run into a two-hour traffic delay at the George Washington Bridge (or a similar presidential-sounding bridge name), and were on their way, so I had plenty of time to absorb the beauty of the shop (but not enough time to buy -- too many things! -- but they do have online shopping, I notice...)
I had just gone out to make a call on my cell phone and when I came back in, there was a man who looked an awful lot like the pictures on M. R. Sellars' web page making some comment about "those authors" just blowing off the event. I knew it was him. He's described as having a sense of humor like Dennis Miller. I'd sort of agree, except that Murv is warmer. And that's no act; you can tell that that's Murv, all the time.
He and Dorothy were so gracious to me, who emailed them out of the blue not long ago begging for a chance to "talk shop" before the appearance, but their schedule is so stuffed that they didn't have time for a free meal or a coffee after. (Actually, I wonder if they ever ate! He told a story of a previous lecture where they ate something in the morning and then nothing all day...)
I need to stop here because I have a ton of things to do, but at this point of meeting them, I am just sooooo impressed. He's driven all this way, as he and Morrison have done for at least the past five days, and he's still joking. I don't think I could still be VERBAL at that point, but he's still joking. The rest of the evening didn't disappoint. I got my chance to "talk shop" with him while he flopped in a chair and cooled off from the drive (it was 88 degrees out when I left work; I can only imagine it was hotter in the south where they drove up from) and I ended up staying for their lecture, which was an interesting discussion of ethics.
Stay tuned for part two...
The venue alone was worth the trip. The Apothecary is a fabulous, sprawling shop with multiple cozy rooms. Everywhere you looked was filled with tastefully arranged, colorful bottles, boxes, and more. It was like your typical chain pharmacy, but better -- holistic medicines have a tendency to have much more artistic packaging. I saw homeopathic simples, aromatic oils and diffusers, flower essences, herb teas, and Chinese patent medicines. There were shelves of books, gifts, jewelry, clothing, statues, candles, and incense. And fairies. Wicker chairs and small tables were arranged throughout the store and I thought that one particularly large area was where the lecture would be, but no! That was just for the "meet and greet" and book signing. The actual lecture was in a spacious lecture room with chairs lined up in four or so long rows.
The authors hadn't arrived yet because they had run into traffic on their way up from Pennsylvania. They've had an unbelievably aggressive tour schedule. In just the last five days, they had driven from Indiana to Pennsylvania to Massachusetts, which doesn't sound like much, but when I was a kid, the family often drove a summer trip that included crossing Pennsylvania, and that part alone took EIGHT hours. "Are we out of Pennsylvania yet?" was a familiar cry from the back seat of the station wagon. Anyway, they had run into a two-hour traffic delay at the George Washington Bridge (or a similar presidential-sounding bridge name), and were on their way, so I had plenty of time to absorb the beauty of the shop (but not enough time to buy -- too many things! -- but they do have online shopping, I notice...)
I had just gone out to make a call on my cell phone and when I came back in, there was a man who looked an awful lot like the pictures on M. R. Sellars' web page making some comment about "those authors" just blowing off the event. I knew it was him. He's described as having a sense of humor like Dennis Miller. I'd sort of agree, except that Murv is warmer. And that's no act; you can tell that that's Murv, all the time.
He and Dorothy were so gracious to me, who emailed them out of the blue not long ago begging for a chance to "talk shop" before the appearance, but their schedule is so stuffed that they didn't have time for a free meal or a coffee after. (Actually, I wonder if they ever ate! He told a story of a previous lecture where they ate something in the morning and then nothing all day...)
I need to stop here because I have a ton of things to do, but at this point of meeting them, I am just sooooo impressed. He's driven all this way, as he and Morrison have done for at least the past five days, and he's still joking. I don't think I could still be VERBAL at that point, but he's still joking. The rest of the evening didn't disappoint. I got my chance to "talk shop" with him while he flopped in a chair and cooled off from the drive (it was 88 degrees out when I left work; I can only imagine it was hotter in the south where they drove up from) and I ended up staying for their lecture, which was an interesting discussion of ethics.
Stay tuned for part two...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Morven does a podcast
I had my first podcast interview on "The Spiral Dance" with Hawthorne. Hawthorne's show is a "lively weekly show dedicated to folks who share a passion for earth-based spirituality." I've been listening to his podcasts for a while now, and I've got to agree with his web site description that he presents "engaging conversations with writers, musicians and activists." He also features a wide variety of interesting music that complements the show.
Check it out at
http://radiohawthorne.podhoster.com/index.php?sid=366&pid=2586
It wasn't as scary as I expected. I don't know why I expected it to be scary to begin with -- on his podcasts, Hawthorne comes across as intelligent, reasonable, and intelligent -- but I did. And, like many people, I don't like the sound of my own voice, but I must admit it sounded really good here (thanks, Hawthorne!).
Give it a listen if you have a chance.
Morven
Check it out at
http://radiohawthorne.podhoster.com/index.php?sid=366&pid=2586
It wasn't as scary as I expected. I don't know why I expected it to be scary to begin with -- on his podcasts, Hawthorne comes across as intelligent, reasonable, and intelligent -- but I did. And, like many people, I don't like the sound of my own voice, but I must admit it sounded really good here (thanks, Hawthorne!).
Give it a listen if you have a chance.
Morven
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Muggle Counter
Amazon.com has a cute little marketing gadget on their web site. You can see the results of their "Muggle Counter," which "...tracks the approximate number of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows books ordered from the www.amazon.com site and from U.S. syndicated store sites, such as Borders.com, but excludes all third-party seller arrangements."
Hmmm... How could I adapt that marketing angle... A bite counter? "How many people have bitten on suggestions to visit Morven's site?" Byte counter? Ooooh... Guess how many bytes in the file for The Old Power Returns that is being released June 23, 2007? Oooh, yeah. I think I can talk my publisher into that... Guess how many bytes in the PDF for only the text (that is, not including the cover) that went to our printer, and win a free book, bookmarks, and a couple of toy surprises! Yeah, watch www.harvestshadows.com for details!
Morven
Hmmm... How could I adapt that marketing angle... A bite counter? "How many people have bitten on suggestions to visit Morven's site?" Byte counter? Ooooh... Guess how many bytes in the file for The Old Power Returns that is being released June 23, 2007? Oooh, yeah. I think I can talk my publisher into that... Guess how many bytes in the PDF for only the text (that is, not including the cover) that went to our printer, and win a free book, bookmarks, and a couple of toy surprises! Yeah, watch www.harvestshadows.com for details!
Morven
Sunday, April 15, 2007
German Language Version, ARCs for sequel
Outside it's dark, cold, and very windy. Not very springlike, but that's okay. When one has news to announce about vampire novels, this is appropriate weather!
First, some news on the foreign front. It looks like the German translation of Darksome Thirst (translated as Brut der Finsternis) will be out soon! The detail page on the publisher's web site has a button for ordering from Amazon already.
I've put a thumbnail of the beautiful cover on the home page of my own website, www.morvenwestfield.com, along with links to the publisher and the artist's web site. They've done a really great job.
The other news is that I've seen the advance reading copies (ARCs) of The Old Power Returns, the sequel to Darksome Thirst. I really love the cover and I think you will, too. Oh, and the story -- I think you'll really like that, too. I don't want to spoil it, but an early reviewer said something like, "I just finished reading the book -- at 4 a.m.! I cried when [character name removed] died -- each time!"
So there you have it. Someone will die. More than once. Curious? You should be. Remember that you can pre-order from Amazon. Harvest Shadows will be releasing the book in late June (I think the release date is June 23).
First, some news on the foreign front. It looks like the German translation of Darksome Thirst (translated as Brut der Finsternis) will be out soon! The detail page on the publisher's web site has a button for ordering from Amazon already.
I've put a thumbnail of the beautiful cover on the home page of my own website, www.morvenwestfield.com, along with links to the publisher and the artist's web site. They've done a really great job.
The other news is that I've seen the advance reading copies (ARCs) of The Old Power Returns, the sequel to Darksome Thirst. I really love the cover and I think you will, too. Oh, and the story -- I think you'll really like that, too. I don't want to spoil it, but an early reviewer said something like, "I just finished reading the book -- at 4 a.m.! I cried when [character name removed] died -- each time!"
So there you have it. Someone will die. More than once. Curious? You should be. Remember that you can pre-order from Amazon. Harvest Shadows will be releasing the book in late June (I think the release date is June 23).
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
A Belated Update on Boskone 44
The reading at Boskone went extremely well. The room was packed, the crowd was appreciative, and the [other] readers were excellent. Victoria McManus, Jennifer Pelland, Jessica Reisman, and myself read for approximately 12 minutes each. Three other writers were supposed to participate but were prevented by snow, loss of voice, and other reasons.
Boskone itself was excellent. Some of the other panels I attended included "Straddling the Line: SF and Mystery Hybrids," a discussion on how well (or not) SF mixes with whodunits; "Building Characters";"Making Writing More Vivid"; and "Scams to Avoid."
The new location, at the Westin Waterfront, was large, airy, and not too hard to navigate. I even braved the night air for a meal with friends at the No Name Restaurant.
The coffee in the Con Suite was excellent, the art was gorgeous, and the vendors varied. In other words, it was predictably good.
Boskone itself was excellent. Some of the other panels I attended included "Straddling the Line: SF and Mystery Hybrids," a discussion on how well (or not) SF mixes with whodunits; "Building Characters";"Making Writing More Vivid"; and "Scams to Avoid."
The new location, at the Westin Waterfront, was large, airy, and not too hard to navigate. I even braved the night air for a meal with friends at the No Name Restaurant.
The coffee in the Con Suite was excellent, the art was gorgeous, and the vendors varied. In other words, it was predictably good.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Harry Strikes Again
From Scholastic Inc's web site:
But, of course, if I put myself in the publisher's place, why WOULDN'T I go for the big sales? After all, they're not a charitable organization. They're in business to make money, and I don't mean that in a pejorative manner. They're not in business to lose money or break even. They're in business to MAKE money.
So what about the novels that appeal to smaller audiences, but whose story is worth hearing, whose words are worth reading? Will they disappear?
Funny that I should be asking this in March, which just happens to be Small Press Month. I stumbled on that fact while visiting my publisher's web site. Maybe that's what got me thinking.
Support the small press. Your mind will thank you.
New York, NY (March 14, 2007) -- NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 14, 2007 -Scholastic Inc.... announced today that J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will have a record-breaking first printing of 12 million copies in the U.S., and a multi-million dollar marketing campaign to support the highly anticipated release at 12:01 a.m. on July 21st. The first printing for the seventh book in the Harry Potter series breaks the record held by the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which had a 10.8 million first printing in 2005 and sold 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours.Don't get me wrong -- I love Harry Potter and will most definitely get this book -- but it's sort of depressing to read this. Twelve MILLION copies? With sales possibilities like that, what publisher would take a chance on a novel that would appeal to, say, just ONE million readers... or ONE hundred thousand? Will this huge print run encourage what many have seen as the publishing industry's inclination to go where the large sales are, and leave behind worthy novels just because the market is smaller?
But, of course, if I put myself in the publisher's place, why WOULDN'T I go for the big sales? After all, they're not a charitable organization. They're in business to make money, and I don't mean that in a pejorative manner. They're not in business to lose money or break even. They're in business to MAKE money.
So what about the novels that appeal to smaller audiences, but whose story is worth hearing, whose words are worth reading? Will they disappear?
Funny that I should be asking this in March, which just happens to be Small Press Month. I stumbled on that fact while visiting my publisher's web site. Maybe that's what got me thinking.
Support the small press. Your mind will thank you.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Small Press Interview
I'm getting quite addicted to listening to podcasts on my music-free (grin) iPod. Driving to work this morning, I listened to a very interesting one from the Writing Show featuring a candid interview with Olga Gardner Galvin. A New York–based freelance writer and book editor, she founded ENC (Emperor’s New Clothes) Press in 2003 with the help and moral support of California writer and publicist Beth Elliott.
(This is from their About page: ENC Press was founded "for the express purpose of publishing original, unusual novels that most mainstream publishing behemoths turn down on the grounds of their questionable appeal 'to the broadest possible audience' ('the broadest possible audience' being whatever an acquisitions editor who hasn’t left Manhattan in thirty years thinks it is)" Love it!)
Some things I found interesting in the podcast:
1. She never sends out books to the big reviewers. She said she might as well just throw them in the trash and save a step! She said that unless you're a big name author, they're not even going to look at your book.
2. She said that even favorable reviews don't help much. She cited the case of someone who was favorably reviewed by the Washington Post and others, but whose book was pulled rather quickly.
3. There isn't enough time in the publishing schedule in mainstream publishing to actually edit the book. They do a copy edit, yes, but don't edit for structure, plot, language, like they used to.
4. She said something like, "It's an open secret that writers have to do their own marketing and publicity" and said that she won't take on writers who won't "support their own books." She even went so far as to say that they need to come up with their own marketing ideas. This is what I've heard repeatedly -- that except for the very biggest name, there is NO marketing budget for the writer. It's all up to the writer. It certainly has been in my case.
(This is from their About page: ENC Press was founded "for the express purpose of publishing original, unusual novels that most mainstream publishing behemoths turn down on the grounds of their questionable appeal 'to the broadest possible audience' ('the broadest possible audience' being whatever an acquisitions editor who hasn’t left Manhattan in thirty years thinks it is)" Love it!)
Some things I found interesting in the podcast:
1. She never sends out books to the big reviewers. She said she might as well just throw them in the trash and save a step! She said that unless you're a big name author, they're not even going to look at your book.
2. She said that even favorable reviews don't help much. She cited the case of someone who was favorably reviewed by the Washington Post and others, but whose book was pulled rather quickly.
3. There isn't enough time in the publishing schedule in mainstream publishing to actually edit the book. They do a copy edit, yes, but don't edit for structure, plot, language, like they used to.
4. She said something like, "It's an open secret that writers have to do their own marketing and publicity" and said that she won't take on writers who won't "support their own books." She even went so far as to say that they need to come up with their own marketing ideas. This is what I've heard repeatedly -- that except for the very biggest name, there is NO marketing budget for the writer. It's all up to the writer. It certainly has been in my case.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
No Music on this One
Dear hubby got me an iPod for Christmas! I may be the only person in the entire universe of iPod owners who has absolutely NO music on their iPod, but I am certainly getting use out of it. I've dowloaded an amazing collection of podcasts.
(For those of you who haven't had the chance to investigate podcasts, they're like radio shows that have been recorded. Or blogs that are read out loud. Or both. You don't actually need an iPod or any other MP3 device to listen to them. Most modern PCs and Macs have built-in software for listening to them, and if not, you can easily download free MP3 players.)
Some of the podcasts I've listening to lately are Grammar Girl, Word Nerds (love it), Podcast of Horror, and Tech for Writers. I'm always finding more, so this list will grow. (Still haven't found a vampire one, though...)
I'll go into more detail about these podcasts and include links in a later post. Gotta run and get ready for an evening event.
Bye for now!
(For those of you who haven't had the chance to investigate podcasts, they're like radio shows that have been recorded. Or blogs that are read out loud. Or both. You don't actually need an iPod or any other MP3 device to listen to them. Most modern PCs and Macs have built-in software for listening to them, and if not, you can easily download free MP3 players.)
Some of the podcasts I've listening to lately are Grammar Girl, Word Nerds (love it), Podcast of Horror, and Tech for Writers. I'm always finding more, so this list will grow. (Still haven't found a vampire one, though...)
I'll go into more detail about these podcasts and include links in a later post. Gotta run and get ready for an evening event.
Bye for now!
Odd Weather
This has been an odd winter so far. At a recent (January) post-holiday
party, many of our neighbors were remarking on the unseasonably mild
weather. Most of them were quick to add that although they were
enjoying it, they worried what the odd climate change heralded for the
environment.
As an example of how exceptionally mild it was, normally when I put up
holiday lights outside, I can't take them down right away after the
holidays are over because they're either hidden in snow or frozen to
the bushes. This year I was out there in January without a coat,
gloves, or boots, and taking my time as I enjoyed the sunshine. Odd.
Very odd. We didn't have our first ice storm until a few days ago, but
it was north of where I live. I wouldn't have even known about it if a
lot of people at work hadn't discussed it.
party, many of our neighbors were remarking on the unseasonably mild
weather. Most of them were quick to add that although they were
enjoying it, they worried what the odd climate change heralded for the
environment.
As an example of how exceptionally mild it was, normally when I put up
holiday lights outside, I can't take them down right away after the
holidays are over because they're either hidden in snow or frozen to
the bushes. This year I was out there in January without a coat,
gloves, or boots, and taking my time as I enjoyed the sunshine. Odd.
Very odd. We didn't have our first ice storm until a few days ago, but
it was north of where I live. I wouldn't have even known about it if a
lot of people at work hadn't discussed it.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
I Finished It!
FINALLY! I've finished the final draft of The Old Power Returns! Sort of...
What I've done is finished entering changes from the initial edit and also a final read-through. Out loud. Reading it out loud really helped me find problem areas, but it was a real pain in the throat. As much as I hated the physical part of it, I'd definitely do it again.
I've sent it off to the editor. She'll give it one last read-through and do a copy edit, which means, of course, that there will probably be a few more corrections. But I'm getting closer... Next step is off to the printer! I've seen the preliminary artwork for the cover and should be seeing the next pass of it soon.
I've also heard that the translation of DARKSOME THIRST, the first in the series, to German is coming along nicely. Keep an eye on Otherworld Verlag -- if you read German -- for the latest. Or surf over to my publisher's site (www.harvestshadows.com), which will carry announcements of its progress.
How totally exciting!
What I've done is finished entering changes from the initial edit and also a final read-through. Out loud. Reading it out loud really helped me find problem areas, but it was a real pain in the throat. As much as I hated the physical part of it, I'd definitely do it again.
I've sent it off to the editor. She'll give it one last read-through and do a copy edit, which means, of course, that there will probably be a few more corrections. But I'm getting closer... Next step is off to the printer! I've seen the preliminary artwork for the cover and should be seeing the next pass of it soon.
I've also heard that the translation of DARKSOME THIRST, the first in the series, to German is coming along nicely. Keep an eye on Otherworld Verlag -- if you read German -- for the latest. Or surf over to my publisher's site (www.harvestshadows.com), which will carry announcements of its progress.
How totally exciting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)