In a very Pavlovian type reaction, I am now conditioned to get very excited when I see tan/orange DHL envelopes sitting on my porch. So far, they have brought me: copyedited manuscipts for my perusal, ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies), cover flats, and on February 12th, 2008, they brought me my novel. Four copies of the final product.
If you're not a writer, I'm not sure that I can fully explain what it feels like to hold your novel for the first time. I'm embarassed to say that it was only a half step removed from the way it felt to hold my boys when they were born. The experience was just that visceral, that primal. All along the way, I plagued myself with little doubts and fears: Sure, Jeremy, you have an agent, but she'll come to her senses and get rid of you anytime now... Okay, so an editor wants to buy the novel, but she'll never get the purchase approved... Alright, it's was approved but they'll never accept the final version...
Perhaps every writer does not feel those same inner doubts, but I did and I do, and I lack the words to explain what it feels like each and every time those doubts get smashed aside and proven wrong. Holding the finished version made me want to unleash a very Dead Poet Society-esque "Viking Yawp." I didn't, because my flu-stricken wife and youngest son were both napping, but it echoed on the inside for a few days, even though it never came out.
You want to know something though... when I sent out the proposed sequel to my agent, the same doubts I had on the first one reappeared. Here's hoping that they, too, are banished with decisiveness.
Best,
J
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
OmegaCon
OmegaCon is coming March 14-16, 2008 at Sheraton Birmingham... three days after my book comes out. How's that for timing? Check out the website here.
It has been a long time since Birmingham has had a local science fiction/fantasy convention and I hope it does well. We certainly have cool guests (myself included). The Literary guests cover the whole spectrum from David Drake, Ben Bova, Eric Flint, Alan Dean Foster, David Weber, Steven Brust, Sherrilyn Kenyon and tons more. I am currently scheduled to be on a panel about vampires with Sherrilyn Kenyon, on a panel about blogging with Lou Anders, and on a panel about working full time while writing with Bill Drinkard, another local Birmingham author whose book Elom comes out one week before Staked.
The last meeting before the con is happening February 16th and in the Atrium of the site hotel, and anyone who is interested in volunteering at the con should be there (if they are over 18). I know I will.
J
It has been a long time since Birmingham has had a local science fiction/fantasy convention and I hope it does well. We certainly have cool guests (myself included). The Literary guests cover the whole spectrum from David Drake, Ben Bova, Eric Flint, Alan Dean Foster, David Weber, Steven Brust, Sherrilyn Kenyon and tons more. I am currently scheduled to be on a panel about vampires with Sherrilyn Kenyon, on a panel about blogging with Lou Anders, and on a panel about working full time while writing with Bill Drinkard, another local Birmingham author whose book Elom comes out one week before Staked.
The last meeting before the con is happening February 16th and in the Atrium of the site hotel, and anyone who is interested in volunteering at the con should be there (if they are over 18). I know I will.
J
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Nintendo Ate My Brain
It's true. My sons got LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga on the Wii for Christmas (not to mention versions for their DS Lites) and I have found myself completely sucked into the game.... so much so, that I absolutely can't wait for LEGO Indiana Jones. Being able to build custom characters is just too much fun! I've taken to running through levels trying to reach 100% completion for the game with my darkside lightsaber-toting Jawa.
Friday, January 25, 2008
STAKED Sequels
So… Let’s recap. My book comes out soon (March 11th). I’ve got an author debut party coming up on the release date, OmegaCon the weekend after the release, and then the beginning of book signings. I even have cool new business cards.
I’ve been going through the "final" draft of the proposed sequel one last time before sending it to my agent. I’m also prewriting on a third Eric book a bit while mostly concentrating on two other urban fantasy novels that are also set in Void City, but with different characters. One of them involves a member of the Mage Guild and the other… well, let’s just say that it involves Lucifer, Satan, and Beelzebub. Boy is that misleading. ;)
The Epic Fantasy Project is on hold for the time being. I’m still working on it, but I want to finish all three books of the trilogy before I lock myself in on a final version of the map. I’m also thinking that it needs a stronger opening and less exposition. At least a few of the “holy crap” moments that make it really different need to come out earlier in the first book. Also, I understand that the epic fantasy market is on the decline.
The Epic Fantasy Project is on hold for the time being. I’m still working on it, but I want to finish all three books of the trilogy before I lock myself in on a final version of the map. I’m also thinking that it needs a stronger opening and less exposition. At least a few of the “holy crap” moments that make it really different need to come out earlier in the first book. Also, I understand that the epic fantasy market is on the decline.
Still… onward!
STAKED will be here soon and before the release date… AUTHOR COPIES!!!
J
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Amazon rankings
So, like any other obsessive compulsive person with a book coming out, I check my Amazon.com listing almost every day. Earlier in the week, I noticed something… I had a ranking all of a sudden (one million and something). I sent out an email, and none of the likely suspects had bought their copies of the book yet… which means *gasp* someone I don’t know pre-ordered a copy of STAKED. How cool is that?!?
You can preorder a copy here and it will ship as soon as the book comes out. :)
You can preorder a copy here and it will ship as soon as the book comes out. :)
Monday, January 14, 2008
Book Review!
Every few weeks since the Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of STAKED went out, I've been doing a Google search for "j f lewis" "staked" and "review". A few days ago, my search turned up my first book review! :)
"certainly impressive for a debut. The plot is reminiscent of the early, and best, of the Anita Blake novels." - Don D'Ammassa, Hugo nominated editor and author of multiple novels and short stories. To read the whole review, visit Don's Critical Mass website here.
I will say that this sort of thing is the most surreal part about getting published. When you're just getting started (like me), you get paid way less than minimum wage, with the hope that you might one day make more. When you get good feedback from folks who don't know you through anything but your words and they like it and they post about it... when you see your book showing up on people's wish lists or see it mentioned in their blogs... it really does feel like magic.
J
"certainly impressive for a debut. The plot is reminiscent of the early, and best, of the Anita Blake novels." - Don D'Ammassa, Hugo nominated editor and author of multiple novels and short stories. To read the whole review, visit Don's Critical Mass website here.
I will say that this sort of thing is the most surreal part about getting published. When you're just getting started (like me), you get paid way less than minimum wage, with the hope that you might one day make more. When you get good feedback from folks who don't know you through anything but your words and they like it and they post about it... when you see your book showing up on people's wish lists or see it mentioned in their blogs... it really does feel like magic.
J
Monday, January 7, 2008
SFWA and the Art of Volunteering
Volunteering.
I don't know why, but I feel the need to help out over at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. I think I've found a volunteer position that's both beneficial to them and a good fit for me. Somewhere in the middle of December, I took over the job of undating the SFWA Pressbook. (Okay, so that should be *updating* but the typo was so funny I just had to leave it.)
If you haven't visited the SFWA's Pressbook pages, I suggest that you check them out here. Basically, SFWA members can send in their press releases, which are edited and then posted on the site, where they are available both in HTML format and as an RSS feed.
As usual, I can't take much of the credit. Vonda McIntyre, the previous SFWA Pressbook guru (and an excellent writer) has been loads of help, as has my wife (who also does my website). In a very real way, Vonda taught Janet how to maintain the Pressbook site and now Janet is teaching me.
More later,
J
I don't know why, but I feel the need to help out over at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. I think I've found a volunteer position that's both beneficial to them and a good fit for me. Somewhere in the middle of December, I took over the job of undating the SFWA Pressbook. (Okay, so that should be *updating* but the typo was so funny I just had to leave it.)
If you haven't visited the SFWA's Pressbook pages, I suggest that you check them out here. Basically, SFWA members can send in their press releases, which are edited and then posted on the site, where they are available both in HTML format and as an RSS feed.
As usual, I can't take much of the credit. Vonda McIntyre, the previous SFWA Pressbook guru (and an excellent writer) has been loads of help, as has my wife (who also does my website). In a very real way, Vonda taught Janet how to maintain the Pressbook site and now Janet is teaching me.
More later,
J
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