2009 February at SF Novelists

Archive for February, 2009

David J. Williams February 26th 2009

Dusting off the files

The only thing weirder than seeing your (first) novel out there is seeing a different version of it. It’s so strange it’s almost like getting a second novel published! Though in some ways, the recently-released mass-market version of Mirrored Heavens is a different novel, because (unlike the trade paperback), the mass market contains a […]

Mindy Klasky February 25th 2009

That Contemporary Twist, or It’s the Economy, Stupid

I write humorous speculative fiction novels with romantic elements, set in the contemporary United States. (For another audience, I might have started this post “I write chicklit with fantasy elements.” The key for this post, though is “set in the contemporary United States”.)
Setting is important to my books. My characters care - a lot - […]

Jim C. Hines February 24th 2009

How Incestous is SF/F, Anyway?

Today is a happy day in SF Novelist land, marking the release of several member works:

As I was thinking about how to promote and celebrate my friends’ books, I started wondering about the ethical side of things. I’ve heard more than a few grumbles about the incestuous nature of publishing, particularly in the SF/F field. […]

Laura Anne Gilman February 21st 2009

Why Continuity Matters

Many years ago, I was stressing over the fact that a detail in a short story didn’t match events in the book set in the same universe. A friend of mine, another writer, asked why it was bothering me. Nobody would notice, my friend claimed.
I would. And to this day, the fact that […]

David B. Coe February 20th 2009

More on Creativity (With Thanks to Kate Elliott for the Inspiration)

Building on Kate Elliott’s wonderful post about creativity (2/18/09)….
I’m an author by profession, but I believe that creativity plays far greater role in my life than my writing career can encompass. I’m a photographer as well. I’ve had my own exhibit, I have work hanging in a local gallery, I’ve sold work to magazines, and […]

Kate Elliott February 18th 2009

Creativity

I was recently asked my opinion on the origin of creativity. I’m pretty sure this is an unanswerable question, but it did make me reflect on creativity.
It made me reflect that I have not a clue what creativity really is or where creative ideas come from. Indeed, I am very much of the belief that […]

Diana Pharaoh Francis February 17th 2009

The Evils of (fill in the blank)

Ever been witness to a Mac v. PC um, discussion? (yeah, I know, usually ends in body blows, but we’ll go euphamistically, shall we?) Or sat in on a session of the evils of MS Word? Or Dell? Or . . . (this is the part where you fill in the blanks).
It doesn’t have to […]

Marie Brennan February 16th 2009

Flash fiction: building an arch

One of these days, I’m going to put together a little book, containing a sample of the weird metaphors writers use to describe writing.
Mostly I talk about stories in terms of textiles. To other writers I know, stories are soups or rocks or things that spin in their heads. (No, really.) But […]

S.C. Butler February 15th 2009

The Happy Place

Sitting here in Boskone getting ready for a panel on the economic future of the European Union (I’m not quite sure what this has to do with SFF, but I’m sure I’ll learn something), and what do I do to prepare? Write my monthly post for SFNovelists, of course.
I guess it’s going to be short.
I’ve […]

Kelly McCullough February 11th 2009

Waiting for Inspiration: A Writer’s Morality Play

Waiting for Inspiration: A Writer’s Morality Play In Half An Act
The players, Three Fairies:
Inspiration-a classical sparkly-winged tinker-bell type
Motivation–a rather weasely looking fellow in the mode of a low rent Puck
Discipline–a 500 pound gorilla in a tutu and obviously taped-on wings
The scene:
A gray stage, empty save for a gray desk with a laptop and two chairs.
Discipline: […]

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Author Information

David J. Williams

Descended from Australian convicts, David J. Williams nonetheless managed to be born in Hertfordshire, England, and subsequently moved to Washington D.C. just in time for Nixon’s impeachment. Graduating from Yale with a degree in history some time later, he narrowly escaped the life of a graduate student and ended up doing time in Corporate America, which drove him so crazy he started moonlighting on video games and (as he got even crazier) novels. The Autumn Rain trilogy sold to Bantam in the summer of 2007; the release of THE MACHINERY OF LIGHT completes the series. Visit site.

Mindy Klasky

Mindy Klasky is the author of eleven novels, including WHEN GOOD WISHES GO BAD and HOW NOT TO MAKE A WISH in the As You Wish Series. She also wrote GIRL'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT, SORCERY AND THE SINGLE GIRL, and MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL, about a librarian who finds out she's a witch. Mindy also wrote the award-winning, best-selling Glasswrights series and the stand-alone fantasy novel, SEASON OF SACRIFICE. Visit site.

Jim C. Hines

Jim C. Hines' latest book is THE MERMAID'S MADNESS, the second of his fantasy adventures that retell the old fairy tales with a Charlie's Angels twist. He's also the author of the humorous Goblin Quest trilogy. Jim's short fiction has appeared in more than 40 magazines and anthologies, including Realms of Fantasy, Turn the Other Chick, and Sword & Sorceress XXI. Jim lives in Michigan with his wife and two children. He's currently hard at work on the fourth book in his fairy tale series. Visit site.

Laura Anne Gilman

Laura Anne Gilman worked for fifteen years in the mines of NYC publishing before deciding that she would have less stress -- if fewer benefits -- working for herself. She's still debating if not having to attend meetings was worth the loss of benefits, but other than that, ten books [and counting] later, she thinks that the decision was a good one. She is the author of the urban fantasy "Retrievers" series for Luna, the forthcoming PSI novels, also from Luna, and FLESH & FIRE: BOOK 1 OF THE VINEART WAR, coming from Pocket Books this October. Visit site.

David B. Coe

David B. Coe is the author of eleven fantasy novels, including the books of the LonTobyn Chronicle, Winds of the Forelands, and Blood of the Southlands. He has also written the novelization for the Ridley Scott production of ROBIN HOOD, starring Russell Crowe, that is due out in May 2010. In 1999 he received the Crawford Fantasy Award, given annually by the IAFA to the best new author in fantasy. He has a Ph.D. in United States environmental history and lives on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with his wife and daughters. Visit site.

Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott is the author of multiple fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Crown of Stars series and the Novels of the Jaran. She's currently working on Crossroads; the first novel, Spirit Gate, is already out, and Shadow Gate will be published in Spring 2008. Visit site.

Diana Pharaoh Francis

Diana Pharaoh Francis has written the fantasy novel trilogy that includes Path of Fate, Path of Honor and Path of Blood. Path of Fate was nominated for the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award. Recently released was The Turning Tide, third in her Crosspointe Chronicles series (look also for The Cipher and The Black Ship). In October 2009, look for Bitter Night, a contemporary fantasy. Diana teaches in the English Department at the University of Montana Western, and is an avid lover of all things chocolate. Visit site.

Marie Brennan

Marie Brennan is the author of several fantasy novels and short stories, including the Elizabethan faerie spy fantasy Midnight Never Come. Visit site.

S.C. Butler

Butler is the author of The Stoneways Trilogy from Tor Books: Reiffen's Choice, Queen Ferris, and The Magician's Daughter. Find out what Reiffen does with magic, and what magic does with him... Visit site.

Kelly McCullough

Kelly McCullough's first novel in the WebMage series, WebMage, was released by Ace in 2006 to considerable critical praise. Cybermancy, and CodeSpell followed in '07 and '08. His 4th, MythOS, is slated for late May '09 with SpellCrash to follow in '10. His short fiction has appeared in numerous venues including Weird Tales, Writers of the Future, and Tales of the Unanticipated. His illustrated collection, The Chronicles of the Wandering Star, is part of a National Science Foundation-funded middle school science curriculum, Interactions in Physical Science. Visit site.

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Member's Writings

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