More Monday Questions
In honor of The Devil’s Right Hand‘s release, and also in honor of me not being out of town or sick as a dog this Monday, I think it’s time for some Reader Questions!
Today I’ll be answering a few questions I get over and over again.
Is there another Steelflower book?
There is. It’s tentatively titled Steelflower’s Song. Unfortunately, I only have two or three chapters of it finished, despite (mostly) knowing the story arc. The production schedule for the Dante books has really been hellish, ha ha, and finishing those beasties pretty much has me drained and vegetative.
IN short, I’ll get to it as soon as I can, because I love Kaia and I can’t wait to tell the next few installments of her story.
Will you sign my book?
Much as I would love to, I don’t do a lot of signings. Travel costs are responsible for most of that, as are the costs of raising children and the fact that I’m not making a living wage at all.
However, if you’d really like your book signed, or want a signed copy, you can contact Cover to Cover Books. I work there on a sporadic basis, so it’s very easy for me to sign books there and I am quite willing to do it. A slight fee for postage if you live far away might apply, and for that I’m sorry.
You can also contact Duane Wilkins (aka Mr. Wonderful)at the University Bookstore in Seattle or Peter the Magnificent Sci-Fi Man at Powell’s at Cedar Hills Crossing. I see both of them fairly regularly, between shuttle trips to Seattle and attending events at the Beaverton/Cedar Hills Powell’s, and either one generally has a few signed copies in stock. Again, if you’re not local, you may have to pay postage. I really am sorry about that.
On the other hand, if you see me at a signing or elsewhere, I always carry a pen. And I’m always happy to meet a dear Reader. If I turn pale or start stammering, it’s because I’m really quite shy, especially when it comes to my work. I am always thrilled to pieces to find out someone likes it, they really like it!
End Sally Fields impersonation. *grin*
Now for a question that requires a very different response.
Why do the Valentine books have so much repetition?
I see that a lot in forwarded reviews and in Reader emails. In Working For The Devil I was very much a junior writer. (I’m still junior in craft, but no more, alas, in age.) The same kind of applies for Dead Man Rising.
I tend to write very fast and lean, and I suspect part of the problem is the editors want to make sure Readers get the most bang for their buck, so they’re looking for a bit more muscle on the bone. Plus, I think a lot of publishing tends to de-value Reader intelligence–not because editors think Readers are stupid, but because they want to err on the side of clarity. So I’m asked in revisions to explain, explain, and explain more. The fact that some esoteric things are commonplace to me by virtue of my lifestyle and studies doesn’t help, I suspect. Add to that five rounds if not more of revision, between my own drafts, revision letters, copyedits, and proof pages, and if I have any bad habits when it comes to repeating myself they shall verily mushroom in such a warm, oozing culture.
Another part of the problem is that I’m very visual. I see a book happening in my head, with crazy camera angles, CGI, the works. So I tend to assume everyone has that window into my brain and can see as clearly as I do. Unfortunately, writing hasn’t yet achieved that level of telepathy, so I’m often asked for paragraphs of description in a scene that is otherwise very lean and mean just so Readers and editors can get a mental “handle” on what I see in my head.
Add to that the fact that my books might not be someone’s cuppa tea for other reasons, and disaster looms. I can only answer, in the end, that writing is like any other art. You keep practicing not to become perfect but to become better, because perfection doesn’t really happen with human beings. If the “repetition” bugs you, sorry. I’m working on honing my craft, and I thank you for the feedback.
Dammit! I can’t wait for another Watcher book! What’s going on?
The next Watcher book, Mindhealer, should be coming out soon. You can email the publisher for more news, because I’ve learned never to say anything definite when it comes to production schedules. To do so only invites chaos.
You seem very comfortable with paranormal stuff…
Most of the time, the question is phrased as above. Yes, I’m pretty comfortable with paranormal/spooky/parapsychic stuff. For a variety of reasons, mostly because I have a taste for the stuff ever since reading my first horror novel and discovering sci-fi and fantasy, also because I’ve had some Genuinely Weird Experiences. I think EVERYONE has at least one Genuinely Weird Experience in their lifetime. How you respond to it–either by closing the door or by accepting that the universe is far weirder than out human brains are entirely comfortable with–largely defines a person’s tolerance for the woo-woo. (Not “New Age white-light buy-this-crystal” woo-woo. I’m talking “inexplicable, synchronous, statistic-defying, terrifying, and awe-inspiring” woo-woo.)
My tolerance for woo-woo is pretty high. So it creeps into the books, by hook or by crook. Plus, it’s like playing with shiny toys. You can break all sorts of rules in all sorts of intriguing ways. Mayhap my anarchic tendencies have something to do with it as well.
Well, that’s about all the questions I have time for. I need to go see if I can sleep tonight. After a long stretch of fairly-good slumber, mostly helped along by heat exhaustion and stress dealing with family stuff, insomnia looms threatening this early, early morning. If I get to bed in the next twenty minutes I might have a chance. Wish me luck.
Oh, and I hear Barnes & Noble has displays of the first three Valentine books (with the new covers) up in a few stores. If anyone manages to see one and snap a pic, I’d dearly love a jpg or two of it. And much thanks to the nice folks at Barnes and Noble for the vote of confidence. You cannot know how thrilled I was to hear that piece of news.
Happy Monday, dear ones!
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