Nikki Kimberling's Log

It's called "The Future: When the Editors Hire the Publishers."

I've just learned that our books are available from WHSmith. UK customers take note: if you buy from them, it makes us look good! *g*

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Strange Fortune promo. We are still standing in a state of shock and awe at the supportiveness and loyalty of Mr. Lanyon's fans. Many of you expressed gratitude at the free shipping offer, and sometimes even worry and at our decision to extend the free shipping to include international orders. Some of you even wrote me notes asking if you could pay me back.

Well, you can--in good will. If you like Strange Fortune, (or any of our titles) make sure to spread the word. Tag it on amazon.com. Rate it on Goodreads. Review it on your blog. Consider yourselves hereby declared the unofficial publicity department for Blind Eye Books, paid in free shipping.

We shipped copies of Strange Fortune to 24 countries, and I thought you all might want to know what they were. So, in order of number of orders from each nation, here is the Strange Fortune Country Countdown:

United States
United Kingdom
Australia
Germany
Canada
Sweden
Italy
Denmark
Japan
Netherlands
New Zealand
Singapore
Austria
France
Finland
Poland
Philippenes
Ireland
Belgium
Switzerland
Thailand
China*
Russia*
Brazil*

* indicates countries that we've never shipped to before.

From now until November 20, we will offer free shipping on all Strange Fortune pre-orders. Plus you get a cool Blind Eye Books tote, also for FREE!


What are you waiting for? Go and take advantage of our great offer!

And to get a free digital goody bag from Josh Lanyon, remember to hit "return to Blind Eye Books" at the completion of your Paypal order. This button will take you to a link with instructions.

It's a good news/bad news situation. The bad news (for me, anyway) is that World Fantasy Convention and Yaoi-Con are scheduled on the very same weekend this year. The good news is that they're only an hour's drive apart so I will be able to split my time between them. I'll be in San Jose at World Fantasy Convention from Thursday, October 29th to Saturday October 31st. Late Saturday I'll be going to San Mateo to catch the dance party at Yaoi-Con. I'll be manning the Blind Eye Books table all Sunday, November 1st.

So if you're going to be at either of these events I hope to meet you there!

Blind Eye Books has a new website!

Our webmaster makes such pretty sites. You should go look.

Every now and then I’m contacted by a writer whose manuscript I have passed on who still wants my honest opinion of their work. They want to know, essentially, if their story sucks. And that's fair. From time to time we all wonder if we've just gone crazy and lost perspective on our own work. We want feedback.

 

But the question, “Does my story suck?” is nearly impossible to answer, because once a writer has mastered basic prose writing, sucking is completely subjective.

I wish, years ago, that someone had explained the position of an editor to me. It would have made it easier to understand all those rejections that said things like, “well-written, but not to my taste” and “try me again with something else”.

I used to think that these lines were some kind of code. A brush off that secretly meant, “you are a sub-literate lunatic”. Now that I actually read slush and acquire stories, I’ve realized that there is no secret message in the words, “shows a lot of promise, but not my cup of tea” – at least not when you’re talking to an editor.

 

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Do drop by and see what Josh and I talk about when we're hunched together at the end of the bar.

I was interviewed quite recently by Shaun Duke. Drop by and leave a comment, if you like.

And I think you should go see it too!

Here's the website.

And, because I just can't stop loving Guy Maddin, here is the trailer for his amazing documentary,

My Winnipeg.

Okay, it's probably old news, but one of my very favorite manga has been made into a Korean live-action film.

Below is a subbed trailer for...

Antique!

an adaptation of Fumi Yoshinaga's Antique Bakery.

(Me.) Today I'm going to be talking with Josh Lanyon about writing fantasy and fantasy world building. Imagine that the two of us are on a sunny patio in the south of France, shucking raw oysters and drinking white wine. Perhaps we also have some bread, some cheese, some ridiculously strong French cigarettes. I'm wearing a sundress and shades and I've abandoned my shoes. It's a nice conversation on a summer afternoon...
 
(JL) Ah yes. Le sand through your hair, le wind through your toes. How I love the south of France!

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That's right. My new novella, Ghost Star Night, is now available to purchase. Do write and tell me what you think of it.

Yep. That's the headline on the weather website. It is, apparently, 103 degrees here in Bellingham. Now, for those of you dwelling in, say, Phoenix, Arizona, 103 aint all that bad. But before you scoff our Pacific Northwest misery, consider that all dwellings here are made to trap and retain heat, not to repel it. And hardly anybody has air conditioning. It's 97 degrees in my living room and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. Upstairs in the Blind Eye office (read:attic) it is 106 degrees. Our stalwart designer is slaving over a hot CPU trying to finish the Strange Fortune book cover. God help her up there.

This is a longish essay so you will find it ( Read more... )

Today I'm the guest blogger at Reviews by Jessewave. I talk a lot about making interesting fantasy characters then challenge the audience to go ahead and make one up. Come over and see how it went.

(Oh, one note: this site is very image intensive and takes a while to load. Also, did I mention it's image intensive?)

Hello all, Astrid Amara and I will be reading from our Blind Eye Books novels at Village Books in Bellingham, Washington tonight at 7 o'clock. If you happen to find yourself in the City of Subdued Excitement, drop by and say hello.

Well, let's hear it for sequels!

Hell Cop 2, the sequel to Hell Cop has been available from Loose Id since yesterday. Three sequential novellas written by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale and myself. We return to Parmas City and bring our friendly Hell Cops with us.

but I thought this wall was worth commemorating. It's in the Museum of Natural History. Apparently Teddy Roosevelt had strong feelings about "Manhood."