I thought about this while reading accusations that The Hunger Games is a rip off of Battle Royale, an earlier Japanese book also adapted into a film. Author Suzanne Collins has stated that The Hunger Games was inspired by watching footage of reality games juxtaposed with coverage of the war in Iraq, and that she wasn't aware of this literary kid-killing-game predecessor prior to turning in her first book, and I don't have any reason doubt her. I did think, "Oh, it's The Running Man, only with kids," when I first heard the premise, but to my mind, taking a premise and upping the ante is perfectly acceptable.

I don't always understand why a particular book turns into a full-blown cultural phenomenon, but in this case, I do. When the reality show Survivor (which according to Wikipedia was based on a Swedish show) debuted in 2000 in the U.S., it was considered shocking. Now, we watch it and grumble that the contestants aren't starving enough. We've watched celebrities self-destruct on the air in shows like Celebrity Rehab, or the sad trainwreck that was The Anna Nicole Show. In 2007, CBS went all Lord of the Flies-in-a-frontier-town with Kid Nation.

And for the past decade, this has played out in America against a backdrop of a nation at war, and a nation in which the division of wealth has reached extremes not seen since the Gilded Age. So yeah, I get it, and props to Suzanne Collins for producing a series that speaks to the zeitgeist, especially one featuring a strong female protagonist. What the heck, I may just play hooky one day next week and go see the movie.

That's all for this month! Check out the Tattoo Gallery for a cool new addition. And on the homepage, there's my own little April Fool, Maya.

March 2012

We're one month closer to spring, yay!

Annnnd... I'm leading on that cheery note (at least here in Michigan) because there's not a lot to report otherwise. I'm still working on the second Agent of Hel urban fantasy, tentatively titled Autumn Bones. I finished the copyedit on the first book, Dark Currents, which will be coming out in October.

Believe it or not, it was my first time doing an electronic copyedit using track changes and responding to queries in comments. I had some trepidation, since writers can get attached to our tried and true familiar processes, but it went quite smoothly, and I realized it makes a lot more sense using the technology available than going old-school with handwritten queries and revisions scribbled in the margins and between the lines of a battered manuscript that's shipped back and forth multiple times.

And that, in turn, reminds me of how much the process has changed since I began writing. My first efforts were written out long-hand in a series of numbered spiral binders. When I got serious about pursuing a writing career, my parents bought me a state-of-the-art word processor, which was a typewriter with a flip-up monochrome screen that displayed, oh, something like 8 lines of text. It had a diskette drive, and the diskettes could hold maybe 25 manuscript pages.

I thought it was wonderful. Now, I can't imagine doing without a computer... although when I try, I find myself curious about the prospect. Could I still write a novel by hand in a notebook? How would it alter my creative creative process? Interesting questions - though I think perhaps I'll save them for another decade.

In other news, if you're reading this update prior to March 5th, I'm offering a great opportunity on my Facebook page. I promised to hold a special giveaway there when the page passed 10,000 "Likes," and it's a good one! I'm giving away a set of signed hardcover first edition copies of the original Kushiel trilogy: Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen and Kushiel's Avatar.

All three, all signed, all first edition hardcovers! You can read about the details in the Note titled "The 10,000+ Giveaway." Notes are located under the profile pic in the upper left corner, as is the Sweepstakes app, and I believe neither are visible on FB's mobile application, so you'll need to enter from an actual computer. The deadline is 8:00 am EST on Monday, March 5th.

Good luck! Be sure to check out the Tattoo Gallery for some lovely new additions; and on the homepage, a little magic from my own backyard after one of the only heavy snowfalls so far this winter.

See you next month!

February 2012

Greetings from bleak midwinter Michigan!

I shouldn't complain, because this is often the time of year when I get the most writing done. It's cold and dank and dreary outside, which makes it the perfect time to hole up in my office and be productive. At the moment, I'm working on the second volume of my forthcoming Agent of Hel urban fantasy series, tentatively titled Autumn Bones. The first book, Dark Currents, is scheduled for release this October.

Speaking of things dark, I did escape the Michigan winter-in fact, I dodged a blizzard coming and going-to attend DarkCon in Arizona as their author guest of honor last month. Thanks to everyone, hosts and guests alike, who made it a fun and rewarding experience!

It really was one of the most pleasant conventions I've attended, which inspired me to write about conventions in general this month, at least from my own limited perspective; eg. how and why I appear at them, what makes for a successful convention. The how is easy. If I'm invited to be a sponsored guest at a convention, and it works with my schedule, I'll generally say yes. Why? Because it gives me an opportunity to connect with my existing readers-especially if it's in a region I seldom have the chance to visit-and hopefully, to convert new readers.

So what makes a good one? On a professional level, it's hard to gauge. There's no way to determine a direct correlation between appearing at a con and an overall increase in readership. On a personal level, my best experiences have been at small-moderately sized conventions. I've attended a few of the huge mega-cons, and often felt a bit lost in the shuffle. At a more modest con, there's a better chance of leaving feeling I've made some genuine connections.

One nice thing a con can do for its headliner guests, as DarkCon did, is assign them a dedicated liaison - or in con-speak, a "minion." Many F/SF authors were immersed in the world of fandom before becoming professionals in the industry and view a con as a working holiday of sorts, an opportunity to reforge ties with friends and family. But there are also many of us, me included, who grew up reading and loving genre fiction without knowing that this world of fandom existed. We've simply been out of that particular loop.

As a result, I don't have a preexisting social network on the con circuit, and I'm usually traveling solo. So it's a definite plus to have a knowledgeable contact who makes sure everything runs smoothly, that I arrive at designated locations for scheduled events in a timely manner rather than wandering the halls in search of Venue H, to facilitate introductions, recommend restaurants, provide company and conversation during a lull in a long signing session.

In turn, as a guest of honor, I'm happy to put myself at the disposal of the convention. DarkCon did a nice job of establishing opportunities for attendees to interact with the guests of honor in a social setting. It gives tongue-tied fans a chance to relax and get to know authors and other media types as ordinary human beings; hopefully perfectly pleasant ones! Sure, there are a few divas out there, but most of us realize how much we owe our fans, and welcome the chance to mingle with them.

So there's my take on cons! Be sure to check out the Tattoo Gallery for some lovely new entries. On the homepage is a photo from the "Kushiel's Dart: The Longest Night" performance piece that took place at the convention, courtesy of Miss Chris and Jenni. Very nice, no? It was a beautiful, intimate performance, and one that reminds me that it's an honor to have written books that have touched lives.

January 2012

A belated Happy New Year!

In all the bustle of the holidays, and then the relaxing bliss of taking a few days of down-time, I completely forgot to write a timely site update this month. So, better late than never!

As a first order of business, I want to give a shout-out to an organization co-founded by a dear friend of mine, Anka Rising, dedicated to helping eradicate modern-day slavery. The more I've read about this issue, the more I've come to realize what an immense and underreported problem it is. In fact, President Obama declared this January to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Month. You can also like Anka Rising on Facebook to keep up with their coverage. There are far too many real-life Daršangas out there.

Which puts me in mind of a question that was posted on my own Facebook wall, then vanished before I had a chance to respond. For the record, I maintain a reasonably active presence there and I try to respond to all inquiries posted on the wall (although I'm sure I miss some in the comments). At any rate, there was a question regarding what it was like to write the Daršanga sequence in Kushiel's Avatar. Hands down, that was the most difficult sequence I've ever written. There may have been individual scenes that were harder, like writing the tragic deaths of beloved characters, but the prolongued, unrelenting grimness of the Daršanga sequence was like no other.

I don't regret it - it was what it had to be, the apotheosis of the dark aspect of Phèdre's nature, which makes the brightness that follows all the brighter. But yes, it was grueling, and it definitely took a toll on me.

Since the release of Naamah's Blessing, the final volume in Moirin's trilogy, a lot of readers have asked if I plan to return to Terre d'Ange. As I've said here before, that book is the last, if not necessarily forever, at least for the foreseeable future. But I love every single one of those books, and I've had a wonderful time exploring such a rich, complex setting. The amount of research that's gone into that oeuvre over the past decade staggers me when I think about it, and I've learned so much about our world in creating mine.

And of course, as I keep saying, never say never. Some day I might be compelled to return to it; to check in on Moirin and Bao's fat, happy babies, or to tell the story of Phèdre and Joscelin hiding the Lost Book of Raziel, or to discover if Melisande ever found a way to meet her grandchildren. Or I might not. All I know for certain now is that it's time for me to walk away.

That said, I'm having a delightful time working on a world of wonder, whimsy and creepiness in my new urban fantasy project. We're calling the series Agent of Hel, and the first volume, Dark Currents, will be out in October. I hope my readers are looking forward to joining me on a new journey. In the meantime, check out the Tattoo Gallery for two lovely new entries.

Best wishes to all for a peaceful and prosperous year to come!