Because I like to tease you...

Several things going on right now.

First off, I got the chapters of The Musicbox Girl delivered to my amazing agent last week.  She hasn't had time to read them over yet, but I hope when she does that they're all she imagined them to be. (Prior to this, she'd only seen my notes on the idea, which are admittedly rambling and disjointed.  Seriously, someday, I'll post some of my notes files on novels for you guys to see, and you will marvel at how I ever managed to make it into something coherent.)

Second off, I was supposed to switch to working on JJD4 this week, but so far I've only managed to finalize what I think the title is going to be.  Letting it percolate in my brain a bit, and when I'm sure, I may go ahead and commission the cover art, so that I could debut that at the RT Convention in May.  Thinking, maybe having some bookmarks or something to give away with the new cover on it.  (would probably do some kind of giveaway here too, for those of you who can't come to RT obviously)  If any of y'all have any ideas in that area about swag you'd like to have, let me know!  I'm new to this end of the authoring.

Third off, there's been some other movement on other things this past week.  Can't tell you anything, because officially, nothing has happened yet.  But I've made some crucial decisions, and I'm really feeling pretty good about them.  Can't wait until I can fill you all in on the details.

Back to JJD4:  I had said previously that I had about 7K words done on it, but as I started reading back through things, I realized that what I have as the current chapter 1 just isn't going to work.  My first chapters are always flashbacks of some kind, and while the one I was writing is good, and pertinent, it's just not going to work out.  I think I'll finish it anyway, and probably post it as a freebie closer to time to release JJD4.  Just something to whet the appetite.

So, that knocks me back down to about 5K words.  Not a big blow, but less than I'd had.  Real life keeps interfering with my writing time, so this week has largely been a bust.  I'll have to make it up as I go.  Still want this done by May 1 (new revised deadline), before RT.  That's the point where I'll have to start figuring out paying for editing, etc.

I will say, the self-publishing concept still really intimidates me, but I think it's going to be like so many other things in life.  Once I get through it, it's going to be way better than I'd feared, and I'll never understand why I was so anxious about it in the first place.

Tools of the Trade

(Cross posted at The League of Reluctant Adults)

When I’m stuck for blog topics, I often poll my friends to see what things they’d like to hear me babble about. Most often, one (or more) of them says “Hey, tell us more about the swords and stuff that you talk about in your books.” And I’ve been hesitant to do that, mostly because I don’t consider my knowledge on the subject that extensive. I know just as much as I need to know to make sure that I don’t look like an idiot in my writing. If I started claiming to be some expert, I'd be a big fat liar.

However, that said… My hubby and I own a LOT of swords. A LOT. And most (99.99%) of them were made by the crew at a place called Badger Blades. I love these guys/gals, not just because they make awesome weaponry, but because they’re awesome people. We’ve known them a long time, long enough that they’ve seen my kiddo grow from infancy (where they spoiled her rotten) to almost-tween (gods help me) and they still spoil her rotten. Long enough that my hubby has a place of honor on their website, because of all the wicked blades he owns.

I’ve learned a lot about swords from Badger and his crew, from how they’re made to how they function. In A Devil in the Details, I mention that Jesse’s katana can almost be bent double and still spring back straight. After that book came out, I had a fan letter questioning whether or not that was actually possible. And I swear to you it is. I’ve seen it. I’ve been hit with shards of flying anvil when one of Badger’s swords has taken out chunks and left not one blemish on the blade. I’ve also seen one punch all the way through a chest freezer without a bit of harm (don’t ask). They’re beautiful, and functional.

Now, when it comes to katanas, we all know that the old Japanese sword masters did amazing things with metal. They folded it an insane amount of times, slowly working impurities in the metal into miniscule amounts in order to keep the blade from having weak points where it might shatter. Those swords are indeed works of art, and the world will probably never see their like again. However, that doesn’t mean that today’s modern weaponry is anything to sneeze at. It basically boils down to the quality of the metal. Old swords were folded because the steel had so much gunk in it. Then new smelting technologies were introduced, and today’s steel is much higher quality than what those ancient masters had access to. So while today’s swords may not require the intricate effort that the old ones did, that doesn’t mean that they’re inferior quality.*

*Note – There ARE inferior swords out there. Cheaply made, easily broken. They’re meant to be hung on a wall and be pretty, not to be used.

**Note the second – Yes, I know that the middle blade in this picture isn’t technically a katana. It’s a nodachi. I just wanted it in with the smaller blades for size comparison.

Frankly, everything I know about modern swords, I learned from Badger and his crew. You can find out more on how they make these gorgeous blades on their FAQ page. Are there folks who do it differently? Sure. But having had my hands on just about every blade they've made in the last...oh...ten years, I know the quality of their craftsmanship, and I trust their work.

If you’d like to see pictures of more swords, you should really swing by the Badger Blades website. Their photos are much better than mine, and they've got some swords there that I don't have examples of at home. (Don't tell my hubby there's a sword he doesn't have yet)

And if you really are a sword lover, check out Badger Blades' show schedule to see if they’re hitting an event near you!

Deep Thoughts Being Thunk

Despite my promise to post more often, I fail miserably once again. A lot of it has to do with real life stuff that everyone goes through... Money, job, kid won't clean her room, I won't clean my room... Y'know, normal stuff.

It's no secret to anyone who follows me on Twitter that I have a Real Job(tm) and that my fondest dream is to not have a Real Job(tm). Financially, it's just not viable at the moment, but I find myself thinking about it more and more in recent months. I originally thought that if I had a different Real Job(tm) I wouldn't be as unhappy, but you know what? All I want to do is write. And one Real Job(tm) is much like another, when it's not what I WANT to be doing. So I ponder.

I sit and think, what exactly would we have to have for me to just walk away from a set pay check every two weeks, from paid vacations, from insurance/dental/eye care? All of that we get through my Real Job(tm). What is the magic dollar figure that would result in my freedom?

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that quitting work to write full time will probably be much like having a child. If you wait for the perfect moment to arrive, you'll never do it.

Am I going to be quitting my Real Job(tm) any time soon? No. But I've made the decision in recent weeks to slowly but surely start herding events in that direction. A lot of it will depend on some personal stuff going on (which I won't hold my breath for) and a lot of it will depend on what book deals I have in the near future (which I WILL hold my breath for. Till I turn blue and pass out. Really. It's embarrassing.)

Somehow, I feel that 2012 will be a turning point for me and my family. I'm just not quite sure how and why yet. I guess we'll see.

Gone Between

I woke up this morning to the news that Anne McCaffrey, one of sci-fi/fantasy’s great legends, had passed away. And while I always find it sad when we lose one of our greats, as the day has gone on, this one has settled heavily on me.

I don’t remember how old I was when I first read one of her books. I’m pretty sure it was Dragonsdawn, the prequel to the Pern series. I know that after that, I devoured anything I could get my hands on. I fell in love with Pern and all its inhabitants, from the beautiful gold dragons all the way down to the lowliest watch-wher. Oh, how I wanted my very own fire-lizard. A bronze one. He’d have been awesome.

It wasn’t just her dragons, though. The Rowan and her descendents found a special place in my heart as well. I think those books were the first time I actually remember feeling fear and joy and anguish right alongside the characters. I bled with them, because of the power of the words on the page.

And I think that’s what I learned from Anne McCaffrey. I learned about the kind of stories I wanted to tell, and the kind of writer I wanted to be. Some of the first lengthy things I ever wrote were essentially fanfic, either in the Pern world or in the Rowan’s world. Always for my own entertainment, of course. I don’t think I ever showed anyone those stories. They were just because I didn’t want those worlds to end when I was done reading, I wanted to live in them a little while longer.

I’m pretty sure she knew the kind of mark she left on the world. Her fans are legion, and very vocal. They have conventions, and role-playing games, and forums and all kinds of things. She didn’t, of course, know what influence she had on little old me, or on a lot of other writers I know who are all thinking over what her death means right now. Maybe we don’t even know for sure how her writing shaped who and what we are today. All we know is that it did.

A great lady has gone Between. She will be missed, and never forgotten.

New Toy

I should not be allowed out without supervision. Things like this happen when I am:


For size comparison, it's laying across the back of my black leather jacket. So, small for sword, but perfectly sized for me. (or kiddo, when she's old enough)

This beauty is thanks to the amazing crew at Badger Blades. In fact, between hubby and I, we own nine of their blades. (That's nine we can remember, sitting here off the top of our heads. If I actually went and looked in the back room, it might be more) Suffice to say, hubby has a spot of honor on their website.

Yarr Matey

Spent the weekend at the local Renaissance Festival, and yes, we are some of those crazy people that go in costume. This year, I decided I was a pirate. And through some miracle, we got kiddo in a dress. The pics were taken with a cell phone, so they're a bit grainy, but I liked them.





And lookit this. I'm so doomed when she's a few years older. Can somebody please put a book on my child's head so she stops growing up?

Changing Times

A quick update today just to let folks know that there's some changes going on in my writing life. I'll talk about it more when I can, when things are finalized, but for the moment, if I seem a wee bit distracted, that's why.

Don't worry, it's not bad news about the JJD series. Wouldn't want to scare y'all like that. It's other stuff, the writing stuff you don't see that all goes on behind the scenes. Secret ninja publishing stuff. Or something.

I will let you guys know when things settle, and we will all be able to do the dance of joy together.



Also, things learned this week: It is physically impossible for me to type my new book title without screwing it up. I wonder what that means.

Current events!

Post Party Carnage

Yesterday was the party for the release of A SHOT IN THE DARK (mostly because my friends need very little excuse to have a party). And as part of the party, we had a snarky T-shirt contest!

The winning T-shirt was this one:



If you can't quite read it, it says "Haikus are easy, but sometimes don't make much sense. Hippopotamus." It came from Cafepress if you desire one of your very own.

And while we had intended to have an adult division and a child division, we wound up with a distinct and unexpected lack of children at this party, so it turned into a second-place prize instead. Through absolutely NO intervention of my own (Hey,I didn't even vote for them) my beloved kiddo and hubby won a team prize for their zombie-themed shirts:



The crown on the entire party, though, was the cookie cake, which seems to have been vandalized by one red-eyed, rather snarky demon:

Release the Kraken!

Or: How a Promo Post Gets Sappy

So, here we are, release week. I had grand plans to do a big post on the actual release day, but between the Real Job(tm) and...well...life, it just didn't happen.

A lot of people have asked me how this release day differed from the first one. Well, more people congratulated me, for one thing. People I've never met, Twitter-folk I only know because they read Devil and loved it. So there was that.

I like to think I was a lot less obsessive about my Amazon rankings this time. Mostly because I've truly proven over the last year that they don't mean a whole lot. Do I like to see those low digits? Sure. I always do a little happy dance in my chair when I can tell that someone bought another one. But it's still just pixels, ghosts in the machine.

A lot of other people had great releases on the same day. Carolyn Crane summed it up pretty nicely over at The League, so I'll just say go check her post out, and just use it like a shopping list. I myself bought HOUNDED and HEXED by Kevin Hearne today (they were out of HAMMERED, the big goobers, so I had to reserve one from the next batch). I also bought MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE, then sat down and devoured it in three hours. (devoured...zombie... get it? Never mind.) Even I, the confessed zombie-phobe, loved it.

For those who just can't get enough of me... (oh come, on that's all of you. There's what, four of you now?)

Over at The Other Side of the Story, I talk about writing description. And at Dark Faerie Tales, Axel gives his view of Kansas City, plus you can win my books! Definitely keep checking back at Dark Faerie Tales and at All Things Urban Fantasy for their Deadly Destinations event all through the month of July. Your favorite UF characters give you tours of their worlds and there are giveaways galore.

I'll be popping up in a few more places around the Interwebz, but I'll link those as they come.

There have also been some great reviews for A SHOT IN THE DARK, but I won't link them all here. (though a part of me wants to go buy each and every one of those reviewers a steak dinner) ((Seriously. I know good steak.))

I just want to thank everyone who went out and bought the books, who read them, who recommended them... I always say that I would have kept writing, even if I'd never been published, but when it comes right down to it, having people read what I write is the true reward. This would be a very lonely endeavor without all of YOU.

Yes, you. You there. No, not you. You. Yes.

Ahem. Anyway.

Still getting trailing feedback in from my betas on Book 3 (which is in DIRE need of a title, so if anyone thinks of one...) but I think I'm pretty settled on what changes I need/want to make. Mostly, my betas are confirming the weaknesses I already saw, bless them, and I think the end project will be a zillion times better. It always is, when my betas get involved.

So, a bit more work, and then I'll have officially completed this contract. People keep asking me, "Will there be more than three JJD novels?" Short answer: Gosh, I hope so. Long answer: Haven't talked to anyone about that yet. Hope so. Really really hope so. Y'all will be the...well, probably fourth or fifth to know, but you know what I mean.

Booooook Fooooooort!!!!

Got my author copies today, and you know what that means!

Book Fort!





Well, okay, this one is vaguely castle-like, but I think my architectural skills have improved since last year, don't you?



And now to catch up with folk.

I finished the first draft of the still-untitled Book 3 a couple of weekends ago, and now it is in the hands of my overworked but much-appreciated betas. And since I've been getting this question a lot, I'm planning a blog post soon on just what a beta is and does.

In the meantime, since I can't revise book 3 until they get back to me no matter how badly I want to, I have pulled Muse out of the pile and I'm going to start rewriting it based on the feedback The Agent gave me oh so many moons ago. I'm still excited about this one, and I think the rewrite is just going to make it that much more awesome.

We're 18 days away from A SHOT IN THE DARK's official release date, and around that time I'll be doing guest blogs at a variety of places. (Provided I sit my butt down tomorrow and write them!) I'll keep you posted on where and when to find me around the interwebz!

And last but never ever least, I want to introduce you to a new blog started by my very own Alpha-Beta, Chie. Visit her over at the Geek Pantry, and learn why it's a good thing she lives several states away from me (or I'd weigh about 800 pounds). She's a phenomenal cook, and has even managed to teach hopeless me a few things that won't poison my family. Go! Learn! Cook! Eat!

Eleven Years

((Cross posted at The League of Reluctant Adults))

Fair warning, sappiness ahead. Batten down the hatches, pump out the bilges, roll up the trousers, all that stuff.

As predicted a month ago (I must be psychic!), today is my eleventh wedding anniversary. Or, as I like to say, it's been eleven years and I still haven't killed him yet. Not for lack of trying, grant you. I mean, I did hit the man with a car. Twice. (And he still agreed to marry me anyway. What's that about?) You'd think, after the first time, that he'd have moved.

In fact, if you peer farther into the past (my editor has given up teaching me the difference between farther and further, btw) we were best friends even longer than that. Six years before we were ever a couple, for a grand total of eighteen years. Wow, now I feel old.

It's at times like these that I like to stop and think about how very different my life would have been without him. And I mean more than just the "well, I wouldn't have had my daughter without him" or the "I'd be married to someone else" kinda stuff.

First and foremost, the Jesse James Dawson series would not exist without my hubby. My motivation came from him, from his desire to see the kind of hero he wanted to see. The story idea was his, hashed out between the two of us over a very fateful anniversary dinner quite a few years ago. (Full circle, see?)

But more than just the one series, he helps me with all aspects of my writing. He's the best brainstorming partner I've ever had, mostly because he knows how to ask the right questions to get me thinking. He's my motivator when I'm slacking, my cheerleader when I'm down. While I know that Jesse wouldn't exist without him, I can also say that I'm not sure I'd be writing at all without him.

Writing itself can be a very lonely occupation. A writer spends a lot of time wandering around inside their own skull, and while it's usually peopled with lots of interesting creatures and situations, it makes it hard to find objectivity. Too many of those voices in there say things like "you suck" and "this is impossible" and my personal favorite "why bother?"

I think every writer needs a support network, even if it's just one person. Someone to say "Hey, just keep trying" or "maybe try it a different way". Someone to shout louder than the voices that say "this is hard, just give up."

My support network is huge, I admit this. I have the League, I have the Purgies, I have my family and my friends. But first and foremost, before I had any of that, I had my hubby.

So on my anniversary, my hope for all writers, and for everyone really, is that you find that one person who will keep you aimed toward your chosen goal when you're ready to quit. Be it a friend, a mentor, a husband or wife, a pen-pal, I hope you all find the support we all need. Because in the end, it's worth it.

I'm not dead yet!

But man, sometimes I wonder.

Between weather, real life tragedies for people I love dearly, and just flat out feeling like warmed over donkey poo, I haven't been posting like I should.

The line for the flogging forms to the right.

However, my silence hasn't been entirely unproductive! In the interim, I have managed to receive and complete my page proofs for A SHOT IN THE DARK. What that means is, IT'S DONE!! Boo-yah! Hopefully we'll see ARCs soon, and the release date is creeping up faster than you realize.

I am also diligently working on the as-yet-untitled Book 3. I'm about 30K words into it, and less than halfway through my first draft, so I'm hoping this means my final word count will be closer to what it the final polished count needs to be. Every time, my first drafts are cleaner. Maybe that means I'm figuring this writing thing out.

I have a few entries for Kari's Critiques sitting in my email box, waiting for my loving attention, and I'll try to have those up for class on Friday. Things just haven't been working out schedule-wise for my kids/their teacher. Hopefully, stuff will settle down soon.

AND, for anyone who might want me to come babble at THEIR blog (I take off my shoes at the door, and I'm house-trained, I promise), shoot me an email at kari(dot)stewart21(at)gmail(dot)com. I'm trying to get things scheduled ahead of time so I have enough time to write nice, thoughtful posts and/or interviews for anyone who wants them.

Merry Pie-mas!

Tonight, I may have made the world's most perfect pie crust. Join me in basking in its beauty, won't you?

Happy Halloween!

Just 'cause I've been talking about it... Here is my Halloween costume this year. A Mad Hatter, of my own design. (pieced together, not made)







And in writerly stuffs...

Over at The League, Kevin Hearne has the cover up for his upcoming debut! Go check it out and tell him how freakin' awesome it is!

NaNoWriMo started today, and I managed to get more than the daily goal, but less than my personal goal. I'll take it.

That's all I know, folk! I'll be typing my fingers to the bone until the end of November, whereupon I shall take the last day of the month off for my own birthday. So there. Nyah.

That's all she wrote!

Ok, no, not really. Ya’ll should know better than that. But I am officially declaring that I turned in Book 2 last night. As of now it looks like the title will be A SHOT IN THE DARK. (Will let you know release date as soon as I know) It’s shorter than I like (though not nearly as short as I’d feared) and I’m hoping we can cure that minor malady in editing. The Editor is awesome, I trust that she can see things I haven’t.

And quite frankly, I had hit the point where I was doing more harm than good with all my fidgeting. Keep that in mind, folks. There comes a point when you really have worked on something TOO hard, and you just need to step away.

My rest-of-the-year schedule looks like this:

September: Outline Book 3, submit that to The Editor for review.
October: Outline Nano project, tentative title “The Pugilist and the Alchemist”
November: Nano
December: Start Book 3

The Nano stuff is, obviously, optional, and there will be edits for Book 2 in there somewhere, and those take priority. Once I get Book 3 done (please please please let it be ahead of deadline this time instead of two-and-a-half weeks late), I intend to go back and revisit Muse. I’m very anxious to implement a lot of the stuff The Agent and I talked about. (spoiler: There may be cannibals)

(Also, realized yesterday that my ultimate fangirl moment would be my favoritest ever comic book artist doing a graphic novel of Muse. Seriously, I’d faint dead away in the most girly way possible. No, I won’t tell you who it is, ‘cause then they might find out, and I’d feel like a total loser.)

There’s been a lot going on in my brain lately, and stuff I keep meaning to blog about, but I’m afraid if I try to cram it all into one post, it’s gonna turn into a TLDR.

I went to a great book signing and met up with some awesome internet friends (if we’ve met in real life, does that now make them real life friends?). Sadly, there were very few pictures taken, ‘cause there was so much gabbing going on! Can’t imagine how that happened.

More reviews for A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS are coming in, and for the most part, folks seem to like it! You have no idea how much this still boggles my mind. They like my little story? Really? Sweet!

And I shall leave you with this article, which oddly, did NOTHING to alleviate my zombie-phobia, since it is all contingent on there actually BEING zombies in the first place:

Why the zombie apocalypse won't work.

Things on future blog posts agenda:

Questions people frequently ask me about getting published, and my responses.
Cons I should attend, sound off on your favorites.
Cats on books!

Feeling Accomplished

I got Muse sent off to The Agent today. I'm feeling both relieved, and puke-level anxious all at once.

My goal for the rest of this week is to whip Book 2 into shape, so I can get it out to my betas. Several of them are prowling outside my window at night, rattling at the bars to get to the book. (Or, that could just be this freakin' HUGE raccoon I've seen in the neighborhood)

And now, for a blast from the past... I think I've mentioned before that I once spent an entire summer as a mermaid. Here, I give you photographic proof (and many thanks to Ryan who preserved these pictures all these years). Yes, that is a wig, and yes, this was about a year before I had kiddo, so...keep that in mind.







Not everyone can say they got to be a mermaid. ;)

And the eerie thing is, a year later when kiddo was born, she had the exact same color hair as that wig.

Book Signing!

No, not mine, silly ducks. But I digress...

First off, if you're looking for the contest, it's here. 2 more days to enter, and the odds are heavily in your favor so far!

Second, spent tonight at Jim Butcher's book signing, and had a ball! (even if I did stand through the signing line twice. Long story) It was of course held on neutral ground as governed by the Accords:



Made some new friends, had a good time with old ones. And yes, here is the obligatory picture, complete with kiddo photo bomb.



Ok, so it's not a wonderful pic of me, but kiddo and Jim look great! Notice that part way through the evening, they had to ice Jim's wrist down. See, THIS is what I'm trying to avoid with my fancy schmancy wrist braces! The wrist, a writer's Achilles heel... Or Achilles wrist, really. I mean, why would you call a wrist a heel in the first place.

Ok...it is possible that I'm up too late at this point. I should quit while I'm ahead.

Get Back On The Horse

For those who have not heard yet, my mother lost her year-long battle with cancer last week. We were fortunate to have her for ten months after her diagnosis, which is a good stretch longer than a lot of folk with the same cancer. All of you who have been with me for the past few weeks, both for comfort and to kick my ass when I needed it, thank you.

My mother was a strong woman. Like, scare the bejeezus out of professional wrestlers kinda strong, and she was only 5'2". I like to think that I get that from her, and I hope I can pass the same thing on to my daughter. And I know the one thing she (my mother) would want, is for me to get my ass back in gear and continue with the stuff that needs doing.

To that end, I have a really cool announcement. Last Friday, I found a package on my front porch, and inside that package were my ARCs! (cue squeeing) (ok, enough squeeing)

I am preparing to give away one, count 'em, ONE ARC this coming week. On Wednesday, I will put up a contest announcement with all the details. So stay tuned folk!

And in other news, I finished the climax scene for book 2 today, and it ROCKED. I always know a scene is good when I'm out of breath at the end, just like my character should be. I have one more chapter to finish, all denouement, and then this first draft will be done. I'll do another quick pass through it, to fix the things I've noticed in the meantime, and then I'll have it out to my beta slaves. (you know who you are, clear your calendars)

Hard to Keep Up

What's that song lyric? Life is what happens while you're making other plans? Yeah. That. That's me.

Oh, be sure, I'm going on with life. Writing (broke 50K on book 2 last week, I have 4 and a half chapters left to go for the first draft). I am supposed to have page proofs arriving any second now, which is my last chance to change anything on book 1. Talking typos, punctuation, nothing major. We should also have ARCS sometime before the end of the month. Squee!

Been taking care of kiddo (who just swiped these awesome freaking mitts from Dr. Gita, contrary to my very loud protests):

Gita has promised to knit me a pair, if I pick out some yarn that I like.

Bought some to-die-for cute shoes:


Hubby says "You'll never wear those!" Au contraire! For these shoes, I will build an outfit. (It may or may not involve dressing up as a Hatter for Halloween this year. Steampunk Hatter, anyone?)

And yet, there seems to be so many things that aren't getting done. I have a list of blog posts I want to do, addressing some questions people have asked me, and some questions I've asked myself. The moment that Book 2 is off to betas (goal: before the end of March), I want to yank Muse off the shelf and get her polished up and off to The Agent. Finish last year's Nano novel, and revise, because I think it has REAL potential to go places. Outline Book 3.

And somehow, in the midst of all this, I find myself with less than four months to the release of A Devil in the Details. Holy crap, when did this happen! Was it really just a year ago (almost to the day, the mind boggles) that I got that call from The Agent "We have an offer".

Back then, a year and a half to book-on-shelf seemed forever. Now I'm wondering if I got kidnapped by aliens and lost several months.