A bunch of us couldn't make it to WorldCon, so why let the people who could have all the fun? There's a book sale going on right now with some great authors - Jo Graham, Melissa Scott, and because I assume there was some kind of quota to fill, ME - with books discounted as much as 50%! If you haven't checked out Railroad Spine yet, now's the chance ( Read more... )

Guess who has two thumbs, speaks limited French, and just got his first big-boy book review? THIS MOI.

In this month's issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact (the May issue), Don Sakers reviewed my novel Railroad Spine. I figured (hoped against hope) that it would be a good review, but even if it was mediocre it was my name and a novel title in ( Read more... )

A while back, I wrote a quickie little story. Melissa Scott (author or co-author of many many great books, including the awesome "Lost Things") liked it enough to suggest I turn it into a full-fledged novel. I was game (I usually am) so I gave it a shot. The end result was this novel. It's steampunk, it's romance, it's action/adventure, it's ( Read more... )

And down the stretch we come! I've written over 5,000 words already today. I've had theses scenes in my brain for a long while, so it was easy to get out even though I don't feel very well. And dbalthasar, this first chapter should definitely have an Abney Park soundtrack. Preferably "Airship Pirate," but I'm not too picky. ;D ( Read more... )

67,000 words! The next chapter... oh, the next chapter. This is the end of the ramp, as it is, so be prepared to get airborne folks. I'm VERY EXCITED to be finally writing this next part. I have the feeling it will go very quickly. We'll see. I don't want to jinx it. But OH so close to the end! ~rubs hands together~ BTW, before I forget... dbalthasar, when ( Read more... )

If you haven't heard of Abney Park, you should try to find their song "Airship Pirate" on YouTube or something. It really, really fits this novel well enough that I think, if it was a movie or miniseries, people would be making vids of it all over the place. Of course, I also thought people would have made a ton of vids for Game of Thrones set to ( Read more... )

By this time yesterday I'd already written about 6000 words. Maybe heat is good for me... no, no. It was killing me. Literally. There were times when I was breathless. Maybe not killing me, but a few more days like that and I'd have been in dire straits. Definitely not writing. But now I am rambling. So the story! I don't know how many chapters are ( Read more... )

In order to save dbalthasar's fingernails from being bitten to the quick, another chapter! I think XIX is my favorite roman numeral. I don't know why. It just looks symmetrical and cool. And I think this story lends itself very well to roman numeral chapter headers. I wouldn't do it on Squire's Isle or Underdogs, but for Railroad Spine, it fits. Kind of like ( Read more... )

Nothing like writing about a snowstorm while you're sweltering in record heat! ;-D Fortunately it was just a brief mention, but mentioning a thick layer of snow seemed like the most fantastic element of this entire chapter. "It's, like, fluffy white stuff that covers the ground." "You're craaazy ( Read more... )

We're within spitting distance of 40,000 words! Only don't test that theory... spitting is gross. But not too shabby for a story I expected to be, at most, 25k. And For those of you keeping track of the AU at home, yes, Jess is based on someone from Stargate. No, I won't tell you who. I'll see if anyone can figure it out given the... dearth of ( Read more... )