Saturday, October 22, 2005
Reporting from MileHiCon 37-Friday's Freakiness

Greetings from MileHiCon 37 in Denver, CO.

Thanks in part to this blog, I will be able to write about my experiences at this particular convention while I am actually here; as opposed to writing it later on when I get home to Gallup.

Tonight I participated in the Authors' Alley massive autograph sessions. Authors were sprinkled around and inside the Dealer's Room. I met some nice people, and talked at length to David Lee Summers, who's book, Vampires of the Scarlet Order, is doing quite well with fans of horror and Las Crues.

I did have an apple martini at a Japanese restaurant (I do not recommend doing that for reasons I care NOT to go into right now). Otherwise the sushi was good, and the fresh water eel was good too. I liked it and will probably go back again tomorrow. Unless of course I get invited out to dinner with someone else.

Conventions are supposed to pair writers with readers and fans with their icons, but it hasn't been that way for me. In fact, most conventions I go to seem to be a bit cliquey. I mean, the "traditionally published" authors hang together, and the small press authors kind of look through the glass at the "cool" authors chatting away with each other. I know I'm probably generalizing, but you'll have to find it in your heart to forgive me. I think we should all sit together and talk as peers, but again, I'm dreaming of a writers utopia--a place were who published you is not the topic of conversations, or status, but the level of writing is the goal and important piece.

I know, I know...it's a dream.

But why dream at all if you're not going to do it right?

Nevertheless, I got some cool magazines, posters and conversations from some convention goers. I saw a funny, horror, and semi-pornographic movie made with a low budget and tongue-in-cheek humor. Though some people did leave because the content was graphic, I found it funny and a bit predictable. Won't type the name of said movie here...people are still at the con and the director is selling copies of it on DVD.

I'll report again tomorrow...well after 12:52 here. I have three panels tomorrow and an author signing.

Wish me luck and lots of success.

I'll write tomorrow and let you loyal readers know how good your wishing did for my luck.

Kurtz signing off from MileHiCon 37.

Posted by Nicole Givens Kurtz 2005-10-22 03:12:53

Monday, October 17, 2005
Recognition Found

A few weeks ago I blogged about my need for recognition, about the reason why I write.

I wrote on that heartfelt blog entry, “Sure my novels and short stories mean something to me, well, more than something; they mean a lot to me. Yet the acknowledgement that they meant something to others...complete strangers, now that is why I write."

Well, for all of my bellyaching and (dare I admit it?) whining, I have finally been recognized. Round Table Reviews has just completed their review of my latest novel, Zephyr Unfolding. A side note: You can read the exciting first chapter for free at my website.

Anway, here’s what they said…

“ZEPHYR UNFOLDING is a powerhouse of a sequel to BROWNE CANDIDATE. As usual, Nicole Givens Kurtz' storytelling is brilliant. Her characters are compelling, emotional, and very real, and the action is frankly fabulous. ZEPHYR UNFOLDING has everything you are looking for in a science fiction thriller--action, adventure, romance, narrow escapes, and ironic twists of plot. Ms. Kurtz does a great of job of interweaving political drama into the story without seeming heavy-handed or predictable. The cloak-and-dagger sequences are as good as any episode of "Alias" and certainly as well written as Tom Clancy or Larry Bond. Ren and Angel's romance is endearing and both are incredibly noble characters. All-together, ZEPHYR UNFOLDING is a wonderful read. If you are a fan of science fiction, political thrillers, or just looking for a great adventure story, don't miss ZEPHYR UNFOLDING--you'll never forgive yourself!”

I encourage you to read the rest of the review here.

When I read the review, I could hardly believe it. Me--just as good as Clancy? Bond? Even any given "Alias" episode? Well, that is true recognition, isn’t it? When your work is compared to the "greats"in thefield, you've definately made a mark of some kind.

I have in fact gotten exactly what I wanted.

At last someone else—a complete stranger has read my work and acknowledged that my story meant something to them or left some favorable impression upon them. Even more so, that person is encouraging others to try the book too! This is a recommendation I endorse. :-)

Not that this is the first review of my novels. I’ve had many reviews and of course, like most things that solicit an opinion, the reviews have swayed between absolutely dismal to good. Yet this review went beyond good. This review went nuclear!Exploding in a sea of compliments and praise for a job well done.

Am I pleased? Yes. It is always a welcome sight to get good things in the mail, the email, or published online. Sure it’s not a New York Timesor Kirkus Review, but it is a review all the same.

And it is also a little recognition...

Posted by Nicole Givens Kurtz 2005-10-17 23:17:56

Tuesday, October 11, 2005
The Waiting Game-A Necessary Evil?

As most aspiring writers know, the waiting for a response from a publisher, agent, or contest is enough to make you want to shot yourself in the head and then (because most writers are zombies) drive out in front of an on-coming truck. Still you wouldn’t be dead and you’d still have to wait to get a response.

For the record, I absolutely detest waiting for a response from publishers, agents, and contest coordinators/judges. Even though I understand completely that there is only a handful of people responsible for handling a trash-collection-truck size amount of submissions, I find the waiting tortuous at best.

Couple that dread for waiting with the automatic and sometimes snotty rejection responses and well, you have the bane of my existence. It is also one reason I publish my work electronically and prefer to submit my queries online as well which Glimmer Train, Writer's Digest, Zoetrope and other well known publications are providing.

Oh, sure, I can understand the agent’s view of not wanting to come to work and open an email in-box stuffed with six hundred queries. But come on! Join the 21^st century! Snail mail is not only slow, but cruel and unusal punishment!

Not thatsending my query faster via electronic means guarantees that I’ll get a response sooner. There are still some agents I have never heard from and it’s been years! So, how can I, a writer, and one who needs an agent, publisher, etc. to look at my work reconcile myself to the wait?

I don’t really know. Many articles about writing state that I should busy myself with my other works or begin writing something new.

Good advice, and honestly, it does keep me busy for awhile, but then…

The new project is ready to be published (in my opinion) and so the cycle begins a new…I write a query letter and wait for a response.

Pretty soon I am waiting for many responses and I have to create a spreadsheet just to keep up with what’s come in and what’s gone out.

Nevertheless it is a necessary evil of the business, and I know it.

I just wanted to vent about it here…

Posted by Nicole Givens Kurtz 2005-10-11 23:06:18

Wednesday, September 21, 2005
What’s Wrong with a Little Recognition?

As a published author, I’ve had five novels, numerous short stories and articles published and at one point in time, back when e-books were being touted as the latest and greatest get-published-here track to writing for a living, I fully embraced the industry. I, like many, many others, believed that the faster responses from publishers and the quick manuscript-to-rack track to having a published book was a better option than waiting months for TOR or DAW or BAEN.

The bust of the e-book industry or rather the “refocusing” of the purpose of e-books sent my goals of being able to sustain myself by writing crashing to the floor. Not only did my e-book publications not count toward myself being labeled a “professional” writer, they bought little sales and even less recognition.

In fact, many "professional" authors still consider me unworthy of conversation with them because 1. I am not a sfwa author, and 2. I am not “really” published because my books are all available as e-books or as Print On Demand--not as they say from a "real publisher."

What should it matter how I am published or in what format?Writing isn’t about recognition.

Or is it?

If writing is not about recognition, then what is the purpose of writing?

I often tell my students that writing--at its most basic level--is to communicate with another human being.

But how is that possible if no one reads your material?
The entire point to writing, regardless of the genre, is to share your ideas, visions, worlds, and characters with others. If the author doesn’t receive any recognition, that point becomes harder to meet.

Perhaps I am missing the mark here. Let’s define “recognition” as someone reading your work and commenting/providing feedback about it. I’m not talking about recognition in the sense of HUGO or Pulitzer Prize. As an e-book published author, those goals are pretty lofty, even for someone who dreams big…like myself.

No, I’m talking about recognition in the truest sense of the word, meaning “acknowledgment of the existence or validity of something (MSN Encarta 1).”

I want my work to be recognized. Whether that comes from readers, the EPPIEs, fellow authors, reviewers, or fans (if I have any). A simple acknowledgement of the existence of my work and that my stories have some validity is the purpose of writing—at least in part. Sure my novels and short stories mean something to me, well, more than something. They mean a lot to me. Yet the acknowledgement that they meant something to others…complete strangers, now that is why I write.

If you disagree or want to voice your opinion on this subject, I encourage you to do so. Just leave a comment. I am curious to see what other reasons writer/authors write.

Nicole

Posted by Nicole Givens Kurtz 2005-09-21 23:42:11

Friday, September 16, 2005
Writer’s Block-A Common Cold for Authors

The past few weeks I have found myself in writing block hell. I am unable to write anything but teacher lesson plans—and right now even that chore is suffering from a miniature block.

Writer's block is like the common cold. Everyone who writes knows about it, but few of us actually court it willingly. Seemingly there are many treatments for it; howeverthere is no cure.

Just like the common cold, my writer’s block has traveled around the members of my home (namely me and my husband since our kids are 4 and under). Chris, who is a traditionally published non-fiction writer of true crime, came home at the end of May with a case of writer’s block. Of course, he doesn't admit to having writer's block, but he hasn’t written anything new, especially anything in his field, since June.

Itseems that he has passedthe filthy little virus on to me. Although I have written several stories in the month of June and half of July, I knew I was fighting off the bug. My writing had all the symptoms of the common writer’s block disease…sluggish stories, worn-down words, and crotchety characters. I was an achy author with icky ideas.

Still, I continued to pen stories and even sold one, “The Trader” to The Talisman Magazine. Somehow horror stories tend to lend themselves to crotchety characters and icky ideas.

Despite this feat, riding my creative immune system was a vicious new strain of writer’s block. It wasdetermined to ride my healthy creative body of work into the ground.

So as I grew more ill and the symptoms intensified, I did what everyone else does…I took some medicine in the form of encouragements and leafing through my journals, even reading to try to keep the virus at bay. No ideas came, nor have they since I returned from Africa.

The writer’s block bug in full force.

In thepast, Ihave written columnsabout how to battle and defeat writer’s block (physician heal thyself!). This new strain may actually have evolved to be immune to my common, over-the-Internettreatment (suggestions)for smiting it into remission.

What I wouldn’t give for a bottle of Romulan Ale and a holodeck right now! Something, heck anything, to jump start my creative author museand battle back the bug that is threatening to send me into a dry, arid desert for months! Maybe even years!

I am heading to Flagstaff this weekend as it is my anniversary. Perhaps there I will find the cure for my current cup of writer’s block.

Wish me luck!

Nicole

Posted by Nicole Givens Kurtz 2005-09-16 04:05:52