http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:19:03 GMT vBulletin 25 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=319 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:10:29 GMT Rob (author of Mythago Wood) is one of the nicest men writing in Fantasy today.

So a bit of a shock to find he's been rushed into hospital, into intensive care. (Thanks to David Langford's Ansible)

I understand it's now an E.coli infection. Not a laughing matter.

So, best wishes Rob. Get well soon. ]]> Hobbit http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=319 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=318 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:40:25 GMT Form Murky Depths for Jac, but some interesting feedback. Still trying to plod on with current projects, but they are not giving me anything to get my teeth into. I have another idea, but even that after a while thinking on it begins to sound bland!!! I need something that feeds my... Form Murky Depths for Jac, but some interesting feedback.

Still trying to plod on with current projects, but they are not giving me anything to get my teeth into. I have another idea, but even that after a while thinking on it begins to sound bland!!!

I need something that feeds my imagination!!!! ]]> Holbrook http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=318 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=314 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:10:18 GMT I haven't posted a blog in a while, mainly because I've been very busy with finishing up my penultimate semester in grad school. But I thought I'd like to sit down by the fire with all of you electronic blog-reading folks and ask you to remember the holidays are fast approaching. What better gift to give to your loved ones than the gift of reading?

So, with this in mind, I'd like to recommend some books to you for gifts. All of these books I count as influences for The Advance Guard, all of them are great reads, and all of them are more than likely available through the site partner, Amazon.com (including mine, although for a holiday discount follow the link and use code 6G25AL9W).

Without further ado, here's the books, and why they influenced AG.

Guns of the South, Harry Turtledove
This book gave me the idea of having an anachronistic weapon in a historically accurate war. Turtledove's book has time-travelling South African racists supply Robert E. Lee's Confederate troops with AK-47s, which turn the tide of the Civil War and lead to a Southern victory.

The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
A longtime favorite of mine, Clancy's novel presents political intrigue and action in an unparalleled manner, and is very helpful as a guideline for any aspiring writer who wants to craft accurate scenes in a submarine.

Magic Kingdom For Sale: SOLD!, Terry Brooks
A series I would consider the gold standard of urban/contemporary fantasy, Brooks' Landover series starts with this book. It influenced me by giving a means for an everyday Joe to enter a magical world, as well as my first exposure to the paladin concept in fantasy writing.

The Road,Cormac McCarthy
The bleak setting and situations weren't as influential as the means by which the man and the boy deal with their despair. Characterization is always a huge factor whenever I pick up a book, or whenever I go to start writing, and this one has some of the sparsest, yet best, characterization I've encountered.

Books aren't your thing? I also had influences in the world of video and television, most of which is available on DVD from Amazon. If you want to give some good video to your loved ones for Christmas, consider these:

The Slayers
Three seasons of this Japanese anime series put forth situations both anachronistic and hilarious for the basic archetypal group of fantasy adventurers they present as protagonists. One of my primary influences for the concept in general.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire
In addition to the movie I went to see with my wife on our first date, this forgotten Disney gem presents the unlikely action hero, the intellectual who gets pressed into an adventure. This gave me inspiration for my two women.

Excalibur
A classic fantasy from the '80s, this is a retelling of the King Arthur legend with a darker overtone than most. The portrayal of Merlin in this film gave me the genesis of my own wizard.

There's the list. Let me open this up to everyone here, if you've got a suggestion for what to give in the genre for Christmas, post a reply and let your suggestion be read!

Thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoyed the fire. As I probably won't blog again until after New Year's, let me take this opportunity to thank all of you who have read my blogs since September, and wish you the happiest of holiday seasons, no matter which holidays you celebrate ... that includes all you Festivus crazies. :cool: ]]> Desert Coyote http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=314 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=313 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:55:08 GMT Okay. Just so you all know, this is essentially what I put in the proposal. *Point #1 - Which/how many submissions* Winning entries only with up to three total (from the whole year) nominated non-winners (for a maximum of 15 stories). *Point #2 - Distribution* Amazon Kindle Lulu... Okay. Just so you all know, this is essentially what I put in the proposal.

Point #1 - Which/how many submissions
Winning entries only with up to three total (from the whole year) nominated non-winners (for a maximum of 15 stories).

Point #2 - Distribution
Amazon Kindle
Lulu
Smashwords

Three potential options. All perfectly viable. Decision can come later, this is no biggie.

Point #3 - Use of SFFWorld.com logo/website
Working on this...

Point #4 - Copyrights/Money
Anthology rights to SFFWorld.com (if they participate)
Story rights remain with Author, stories can not appear elsewhere for one year

$10 advance to authors for each submission
Any royalties (after advance is paid) split 60% collective authors/40% publisher

That's it in a nutshell. Keep you fingers crossed! :) ]]> tmso http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=313 http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=312 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:21:48 GMT I love book signings, even when I'm not the one sitting behind the table with pen in hand. I guess it's the air of excitement, the chance to see that rare creature -- a publisher author -- live and in the flesh. For most of us who have spent a significant part of our lives with our noses pressed into a book, authors are like exotic animals. They live far away and you usually only get to see one on TV or in a magazine. Book events are a chance to get up close and semi-personal. If you're lucky, the author is a proficient public speaker and you get a glimmer of what makes them tick.

Recently, I attended a reading/signing event for Brandon Sanderson. For those of you who don't follow fantasy, Brandon has just taken over the WHEEL OF TIME series after the untimely and unfortunate passing of its creator, Robert Jordan. WOT has a huge following across the world and it was clear from his first remarks that Brandon fully comprehends the colossal shoes he has stepped into. In person, Brandon is gracious, friendly, humble, and engaging -- all the things you wish to see and hear in an author the first time you meet them. Furthermore, he took the time to speak to every person who approached him to get a book signed. When it was my turn, I proudly informed Mr. Sanderson that he and I share the same literary agency, and that my debut novel will be coming out soon. He made the appropriate comments of congratulation, which led me to congratulating him for such a successful book launch. It was a short exchange, but I left the table feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

And that is exactly the feeling we want to impart to our readers, that we care about them and we want to produce works of high quality that they will enjoy for years to come. For me, it's a bit of a difficulty, not because I don't feel those things, but because I'm a bit of a recluse. Public engagements are a frightening prospect. I have watched seasoned professionals work a crowd with practiced ease, and known that I could never be that person. Hopefully, I will strike a balance between hermit and salesman. So, if you attend one of my events sometime in the future and you see me sitting/standing alone (pen in hand), come over and say hello. If you promise not to laugh at my tie, I'll promise not to pressure you into buying one of my books.

Deal? ]]> Jon Sprunk http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=312