One Book I Loved and One I Fully Expect To

Happy Pride, folks! This week on SFF Seven, we are highlighting books by members of the LGBTQ+ community, so I scanned through my recent reads and got a happy surprise (more on that in a bit). 

Keep in mind I'm usually at least a year out of date -- I buy books that oooh-yes my brain when they are released, but I typically don't get around to reading them until years later. So the first book I'd like to mention is The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. It's kind of Harry Potter, but if the story were told from the point of view of a middle-aged, single, magical-child services inspector/bureaucrat who owns (or is owned by?) a very judgy cat. The protagonist, Linus, is relatable and easy to read, and the rest of the story is just as charming as he is. When this book was recommended to me, it was described as "a warm hug" and it so is.

The happy surprise is the other book I want to recommend: The Jasmine Throne (by Tasha Suri), which came out... yesterday! I loved the previous books in her series and so had pre-ordered this one, and when I read the back-cover synopsis, I realized it was a sapphic fantasy and ... eeeee!! Even more excited to crack this one open = me. Clearly I have not yet read the book that came out yesterday (see above regarding my slowpokieness), but Tasha Suri has not disappointed me yet, and I feel comfortable sending folks out to buy it.

I should confess one semi-uncomfortable thing, though: going by the blog theme this week, I had to check online and make sure that these two authors were gay. According to the always-reliable internet, they are (using this and this as sources). That knowledge makes me even happier. I mean, I liked their books before, but with all the #ownvoices writers being outed stuff that has been going around, I was really hoping that nosy readers like me weren't forcing someone to tell a truth they weren't ready to tell. In these cases, that doesn't seem to be what's going on. Whew.

But it does make me think of the current #ownvoices issue and some decisions that are being made to reduce usage of the term. If you're interested in knowing more, you can read the hashtag on Twitter. Basically, some folks think the #ownvoices hashtag causes more harm than good. On one hand, I am sorry for the writers who have been outed before they're ready. That must have been horrible. But at the same time, as a reader, I like knowing that I'm reading a book by a writer who has a similar lived experience to the protagonist. I especially like to know I'm reading #ownvoices when the writer is from a more visible marginalized community, like Black writers. But for LGBTQ+ writers... I kind of see where WNDB and others are coming from. If writers don't choose to share that information, for whatever reason, is it even really my business? That's why searching up the personal details on these excellent authors felt a little awkward. 

So yes happy Pride, definitely yes check out these books/authors, and also maybe yes be sensitive to the fact that another person's identity is owned by them, not who we need or want them to be.

Pride Comics Spotlight: SPIDERSILK by Aleksi Gray

 Lately, I've been on a comics / manga / manhua binge, so my LGBTQIA+ recommended read/follow goes to Aleksi Gray (@Alakotila on Twitter) and their Spidersilk Comic.

SPIDERSILK

"Prentice and his brother, both former soldiers, are trying to find a place to call home. They find themselves falling in with the bustling thieves guild of Kalviva. However, the system isn't as stable as it boasts, and outside forces are slowly picking apart its defenses."

Spidersilk started in 2014 and it's so neat to watch the artist's skills improve over time, both the story and the illustration. 

I make queer fantasy comics and art! I love drawing armor, elves, starry skies & outer space.

My comics also have:
❤️sweet romances
🧡found family
💛creatures & magic
💚fabulous hair
💙adventure
💜armor!

I also have some coloring books in my shop. Links: https://t.co/TLLGByYnt4 pic.twitter.com/KT0Mr8wCxC

— ✨ Aleksi Gray ✨ (@Alakotila) April 17, 2021

Support Aleski on Patreon Here

There are so many wonderful comics by LGBTQIA+  creators to follow that I could go on for pages and pages, but I don't want to dilute the spotlight. Check out WebComicLibrary, Tapas, or Webtoons for the genres that interest you.  

If you have a favorite fantasy webcomic to recommend, particularly one by an LGBTQIA+ creator, let me know in the comments!

Nebula Pride

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week - in honor of Pride Month - is to promote LGBTQ+ Artists, Authors, or Creatives. Since I'm fresh this morning from attending SFWA's Nebula Awards last night (online, natch - though next year will be in person again!), and since the awards ceremony was funny and moving and simply an amazing celebration, I'll share those winners. 

Many of the finalists and winners identify as LGBTQ+. Particular congrats to friends Sarah Pinsker and John Wiswell, both proud members of the LGBTQ+ community. The ceremony can be viewed at SFWA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel and their acceptance speeches are well worth listening to. 

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 56th Annual Nebula Awards®. These awards are given to the writers of the best speculative fiction works released in 2020, as voted on by Full, Associate, and Senior SFWA members. The awards were presented at the live broadcast of the 56th Annual Nebula Awards Ceremony, hosted by Toastmaster Aydrea Walden.

The winners are as follows:

BEST NOVEL
Network Effect, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

BEST NOVELLA
Ring Shout, P. Djèlí Clark (Tordotcom)

BEST NOVELETTE

“Two Truths and a Lie”, Sarah Pinsker (Tor.com) 

BEST SHORT STORY
“Open House on Haunted Hill”, John Wiswell (Diabolical Plots)  

THE ANDRE NORTON NEBULA AWARD FOR MIDDLE GRADE AND YOUNG ADULT FICTION
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, T. Kingfisher (Argyll) 

BEST GAME WRITING
Hades, Greg Kasavin (Supergiant) 

THE RAY BRADBURY NEBULA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PRESENTATION
The Good Place: “Whenever You’re Ready”, Michael Schur, NBC (Fremulon/3 Arts Entertainment/Universal)  

Additional awards and honors presented:

THE SFWA DAMON KNIGHT MEMORIAL GRAND MASTER AWARD
Nalo Hopkinson

THE KATE WILHELM SOLSTICE AWARD

Jarvis Sheffield
Ben Bova (posthumous)
Rachel Caine (posthumous)

THE KEVIN J. O’DONNELL, JR. SERVICE TO SFWA AWARD

Connie Willis

Presenters joined virtually from around the country, including SFWA President Mary Robinette Kowal, SFWA Vice President Tobias S. Buckell, incoming SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy, and writers and creatives Nisi Shawl, Carrie Patel, Mallory O’Meara, Mark Oshiro, Troy L. Wiggins, and Adam Savage. 

The ceremony can be viewed at SFWA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

What's On My Mind: The Fun in Being an Author

 

I had a mini-panic attack this week while working on marketing plans and the final draft of The Witch Collector, which releases on 11/2/21. Instagram tours are being planned, the book will be on NetGalley later, THERE WILL BE REVIEWS *cries,* and I'm working on graphics and thinking of cool ideas for the book launch. I'm also editing for myself, for four other authors, and writing three additional novels. The overwhelm can feel REAL, let me tell you.

But a friend reminded me of something this week when I reached out to her with a marketing question. She told me that "I got this," and that while, yes, the author's journey can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking, it's also exciting. It's the dream I've wanted, and it's here.

It can be easy to overlook our milestones rather than stopping for a minute, appreciating where we are compared to where we began, and experiencing what that feels like in the moment. If you're an author going through a bit of overload, or maybe you can't see your successes for what they are, I encourage you to slow down and remember: There was a time when you longed to be where you are now, and there are many others who long to be where you are now, too.

Just don't forget to stop and smell the roses every now and again.

You deserve it.

Which way do I go?

Earlier this week, a fellow author who'd written a trilogy asked me the prize question: Should I find a small press or should I self publish?

This author has ten books to her name already, but she'd recently broken up with her agent and former publishing house. No earth-shattering reason. It was just a poor genre fit for all parties. So here she is, out on her own. 

You'll be proud of me. For once, I did not say "it depends". Instead, I asked her what she wanted. We went through the pros of each:

Self-Publishing Pros

• You maintain control of every aspect of your books.
• You decide what the covers look like.
• You decide how much covers and formatting cost.
• You decide how quickly or slowly to release your novels.
  

Self-Publishing Cons

• You assume all of the monetary risk.
• You're entirely on your own for marketing.
• You're responsible for every aspect of your books and some days, that's a heavy burden. 
• Print versions of your book may require extra formatting, extra cover costs, and may be priced out of most readers' reach.
  

Small Press Pros

• A sense of legitimacy.
• A contract.
• Editors you don't have to pay for.
  
• You can usually leverage your publishing house mates for mutual marketing boosts.
• Most publishing houses have a marketing coordinator on staff and/or a marketing mailing list where authors can lean on amassed experience.

Small Press Cons

• You may not  have a print run if the press is e-book only.
• Someone else controls the book cover process.
• Your rights are tied up for a few years.
• Some presses tie up more than just print and digital rights.
• Some presses have long publication lead times and cannot guarantee your preferred release schedule.
• Small presses occasionally go out of business and that makes a mess.

As we talked it became clear she wanted one thing - help with marketing. I wish I could tell you what decision she made, but I don't yet know. I suspect she'll opt for a small press, but that's a guess. Which way would you go?

Summertime On My Mind

 The Master of Puppy Naps: Ullr

It’s officially summer! No hotdogs on the grill here, but the kiddos are done with school and the garden is growing! 

That’s basically the entirety of what’s on my mind. I’m still getting over the cold I came down with last weekend and I haven’t had enough concentration to do much in the way of bookish stuff…which includes coming up with a clever writing post. 

Napping though, that I’ve been pretty good at. But I don’t think I’ll ever be as great at it as Ullr.

I hope you’re having a wonderful start to summer!

The Beauty of Starting at Zero

On my mind this week, the beauty of starting at zero.

The final book in my UF series is in the hands of my CP and soon to be handed off to my editors. After seven books of evolving the same world and the same characters, it's time to conceive anew. It's exciting and invigorating. The only thing locked in at this point is that it'll be a trilogy in a sub-genre of fantasy. I've spent the week gorging on books, comics, and anime to replenish my creative well. Now, I'm staring at a blank notebook page plotting, scheming, and leaving no boundaries on my imagination. 

New characters. New worlds. New magics. New rules. New challenges. 

Time to play god and create something beautiful from nothing. 

How delightful.

You're not wrong.

 This week the subject is whatever strikes our fancy, so I'll just put this out there. You're (probably) n0t wrong. When it comes to your method of writing, I mean. There is no right or wrong unless you're not doing it. 

Want to outline the liv8ng hell out of it: By all means. Want to take a chance and pants it? certainly, as long as you're actually doing the writing. I'm sure I've brought her u before, but once upon a time fellow barista working at Starbucks alongside me proudly announced that she was a writer. She would come into the store where we both worked and she 2wouod pull out her laptop, set it up, order a drink, sit down to write, and promptly pick up her phone, where she would spend the next 90minutes to two hours, chatting away. Then she would close up her laptop and head home to her husband and kids. 

To my knowledge, she never finished a single project. We worked together for over 2 years. In that same time, I wrote no less than three novels and a dozen short stories. All of them got published. You want to know what the difference is? I actually WROTE when I was writing. She might have incredible tales to tell, but I never saw her actually write one. Ever.

She rolled her eyes every time I pointed that out to her. She couldn't understand how I was so productive. I told her not to answer the phone when it rang unless it was her kids. I also suggested telling her kids (the youngest was, I believe, fourteen) not to call unless it was urgent.

She's not a writer. She's a dreamer. There's a difference.

If you want to be a writer, WRITE.

End of rant. Go get some writing done.. 

Oh, and this year? One novel finished. One novel started. One novel in the process of being plotted. Three short stories sold. One novella sold. One collaborative novel half-finished. It's my chosen profession. It's what I do.

Keep smiling,

Jim