I read somewhere once that it was terribly poor form to start a blog post with an apology for the silence. Now, whenever I feel I've let one too many days slip by without blogging, I'm paralysed for how to start, since apparently I can't start with an apology.

On such quibbling social anxieties my world turns.

Anyrate, at the risk of being passé, apologies for the silence. Life threw the pterosaur's family a bit of a curve ball, and I've been required offline lately. In fact, I'm currently stealing a quiet moment in the sewing room to dash this off from my phone (how did I ever live without the Internet on my phone?).

First, FREE STUFF!

There's an interview of me up at the blog of the fabulous Rowena, where I mostly talk about The Binding books, but also talk a little bit about other topics. There's also a chance to win a free copy of both Shadow Queen and Shadow Bound, simply by commenting. So if you've always wanted to read the books and never got around to it, head on over and leave a comment. Or, if you've already read the books but can think of someone who might enjoy them, send them linkwards!

Second, only partial self-promotion:

I came across a link to Gnod's Literature Map in my tweetstream. (If you'd like the link that led me there, it was via Publisher's Weekly, which link contains a brief explanation of how it works.)

It's an awesome idea for finding the next book to read, since us authors write so slowly and you readers read so swiftly!

Of course, since I am but a little Australian fledgeling, my name is not recognised in the literature map yet — so if you do happen to head over there, help a girl out by searching for me and, when the site displays the "I don't know this author", click the offered link to confirm I exist.

And while you're at it, add in some unknown antipodean authors like Rowena Cory Daniells, or Tansy Raynor Roberts, or Jo Anderton, or Karen Healey, to name but a handful. I've added them myself, but the site needs more than a single vote to believe it.

And now, I really must get back to the fray, so I leave you with 8 prehistoric creatures from your nightmares, to which the pterosaur would like me to add a ninth: YOUR SKULL, DEB.

This is a snap I took on Saturday, of the Australian landscape somewhere between Melbourne and Sydney rolling beneath the plane's wings, but it's a suitable enough backdrop to say it's official: I paid for my flights today.

Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia, I am on my way.

(For those who've been already: what's unmissable? So far I have Plitvice National Park, Split, Dubrovnik and Hvar in Crotia; Ljubljana, Lake Bled and the caves in Slovenia.)

This of course leaves me with a myriad more tasks, such as figuring out my itinerary and double-checking visa requirements, not to mention finding a dress to wear to the wedding, but I shall at the very least attempt not to bore the entire internet with all my talk of travel arrangements in the months leading up to my escape.

Instead I shall tell you that the weekend brought me the rather exciting news that Shadow Queen and Shadow Bound have been featuring on the Highly Recommended shelves at local Borders stores. Sadly, I have no photographic evidence, because my eyewitnesses did not realise just how upside-down this industry can get, and logically and rationally assumed an author would know things about her own books. (Kids these days.)

I also learnt, completely unrelatedly, that the Shona people of Zimbabwe name their children for a purpose. So apparently there's a whole slew of ex-army types who go by names such as Bloodthirsty and Bloodlust. (Sounds like a happening party, right there.) And there's a security guard called Nomore — he was the last of six children.

I kind of like this practice. I think, if ever I have children, I shall name them for the purpose they shall serve in (my) later life. Plentiful Retirement Fund and Tireless Chef are sounding pretty good for starters.

» of eBooks »

Sometimes, I admit I indulge in a spot of ego-Googling. And lucky I do, because otherwise I would be blissfully unaware that Shadow Bound is already available in eBook format. Look! And over there!

There are actually quite a few links, too many for me to try collecting them, so it's best by far to simply google. But for all of those wanting to know when Shadow Bound is out in electronic format, the answer is … um, now?

 
» of Stock for Sale »

And while I'm at it, I have some copies of Shadow Queen and Shadow Bound left over from the launch of the latter, and I've finally gotten around to putting up a webpage detailing how someone who might want a paper copy of my book for somewhat less than you'd pay through an Australian book store might be able to buy them directly from me.

If that sounds like you, the stock for sale page has the details you want.¹

 
» of the Mythical Third Book »

I've been getting a flattering trickle of emails, lately, asking about a third book in The Binding series.

Deb, these emails ask, Deb, is there a third book? Carn, Deb. Write me another. ZOMG YOU'RE NOT ENDING IT LIKE THAT ARE YOU?

Now, I will admit that I ended Shadow Queen rather cruelly. I hereby publicly confess that what I did in SQ was set everything up … and tie nothing off. In Shadow Bound I was not QUITE so cruel, in that there is tying up of major plot threads, but there is also that most beloved (to me) of endings, the open ending.

Originally, I wasn't planning on writing beyond that ending. Not because there was not enough story to justify anything further (in fact it's quite the opposite!), but more because that's simply as far ahead as I'd planned. But lately I've found myself wondering just what plays out after that closing line of Shadow Bound …

So I've been entertaining (i.e. tormenting and frustrating myself and those around me) with unanswerable questions in an attempt to dig some more of Matilde's story out of my brain. If I can come up with something workable, I'll be submitting a proposal on it. Which may or may not find favour with those who have the power and resources to publish these things.

So while I still can't make any promises, let's just say the mythical Third Book, while still a cryptozoo, may one day be dragged, kicking and screaming, into existence.

 
» of Something Completely Different »

This has absolutely nothing to do with The Binding books, I just think it's unutterably cool: boa constrictors born by virgin birth.

1. I hope. It IS currently Sunday, and I take no responsibility for the state of my brain. If it doesn't answer your questions, please ask!

Did you know, that if you announce a launch of your book, and invite people to said launch, they'll actually attend?

Normal people will find my amazement at this fact the astonishing part of the above statement, but I'm pretty sure it's been documented several somewheres that writers are, in point of fact, just a smidge nuts at the best of times, so go with me on this.

I was expecting a modest handful of the usual suspects, including the drop-ins lured by Tessa's and my smuggling in of cupcakes in defiance of Melbourne Convention Centre's food dictatorship. Lovely Little Cupcakes cupcakes, each of them with a small golem-shaped man¹ on their luscious (decidedly lethal) frosting.

I don't know if word of those cupcakes tore through the convention centre or what, but there were more than just the usual suspects in attendance. There were even people I didn't actually know in the audience. Now that just broke my brain. (In a good way.) This was truly excellent, though, as it meant the two free copies of Shadow Bound went to people who hadn't already bought a copy on account of having known me for at least a decade.

There was also a Mysterious Box of Mystery, donated courtesy of the mighty Tess:

which contained an alarming quantity of a special golem-shaped edition of vanilla snap cookies:

otherwise known as a butter singularity

I believe I may have actually inflicted death by butter on a significant member of the international writing community. Um…oops?

1. well, normal people would have called him gingerbread man-shaped — but gingerbread man, golem, what's the difference, really?

In pondering the finer details of the Shadow Bound launch, there were some ideas that seemed OMG genius! on the face of it but which … didn't quite work out according to plan. In the interests of entertaining you, I thought I might share a couple of them with you.

One was that, in an attempt to decorate the room, I thought I might draw some golem characters. Good idea, no? Clay plays a pretty key role in Shadow Queen, after all, and there are even more golems in Shadow Bound, and I could draw a range of comic, cute and choleric golem faces to leer down at us from the walls.

And then I remembered … I can't really draw.

No, really. I'm not being humble. I have some rudimentary, grade-school skill, but it's simply not up to anything more than entertaining my brain during office meetings. My first attempt at drawing Clay's face made him, um, a girl. Oops? My second and third and fourth attempts did not produce any great leaps of artistic progress. If I had a good few years of daily practice between now and the book launch, I might have some hope of delivering hand-drawn golems for your entertainment, but as it is … yeah. Not so much.

So instead I'll be relying on the redoubtable Les Petersen's book covers to prettify the room. You can all thank me later.

The other idea — which would totally be genius, if we had the time to make it work, and if the Melbourne Convention Centre wasn't imposing a ban on the bringing-in of food they didn't supply, was to bake an enormous golem 'biscuit'.

This story I'll relate to you as it was related to me: in text message form. With photos.

Adorable. Yet horrific.

He fell over in the heat. He's weeping butter. This is…not really working.

I have no way of knowing if his bowels are cooked. This operation? Total buttergeddon.

So sadly there won't be an enormous golem 'biscuit' which I can use to inflict death-by-butter on you all

So, AussieCon is fast approaching, so fast that this weekend saw the preliminary program issued. And, since it's not only in Australia but in my new hometown I, like others of far more important note, shall be there.

Not just wandering the corridors, wearing an expression somewhere between bewildered and panicked (depending upon how recently I've eaten and how confusing or maze-like the convention centre proves to be), but doing, you know, authorly things.

Saturday, 3:00pm (Room 203): Shadow Bound book launch
Come along and see the little book be officially set free. The ever-gracious Sean Williams will be launching the book, there will be food (and since Matilde spends an inordinate amount of time cooking and describing food in both Shadow Queen and Shadow Bound, I'm thinking of trying to pick catering options that are in keeping with her world), and I'm bending my mind to coming up with some kind of lucky door prize into the bargain.

For catering purposes, I need some indication of numbers planning on attending, so if you think that includes you, please let me know, either here or by email.

Note for non-convention-goers: Since the book launch is going to be held as part of the convention, you would normally need to purchase an attending membership, or a day membership. However, there is some provision for allowing non-convention members to attend book launch events. If you live in Melbourne, or will be in Melbourne on Saturday 4 September 2010, and would like to attend the book launch without purchasing a membership, please contact me, either through the blog or by email, as I may be able to get your name on the door. The amount of names I get on the door in this fashion will be limited, so if you're interested, speak up!

Saturday, 4:00pm (Room 204): Finding the right voice: accents and speech patterns
When representing different accents and ways of speaking in fiction, some authors choose to add the occasional slang term or flourish while others go to the lengths of writing entire novels in a vernacular accent. How much is too much? Is it worth sacrificing readability for authenticity? Tips, strategies and techniques for accurately representing speech in fiction.

I don't know that I'm an expert on this, and I don't know what in the way of trips, strategies or techniques I'll be able to offer you, but I promise to at least THINK about the subject between now and the con, so that when I ramble on at you all on the day it'll be in a considered way. Or something.

Sunday, 2:00pm (Room 201): Kaffeklatsch
This is your chance to come and meet me, and chat to me, in a small group. I've never done one of these before, so I have no idea what goes down, but as far as I understand it's just a casual chat. So if you've always wanted to ask me something, or perhaps yell at me for the ending of Shadow Queen that left you hanging for a year, waiting to find out what happened, this is your chance!

Sunday, 3:00pm (Room 201):Signing
This one pretty much speaks for itself. I'll be signing. It's probably best if you bring along copies of books I've written, or to which I've contributed a story, but heck if you want me to sign something else who am I to quibble?

Sunday, 4:00pm (Room 207): Reading
Me. Some of my work (I'm not sure which work, exactly, yet). My (hopefully not quaking with terror) voice. And an audience (that would be you).

FIRST

You do all realise there will be random and intermittent Mongolia stories for some time to come, right? Never fear, they won't be your typical I did such and such, saw such and such, and am now cramming seven gazillion photos and details into one drawn out day type posts, mainly because I'll bore myself shitless if I even so much as tried that.

However, tonight I have other news, writing-ish news, which I should impart first. This brings me to:

THIRDLY

The PodCastle contract for "The Wages of Salt" has been signed and returned. I'll let you know the date it's podcast when I know it. I must admit, this being the first audio version of one of my stories, I'm eager to hear it read aloud.

In other short fiction news, ASIM #45 didn't go live while I was away, as far as I can see. In case you were trying to keep an eye out. Again, more when I know it.

SIXTH AND LASTLY

Here's something I didn't know before now, but might come in handy for you: there's an ebook version of Shadow Queen available!

Apologies for not alerting you all to this sooner, but I only found out because I had need to visit the A&U website today and noticed a new link.

So I guess that means you international types now have an easier way of accessing the book than wrangling with postage rates.

AND, TO CONCLUDE…

For all of you eagerly waiting to find out how Matilde's story ends, courtesy of the good folks at A&U you can now read the first two chapters of Shadow Bound online (or download a PDF for reading later).

The hardcopy version should start appearing on shelves in bricks and mortar stores any time from now on, so get out there and get hunting!

Let me state for the record that a "windproof" umbrella is simply a lightning rod that is just as likely to turn inside out and nine times as likely to stab you in the eye with a prong as it pretends to valiantly not turn inside out. There's no win here.

But! On to more important matters. Namely, the cover art for Shadow Bound, in proper-sized glory!

If you look closely (click the pic to enlarge) you'll see that the back of Matilde's dress features Matilde in a couple of other poses — those poses being the proposed covers for the first book, which I think is a neat trick for tying the covers together.

Also, after a quick chat to Allen & Unwin people today, there should also be a giveaway in the offing around publication date, so if you're interested in scoring a free copy, stay tuned.

And finally for today, I've had a few requests lately regarding getting a hold of a review copy of Shadow Bound. An early copy? I hear you ask. DEB, HOW CAN I GET AN EARLY COPY?

Let me tell you!

First, I, being the author, am not the best person to contact — Allen & Unwin have control and final say over review copies. So if you have a book blog, for example, or you review books in some other format, you should contact Allen & Unwin directly with your request.

Now, I can't promise that asking will automatically guarantee you a copy. Your best bet is to give them some evidence of the reach and/or potential impact on the market your review can have. I will say that A&U are a lovely and accommodating bunch of people, so you just might get lucky.

And people, did I mention that the light this morning was absolutely breathtaking? I didn't? Here, let me show you:

This afternoon, I lugged to the post office a ream of paper otherwise known as the proofs of Shadow Bound, and sent them on their merry way to Allen & Unwin. The proofs are dead, long live the proofs!

It's actually kinda sad, in a way, because this is the last I'll see of this book. It's now officially all grown up (or as grown up as it will ever be under my care) and now I'm shoving it out the door to face the big bad world. Here's hoping I taught her how to swing a punch and speak politely (not necessarily in that order) well enough to survive out there.

One of my last tasks was to come up with a glossary of all the characters. SQ and SB aren't that character-packed, but they are quite political books, and the shifting relationships between the characters inform a lot of the plot. So a glossary for the back of SB seemed a good idea, a handy index for readers who haven't (re-)devoured SQ immediately prior to getting their hands on SB.

Only every time I tried to construct the glossary, each and every entry turned out to be rife with spoilers. I kid you not. At one point, this was my glossary (spoilers redacted):

Matilde: Protagonist. Daughter of Luitger (deceased) and Laleh (deceased), grand-daughter of Beata. Much-put-upon.
Beata: Matilde's paternal grandmother; also has the memories of Matilde's maternal grandmother (Shadi) in her head. By SB she SLIGHT SPOILER.
Dieter: Husband of Matilde because SPOILER. Smug.
Helena: Daughter of Beata, sister of Luitger, and thus Matilde's aunt. She SPOILER.
Renatas: Son of Helena (deceased), and thus Matilde's cousin. Right annoying prat. He SPOILER.
Sidonius: Ilthean general and SPOILER.
Amalia: Dieter's younger sister. Passionate and SPOILER.
Roshi: Matilde's Skythe cousin on her mother's side. In SQ she SPOILER, and SPOILER, and SPOILER; in SB she SPOILER.

Isn't that the most helpful glossary ever?

I settled for a family tree instead. It seemed less fraught.

Deb vs Proofs, so far:

• One (1) paper cut gash, to Deb's right index finger
   
• Several (5+) stubs to Deb's big right toe, because she keeps catching it on the chair or the corner of the desk when turning to check something on one of the stacks of paper on the floor
   
• Three (3) separate instances of Deb being caught muttering to herself on public transport, causing irreparable damage to her facade of being (relatively) sane
   
• One (1) moment of soul-crushing despair, on discovering a seemingly unsolvable plot snarl
   
• Seven (7) nights of sleep deprivation, due to racing thoughts and the fact that proofs are, bet you didn't realise this, some kind of Lovecraftian horror what eats your brain
   
• ZERO (0) instances of seagull-singing!
   
• 473 pages full of little fixes: VANQUISHED

Huzzah! I think, technically speaking, the proofs are still ahead, given all the casualties they've inflicted on me. But I have slashed their innards with green ink, so at least I went down fighting.

There are still the big fixes to go, and when I mean big I mean like last night's effort — which involved 3 hours to fix a grand total of 5 pages. Oof. Word and page counts make fine and dandy targets, but they do not accurately reflect the thinking time that went into them. But I have all weekend to tackle said big fixes, which feels like glorious, copious quantities of time, so I'm quietly hopeful that I can do it without feeling too pressed by the deadline.

Now, did I miss anything interesting while I was buried in all those stacks of paper?