Gail Carriger

My darling Gentle Reader, I am full of news and blog posts and things. I am sorry I have been away so long.

Firstly I am delighted, honored, and all around chuffed to have made an appearance on Mur Lafferty's I Should Be Writing Podcast. This podcast was one of the very first I discovered, and Mur is often thought of as the queen of podcasting. I love this cast, and I really enjoyed her book, Playing for Keeps. It was one of the first things I bought with my advance.

There is also interview and contest action going on over at Number One Novels. Here is a sample:
NON: Finally, if you had to pick one author as your favorite, who would it be?
GC: I'm torn, but while Patricia McKillip wrote my favorite book (The Forgotten Beast of Eld) my favorite author has to be Tamora Pierce. When I was 8 her Song of the Lioness series changed my life.

Also Soulless has been chosen as one of Fandomania's 5 Best Books of 2009! And the Dirty Sexy Book Club has selected it for their January discussion on steampunk.

In less exciting news, I have moved. This was a long drawn out process that left me bereft of a closet for several days and using my father's decidedly indifferent computer. This was difficult for me as I define home as "the place where my shoes are in order and my desk is set up exactly right."

However, now the closet is blessedly completed and filled to bursting,

and I am riding the victory of having set up my first wireless router! (Well, with two friends-as-tech-support, but that was over the phone, so this still counts as me doing it, right?) This is a victory rather akin to Hannibal marching on Rome, an entirely unique experience quite probably never to be repeated until the Visigoths come a running. Normally, I am rather more like a minor and very downtrodden Roman province, entirely at technology's mercy. Of course, the router is currently strapped to a shelf with blue masking tape in an extremely precarious position because one of the cords wasn't long enough.

However, I am gloriously proud to say that I am blogging this on My Own Computer for the first time in a week. Veni, vidi, vici.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Pretty parasol-style umbrellas
Your Tisane of Smart:
That same issue of Realms of Fantasy (Dec. 2009) has a long a very well researched article on the appeal of vampires: Mad, Bad & Dangerous (sans oxford coma) by SatyrPhil Brucato (who I suppose can't be blamed for his name). It's worth checking out if you can get hold of the issue.

Your Writerly Tinctures:
Jim Hines on book signings.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Malin give a comprehensive review and adds, "Alexia is a very formidable and capable heroine, and I am already looking forward to reading her and the Earl of Woolsey's continued adventures in Changeless, which is released early next year."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book! However, Powell's has the correct blurb. Go Powells!
Blameless: Finished edits, back with betas.

Quote of the Day:
"Almost anyone can be an author; the business is to collect money and fame from this state of being."
~ A. A. Milne

I'm guest blogging today for Orbit.

A Very Alexia Christmas

Miss Tarabotti, as some of you may well know, is rather fond of comestibles. Thusly, the holiday season is one of great joy to her, from a food standpoint if nothing else. (The shopping, it must be admitted, she could very much do without. Her sisters are overly enthusiastic on the subject.) However, she has some tips for coping with the holidays Victorian-style.

Read more . . .



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Words cannot describe how amazing this dance piece is. I must have watched it about ten times since it appeared on TV last week. Truly, truly remarkable. I haven't been this struck by dance since I saw Lines live.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Seventeen wooden statues discovered in Peru
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Following my personal theme, a short story all about octopdes from Max Gladstone "Octopus Tanks." Thanks to alanajoli for the link.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Very nice review from Night Owl Romance. "My synopsis doesn’t do this delightful novel justice. How do you summarize a plot that is deceptively simple but in execution is a joy to read."

SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Finished edits, back with betas.

Quote of the Day:
"I'll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal."
~ Martha Harrison

Today's blog, Gentle Reader, is a bit of a housekeeping jaunt.

I neglected to put up pictures from my reading out in West Marin from about two months ago. So here are a few from that event. Thanks to all who came and all who asked questions and took pictures.

Also I have uploaded the character dossier that I created for the designer of the Soulless Paper Doll app, to my webpage.
If you are particularly interested in the outfits and backgrounds depicted in Soulless, you can see some of my inspiration in this pdf. It's pretty large, so it may take a little while to download. You can find it in the PEOPLE, PLACES, & PLOT section of my Alexia's London page.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Steampunk cameos.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Bookcase meet staircase

Your Writerly Tinctures:
Author generates buzz by having readers vote for which way story goes - PD Martin at Writer Unboxed

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Librarian weighs in, "Soulless is utterly charming. I am charmed."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Finished round 2 of edits, new scene written, off to betas soon I hope.

Quote of the Day:
Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says, "Dam!"
~ Tehs Interwebs

Nicole and I are doing a coblog today! Or I should say, our characters are. So exciting!
The first of the Tart Talks . . .


Today you are party to a conversation between Jane True, star of Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising, and Alexia Tarabotti, star of Soulless. Because Jane's very new to the publishing world, and her author is a bit distracted with finals, the good people at Orbit Books thought it a good idea if Alexia mentored Jane on the finer points of being an urban fantasy heroine. This is their first meeting and Jane is very nervous. She looks up to Alexia terribly, you see. And we all know what happens when Jane gets nervous . . .

Jane: Hi Alexia! Thanks for agreeing to speak with me. I know you’ve been super busy, and all. First off, can you tell me a bit about your world? I loved your book and I want to hear about it straight from you.

Alexia: That's very direct, my dear. Shouldn't we introduce ourselves? Then, perhaps, you can offer me tea. Then some social pleasantries, and after a short spate of time and familiarity we can discuss more indelicate matters, like the state of the world.

Jane: Ummmm . . . tea? Sorry . . . we’re more coffee drinks around here. How about coffee?

Alexia: Goodness gracious, are you Italian? You don't look Italian, and I should know. Thank you kindly but I hear coffee is very bad for the constitution.

Jane: Um, sure. Right. I’ll get tea for next time . . . In the meantime, no soul? Really?

Alexia: And how did you find about that, young lady? I thought the Bureau of Unnatural Registry had classified my preternatural status on a need to know basis. Do you have contacts in the British government? Well, I am under the impression, if you are aware of my soulless state that perhaps you should reveal a big dark secret to me. I've heard, although I hardly can believe it is true (true, oh dear, how droll) that you have some kind of mixed seal transformation capacity. I should never have believed such a thing possible. Is it like being a werewolf? What's the scientific basis for this body dimorphic dual form skill? And why a seal, it's not very, well, threatening, now is it?

Jane: Dude, you do know we share the same editor, right? So, like, I just asked her for your book and she gave it to me . . . so no need to go through your Bureau of Unnatural Acts with Sheep, or whatever you call it. And, my mom is the shape shifter. I’m just a halfling . . . but seals are totally tough! Have you seen one clap? Well they can crack a walnut between those flippers . . . think what they could do to a human skull! If it’s been weakened in some capacity, first . . .*shifts uncomfortably* Okay, let's start over. Umm . . . can you tell me what’s up with all the underwear?

Alexia: *sputters* Pardon? WHAT did you just ask? I shall entirely ignore that question, as it quite rightly deserves.

Jane: *shrugs* It’s just that you’re wearing a LOT of underwear. I mean, how do you pee?

Alexia: *silence*

Jane: Ohhh-kay . . . um . . . tea? Only tea? Really?

Alexia: You can think of a superior beverage? I highly doubt it. Have you ever had a really well prepared cup of tea? You'll forgive me if I suspect your dietary preferences, you are, after all, an American.

Jane: If, by “American,” you mean a preference for something other than jellied eels and fried Mars bars, than yes. I have American tastes. And speaking of tastes: Lord Macon. Hot. What is it about were-puppies that really get our petticoats in a twist?

Alexia: Hot? What is the implication of the term? Are we discussing the same Lord Maccon of my acquaintance? He is a loud, uncouth Scotsman, that is what he is. I fail to see the appeal, and I resent the implication.

Jane: *narrows her eyes, contemplating Alexia. Suddenly she smiles* Ohhhhh, I get it. You “resent” his “implication.” Yeah, you're totally not into him. Right. Let me guess . . . you just love him for his doggy style? *snickers*

Alexia: Pardon?

Jane: Come on, Allie! Werewolf? Doggy style? You HAVE to make lots of “doggy style” jokes? How could you resist?

Alexia: I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, Miss True. Are you quite certain you are still speaking the English language?

Jane: Okay, I get it, I get it! You’re at that stage where you aren’t comfortable talking about how you’re humping that puppy right back. It’s fine. But can I just ask you . . . how does Lord Maccon feel about “doggy style” jokes?

Alexia: I am beginning to suspect, young lady, that you are a rather impossible person. Have you met my friend, Lord Akeldama? I think you two would get along famously.

Jane: Dude, hook us up! I loved his . . . are those called codpieces? Whatever, they were saucy! In the mean time, I can hook you up with . . . um . . . how you do you feel about Snoop Dogg? *giggles*

Alexia: We are back to this language barrier, I'm afraid. Is it because you are an American, or do you ordinarily slip into a foreign tongue without warning?

Jane: Slipping the foreign tongue! I get it! You’re so crazy! Oh, and that parasol rocks. Where can I get one?

Alexia: You're a very forthright young woman, aren't you, Miss True? Yes, well, I believe I will soon be introduced to the source of all things parasol. Perhaps, I could send you a missive on the subject at a more apropos time? Not to be too déclassé but, given your current – how do I put this? – limited mode of dress, you may not have the necessary funds to afford such an Item. I do not mean any insult by this but, really, my dear, you appear to be wearing rather inadequate masculine attire. It's very odd. I can only suppose it is out of desperation, for which you are, of course, to be pitied.

Jane: *blinks down at herself* Oh, crap! There's a hole in my jeans! And they're not even that old. *sighs* Girl, I carry all my weight in my thighs, and seriously, I could start a fire with the chafing. That’s why I never wear corduroy. Talk about kindling! Not like you . . . your skirts would put that shit out before you even started smoking. Seriously, what’s up with all the underwear?

Alexia: Oh for goodness sake, next time we meet, I get to ask the questions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jane and Alexia will continue their discussions about tea, proper underclothing, and whether all werewolves need to be greeted with obligatory “doggy style” jokes in further posts on www.orbitbooks.net.

In the meantime, if you’d like to win a copy of BOTH Soulless and Tempest Rising, please dash over to Nicole's blog and answer the following question there: Tea? Or coffee?



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Words cannot describe how much I want this ridiculously overpriced chair. It's supposed to be super comfortable, but even better, jut look at it! This may be true love. This also may be my next advance purchase ~ after all, I spend a lot of time sitting in my office chair. . .

Your Tisane of Smart:
Website with a listing of the Jane Austen adaptations and links to youtubes of them!
Your Writerly Tinctures:
In which a new generation of writers actually talk about royalty statements. I genuinely thing this has something to do with my generation (the Xers) coming to the fore, who have a different take on the etiquette of talking about money and finances.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
John is a sucker for a woman wielding a parasol. "I've read a lot of urban fantasy. Soulless is easily, hands down one of the most original books that I've read in the genre."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book! PW for November 16, 2009 has a cover shot of Changeless and mentions my series in conjunction with the steampunk trend on pg. 20. "Steampunk titles are on the rise, especially given the buzz surrounding debut author Gail Carriger's recent fantasy, Soulless (Orbit, Oct.), billed as a "novel of werewolves, vampires, and parasols," which has tapped into a happy crossover audience of paranormal romance readers. Adn the publisher's Parasol Protectorate series continues in April with Changeless."
Blameless: Back from editor with edits still to do.

Quote of the Day:
"Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof."
~ James Russell Lowell

All sorts of excitement afoot, Gentle Reader. My cover designer informed me over the weekend that Soulless won a NY Book Show best of 2009 cover award, as did Nichole Peeler. Go Orbit, go, rah rah rah! I so happy for Lauren, she is amazing.

You can read all about how my cover came into existence (from my point of view) in this blog entry. The post for Orbit where Lauren talks about the Soulless cover launch is no longer available but here is my original response, and here she discusses Changeless. (Because I'm now paranoid I'm going to ghost this entry on my blog for posterity.)

Speaking of Changeless, here's a shot of the Orbit catalog layout for this second book in my series.

I haven't seen the final ARC yet, and I think we are going with a Lev Grosseman cover quote, but there it is.

I got my copy of said Orbit Spring/Summer catalog and in addition to a lovely spread, it looks like they've bumped the release of Blameless up a few months to September of 2010. Which means you'll get both books next year: Changeless in March and Blameless only a few short months later. Fun fun. You're excited, right? I know I am.

Lastly I have an extensive interview wherein I answer some reader questions over on RomCon. There's a pretty fun little discussion going there. Here's a sample . . .
Oo, this is fun. Michele ~ The umbrella/parasol on the cover of the first book is all artifice (so far as content is concerned), however, it did inspire a kind of steampunk 007 parasol in future books.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Victoria's Secret Goes All Steampunk courtesy of donnaricci

Your Tisane of Smart:
Evidence Alexander the Great Wasn't First at Alexandria
Your Writerly Tinctures:
BBC Woman's Hour recent segment on what's so alluring about vampires.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
An appropriately silly review won Amazon. "Begin with one generous portion of rigorous byzantine Victorian social mores. Whisk in a refreshingly unique heroine. Carefully add one irascible Scottish werewolf. Pepper with flamboyant undead, mad science and a hell of a mystery. Garnish with parasol. Serve at tea time."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Back from editor with edits still to do.

Quote of the Day:
"I've been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt."
~ Molly Ivins

New York Book Show 09 Winners!

- Lauren Panepinto - November 21st, 2009

The New York Book Show is an annual competition held by the Bookbinders’ Guild of New York, which is a professional publishing organization focusing on design & production of all kinds of trade, academic, and specialty books. It’s one of the few design competitions every year that focuses just on books, and I entered some of our Orbit titles from 2009.
The judging was just completed, and Soulless by Gail Carriger & Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler both won in the mass market paperback cover design category. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the cover designs, especially Donna Ricci, our model for Alexia Tarabotti & mistress of all things Steampunk Fashion, and Sharon Tancredi, the illustrator for Tempest Rising. Go Team!


This entry is ghosted from the Orbit site, here.

I've been voted Best Dressed in the First Novels Club's first blogger superlatives.

I have a guest blog up at Tee Morris's site all about the sexiness of steampunk. Please excuse the typos, I was late, it was tired. Or something.

Obviously, first and foremost, one word: corsets. There are a number of fine corsets (on the outside and underneath, worn by men and women) bumming about the steampunk scene. But as scrumptious as they are, there’s also . . .



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:

Your Tisane of Smart:
Remains of Minoan-style painting discovered during excavations of Canaanite palace (Assaf is an old prof of mine, how cool is that?)
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Lauren talks about author branding.


CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Speaking of sexy, Lord Akeldama makes a brief, though of course colorful, appearance on the Out of the Coffin Podcast #51.
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Back from editor with edits to do.

Quote of the Day:
"What is not good for the hive is not good for the bee."
~ Marcus Aurelius

I'm being interviewed over at Suburban Vampire also there is also a contest to win a copy of Soulless. Here's a sample.

CK: Were you a vampire and werewolf fan before embarking upon your own tales of creatures of the night?

GC: Not as such. I came at vampires via the appeal of the modern aesthetic (I do own my own pair of very nice fangs) combined with a literary interest in 1800s gothic fiction (unwisely nurtured in high school by a succession of deluded teachers): The Castle of Otranto, The Vampyre, The Monk, Fall of the House of Usher, and, of course, spoofs like Northanger Abby. I suppose you could say I found my bloody path the old-fashioned way.

Also, and I don't often do reviews in this section, but I thought this one was significant as it is a specifically YA focused review. Zombie Girl gives Soulless a PG13 rating, with which I entirely agree and has this to say: "I especially loved Alexia and Lord Maccon's bickering and Alexia's relationship with her best friend, Miss Hisselpenny."



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Thank you David Malki.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Shout out for the paper doll.
Your Writerly Tinctures:
How not to get an agent

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
One of my lovely twitter friends the young librarian says "I really loved it. I liked the multiple storytelling points of view, the mix of comedy, fantasy elements, steampunk elements, and romance."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Back from editor with edits to do.

Quote of the Day:
"It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them."
~ Isabel Colegate

Today I'm being featured in the debut corner of the Goodreads newsletter. We had a lovely little interview. Here's a sample:

Goodreads: Prudish Victorian society labels protagonist Alexia a "spinster" at age 26. Why this chaste time period for a feisty heroine like Alexia?

Gail Carriger: I think Alexia, given her stalwart character and undeniably acerbic wit, needs something to struggle against, and an entire societal framework is a good start.

And in more good Goodreads news, Felicia Day liked my book. How awesome is that?

There are 130 other reviews up as well. Yes, 130. Wow. Goodreads is kicking Amazon 67's proverbial arse.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
And more parasol art.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Emergency Tea Units.
Your Writerly Tinctures:
My dear friend Blake's very first author interview, he has a high concept fantasy coming out through Tor next February, and he is a total hoot.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Smexy Book review is all about the relationship. "The cast of characters in Soulless will have you smiling throughout. Add in a tender romance and a clever mystery, and Soulless has made its way to my keeper shelf."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Back from editor with edits to do.

Quote of the Day:
"I never had any doubts about my abilities. I knew I could write. I just had to figure out how to eat while doing this."
~ Cormac McCarthy

Being interviewed today over on Vampire Film Fest. Here's a sample:

VF: Any favorite vampires from lit, film, or TV?

GC: I don't think he really counts, but I love Dorian Gray. I have a real soft spot for Mina Murray in The League of Extraordinary Gentleman graphic novel series and I adore the character of Drusilla on Buffy. Not to sneak in werewolves, but I was turned to the furry side by Klause's brilliant YA novel Blood and Chocolate.

And, in leau of a proper blog (life, my dears, is hitting me hard) I give you one of my favorite recent blogs, all about how urban fantasy and paranormal books have headless people on their covers. The Curious Case of the Headless Heroine, Or the Torso Rides at Midnight



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Octopus keds.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Scots Aim Lasers at Landmarks
Your Writerly Tinctures:
All about attitude in query letters

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Book Buyer Anonymous has become obsessed. "Hijinx of the best kind ensue: espionage, flamboyant vampires, uninvited advances, and streetside groping, oh my!" And more from Goodreads & Powells.
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"I never want to see anyone, and I never want to go anywhere or do anything. I just want to write."
~ P. G. Wodehouse

The last day of World Fantasy was rather a recovery period. I tried, unsuccessfully, to kidnap my editor but we ended up eating breakfast at the hotel and mostly staring at each other dumbly with hangovers. After that, I double-checked the suite to make sure it was nice and clean (or as clean as possible after that kind of party), changed, and attended the World Fantasy Awards Banquet on Ken Scholes's arm. The food was delicious, the company excellent, and the speeches, blessedly, short. Can't ask for a nicer way to end a weekend. Except that I returned home to find the car unpacked and my darling mum vacuuming the living room. Best mum evah!

One last thing, the boys have begun calling me the Princess of Steampunk, I accept this accolade with all the pink frilliness it deserves, and will attempt to come up with an appropriate steampunk costume homage to She-ra as a result. But, I demand a tiara!

Oh and here's my business card round up:

• Maryelizabeth Hart from Mysterious Galaxy (happens to be my friend Bob's favorite bookshop. I grilled her about not having Soulless up to buy, because I wanted to link to as many independents as possible. She said it was now, and it is!
• Cliff who dances a mean swing.
• Michael McLaughlin who draws some awesome art.
• ElizaBeth Gilligan who told me about the Joys or Research Yahoo Group, I'm intrigued.
• Snow Glass Books all the way from Australia, hopefully I'll get to see them next year at World Con in Melbourne.
• Rare book dealer Books Upstairs.
• Andrew Michael Schwartz, author whose webpage doesn't appear to be working.
• The Shortbread Fiancé himself, Myke Cole (who needs a better webpage).
• Peter V. Brett, horrible enabler of drunken editors and embarrassing youtubes.
• Brent Weeks, fellow Orbit author and big time trouble.
• And last but not least, John Kilma of Hugo award winning Electric Velocipede, whom I have heard interviewed on Adventures in SciFi Publishing liked Soulless invited me to submit a short story. I thought my short story days were over, but if I have something that suits his taste I may just venture. Or perhaps I'll write a little ditty special about Alessandro & Floote, or Lyall, or even Lord Akeldama. We shall see . . .

Now, just in case you don't trust my opinion here are some others blogging about World Fantasy:
Donwong Song ~ editor at Orbit
Devi Pillai ~ my editor at Orbit
Lucienne Diver ~ agent extraordinaire and author fabulouso
Fellow author and dear friend Blake Charlton has another author perspective.


Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Sunday World Fantasy Awards Outfit

Your Tisane of Smart:
Roman-era cemetery uncovered near Hebron
Your Writerly Tinctures:
How Does an Author Gain Trust of His/Her Work?

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Kind thoughts from Pure Imagination Blog. "Gail Carriger has created new series that will have everyone hooked."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite."
~ G. K. Chesterton

The Great & Fateful Soulless Book Launch Party . . .

Massive party of doom! Spent the morning prepping deserts, heating savory puff pastry, last minute shopping, and picking flowers with my mamma. Marshaled the first wave of troops at 3 PM, packed car and headed over to hotel in caravan of three cars (for various logistical reasons), and commenced set up. Put team Cute Beams & Best Dressed Press on distribution lace froofroos and decorating, team Tunstell & Proxi Armenian Lover on booze, team Least Weasel on tea, team Mum on flowers, and team Professor Dufflesworth on general odd jobs. Around 6 PM the second wave arrived: Lor, Professor Lyall, Will, Katie, Chris, Kimmie, Ritchie, Nessa, Kitty, Britt, Ivy Hisselpenny, Captain Featherstonehaugh, & Melissa ~ and we had FOOD!

Food ~ Savory

• Fig & Onion Tart
• Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Bear Claws
• Roasted Red Pepper & Cheese Vine Squares
• Apples & Cheddar & Walnuts
• Petite Quiche Lorraine
• Petite Quiche Florentine
• Snodgrove's Delight Watercress Sandwiches
• Egg & Mayonnaise Sandwiches
• Cucumber Sandwiches
• Cheese & Chutney Sandwiches
• Cheddar Chive Scones with Spicy Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese
• Pickled Onions
• Mum's Special Scotch Eggs & Chutney
• Mushrooms stuffed with Spinach & Cheese & Dill & Walnut
• Ricotta & Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Croissants
• Escargot Brioche

Food ~ Sweet

• Assorted Cookies
• Quisnel's Candied Orange Peal
• Iced Homemade Shortbread
• Carmel Bordeaux
• Lemon Bars
• Swiss Almond Crunch
• Chocolate Bordeaux
• Swedish Ginger Snaps
• Treacle Tart
• Lemon Mint Turkish Delight
• Vanilla Meringues
• Mincemeat Tarts
• Lemon Turkish Delight
• Macaroons
• Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cups with Berry Clotted Cream
• Espresso Chip Squares with Coffee Mousse Layer Cake

Rach, Iz, Lor, Will, Katie, Kimmie, Nessa, Kitty & Melissa transformed themselves into my "staff" and worked their steampunk magic gliding about in Floote-like glory with tea and trays off food.

Chris took himself out into the Hallway to act as town crier. Britt began snapping photos. Phran became Locus Press in action.

Savi became the bionic bartending machine.


The four characters took on full measure of their personas, complete with flirting, chatting, accents, and meaty sandwich hidden in waiscoat pocket.

Everyone sang me "Happy Book Day" I warned them we'd get slammed around 10 PM. Door opened at 8 PM and . . . we were slammed. It was pretty much packed until around 10:30.

Some highlights:

• Jude offering to get me tape for my poster ~ Borderlands is like Floote, deadly useful.
• Tor editor Liz's steampunk outfit with its tiny gun that dropped down a little flag that said "STET."

• Phran's expression when she ate treacle tart for the first time. "Wow, this is deliciously disgusting!" "Now you know why it's funny in the book."
• Jack dragging me about to meet one important person after another, which was very reminiscent of BEA.

• Savi carding my editor. Editor's response: "Best party EVAH, I just got carded by an Armenian lover!"
• Brent Weeks and company torturing said editor with booze, pointed questions, and possible YouTube humiliation.

• Melissa receiving a marriage proposal over her amazing homemade shortbread, which earned said drunken coast guard the unenviable name of the "Shortbread Fiancé."

Yeah, it was a lovely party. There's a whole bunch more photos over on flickr. Here's Orbit's summation if you are hungry for more, and one of my fellow Orbit author's, the lovely Mr. Bennett also has some very nice things to say. (No, Austen fans, not that Mr. Bennett.)



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Book Launch Party Outfit

Your Tisane of Smart:
Remains of 1,000 people recovered at medieval site
Your Writerly Tinctures:
A different POV on agent hunting

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Short a sweet from Reed Now Sleep later "What I can enjoy is this new stake-and-crumpets Victorian steampunk series: The Parasol Protectorate."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"Stupidity is no excuse of not thinking."
~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Spent the morning recovering from the parties from the night before and getting a Marcel Wave in my hair (ah la Annie Lennox). After that I liaised up with J. Daniel Sawyer my date for the evening (and the producer of the most excellent audio of the first chapter of Soulless).



Headed off to the Orbit cocktail party wherein I ran into many fantastic people including a whole host of fellow Orbit authors, a number of agents, and, of course, the suspiciously dapper Orbit team (who were very much "in da house" including Tim, Devi, Donwong, Jack, & Alex).


Dan, self, Alex.

Returned to the hotel and went to the signing room to hang out with Ken. Only signed 3 books, but got photographed with a goat and tortured fans by switching name cards with Ken. "Why Mr. Scholes you're not quite the man you were yesterday." It's the little things.



Then went for a very brief swan about the party floor, visited both TOR and Locus. The highlight was running into Lee Modesitt who actually liked my book. I had not exactly thought him my demographic.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Friday Orbit Cocktail Party Outfit

Your Tisane of Smart:
Youngest Moche noble yet at Sipán site in Peru.
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Tips for aspiring writers

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
All About Romance reviews Soulless. "The charms of the book lie in the author’s steampunk Victorian London (dirigible rides above the city are all the crack) and the detailed, but never info-dumpy way that she builds it; wickedly smart dialogue; highly likable primary characters and satisfying secondary ones; and a story that moves along nicely. All good. Really good."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork."
~ Peter de Vries

So much to tell about World Fantasy. Usually, I try to blog during a con but this one hit me broadside. I spent the days madly editing the Third Book and the evenings swanning about the parties. I shall try to relay all relevant details, so much as my brain, fogged with four days of booze, minimal sleep, and small talk can recall. Please be patient with me, I'm not as young as I once was.

Wednesday morning I scooped up the lovely Ken Scholes from the airport. He landed early and shamed me by working on his book before I even got there (we both had #3 due at World Fantasy) ~ an industrious gentleman our Mr. Scholes. We headed off for breakfast and then hit the shopping big time ~ I had a massive list for the party on Saturday. Ken, I would just like to say, is a booze-finding machine.

We returned around tea time, changed, switched cars, and headed into San Francisco early for the Borderlands authorfest signing. "Early" because I was afraid there would be Bay Bridge fall out. The fall out happened to be that no one else was driving in that part of SF, so we arrived very early. Valencia Street was playing host not only to our little event but to a TV shoot and a suicide attempt. It was swarming with constabulary. (Not because of the SF/F authors mind you. Can you just picture that? Oh no! Borderlands will be lousy with fantasy authors ~ quick call the SFPD!) We consumed some delightful Thai food and then joined the madness of multiple authors and wine. I stuck a tiny drinks parasol in my hair and it was all downhill from there.

Next morning I hit the keypad and finished the third book, emailed it off to my editor without a final proof. (Very, very risky given my spelling propensities). Then headed in for a TV interview with Kimball Johnson of Pixel Media for a possible program. Francesca Myman from Locus and the infamous Jeff VanderMeer met me, we signed obscure paperwork, and then sat and chatted in front of cameras. After that I caffeinated myself at the bar and met first Travis Heermann & then John Grace of Brilliance Audio. John distinguished himself as my first pro fan! Unfortunately, I had to dash off to Blake's reading, after which he and I meandered around together gossiping.

Bar seemed slammed and so I nipped home to eat, watch Project Runway, and change, because one pair of stilettos was paining me and I needed a different pair, which meant had to alter the whole outfit to match. I returned to the convention with all intentions of hitting the party floor, only to run into the rowdy Jabberwocky crowd at the bar (Eddie may just possibly be the most adorable agent in NY). Briefly met Brent Weeks (more on that good gentleman later), got stalled there talking to Peter V. Brett, and ended up being harassed by the Coast Guard.


Look at me, I'm hating life.

Escaped evil clutches of Jabberwocky for the party floor, where Blake and I made the rounds and finished the evening sitting on the couch in the Con Suite with two TOR editors at our feet ~ can't ask more than that.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
WF Thursday Night Parties

Your Tisane of Smart:
Lady of Pacopampa: A woman born to rule in Peru
Your Writerly Tinctures:
All about bizarre love triangles.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Lovely little review from Dargie. "It's a well-balanced story that never takes itself too awfully seriously."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"There's no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California who couldn't write."
~ Terry Pratchett

Gentle Reader, please pardon the blog lags. I'm still coping with post too much booze, too little sleep, too much shop talk, and too little exercise ~ AKA World Fantasy Fall Out.

Soulless makes Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2009!



But, for a quick catch up, I have finished and turned in the third book! It was dodgy going there for a while, then Ken Scholes came into town with his third book due the same day and the two of us had a mini-competition which did the trick and got me in on time. The man is also, for an ex-Baptist minister, one dab hand down the liquor store.

Also I have been made a winner of the One Lovely Blog Award from Ooh Books. So nice, thank you.
I am supposed to pass it on to 15 other people, yes 15, but I'm lazy so my loveliness stops here.

In other news, I'm an Apple App!

More on World Fantasy the rest of this week.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Irregular Choice Shoes


Your Tisane of Smart:
Uncanny Archaeology
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Top Independent Bookstores on Twitter

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
More reviews on Librarything.
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book.
Blameless: Handed in!

Quote of the Day:
"Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position."
~ Stephen King

So my book launch party occurs next Saturday, Gentle Reader. It's a Victorian High Tea at World Fantasy on Halloween night (you see my reasoning?). Since that is mostly what is occupying my thoughts these days, you get the dubious pleasure of electronically watching the madness.

1. First on the agenda: select staff. In my case this involved calling in the big guns: my proxi Armenian lover (a professional bartender) and a brewmaster of my acquaintance. Doesn't hurt that both of them are very easy on the eyes.
2. Negotiate with said bartender over the acceptability of plastic glasses. No he cannot actually light anything on fire.
3. Come up with a list of drinks - well, you know, aside from tea.
4. Insist on Baileys, Advocate, Sheridan's, and Amaretto - because they are the only things I can think of that taste good in tea.
5. Come up with the following Soulless booze menu:

• Red Coat - gin + cranberry
• Silver Bullet - gin + tonic + tripplesec
• Wooden Stake - rum + orange + cranberry
• Ivy's Hat - blue c + grenadine + white rum + soda + lime + maraschino cherry
• Pink Slurp - blood (Blackberry Cordial) & champagne
• Deadly Parasol - gin + rum + grenadine + cranberry + tiny parasol

Rest briefly on laurels, or should that be, float briefly on fumes?



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:

Your Tisane of Smart:
High risk biscuit peril study causes British government to recognize threat inherent in cookies!
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Publisher-Dating Dictionary

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
SF Revu reviews! "Soulless is a wonderful quirky mix of Victorian Era etiquette, steampunk, urban fantasy, mystery, and romance." & "Personally, I loved the voice of this novel."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now back with many edits & freaking me out.

Quote of the Day:
"The first thing in the human personality that dissolves in alcohol is dignity."
~ Author Unknown

One of my favorite guest blogs so far has gone live, Gentle Reader, in which I describe to Dani Kollin my experience first seeing my book on a shelf. Here's a sample:
A day or so later I was out shopping with a couple of girlfriends, as you do. We were consuming those Vietnamese beverages with the black tapioca in them, affectionately referred to by me as "Drinks with Stuff!" This process, three shopping females plus drinkies, involves much chittering and slurping and sideways perambulations. And thus engaged, we wandered by a Borders.
"Ooo," says I, "can we go in and see if they have my book?"

Podcast interview up at Writing Habits. Poor Adam was really dedicated to this interview, he called me all the way from England and was sick at the time. He's an utter doll and I had a lovely time chatting with him, as you can probably tell from the interview. Why are podcasters so cool?

Speaking of which, there's going to be some kind of massive podcaster tweetup get together Thingy the Monday after Halloween weekend here in the South Bay, because both Pip and Tee are in town for World Fantasy plus the resident mess of Dan and Chris, and possibly Sigler and others of fame and standing. I, horrible little fan-girl hanger-on that I am, will be there too, only late after classes. If you are a podcaster or are a listener, you should try to come for the event...
Katie Bloom's Irish Pub in Campbell, CA
Mon, Nov 2, evening (prob 7-7:30ish)



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
More Ivy-esk hats


Your Tisane of Smart:
5000-year-old tombs under study in Malta
Your Writerly Tinctures:
The Turkey City Lexicon

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
Waiting for Fairies gives me 4.5 stars. "Soulless is a head-whirling blend of paranormal romance, steampunk, urban fantasy, mystery and adventure. It’s not a vampire story. Or a werewolf story. Or a love story. It’s not a scientific adventure or a murder mystery. It is all these things – while gently poking fun at all of them – and I firmly believe that without all of these elements the story would not work."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now back with many edits & freaking me out.

Quote of the Day:
"When my horse is running good, I don't stop to give him sugar."
~ William Faulkner

Interview and review over on Elitist Book Reviews by my friend Nick. He's an adorable putz, who asks some rather off-beat questions. Such as:
In continuing our habit of asking authors to throw humility to the wayside, we would like to invite you cast off the shackles of humility and tell us why you're fantastic.

Sigh. Impossible child.

But I am sure you are here, Gentle Reader, to learn about the 5 contest winners!

Here is what I did, I assigned everyone a number based on their actual entry (as opposed to some other form of comment) once received and filed in my email (comments were auto forwarded) from both blogs (LJ & blogspot) and a few direct email entries. I numbered these sequentially by date, oldest to youngest, then wrote numbers on raffle tickets (because I'm the kind of person that just happens to have these lying around) and pulled five from a hat.

The numbers were: (drum roll please) . . .

• 2: xd0nn4x
• 12: goodwinsgal
• 26: Hope (paper relics)
• 49: Perla
• 62: babbleprise

The winners have been contacted via email for the necessary information required for further action. Book 2 ARCs are not yet printed, but they are first on my list for when they come in, don't worry.

Thanks to everyone who participated, I promise there will be more cool contests in future!



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
More steampunky cakes!
Your Tisane of Smart:
Penn archaeologist recreates ancient brews.
Your Writerly Tinctures:
All about the things writers do outside their comfort zones.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
The Book Smugglers have a mixed take.
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now back with many edits & freaking me out.

Quote of the Day:
The spelling of a word: 1386 magyk, 1390 magique, 1490 magyque, 1590 magicke, 1642 magick, 1776 magic

I'm so darn busy, Gentle Reader, for the next few weeks I'm wondering how I will find time for tea! No, seriously.

However, my virtual self has managed to get ahead of myself, as it were. I'm guest blogging at VampChix. Here's a sample:
Vampires are awkward. No really, they are. Let me try to explain what I mean. I'm sure you are all used to thinking of vampires as dark, handsome, swaggering, sexy, mysterious, and sometimes sparkly. But really, in the end, they're kind of the socially challenged of the supernatural world.

Now I'm sure you are all wondering about the contest. I promise I will pull the winner today and post it tomorrow. Check back then!



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Home movie shot at Disney Land in 1956.
Your Tisane of Smart:
A 200,000-Year-Old Cut of Meat
Your Writerly Tinctures:
StoryCorps Podcast 135: Page Turners, two short stories about the power of librarians. Fabulous.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
DearAuthor gives me a B-. Still, not unkind. "The worldbuilding was extremely robust and given in small, telling details as well as broader strokes."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now with third beta.

Quote of the Day:
"It's a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word."
~ Andrew Jackson

Before I tell you the story, Gentle Reader, one last reminder I'm running a contest to win much cool loot. It ends this Sunday. And now, on to The Call.

I'd written two and a half books in a YA fantasy trilogy and had been trying to sell the first for about six years. There'd been a little traction here and there, mostly from publishers (as opposed to agents), but hope was slim. I'd sold two small education fiction readers to the Australian market in the meantime, the second of which went south in such a way as to make me Very Very Wary of the publishing industry. And a small handful of shorts had found homes in varying markets with varying success.

Essentially, I was still waiting for that Call, but I hadn't any hope. So I gave myself six months to switch gears, write something completely different, and send it out. Told my friends I was breaking the rules, I was writing for the market as I saw it in two years multi-genre including steampunk, and if it worked I'd turn myself from artist to artisan. Soulless was the result. I sent it out as a stand alone in its fourth draft (usually nothing of mine sees the light of day until after draft ten at least) I figured it might as well work for me while I worked on it. I expected to wait. I expected to wait a long, long time.

An editor called me within two months (2!) and left a voicemail on my repulsive little cell phone. Two months Soulless had been floating the black hole before getting scooped out of slush, after ten years of waiting.

I was sitting in my favorite coffee house. They'd seen me through a lot – mostly caffeinated beverages, frustrated silences, and mountains of student essays. They are the kind of coffee house that boasts vegan cupcakes, uncomfortable chairs, and pierced baristas with sour expressions. They knew my name but they always said it as though they were doing me a favor. But after two years in Italy I don't care about attitude if the coffee is good, and by good I mean Italian, none of that French burn-the-beans-into-submission mumbo-jumbo.

My voicemail buzzed at me. My repulsive phone has a will of its own on the subject of whether it will ring, or just send calls to voicemail and notify me a few hours or days later.

I listened. The editor was the senior editor at big house, an sf/f house, a house that published most of my favorite fantasy. The editor called Soulless charming. (This is a word I was to become very familiar with.) I went white as a sheet. I walked out of the back of the coffee house and bounced around. A lot. There might have been squealing but I refuse to admit to it. I took a number of deep breaths. And then I started to panic.

Two months later I had an agent, a negotiation, and a treatment for a second book. It would be over a year before I signed an actual book contract, but that's a whole other story.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
New nail style I love.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Threadbanger has a pretty cool tutorial on how to make your own top hat. In this case, it's intended for a Mad Hatter Halloween costume, but I was thinking it could be adapted easily for steampunk.

Your Writerly Tinctures:
FTC is now telling Amateur Bloggers to disclose that they’ve gotten free review copies or ARCs or face fines.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
On the nightstand review. I don’t really think I’ve ever come across a book quite as quotable as Soulless, and right from the start it had me in a combination of giggles and 'oh, I’m so going to have to remember that line."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now with third beta.

Quote of the Day:
"People on the outside think there's something magical about writing, that you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the morning with a story, but it isn't like that. You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and that's all there is to it."
~ Harlan Ellison