The publishing industry has not been able to escape the consequences of the financial crisis and slow-down of the economy. As a prospective author, I keep tabs on what is going on and have found the following posts to be very informative.
Literary Agent Nathan Bransford has a good overview of what is going on and the easiest solution: Buy New Books!
Moonrat of the Editorial Ass blog has an even more detailed explanation of what’s going on.
So I’ve been meaning to follow their advice and buy books, but being that is November and National Novel Writing Month, I have been trying to avoid temptation. But Borders had a buy 1, get 1 50% off sale earlier this week and I couldn’t resist. I bought four books that are not all on my to be read list once NaNo is over.
These are the books I bought in my effort to single handedly help save the publishing industry:
Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn
Shinn is one of my favorite authors and I usually by everything (adult) that she writes. I promise that I will look into her young-adult fiction soon. This is another book in the Twelve Houses series, which started with Mystic and Rider, about a country wracked with internal division focusing on magic users, called Mystics. Great fantasy with a hefty dose of romance.
Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
Curse Tor and their free e-book giveaways! Earlier this year Tor gave away a free copy of the first book in this series and as was their intention, hooked me! I’m excited to see how the characters will dig themselves out of the hole that they have found themselves in. Great plot twists in this series.
Risen Empire: Succession By Scott Westerfeld
I read Westerfeld’s young adult series with Uglies, Pretties and Specials, which had great world building and truly human characters. I am excited to read the first in his adult science fiction series. I read somewhere that it’s great space opera.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks By E. Lockhart
This I mainly bought because it was recommended on her blog by a young adult author that I enjoy, Ally Carter. It was also nominated for a National Book Award in the young adult category. The jacket copy intrigued me, so I decided to go ahead and get it. And the cover is pretty awesome too!
So, once my own new novel is finished, I’ll have plenty to read!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Theater, Theater and More Theater
It's been a long time... Recently, my main activity outside of writing and work has been theater. I'm about to start rehearsals for my 4th show of 2008. It's a record! I've never done more than three shows in a calendar year before (and that was back in 2002 when I wasn't really working).
It's sometimes hard to do show while working full-time, especially when tech week rolls around, but it's always worth it, not only for the excitement of performing and the pride of a job well done, but for the friendships that are made (or renewed), the learning experiences and, of course, the chance to sing.
It is true that at times my writing/revising output may fall while doing shows. But during this time, while doing three shows, I finished a complete, from scratch, beginning to end rewrite of my very 1st novel Reluctant Mage and I'm almost through my 1st edit before I get beta readers to try it out.
In general, I'm always happier when I'm busy. The semester when I received the highest gpa in undergrad was one where I took 22 credit (including two for accompanying a musical). I was incredibly busy, but also happy--and more productive in everything that I did. The fact that I was dating someone helped keep me busy and happy, but it's definitely the busyness and feeling productive that more consistently contributes to my well-being. Guys are so unreliable, you know. Obviously, you can't depend on them to help make you happy. :-)
Anyway, I'm thrilled to be a part of The Sound of Music with Rockville Musical Theater, directed by Duane Monahan, who directed me in Nine. I'm a nun, so I'll get to do a lot of choral numbers--in latin!--which reminds me of college, so I'm excited about that.
So here's to a busy and productive and delightful fall.
It's sometimes hard to do show while working full-time, especially when tech week rolls around, but it's always worth it, not only for the excitement of performing and the pride of a job well done, but for the friendships that are made (or renewed), the learning experiences and, of course, the chance to sing.
It is true that at times my writing/revising output may fall while doing shows. But during this time, while doing three shows, I finished a complete, from scratch, beginning to end rewrite of my very 1st novel Reluctant Mage and I'm almost through my 1st edit before I get beta readers to try it out.
In general, I'm always happier when I'm busy. The semester when I received the highest gpa in undergrad was one where I took 22 credit (including two for accompanying a musical). I was incredibly busy, but also happy--and more productive in everything that I did. The fact that I was dating someone helped keep me busy and happy, but it's definitely the busyness and feeling productive that more consistently contributes to my well-being. Guys are so unreliable, you know. Obviously, you can't depend on them to help make you happy. :-)
Anyway, I'm thrilled to be a part of The Sound of Music with Rockville Musical Theater, directed by Duane Monahan, who directed me in Nine. I'm a nun, so I'll get to do a lot of choral numbers--in latin!--which reminds me of college, so I'm excited about that.
So here's to a busy and productive and delightful fall.
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