Remember that grumpy Amazon review I groused about a few weeks ago? The one in which the reviewer consistently misspelled the name of a major character?

Someone posted in the review comments that they had been on the fence about buying Endgame, but the review convinced them to take the plunge. Seems that said review, which was pretty spoilerific, indicated that the story had veered in a direction the commenter had wanted it to go, but had been afraid it wouldn't.

Guess I should just leave them alone to do their little thing. Reviews.

Urban fantasy author Jackie Kessler puts a unique spin on the author-author interview--she has the protagonist of her Hell on Earth series, former succubus/current stripper Jezebel, interview the authors' protagonists instead.

Herein forthwith etc etc

A short interview on SciFi Wire.

Thanks to johnjosephadams for the interview!

A couple of reader reviews so far, this one from chris_gerrib and Jeri.

Both remarkably spoiler-free...which is more than I can say for the Klausner review.

ENDGAME's been Klausnered.

chris_gerrib was one of the ten readers who snagged an advance copy of ENDGAME from Eos for review purposes, and his review is here. He seems to have liked it. Could be spoilery, depending, so be warned.

My editor emailed me to let me know that I received some good coverage in the October issue of Romantic Times, which features sf/f authors. Very happy to hear it. Thanks to Jack Womack, Eos' dandy publicity guy.

I have a book coming out next month. Life having been what it was, I haven't been able to say that for quite some time.

The weather is gorgeous, 60s and windy and sunny. A few of the sugar maples are starting to turn. I've been hearing Canadas fly over the past few mornings. It's getting to be about that time.

King is still shedding like a shedding thing. I got out the shedding rake and gave him another good brushing tonight, since hair that is removed outside is hair that will not remove itself inside.

One funny thing about King is that he doesn't seem to like it when I remove his collar. When I do, he stands even closer than he usually does, and when I hold it out, he puts his head right in it. I blame his fear of being abandoned in a parking lot, which I told him repeatedly would never be an issue if he would stop chewing on the cedar chest and eating the straps of my clogs. This reasoning, however, doesn't seem to make a dent. No adding two and two for this dog. Math is not a talent.

eosblog is looking for 10 folks to read/review ENDGAME:

"If you're interested, send an email to eosbooks@harpercollins.com with your name and address."

US readers only, unfortunately.

Courtesy of Harpercollins.

I tried to embed the code in my LJ profile, but it didn't work. Maybe I'll try again, seeing as it's working here.

I think this is very neat.

I have a cold. It's not a bad cold, but it's there. Scratchy/sore throat. Some sneezing. Nose running a bit. Just worn down enough so that run of the mill stuff requires a little effort. Throat's at the grabby stage, where the tickle's enough to drive you crazy, which usually means we're on the downside. Here's hoping I'm ok by Monday. Here's hoping I'm ok sooner than that, because every time I cough, King has to rush over and find out why I made that sound. A muffled cough must mean something else in Dog because every time he hears it, it's as though it's the first time. It gets his attention.

ENDGAME galleys arrived a couple of days ago. They are indeed quite spiff. Page proofs have been gone over and pages with errors shipped off to Eos. (EDIT: many thanks to the proofreader. these pages were in much better shape. Minor slips, including one sentence fragment that slipped under everyone's radar for months, mine included)

That means I'm well and truly done with this one. I can work on other things with a clear head. Set up the office wireless. Clean the office. Clean the linen closet. Make a big pot o' veggie chili.

I made scones yesterday. Summer Berry Scones, the recipe courtesy of the Dannon Vanilla Yogurt container.

( Image behind the cut as a mercy to uninterested friends )

ENDGAME, along with yours truly, will be featured in Romantic Times' upcoming SF/F issue. Very happy about this. We likes crossover opportunities, oh yes we does.

A question for folks who have had contests...how do you set them up, and what types of contests do you have? Questions about past works? Best answer to a hypothetical question (What would Jani do...?)

Any info appreciated.

My editor informed me today that the ENDGAME galleys arrived at her office. They are apparently quite spiff, and I should have my copies shortly.

I'm considering giving a copy away in some sort of contest, but I've no clue as to what sort of contest it should be. I need to think...

My turn!

The artist is Chris McGrath. I think I may have mentioned before that I love this image.

(You can see a bigger version if you click on it)

Cloudy today. Foggy.

I unlocked the garage this morning. Walked inside, and grazed over top of something with my shoe. Looked down, and saw something that at first looked like a fist-sized wad of dried grass or mud or both.

Then I took a closer look, and saw the rounded, eyeballed, footed nature of the thing. It was a toad, all clenched up and very dehydrated--skin dull, a little cobwebby. We've had a couple of warm days, and if it was stuck in the garage even overnight, it saw some temps in the 70s and more importantly, No Water.

I nudged it with my foot, and it barely moved--one front leg/arm was drawn up underneath, and its eyes were half-closed. I muttered some thanks that I hadn't actually stepped on the poor thing, and scrounged for a plastic dustpan. Scooped up Mr/Ms Toad and took it out to the backyard tap. Dripped the hose for a bit to soak the ground, then set down Toad in the midst of the wet. It responded, moving a little. I left it to start the car and get the papers--by the time I got back, it looked better. Still hadn't moved much, but had extended the tucked-in front leg. Skin looked darker/glossier, and it did seem perkier. Fingers crossed that it rehydrates and stays the heck out of the garage. I also hope that it doesn't do what some of its brethren like to do, which is jump into the dogs' water dish, then float helplessly because they can't find the traction/foothold to jump out.

In the I-Did-It-To-Myself Dept., I told Madame Agent that I would have the Gideon proposal to her before I left for Wiscon. Two weeks--should be plenty of time for three chapters and a synopsis, right?

::crickets::

In the Victory-Is-Mine Dept., a friend who listened to my complaints about the ENDGAME copyedits, specifically the exception CE took to the term "charge-station", let me know that he attended a presentation on the new Tesla Roadster, an all electric sports car. Apparently there is a device that you install in the you install in your garage to recharge the vehicle. You know what that device is called?

A "charge station".

*sniff*

I forwarded info to Mme Editor and Mme Assistant. Mme Editor dubbed it 'karma'. Mme. Assistant was happy.

No further comment necessary, methinks.

Should be spending lunchtime going over copyedits one last time, but I'm giving my brain a break. Tonight will be a one-last-run-through-whilst-I-copy extravaganza.

You reach the point where mentally, you throw in the towel. I think the book is in good shape. I think the timelines and locations have enough internal slop--very important, internal slop--that one can argue that they're Just Fine. There are scenes I could tweak until the cows come home. Words and phrases used a bit too often, although no one seems to have noticed but me.

That being said, the characters wind up the way I wanted them to. The story ends the way I wanted it to--I like vast stretches of it, and enjoyed rereading it. I've packed its little bag. Tonight I'll type up the list of emergency phone numbers, and ask for the 27th time if it has enough money and knows how to get where it's going. Tomorrow, I drop it off at the station, and wave goodbye.

I eschew dialogue tags whenever possible. I feel that more often then not, they're unnecessary.

Apparently not everyone feels that way.

...a copyedited manuscript, due on or before 4/27. I have my special Col-Erase color pencils, recommended by barbarienne, which are the Office Supplies of the Moment (see pbray's recent post). My manuscript was copyedited electronically, so it doesn't appear to matter what color pencil I use to mark my edits. I may go with something like blue or purple, which are dark and show up well.

In addition, on this (unanticipated) copyediting weekend:

1 battery-operated pencil sharpener
tape flags
Get hold of CE reference sheet
Have all four previous books in series within easy reach for checking purposes
Add salt to list of caffeine/chocolate/alcohol. Go grocery shopping before starting CE

Must buy Post-it notes.

In other news, Mme Editor sent me the rough draft of the ENDGAME cover and Oh Holy Mother, is it lovely. It's killing me that I have to sit on it for a while. The title lettering is copper instead of the blue-grey that was mentioned previously, and it shows up very well. Folks in Mme Editor's office have apparently been raving. Raving is Good. Long May Everyone Rave.

It's a dandy cover.

I think anyone who reads this group knows that ENDGAME was a difficult book to write. I thought I had nailed the first submission draft, but Editor begged to differ. I stared at the damned thing for a month and a half after I received the official revision letter, finally dragged myself out of the mental doldrums in January, and rewrote the *&(^%$#@ thing in a month and a half. Hoped I'd nailed it, but wasn't sure. Asked Julie Czerneda to read it because she'd read the first draft and had agreed with my editor on several points.

Well, she read it. She liked it. Her blurb will read something like: '"Endgame is that rare gem, a science fiction thriller with big ideas and consequences, told through passionate, unforgettable characters. You won't be able to put it down. - Julie E. Czerneda, author of Reap the Wild Wind'

( just shameless )

*****************

So, I thrilled Julie. According to Madame Editor's post-read email, I made her tear up. I'm two-for-two.

Nothing's better, really. I live for this.

It's worth it for me, too.

The latest, greatest, all-over-but-the-copyedits versions of chapters 1 and 2 of ENDGAME are posted on my website. I've also included a section from the first draft, which was edited out thanks to the change in plot course. It's in Torin's POV, which is now an ex-POV. Writing can be cruel that way.

Note--icon made with the permission of the artist, Chris McGrath.