Category: Shameless Self-Promotion

Five Minutes of Fame

Locus arrived today, and I find that Carousel Sun, by Sharon Lee, has landed the coveted fourth place (out of a possible five) in the Trade Paperback Bestseller List.  Thanks to everyone who made this possible!

While I was in town, I stopped at Framemakers and picked up the framed cover painting of Carousel Seas, which is out of reason gorgeous.  If I manage to get it hung up with its sisters this afternoon, I’ll post a picture of the entire happy family.

And that’s what’s doin’ in East Winslow.

Hope your Tuesday is swell.

Quick reminders, with teddy bear and coon cats

I’m back from the dentist, where Minou the fur-coat-bear* was a Big Hit.  I did not take the Valium before the appointment, though I had it with me, In Case.  As it turned out, I didn’t need it; the appointment was Very Brief — a matter of grinding down about four teeth and polishing everything to a high shine.  The recommended braces being out of the question, this ends the current Dental Adventure.  I do need to see the hygienist again in another three months, but I expect to have positive news, then.

So that.

Reminders:

1.  There’s a new Liaden story up at Splinter Universe, the title is “Roving Gambler,” and it’s set on Surebleak.  Here’s your link.

2.  An oldie-but-goodie.  The following is a reprint of a post made in this blog in November of 2013.  We have not changed our minds.

Don’t write and post fan fiction of our work.

The following is Lee and Miller specific, and it has been our stance for more than a decade.  It’s not new, and it’s not a secret.  Other writers have other stances and opinions.  When in doubt — ask.

I know it’s a popular belief among many of the fan-fiction community that fan fiction does not hurt the parent work, that it provides much-needed publicity to the parent work, that it does not infringe the copyright or trademark of the parent work, and that the authors of the parent work can’t stop it, anyway.

Three of these four beliefs are just that — beliefs.  They can no more be proven than can our belief that fan fiction materially harms the parent work — especially a parent work which is still evolving — provides no useful publicity, and does, indeed, infringe on the copyright and the trademark of the parent work.  Note that we are talking about our own works here — see disclaimer, above.

To the fourth point, that authors are powerless to prevent fan fiction authors from ficcing whatever they want to — that’s perfectly true.  Common courtesy would seem to dictate that the wishes of the author of the parent work be respected, however.  So, we would ask for common courtesy.

3.  For those who have friends that they need to addict to the Liaden Universe®, the ebook editions of Agent of Change and Fledgling are available as free! downloads from All of the Usual Suspects.  I think you know what to do.

. . .and that’s it.  I would like to point out that I have three coon cats in my office as I type this, all of them projecting Professional Level Sleep Rays.  And that my writing goal on the day is at least 2,000 words.

Right, then.  More coffee.

See y’all later.

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*Minou is actually constructed from an old fur coat.  There was a woman in Winslow who was making fur-coat-bears and selling them through Back Door to the Moon, the local Pagan shop.  BDttM is long gone, and I don’t know what outlet, if any, there now is for fur-coat-bears.  Minou was a Yule gift to me from Steve.

In which the author looks for guidance in goofing off some more

I’ve been seeing a lot of squee about Winter Soldier, and! it so happens that I still have two matinee admissions left on my Flagship Cinema gift card.  I’m drawn to the squee, but. . .not Cap’s biggest fan here, so I’m torn.  Have you seen Winter Soldier?  What did you like about it (as reasonably as you can without spoilers)?  Do you think there’s enough Other Stuff/Characters to carry the movie for someone who’s lukewarm (at best) on Captain America?

In other, completely unrelated news, the blurb for Carousel Seas is now up at Amazon — here’s the link — from which we learn, among other things, that Carousel Sun is/was a National Bestseller, according, I’m thinking, to Bookscan.  Which is nice to know.

In that same vein, and for those who did not read it elsewhere, Liaden Universe® Constellation Volume 2 appeared in the Locus Bestseller List for Trade Paperbacks reported in the April issue, at Number Two, just behind Fahrenheit 451.

Thank you all, because we surely couldn’t have achieved either of those list without you.

Here at the Cat Farm, it’s warm again, and sunny, but we’re not going to the ocean.  I’ve done the dishes, and groomed the cats, and other Sunday chore sorts of things and in a couple minutes, I’ll be turning off the intertubes and getting down to work.

Hope y’all are having an enjoyable weekend.

 

And not only that!

Steve reminds me that today! is Book Day for the mass market edition of Necessity’s Child!

So, those who’ve read/listened to previous editions, you want to tell people who may have been hanging back, not sure that they want to read a book that’s not in the “main line” why they should give Necessity’s Child a chance?  No spoilers, please.

Go!

Sale! Sale!

Edited to add:  I’ve been on the road most of the day, so am just picking this back up now.  I regret that I did not know this morning that the sale, below, is only for existing Audible customers.

But, wait! That’s not all!  Thanks to diligent legwork done by a Friend of Liad while I was off driving up and down Maine, it appears that even if you are an existing Audible customer, the sale website may not be working properly.  Which is to say, you may find that the $4.95 book you placed in your shopping basket is showing up as a $24.95 item.  However, for you, there is a fix.

Contact an Audible Rep via the Chat button, or by calling, and explain the problem, which is known.  You should still be able to get the book at the sale price if you call in the problem before the end of the sale — February 19.

Sorry for all the confusion and next time I’ll try to make sure that the duck under the table Is Too in line before I make an announcement.

Agent of Change only $4.95 at Audible NOW: http://t.co/G0yit2OH09

Pass it on!

This is the Book of the Century (by which I mean the 20th Century); the book of which Goodreads reviewers variously said:

FIVE STARS
This is the best book I’ve ever read, and my go-to book if life is getting me down.

Lee and Miller have amazing storytelling skills, and the Liaden Universe is wonderfully detailed. Not only does the plot have depth, but the characters and settings do, too. I literally could not put this book down the first time I read it, and I’ve read it so many times I had to get an electronic version: my book is falling apart!

It’s easy to get so involved with the characters that one is eager to follow them from book to book, and Lee and Miller do not disappoint. There are several novels in the Liaden Universe, and I recommend them all.

I read this book as part of “Partners in Necessity”, and I think that’s a great book to start with.

ONE STAR
This series had hundreds of rave reviews and 5-star ratings and is billed as a science fiction adventure story. It seemed to have such a cult following it had to be worth a try. In fact, it’s just a romance and not a very sophisticated one. Even though I’m not a fan of romances, I’ve read enough decent ones to know this isn’t one of them. I just found the whole thing rather silly. Good thing it was free.

If you want a romance, find a better one. And if you want a science fiction adventure there’s nothing here for you.

. . .and hundreds of other things.

So, if you haven’t tried the Liaden Universe® yet, and you need something new to listen to during that long commute, something  surprising and quirky — here’s your chance to get in on the ground floor at a Very Reasonable Price.

And remember!  Agent of Change and Fledgling are available as free ebooks in Kindle format at Amazon and in every ebook flavor known to man from the Baen Free Library!

Let’s Dance

Today! is the Official Release Day of the trade paper edition of Carousel Sun, by Sharon Lee, the second in what Baen is calling the Carousel series. This means that the folks who waited patiently through eArc and electronic releases now get their turn.  Sun may be purchased anywhere paper books are sold.  If it’s not on the shelf, don’t be shy: ask the bookstore to order it in!

And remember!  If you’d like a signed copy, your source; your single source, is Uncle Hugo.

Carousel Seas, the final book in the Carousel Trilogy, is due to be published early next year in Fall 2014.

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In other bookish news, we hear from a Reliable Source that Trade Secret hit the Number One slot in the Locus Bestseller Hardcover List for November 2013, reported in the February 2014 issue.  Thank you all!

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And, just to give you a little taste of what’s coming in Carousel Seas, here’s a sneak peek at the cover art:

Carousel Seas
Cover art for Carousel Seas, by Sharon Lee, to be published Fall 2014
Art by Eric Williams

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So, that’s two FOUR reasons to dance!  Who has more?

Again with the award stuff

You say that you’re not eligible to vote for this year’s Hugo Awards, but want to make sure your favorite book/story/movie/fanzine of 2013 and/or your favorite editor/artist is brought to the attention of those who can/will vote?  You’re in luck!

Lady Business is collecting suggestions in a spreadsheet, here.  Note that the tabs for novel, novella, novelette, &c are at the bottom of the page.

Also, Book Smugglers has published their list of favorites, and comments are open to those who want to share their own favorites, here.

Full disclosure: Lee and Miller have five works eligible for Hugo (and Nebula) consideration. They are:

Novel: Necessity’s Child, Trade Secret
Novelette: Eleutherios, Moon’s Honor
Short Story: Out of True

The live links may be read for free.

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In other news, the cold I’ve been pushing away for the last couple days has come roaring back with a vengeance.

I’ll be on the couch.