Fangs, Fur, & Fey

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:16:16 GMT

NEW RELEASES:

Anna, Vivi The Bewitching Hour
Ashwood, Sharon Scorched
Gay, Kelly The Better Part of Darkness
Meding, Kelly Three Days to Dead
Myles, Jill Gentlemen Prefer Succubi
Smith, Kathryn Dark Side of Dawn

NEWS:

- German publisher Egmont/Lynx picked up Vicious Circle, Hallowed Circle and Fatal Circle by Linda Robertson for publication. Vicious Circle is availble in the US now, and Hallowed will be available in January 2010, with Fatal Circle following in July 2010. (Not sure what the German schedule is.) I also just signed the contract to do a fourth book, Arcane Circle.

- Jill Myles is happy to announce that Gentlemen Prefer Succubi finally drops on December 29th! From the back of the book:

Jackie Brighton woke up in a dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her breasts grew overnight, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her first one-night stand ever . . . with a fallen angel.Of course, she only remembers gorgeous Noah’s enormous, er, package. And their steamy shower sex. Hmm . . . and the dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a seductive Itch.
With help from Noah and fellow succubus Remy Summore, Jackie adapts to her new lifestyle—until she accidentally strikes a deal that sends her lover into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands Jackie, Remy, and the queen’s wickedly hot right-hand man into the middle of a fierce battle for an ancient halo.
But how’s a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy’s so hard to resist?
Book 2, Succubi Like It Hot, drops a few weeks later on January 19th. Jill is also happy to report that Book 3 has been sold to Pocket Books, along with a forthcoming new paranormal romance series.

For more information on the books, a sample chapter, and a book trailer, visit Jill's website at http://www.jillmyles.com.

- Kimberly Frost is delighted to report that BARELY BEWITCHED, the second book in her Southern Witch series, is a national bestseller. For excerpts and a calendar of guest blog events where you can win a copy of the first book in the series, WOULD-BE WITCH, visit Kimberly's website: www.FrostFiction.com

- Devon Monk sold her steampunk-western-werewolf-zombie love story novels DEAD MAN'S MOON and STRANGE HUNT to Roc. In the in the steampunk America of the 1800's where strange creatures, machines, and magic aim to claim the same scrap of land and sky, sometimes all a man can count on is his honor, his word, and his
claws.

- Kelly Gay writing as Kelly Keaton sold DARKNESS BECOMES HER, (GODS & MONSTERS, Books 1 & 2), in which a hardened teen on the run searches for the truth about her monstrous heritage with a group of misfit kids in a post-apocalyptic New Orleans, a city state now run by the creatures of the night, to Simon Pulse for publication in Spring 2011.

And...

Kelly announces the next title and release date in the Charlie Madigan series: THE DARKEST EDGE OF DAWN (Aug. 31, 2010). The first book, THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS, released November 24, 2009.

- Bree Despain's debut YA paranormal romance, THE DARK DIVINE, hits shelves December 22nd--but in the meantime, The Romantic Times is previewing the first six chapters of the book on their blog. They will be posting a new chapter each week between November 16th and December 21st. Every post also includes insider tidbits from the author about the writing of each chapter, and opportunities to win signed hard-copies of THE DARK DIVINE and custom TDD nail polish. You can check out the RT blog here to read the nstallments: http://www.romantictimes.com/news_blog.php And in case you missed the first chapter on the 16th, you can read it here: http://www.breedespain.com/TDDsneakpeak.html

Bree Despain's paranormal romance THE DARK DIVINE was chosen as a Teen Read selection on the American Booksellers Association's Indie Next List for winter. http://news.bookweb.org/features/7162.html

EXTRAS:

- SCORCHED by Sharon Ashwood -- available from Signet Eclipse December 1, 2009
December Romantic Times Top Pick!
Welcome to the Castle. The price of admission is your soul.

Ex-detective Macmillan always had a taste for bad girls, but his last lover really took the cake—and his humanity. Now half-demon, Mac's lost his friends, his family and his job.

But Constance, a strangely innocent vampire trapped in the supernatural Castle prison, needs his help. Her son has been kidnapped, so suddenly Mac has a case to work—one that embroils him with a mad sorcerer, an even madder city council, and a winged love god. The trail leads deep into the supernatural prison, and Mac soon learns that cracking the case will cost him his last scrap of his humanity.

Fiery, vulnerable Constance will do anything for those she loves, including Mac. He'll be damned if he turns his back on her… and a demon forever if he doesn't.

Read an Excerpt here: http://www.sharonashwood.com/scorched-excerpt.php

Send a free ecard to help an animal in need of veterinary care! http://www.sharonashwood.com/gvac.php

Harlequin Ho--I mean, Horizons...

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:32:34 GMT

Cross-posting this from my blog:

Others have already posted on the controversial "Harlequin Horizons" situation--many more eloquently than I can probably manage--but I still think this is such a critically important issue that the more people who get the word out there, the better. First, a little background for those who don't know. Harlequin Enterprises Limited (AKA HQE) is one of THE major publishers worldwide, predominantly producing books that appeal strongly to women. Many know them for their various lines of category (or series) romance novels and tons of aspiring authors submit to them hoping to be the next writer whose manuscript is picked up out of the "slush" pile.

Which is exactly what Harlequin Horizons (HHO)--or should I say, its parent company, media conglomerate Torstar--is banking on.

Just a few days ago, HQE started bombarding the world with announcements that it had "teamed up" with infamous vanity publisher, Author Solutions, to form Harlequin Horizons, a new "imprint" for aspiring romance authors to use should they choose to self-publish. Only problem is, the option HHO provides is most emphatically not self-publishing. It is, pure and simply, vanity publishing.

So, what the heck is the difference between the two? Good question. According to Writer Beware, a volunteer outfit dedicated to author education and protection, a vanity publisher is one that "prints and binds a book at the author’s sole expense. Costs include the publisher’s profit and overhead, so vanity publishing is usually a good deal more expensive than self-publishing." (http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/vanity/) Due to the ever-evolving landscape of vanity publishers hoping to cash in on aspiring writers by practicing sneakier and sneakier tactics, Writer Beware actually updated its description of vanity publishers to include:

"A vanity publisher relies on its authors as its main source of income–whether by charging fees for publication or other services, or requiring authors to buy or pre-sell their own books. It often presents itself as a publisher (sometimes claiming to be a “traditional” publisher and concealing its fees) rather than a self-publishing service, claiming to be selective despite employing little meaningful quality screening. Adjunct services (editing, marketing, and/or distribution) are generally minimal or of dubious value. A vanity publisher claims various rights by contract, and owns the ISBN and the completed books, which remain in the publisher’s possession until sold. Payment to the author is in the form of a royalty."

Self-publishing, on the other hand, may require the author to bear all costs of printing as well, but there the similarities pretty much end. Writer Beware describes it thus:

"However, rather than paying for a pre-set package of services, the author puts those services together himself. Because every aspect of the process can be out to bid, self-publishing can be much more cost effective than vanity publishing; it can also result in a higher-quality product. All rights, the ISBN, and completed books are owned by the author, who keeps all proceeds from sales."

The core difference between the two, then, is that with vanity publishing, the vanity publisher retains control over the publishing process, including profits and payment to the author. In self-publishing, however, the author retains complete control over the entire process from start to finish, and also reaps 100% of the profits once the publishing costs have been taken care of. With vanity publishers, on the other hand, the publisher is controlling how much of the profits the author actually sees on the back end.

Which is exactly the case with Harlequin's new so-called "self-publishing" imprint, Harlequin Horizons. Not only is HHO charging exorbitant fees to publish (or should I say print), editor, or market (and yes, those last two will cost you extra--a LOT extra) an author's books, it will also hold on to all profits except for 50% of the net profits, which it will "generously" forward on to the author as royalty payments. This tidbit according to statements released by Harlequin representatives (not to mention the HHO website).

Let me explain why this quite simply sucks for the author. First, it's important to understand how author payments are typically calculated in the publishing industry. Major "traditional" publishers often pay their authors a percentage on the cover price of the book. This is exactly what authors should hold out for. Paying on the net, on the other hand, means that the publisher calculates an author's percentage not on the cover price, but on whatever net profits the publisher makes on the book--AFTER deducting any discounts given to booksellers.

Wait, you say, discounts--what discounts??? The way the publishing industry currently works is that publishers give retailers and wholesalers a significant discount on books, usually anywhere from 40-60%. Let's do the fictional math for my debut urban fantasy, Red Hot Fury, coming out in summer, 2010. Amazon.com lists the cover price for the paperback as $7.99. Let's say my royalty rate per book is right in the middle of the average--8%. My cut per book if paid on the cover price (once I earn out the advance my fabulous publisher paid me and start earning royalties) would be approximately 64 cents. Now, doing the math based on royalties on the net, we come up with a much lower number. We'll take the middle-of-the-road discount of 50%, which takes my cover price from $7.99 to just under $4.00, slashing my 8% cut in half to 32 cents. Ouch. That's a significant difference.

Career-minded authors--like me!--should never stand for having their take-home pay slashed by 50%. Especially in a supposed self-publishing venture where already paid all costs associated with publishing the book. True self-publishing ventures result in 100% of the profits going straight to the person in control of the entire process: the author.

I can say with wholehearted enthusiasm that I would never in a million years recommend HHO's current business model for any aspiring author. True self-publishing has its place and can be an awesome option for certain authors--especially non-fiction experts or niche writers. But a particularly-expensive, thinly-veiled vanity publisher is not one I would recommend.

Aspiring authors should always keep in mind Yog's Law, formulated by SF author James D. Macdonald, staunch author advocate: Money flows to the author. Not away. Always.

Professional authors receive rejections--both before and after making their first sales. Receiving a rejection isn't personal. It just means something about the submitted manuscript didn't work for a particular agent or editor at a particular time. Whether because the writing isn't quite up to snuff, the story just didn't float that person's boat, or the editor just bought a book similar to yours--doesn't mean you should give up. Keep writing, keep learning the craft, and keep submitting. Remember that publishing is a business, and a subjective one. Just because one agent or editor tells you no doesn't mean that all will. And just because this book didn't result in an agent or editor offer doesn't mean the next one won't.

Even if you still decide that self-publishing is a viable option for you, there are much better-priced options, such as Lulu, that will allow you to retain control of the process. Just remember that most vanity and self-published books sell an average of 75-100 copies. Maybe you'll beat that average--but maybe you won't.

Either way, knowledge is key. Make sure you educate yourself and go into any publishing venture with eyes wide open. Remember, a vanity-publishing venture that calls itself a self-publishing venture and has a powerhouse publishing company behind it is still a vanity publisher at heart. If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and sounds like a duck, it's still a duck even if it calls itself a swan.

And when it comes to Harlequin Horizons as it currently stands, I just have one thing to say. Quack, quack, baby!!!

Squee! Good News!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:35:03 GMT

Happy Friday everyone!

I’m so excited—I’ve got TWO big news-bits to tell—and I have to share NOW so I can get back to my “happy dancing” so I can settle in for the java and get to work .

First, I just signed the contract for the fourth installment of Persephone Alcmedi’s story! It will be called Arcane Circle. WOO-HOO!

Second, somehow my publisher Simon & Schuster/Pocket/Juno has acted in that vast labyrinth known as Publishing-Things-that-Happen-though-I-Don’t-Understand-How and sold foreign rights of the first three Persephone books to a German publisher. How do you say “Groovy!” in German?

C’mon, Happy Dance with me! And have a FANTASTIC weekend!

FFF anniversary contest WINNERS!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:43:45 GMT

Thanks so much to everyone who entered, blogged about, or otherwise spread the word about the Fangs, Fur, and Fey Happy 3-year blog Anniversary contest. We had 633 contest entries, but I know everyone’s anxious to learn who won what, so I’ll get right to it.

For the Grand Prize winner of a Kindle , Randomizer was consulted and this is what it said:

Research Randomizer Results

1 Set of 1 Unique Numbers Per Set
Range: From 1 to 633 -- Unsorted

Set #1:

113

Entry number 113 was…Emma Faulkner! Congrats, Emma! Look for an email from FFF shortly about your winning Kindle.

As you know, there are twenty-two other prizes still to be awarded, each prize a gift card in the amount of $20.00 from either Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Books-A-Million, or Powells (winner picks which retailer), so Randomizer was once again consulted. After removing winning #113 (and her second entry w/blog post link where she mentioned the contest) that left 631 possible entrants. Randomizer was once again consulted and this is what it said:

Research Randomizer Results

1 Set of 22 Unique Numbers Per Set
Range: From 1 to 631 -- Sorted from Least to Greatest

Set #1:

3, 11, 36, 92, 115, 137, 149, 156, 262, 264, 303, 306, 333, 378, 395, 423, 486, 505, 542, 553, 559, 615

Those winning entries turned out to be: Jacqueline (lady dashti), Vickie Ames, Salom T., Al Fidance, Cara Fisher, Jackie Smith, Keira Gillett, Belinda Bullock, Pam Rivera, Sarah Schultz, Debbie Grey, Karen Alderman, Shell Bryce, Van Pham, Roger Simmons, Linda Mahoney, Mireyah Wolfe, Ellen Million, Lindsay Robbins, Lisa Brettschneider, Rinda Elliott, and Arlene Medder.

Congrats, each of you has won a $20.00 gift card! Look for an email from FFF shortly regarding which retailer you would like your gift card from (see list above)

Again, thanks so much to everyone who participated, and Happy Anniversary, Fangs, Fur, and Fey!

Members

Last reminder for FFF Happy Anniversary contest!

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:05:14 GMT

CONTEST ENDS on the 13th, so if you haven't entered yet, time is running out!

Fangs, Fur, and Fey is holding a Happy 3-year blog Anniversary contest!

Here are the prizes:

Grand Prize - One (1) lucky winner will receive a Kindle Reader, retailing for $259.00, more info here: ( http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Reading-Display-International-Generation/dp/B0015T963C/ref=sr_tr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1256770824&sr=8-1 ).

Other prizes - Twenty-two (22) lucky winners will receive a gift card in the amount of $20.00 from one of these five book retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-A-Million, or Powell's - winner's choice which.

Contest Rules: All you have to do to enter is email your name and a shipping address to fangsfurandfey AT yahoo DOT com. Only one entry per person allowed, UNLESS...

If you blog about the contest and link back to this post, send a second email with the link showing where you blogged about it. Any double-entry without a link enclosed that shows where you blogged about the contest will be deleted.

Contest started October 30th and will close on Friday, November 13th, at 11:59 pm Eastern time.

Contest restrictions: Because we don't know all the various international laws (and thus don't want to get in trouble for breaking any), contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. Any contest winners who cannot provide a US/Canadian shipping address will be disqualified and a new winner drawn. FFF members are also not eligible to enter the contest.

ALL WINNERS WILL BE PICKED RANDOMLY BY COMPUTER ( http://www.randomizer.org/ ). Odds of winning are based on number of entries. No purchase of any kind necessary for entry. Email/shipping addresses are only accessible by the two prize coordinators.

Good luck, and Happy Anniversary, Fangs, Fur, and Fey!

FFF Members

Topic of the Week - An Army of One

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:01:31 GMT

In honor of Veterans Day/Remembrance Day, I came up with a new topic (last year we discussed weaponry). How do we portray the military (and other large governmental units) in urban fantasy?

In traditional/epic fantasy, fighting wars is usually considered a noble deed. Oftentimes, the alternative is annihilation of the heroes' people, their home, and All Things Good.

But as in other matters of morality, war is more ambiguous in urban fantasy than it is in traditional fantasy. Good and evil aren't always clearly delineated in our contemporary times, right?

With its emphasis on the individual, does urban fantasy often portray large units such as the military and government agencies as the Big Bad? Are they more likely to be the thing to escape than the thing to join?

The shadowy super secret agency is, let's admit it, a staple of urban fantasy. Even when the hero or heroine allies with it, he or she is often frustrated by bureaucracy and incompetence. And then there are those conspiracies...

Or am I wrong? Are there examples in urban fantasy of the military and/or other government agencies doing good? Are there veteran characters who aren't bitter about their time in uniform? What about career servicemen and -women or lifelong bureaucrats? Are they automatically portrayed as brainwashed, or can we see them as serving something larger than themselves?

Feel free to broaden the topic as you share your thoughts in the comments. As always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to participate.

Have a great week!

New Urban Fantasy comic up at Zuda Comics

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:54:13 GMT

Hello all. I had some news I wanted to share in the November newsletter, but due to the timing (we couldn't announce it anywhere 'til 11/2), I couldn't share my news there. If it's okay with everyone, I'd love to share it here, especially for people interested in new ways of publishing and how editors deal with slush.

First, the big news: a comic I created with artist Niki Smith, “In Maps and Legends,” is live on the Zuda Comics site!

Zuda is the online comics line from DC Comics, the same folks who brought us Batman, Superman, the Sandman, Justice League, Wonder Woman, and countless other amazing characters and stories.

Zuda offers an interesting twist on how comics are chosen to be published.

Sort of like “American Idol,” readers get to choose their favorite. So over the course of November, anyone can read “In Maps and Legends” and VOTE. Right now we're at #1, which I think is quite awesome for an urban fantasy story with a strong female protagonist like ours.

Just log into the site after you create a user ID, read all ten comics (we have some amazing competition), and click the VOTE button for just one comic — the one you think is the best.

Hope you click over and read the opening pages, because if you read to page 8 of our comic, we totally leave you with one doozy of a cliffhanger!

Here’s a quick tutorial on voting at the Zuda site (the site’s a little daunting the first few times you visit). And here's a fun behind-the-scenes look at how we created the opening page of the comic.

Thanks!

Michael Jasper (and artist Niki Smith)

Still Available From October!

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:37:16 GMT

The following FFF titles released in October and were submitted by FFF members for showcasing on the blog sidebar. They're still out there, so it's not too late to pick up copies for yourself or someone else.

To see the November releases (as submitted by the authors), check out the updated FFF sidebar.

Happy Reading!

S. J. Day

Tension vs. scares

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:53:25 GMT

I just read a review that panned an upcoming movie but reluctantly admitted "it had a couple good jump-cut scares." Because I'm currently working on a monster fight scene, that comment made me wonder about creating -- and experiencing -- terrifying moments in words.

I consider Dean Koontz one of the best at creating on-the-page terror. Whenenver I sit down with one of his books, I block out an entire afternoon so that I can 1.) finish in one sitting, and 2.) finish before the sun goes down. His stories are wonderful examples, I think, of breakneck pacing and high-ratcheted tension.

A Koontz story can amp up my blood pressure and make me dread, but even he has never made me jump out of my blue Snuggie.

On the other hand, fuzzy puppies leaping unexpectedly across a YouTube video will make me shriek.

I'm inclined to think a jump-cut experience can't be created on the page because you can't force the timing on the experience. A reader's eye will move onto the next sentence when she's good and ready, and the mental processes required for reading will undermine the emotional response. Maybe the human imagination -- no matter how rich and varied -- can never quite give us the visceral thrill of even the cheapest visual stimulus which bypasses the frontal lobe of the neocortex and goes straight to the freaked-out monkey limbic system.

Have you ever read a passage that literally made you jump? Please share. If not, what's the next best thing you've read for wordly scares?

Topic of the Week/Month - Do Not Go Gently into that Big Sleep

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:58:28 GMT

(Dylan Thomas + Raymond Chandler = subject line win)

Happy Belated Halloween! I hope everyone''s holiday was safe, fun, and spooky (not necessarily in that order).

As you might know, today and yesterday mark many cultures' observance of the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos), which made me think of a weighty topic we've never discussed, one of life's two inevitables (the other being taxes).

Or is it inevitable? In fantasy literature, death is not always a one-way trip. Characters can be resurrected by any number of means and are often transformed into something more powerful than what they were before.

*resists urge to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars*

Is that the case in your books? Is death permanent, or is it a gateway to a better or worse life? In your worlds, what factors decide who lives and who dies? How do your characters cope with this transition? How does it change them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?

If writing and reading can be a form of therapy, does urban fantasy help us wrestle with our fear of death, by having it occasionally be optional, but also by showing us that there are worse fates? Does urban fantasy "tame" death by making it ever-present? Is death even one of the best sources of comedy?

As always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to share in the comments. Note: since this is such a complex topic, Members, please feel free to share your thoughts in a separate post if you prefer.

Have a great week!

--Jeri Smith-Ready

NaNoWriMo, Anyone?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:42:31 GMT

I'm getting ready for National Novel Writing Month. I've stocked the kitchen with leftover Halloween candy, cleaned out my office, and have a shiny new journal ready. The challenge is to write 50,000 words in the month of November, and it goes quickly!

I'm going to be working on the sequel to DARK ORACLE (writing as Alayna Williams, in case anyone wants a buddy over at NaNoWriMo!). It's about a criminal profiler who uses Tarot cards to solve crimes, with a nice dollop of X-Files science fiction intrigue. DARK ORACLE was last year's NaNoWriMo book, so it seemed only fitting to do the sequel this year.

Anybody else doing NaNoWriMo this year, and want to motivate and/or commiserate? If so, what are you working on?

-Laura Bickle

Fangs, Fur, and Fey Happy 3 Year Anniversary contest!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:38:34 GMT

As everyone knows, tomorrow is Halloween. What most people might not know is that September 27th marked the three year blog anniversary of Fangs, Fur, and Fey. Yes, we're a little late in celebrating that anniversary, but we have a way to make up for it that we hope you like :).

Fangs, Fur, and Fey is holding Happy 3-year FFF Anniversary contest!

Here are the prizes:

Grand Prize - One (1) lucky winner will receive a Kindle Reader, retailing for $259.00, more info here: ( http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Reading-Display-International-Generation/dp/B0015T963C/ref=sr_tr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1256770824&sr=8-1 ).

Contest Rules: All you have to do to enter is email your name and a shipping address to fangsfurandfey AT yahoo DOT com. Only one entry per person allowed, UNLESS...

Contest starts today, October 30th, and will close on Friday, November 13th, at 11:59 pm Eastern time.

ALL WINNERS WILL BE PICKED RANDOMLY BY COMPUTER ( http://www.randomizer.org/ ). Odds of winning are based on number of entries. No purchase of any kind necessary for entry. Email/shipping addresses are only accessible by the two prize coordinators.

Good luck, and Happy Anniversary, Fangs, Fur, and Fey!

FFF Members

A Game of Telephone

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:07:02 GMT

So today on Twitter, I confessed the following: "My cell phone has been uncharged since August when I visited my agent, Laura Bradford, in San Diego. Now it's charged up again, but I had to Google how to turn it on." People seemed to find that super-amusing.

That makes me sound like some kind of Luddite, I know. But the truth is, I just hate the phone. I adore computers, both laptop and desktop. I love how much faster I can do my work. (I wrote my first novel on a typewriter at age 15, and before that, I was scribbling stories in spiral notebooks. I know some people disagree, but for me technology allows me to work better and faster. I'm all about that excellent efficiency: no offense to anyone who still prefers longhand.) Someone made the joke that Laura had cut me off from the phone because I must use it too much.

Well, actually... no. The charger went missing and I couldn't be bothered to locate one until yesterday. I did manage to scrounge one up in our drawer of orphan cords, and so my phone is powered up for the first time in over two months. I don't like the land line any better. Eve Silver said we must be twins separated at birth because she hates the phone too. And she's not the first writer I've heard espouse this opinion. Shiloh Walker is also a phone hater.

First, let me articulate my somewhat Victorian stance on phone calls. When someone calls me without prior arrangement, it presumes I will stop whatever I am doing and handle their needs right then. I find that rude, and I opine they should email me first to arrange a mutually convenient time. That way, we are assured nobody is inconvenienced and we can enjoy the conversation. I will almost never dial anyone up without doing so. Recently I did it with my agent on a Sunday, and I feel like a total heel, but she had pinged with news about my Razorland sale, then she disappeared off the 'net. There was just no way my meager self-control could permit me to wait until Monday. I had to call, but I felt awful over it, sort of needy and cringing, but it was absolutely irresistible. Prior to that, it had been years since I rang anyone up without notice. Additionally, I find the phone is less than ideal for me because I can organize my thoughts better in writing. There's an intimacy to it that seems strange to me. You mean just anyone can dial me up? Really? How bizarre is that!

So these things in mind, I decided it would be fun to take everyone's temperature on the telephone so I can find out if phone-hating is a writerly thing, (maybe we all tend toward the reclusive?) or if it's just personal preference.

So how do you guys feel about random phone calls? Are you all big-time chatter or would you prefer to do all your talking on IM and email?.

November Newsletter!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:49:41 GMT

Just in time for Halloween, some great reads from your favorite FF&F authors. We hope you all have a fabulous All Hallow's Eve!

NEW RELEASES:

Francis, Diana Pharaoh -- Bitter Night: A Horngate Witches Book

Galenorn, Yasmine (along with: Laurell K. Hamilton, Marjorie Liu, Sharon Shinn) -- Never After

Gay, Kelly – The Better Part of Darkness

Kessler, Jackie -- The Road to Hell (mass market reissue)

Lima, Maria – Blood Kin (book 3 of Blood Lines series)

Monk, Devon -- Magic in the Shadows

APPEARANCES:

- Kathryn Smith will be signing copies of the Brotherhood of the Blood series @ Borders, Southbury, CT on Oct 31^st 1-3 pm.

- Jeri Smith-Ready will be at Windycon science fiction/fantasy convention in Lombard, IL (Chicago area) November 13-15. The theme for this year's Windycon is Steampunk. For more info, visit http://www.windycon.org , and for Jeri's panel, reading, and autographing schedule, visit http://www.jerismithready.com/news/ .

NEWS:

- Join debut Urban Fantasy authors Kelly Gay (The Better Part of Darkness) and Kelly Meding (Three Days to Dead) for a month-long release celebration. Stop by their blogs on November 1st (http://kellygay.blogspot.com or http://chaostitan.blogspot.com ) for information on giveaways, interviews, and a quiz! They'll be giving away several signed copies of their upcoming releases, as well as other prizes.

- Check out Diana Pharaoh Francis' new book: Bitter Night. www.dianapfrancis.com

Bitter Night is the story of a woman who gets transformed against her will into a powerful magical predator and is enslaved into the bargain. She’s been fighting against her chains for years, and now she’s got to decide what’s more important—her freedom, or joining forces with the witch who made her in order to save their friends. Because the Guardians of the earth have decided that humanity has encroached too far; magic is suffocating and soon there will be none left, and all the magical creatures of the world will die with it. So they have decided to go to war. They’ve summoned all the witches to serve as generals in their army and when Max’s witch refuses, Max has to decide if revenge is what she wants most.

What others are saying about Bitter Night:

- “High-energy, gritty…will keep action fans coming back for book after book.”
—Publishers Weekly

- “Ms. Francis sends urban fantasy on its head in this fast-paced, dynamic story. Loved it, could not put it down. Unusual and terrific.”
—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hunting Ground

- Laura Bickle has a new pseudonym and new books! Dark Oracle, by Alayna Williams, will be released as the first of a series by Pocket-Juno Books in June, 2010:

Tara Sheridan swore off criminal profiling years ago. By combining Tarot card divination with her own intuition, she narrowly escaped the grasp of a serial killer who left her scarred for life. She put down her cards and withdrew from work and society. Now, an ancient secret society connected to the mythic Delphic Oracle, asks Tara to find a missing scientist who has unlocked the destructive secrets of dark energy.

More information about Dark Oracle can be found at: www.alaynawilliams.com

- The Anna Strong Series by Jeanne C. Stein has been picked up by Audible Books. No release date info, yet.

Topic of the Week - It's just a jump to the left

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:05:10 GMT

Springing off a question from this past June about how much time passes in our novels, and just having started Book 2 in a series, I came up with a Topic of the Week question on my very own:

How much time passes between novels in your series? Is there a typical span, or does it vary widely? Do you write cliffhangers, where the next book picks up mid-scene a moment after (or even a moment before) the last book ended? If a lot of time has passed, how do you gracefully insert the between-book events into the text without sounding like a news report? (Or do you use the time-honored tactic of an actual news report?) Do you ever skip to the next generation?

Readers, what's your take on the above question? Do you prefer short periods between books or long? Cliffhangers? Next-Gen books?

As always, Members and Watchers are encouraged to leave their thoughts in the comments.

Have a great week, and have a phenomenal Halloween!

--Jeri Smith-Ready

Topic of the Week - You're Still the One

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:45:44 GMT

Hey everyone! Thanks for your patience while I took a rare vacation last week. Now I'm all refreshed 'n' stuff and better able to meet your Topic of the Week needs.

This week, mskiara asks a very good question:

I can't think of a single urban fantasy story that portrays their protagonist in a committed relationship that actually lasts. My first thought was of females, but I thought about it and the males are really in the same boat. Sure, there are a handful that have characters in relationships for a book or two, but there are invariably problems and it doesn't last.

So I guess my questions are: Why do you think this is? Is it just easier/more exciting to throw relationship trouble at your characters? Is it that everyone wants to read about that "first blush" of love? Am I on to something here or am I just not reading the right urban fantasy?

(Not that the regular stuff isn't awesome, mind. I'm just curious how a story like this would unfold.)

I'd love to hear from both authors and readers on this one. Do you have trouble sustaining interest in long-term relationships (in fiction, not in real life ;-)? Does an ongoing relationship have to lack tension? If it lasts, do they have to break up and get back together to make it interesting? Could it be an opportunity to show character growth in a different way? Could it raise the stakes of defeating the bad guy even more?

As always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comments.

Have a great week!

--Jeri Smith-Ready

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:56:26 GMT

Being a list-maker, I am already starting to prepare for my first book tour, with Carrie Jones, in Feb.
I'm very excited and still find this a little surreal-- and I'd love to hear your suggestions on how to best enjoy this whirlwind! pack vitamins? protein bars? secret stash of chocolate? hand sanitizer?
What has kept you sane and healthy?
What did you find the readers most wanted from the event?
And readers, why do you go to readings/signings? is it the community feel, the readings? the signatures? the nervous authors trying to look like they know what they're doing?
Thanks!
Alyxandra Harvey

Topic of the Week - (Re)naming characters

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:30:53 GMT

Happy Almost-Tuesday! Before I forget, a quick administrative note: because of next Monday's holiday (and a certain Jeri's husband's birthday plans), there'll be no Topic of the Week next week, unless I can find a surprise substitute. (Volunteers?)

midnightblooms asks:

How do you name your characters?

I had names picked out for my MCs and realized four chapters in that they would not work at all (due to a real life relationship that I had not picked up on when I originally named them).

Aside from baby name books and websites, how do other authors do this?

Do you have a method for naming characters, or do they hit you out of the blue? What are some of your sources for names? Are some characters (depending on age, gender, nationality, significance in the book) easier or harder to name?

Changing character names: Have you ever done this at a late stage, either on your own or at the behest of an agent or editor? For what reasons? How long does it take to get used to the new one? Do you ever find yourself referring to them by their old name?

Leave your thoughts in the comments, and as always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to share.

Have a great week!

--Jeri Smith-Ready

Still Available From September!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:33:02 GMT

The following FFF titles released in September and were submitted by FFF members for showcasing on the blog sidebar. They're still out there, so it's not too late to pick up copies for yourself or someone else.

To see the October releases (submitted by the authors), check out the updated FFF sidebar.

Happy Reading!

S. J. Day

October Newsletter for Friends of Fangs, Fur & Fey

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:39:53 GMT

RELEASES:

Drake, Jocelynn	Dawnbreaker
Hayes, Erica	Shadowfae
Lima, Maria	Blood Bargain (book 2 of Blood Lines series)
McCray, Cheyenne	Forbidden Magic re-release $4.99
McCray, Cheyenne	Seduced by Magic re-release $4.99
Stiefvater, Maggie	Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
Slade, Jessa	Seduced By Shadows (Book 1 of The Marked Souls)

APPEARANCES:

- Steve Wedel will be at Trick or Treat Con, Oct 8^th

- Linda Robertson will be signing:

SAT. Oct. 10 2-4 at Joseph Beth's Bookstore Cleveland, OHIO

SAT. Oct. 17 12-4 at Borders/Parmatown Mall, Parma OHIO

- Saundra Mitchell at IUPUI Barnes & Noble
Thursday, October 29, 11:00 AM
Signing "Shadowed Summer"- you enter to win a Giving You the Ghost gift basket, filled with haunted books and other goodies! 420 University Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202

NEWS:

- To celebrate her debut urban fantasy SHADOWFAE Erica Hayes is holding a blog tour with a bunch of giveaways, including an e-reader at Bitten by Books (www.bittenbybooks.com) on October 21. Check her blog for details: http://faerylite.livejournal.com
And, she’s giving away a free short story at her website. It’s called HELLCURSED, and it features Jade, the succubus heroine from SHADOWFAE. You can find it at http://www.shadowfae.net

- Fans of Jordan Summers will be glad to hear her new book Crimson will be out in November from Tor.

- Devon Monk's short story, SKEIN OF SUNLIGHT is in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2, in stores now.
Devon is also sending out her very first newsletter, with an exclusive snippet of MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS on October 2nd. To sign up for her quarterly newsletter, click on this link: http://ymlp.com/signup.php?id=geeshmygmgb

- Jessa Slade's debut urban fantasy romance, SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, is out October 6. In the world of the Marked Souls, repentant demons seeking redemption possess vulnerable souls to fight the forces of evil in our world. She'll be signing at the Emerald City Writers Conference public book fair on Saturday, October 10, 4 pm at the Bellevue Hilton in Bellevue Washington. Her monthly contest -- the "Possession Prize Pack" -- runs through the end of October at her website: http://jessaslade.com

- Jeri Smith-Ready is holding a month-long series of guest blogs and giveaways, featuring over 20 authors of YA fiction. Her Halloween & Homecoming Blogtoberfest will have daily book and ARC drawings, with a grand prize package of all 20+ books.http://www.jerismithready.com/blog

Topic of the Week - Quicksand

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:37:54 GMT

Wow, where did the day go? Ever since I started exercising (last Wednesday), there's so much less time for the important things in life. Like Topic of the Week.

wandereringray asked a question that will send a pang of post-traumatic stress through any writer:

I'm curious to know what folks do when they get stuck (as in the story isn't working) or when something unexpected happens that's going to majorly impact the plot.

Do you stick it out and keep writing? Go for a walk/run/etc. Call a Critique Partner to talk it over?

We've all been there. Some writers are there almost every day. It's tough. But when a deadline is looming (whether it be a personal deadline or editorial one), we can't just give up. We have to find a way to get the story "unstuck."

Do you stare at the screen until something comes? Force out your daily word count even though it could be wrong? Take a break to rest your mind and try again later? Do you go back to the drawing board (an outline, synopsis, or some other exercise like a character interview worksheet)? Do you go it alone or brainstorm with another writer or reader?

Does anyone have a surefire way that works for them every time? Or does each patch of creative quicksand need its own escape mechanism?

(Note: I think for the Topic's purposes we should distinguish being stuck on a particular story from the more generalized condition of "writer's block," where one experiences a total inability to write anything. That's a whole 'nother topic.)

As always, leave your thoughts in comments, and Members and Watchers alike are welcome to share.

Have a great week! What's left of it, anyway.

--Jeri Smith-Ready

Call for Newsletter info

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:42:42 GMT

Hey there! Here's the monthly reminder for our authors that I need info for the newsletter by Monday, Sept 28th midnight EST. The newsletter will go out and be posted on Tuesday the 29th. Authors, you can email me katewriter @ gmail.com

Thanks!

Topic of the Week - 5 Signs a Book was Written by You

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:20:45 GMT

Happy Monday, everyone! For the first time in months, I took an entire weekend off, so I'm sickeningly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning. Bear with me until the weight of reality turns me back into my usual curmudgeonly self.

Corinne D. sent us this question:

What themes, situations or character types do you find popping up in your stories again and again?

which reminded me of a fun exercise we did here back in January 2008, started by this post by Rachel Vincent. We each named 10 elements common to all or most of our novels. Sort of a, "How You Know a Book Was Written by Me."

I thought it would be fun to turn this exercise into a new Topic of the Week, because:

a) we've gained a ton of new members;
b) members who have done the list before might discover that some of those common elements no longer apply to their most recent work;
c) watchers can contribute as well--no need to have a publishing record to establish certain patterns.

And since Topic of the Week is meant to be a Monday-morning-stretch-but-not-break-the-brain exercise, let's make it a minimum of 5 elements instead of 10. Feel free to add more than 5, though. This is a great way to give others a brief glimpse of what your books are like, without the usual plot synopsis spiel.

Leave your lists in the comments, and have a wonderful week!

--Jeri Smith-Ready

what annoys you?

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:49:39 GMT

Hey, everyone -- tell me what annoys you!

Within a specific topic, that is. I've been posting lately at SF Novelists about female characters, and following a similar discussion over on Babel Clash (with specific reference to epic fantasy). These discussions have brought out a number of male writers saying they're nervous about writing the opposite sex into their stories, for fear they'll get it wrong.

I don't think it's as hard as they fear, but I also realize there are in fact specific pitfalls that really annoy me when I see them: "women in refrigerators," the madonna-whore dichotomy, the heroine who's Too Stupid To Live. Fortunately, these are often easy to avoid once you're aware of them. What I'd like to do is gather up a list of such pitfalls, and this is where I turn to you, the FFF community -- what are the common ways you see authors (regardless of gender) writing women badly? And how can those mistakes be avoided?

Topic of the Week Returns!

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:26:34 GMT

That could have read: "Topic of the Week: Returns!", since that's what we're discussing. I swear it's a coincidence. Maybe.

I don't mean "returns" as in, the sad fact of publishing wherein booksellers ship unsold books back to the publisher like naughty schoolchildren sent home from school (or worse, have their covers torn off like--well, not like schoolchildren of any type).

This week's topic comes from Carrie C. on Twitter, who asked:

Have you ever been tempted to "redo" published works? Or do you even look them over after they are pubbed?

By redoing a published work, I assume she meant those which are out of print. Occasionally OOP books are updated, edited, and resold to a new publisher. Have any of you had the opportunity to revisit an old novel?

Another chance to make corrections comes when the book is reissued in another format--from hardcover to mass market paperback, for instance. Some publishers will even notify authors before a book goes into multiple printings, for just this purpose.

But for the most part, when a book is published, it's finished. No more tinkering, no more perfecting.

Which leads us to the second question: Do you reread your old books, or do their imperfections (and your powerlessness to fix them) make it too painful? Conversely, does their level of polish make your current Work in Progress seem like a piece of rubbish in comparison? Do you think, "Wow, I'm so much better than that now!" or "Waaah, I'll never be that good again!"? Both? Neither?

Leave your thoughts in the comments, and as always, Members and Watchers alike are welcome to contribute to the discussion.

And thanks very much for your patience during TotW's half-summer recess! Have a great week!

--Jeri Smith-Ready