Down to three unanswered queries out of my list from early February. I have Some Thoughts about this process, but it’s not considered polite to vent about agents while querying, so I won’t. I do notice it’s very similar to certain job interviews, wherein one tries to strike the balance between assertive but not too…
Read More May 25: a mixed-bag dayThis tweet from IngramSpark is getting a category in Filigree’s Rule, but I thought it should have its own blog post, too: *** IngramSpark@IngramSpark #Selfpublishing is a great way to promote your new book, even if you plan to use a traditional publisher in the future. *** For one, it’s wrong. Wrong wrong wrong wrongity…
Read More Oh hell, no…or bad IngramSpark…If you might consider looking at unagented work that has snagged an advance-paying commercial publisher’s contract offer. We’re a little tired of doing things this way: And we’re certain you’re tired of dealing with us. If you already share this? Thank you, bless you, may your authors win many awards and make truckloads of money.…
Read More Literary agents, please tell us…Basic, useful writing stuff first. Here is a quick shout-out to Kristen Lamb, who tells it like it is over on her blog…far better than I can. If nothing else, new writers should learn (and tattoo in glowing ink on the inside of their eyelids) that Editing Is Most Of The Damn Job. Some smug…
Read More The Reality of Writing and Diversity, 5-18-2016I’m not as precise or as disciplined about creating character hinterlands as this article suggests, but it’s pretty close to my process. Of course, this is only fashionable to admit if one becomes a success at it, I suspect. Otherwise, we are told ‘Don’t write so much backstory’, ‘You’ll never finish the actual story, will…
Read More Apparently this is how I writeFollow this link to my interview with the talented and tolerant Theophilia St. Claire, as we talk about the creative process, my experiments with contemporary M/M romance (aka my novella Maestro), and some ‘taboo’ writing subjects. Some purposefully vague news: If you’re interested in my debut novel Moro’s Price (a M/M erotic romance space opera)…
Read More Spotlight on Maestro, news on Moro’s PriceMy stars above, I want to do this. And some of this. I live near older ‘seniors only’ communities, where the first generation to hobby-paint with Bill Alexander and Bob Ross are now dying out. The hobbyists’ yeoman efforts have been making their way into local thrift stores for a good twenty years. Sounds cruel…
Read More Adding Monsters to Thrift Store PaintingsIn honor of The Sovereign and the Thin White Duke*, and as part of the Kids Need to Read charity’s events at the 2016 Phoenix Comicon, I will be donating ‘First Frost’, a black wire and crystal bead mask** inspired by that wonderful ancient fantasy flick ‘Labyrinth’. This is the second wire mask I’ve made…
Read More First Frost Mask, Phoenix Comicon