Philippa Ballantine - Author

Award-winning Author of fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk

Archives for December 2008

We’ll drink a cup of kindness yet…

Been a tumult this year, but a productive one.

  • I recorded Chasing the Bard and posted it to a better reception that I had anticipated.
  • I started recording Erotica a la Carte and have found it to be a fun and challenging experience
  • I began work on a short story, which became a novella (which got interest, but because I wanted more I had to decline with regret), which is now on its way to being a novel
  • I attended DragonCon
  • I had a successful launch of my novel Digital Magic, and a heck of a lot of fun with the Double Trouble Promotion with Tee Morris.
  • My novel got to #53 on Amazon.com charts
  • I had a lot of fun with voicework; including Metamor City, Codename:Starkeeper, Murder at Avedon Hill, and of course Morevi.
  • I participated in a fun and challenging collaboration with other podcast authors in the Pieces Podcast
  • I got my novel Geist edited and now in the hands of my agent

So what’s ahead in 2009??

  • Sell some more novels- but that is the in the hands of my agent and the fates
  • Weather Child- my New Zealand novel which has never been published anywhere before will be available as a podcast novel Feb 6th 2009.
  • Erotica a la Carte will continue and I plan on having fun with guest chefs in the kitchen while Weather Child is running
  • Working on a podcast only collaboration with Tee Morris. Steampunky goodness that may even make some money.
  • Digital Magic will be available as a podiobook in the latter half of the year.
  • I will be at Balticon to meet those other podcast novelists that I have missed meeting up until now
  • I will in in San Francisco to meet Chris Lester and J D Sawyer, both of whom I respect and admire.
  • I will be attending the CES in Las Vegas and I expect to learn a lot more on the social media side of things
  • Both Digital Magic and Chasing the Bard are up for Sir Julius Vogel Awards in May- and I don’t mind saying I want to win one!
  • I hope to have Erotica a la Carte, Chasing the Bard and Weather Child up for some Parsecs in September
  • I will finish my new steampunk erotica novel Magic by Gaslight
  • I’ll be trying to earn at least 10% of my income by writing, so plenty of schemes for making money are needed 
  • I’ll be training a new literary cat (or two)
  • Plenty of personal life changes that need to be made, but hopefully that won’t affect my writing
  • Changes are also in the wind for Whispers at the Edge
  • I hope to get to DragonCon again this year depending on finances

Whew, when I write it all done it seems a lot. I just want it to be a happy, productive year. 2008 has been a little bumpy with deaths, emotional turmoil and confusion but I hope for better things ahead. My wish is the same for you and yours.

Love

Pip

Money, money, money…

OK.. so here’s the deal. I am dipping my toe in the world of professional writing. I have reduced my hours at the library, and have one whole day a week to write. This means I have to make up the money I am not making in the corporate world in the free lance work. I am hoping this will be by selling a novel, but I am not going to count on that. So I have to explore other income streams.

 

My novels will still be free podiobooks, I am committed to that, but I was considering offering my novellette Magic and Gaslight as an audio download for the princely sum of $5. I’d love to hear what you think. It would probably operate on the honour system. You donate by PayPal and I send you to a link. I’d love to hear what you guys think- is that too pricey? Not pricey enough? I’m just starting out and would love some input.

 

Someone also suggested I could write a column. Though for who I again have no idea. If you have a suggestion or a need for a kiwi perspective on social media, podcasting or life then email me pip@pjballantine.net. Heck any suggestions about ways to make money writing would be great. Regardless I will be doing my 8 hours behind the computer, writing.

And that I find very, very exciting….

I bet you think this song is about you…

Thank you all! I have been informed and accepted nominations for Chasing the Bard (in Fan Production) and Digital Magic (for Best Novel) for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards. This is New Zealand’s version of the Hugo’s and I am so pleased to be nominated. In fact twice is even better! The awards are designed by Weta Workshop and are presented at the  Annual Science Fiction Convention, to be held in June in Auckland. (Conscription).

Now it is up to the judges, but you all responded wonderfully. So fingers crossed the 2009 is the year I get some awards on that mantle.

Now…. about those Parsec Awards…

Message in a bottle

I find myself short of New Zealand accents for Weather Child, my next novel set in my country. The sad fact is I know more American podcasters, than NZers.

So here’s my plea; if you have decent recording equipment, an actor’s soul and the inclination, I could use some help. Please send me an mp3 sample of you reading the one of the following to pip at pjballantine.com. The parts are not large, but would add to this first example of podcast fiction set in NZ and you could be used for more than one part.

 

The part I want you to record is in bold– but I wanted you to have context.

For Men

“You shall not!” Royal roared, throwing back his chair, “Keep your foul magic ridden self away from it. Let her rest in peace!”

“Don’t tell me then, I’ll find out from Olive.”

“You’re not to see your sister either,” his father spat. “She’s to keep away from you—or be disinherited just the same.”

 

For Women

 

She shook herself, “You’re right. But they don’t seem…. happy. Actually perhaps you can help me with something Jacky.”

“Anything but money,” he smiled, leaning back in his chair, and played distractedly with his pack of smokes.

“There was this young man.”

“Not surprising..”

“Oh stop,” Olive downed the last of her tea, and leaned forward in her chair, “Harry Belton— Awakened just like you, but.. well not taking it so well. When he was lucid he was quite lovely, but lately we’d had to restrain him in bed. The Seraphim gave him terrible nightmares. But when I went in this morning he’d gone.”

 

Pussy cat, pussy cat where have you been?

 

For sixteen years I had my writer’s cat. She was named Sherazad, a teller of stories. She saw me through men, crisis, seven different homes, and triumph. Today she is gone. I took her catnip from the garden, and held her and told her thank you for all those years. And she purred and licked my nose as she always did. Then within a moment, her eyes focused on somewhere else and she slipped through the Veil and was gone.

No more loud meowing for her food, no more dead animals bought inside, no more fussy eating.

But also no more snuggling on my lap, purring. No more tussels with tinsel at Christmas time. No more hiding in the cupboards I left open. No more snuggles on the bedcovers when the rest of the world seemed cold. 

She fought off the attack of one car, and lived a good seven more years. But she didn’t survive a second mauling. This way, though it hurts was better than a slow decline. I got to hold her in my arms, and she was happy. Because her idea of contentment was not about place- it was about me. Anywhere I was, she wanted to be. We could have been anywhere, and as long as I was there, she was content.

If you read Digital Magic Shaz is in there; the writer’s cat who has to see the dawn. So she has her moment with the Fey.

It was a little life, but it was a happy one. Goodbye dear heart. You were a character that made my life brighter and I will miss you terribly. Maybe we will find each other on the other side of the Veil.