As you probably- or possibly- know I got married last week to my co-author Tee Morris. You’d think that would be enough of a week…

But then we went to Comic Con. See my post for all about that. (Tor.com wrote up this review of the panel I was on Winter is Here)

Then we started to hear whispers about the Airship Awards. Now, after a convention those volunteers who organise it, are usually pretty beat. So when we looked into who had won and found nothing, we weren’t that surprised.

Then the Steampunk Scholar himself, said that we’d won. He was there presenting, but still we managed to hold in the excitement. Then the Airship Ambassador confirmed it.

Yes, Tee and I are now award winning steampunk authors!

The other nominees included The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack (Pyr), Camera Obscura (Angry Robots), and The Half-Made World (Tor). All heavy hitters, all amazing books..so we are beyond ecstatic!

Previous winners of this award include Phil & Kaja Foglio, Alan Moore, and Abney Park. This is an award voted on by the attendees of Steamcon, and that matters a great deal to us. We’ve always said Phoenix Rising is a romp, and we want to make people smile.

Now we feel like we’ve done our job…and that’s a great feeling.

Oh yes, and as part of applying for my change of status here in America I found out I don’t have leprosy! So all in all, a fantastic week!!!

Tee and I just got back from New York Comic Con.

To say that it was an assault on the senses would be an understatement. Previous to this DragonCon was the biggest event I’ve ever been to. NYCC made that look like my Nana’s tea party.

Held in the Javits Convention Centre, there were a few niggles- like the Shuttle Buses finishing at 8.30 while the programming went until 10- but on the whole it was a great event. With over 2,000 booths from mega players like Marvel, to single artists trying to get more exposure for their work.

Getting anywhere in the push of people was tricky, but there was so much to see. We did catch a glimpse of a banner saying ‘Podcast Arena’, but never actually got there. Yeah, it was that kind of event.

On Friday we finally got to the event itself after a series of irritating and frustrating delays. We raced around, found our badges and the Harper Collins booth. It was only a few minutes until our signing, but there was this line of people. Our first reaction was ‘oh well, another author mustn’t be done yet…’ Then we found out that it was for us. For the next twenty minutes we shook hands, personalized books and had a ripping time. We’d given fifty copies away, and signed another fifty for the booth. After Tee did his panel, those fifty went by Saturday morning as well.

The next day it was the same for me and Geist at the Penguin booth. A line of people, and all the books gone.  Fifty books in twenty minutes. It was not what I had expected.

Neither was the panel “Winter is here: Epic Fantasy takes the Throne’. It was a packed house, over two hundred people, and I was on a panel with Brandon Sanderson, Peter Brett, Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton. Ron Hogan did a fantastic job of moderating, and everyone got a chance to answer every question. I’ve been on plenty of panels were that wasn’t the case, and I was delighted that on such an important day everything went smoothly.

We also had two meetings with my two editors Diana Gil and Danielle Stockley. Two great meals, and some interesting thoughts. The title of the second book Of Cogs & Corsets is going to change- but Tee and I came up with some great options that I think are even better. Then Danielle opened my eyes to some possibilities in the Books of the Order series, that I hadn’t even considered, or thought were an option. Exciting chances that I am still mulling over.

We left Comic Con on Saturday, and took the train home- but the fun wasn’t over yet. A very nice gentleman helped us get our luggage up in the rack, and he had also been at Comic Con. Before we knew it we were networking on the train, and a bunch of other possibilities began to ferment.

So from this event which was just supposed to be about signing and participating in panels, we came back with a whole lot of new directions to investigate. The takeaway for authors is, always be open to new chances, and always have business cards on hand for those moments.

We sure hope to go back to New York Comic Con, and next time we’ll be prepared for the madness!

I finally got the first rough draft of Wrayth off to Ace, and am heading into other editing projects, but along the way you will be able to find me in Reno, Nevada attending to WorldCon. This is a huge event in the convention calendar, with many publishers, editors, fans and writers attending.

Last year I went to Melbourne Australia, and it ended up being a very fruitful trip. This time I’ll be touching base with my agent Laurie McLean, and meeting my new publisher, Lou Anders from Pyr Books, for the first time.

I’ll also be doing panels and various other events, so if you’re in Reno and want to say hi, please don’t be shy. I love meeting listeners and readers!

Here’s my schedule where you can find me:

• Introduction to Steampunk: What Is Steampunk and Why Is it so Popular? (Panel), Fri 19th August 1:00pm – 2:00pm
• Reading: (It’ll probably be form Spectyr) Fri 19th August 4:00pm – 4:30pm
• New Producer, New Doctor, New Companion: Steven Moffat, Matt Smith, and the New Doctor Who , Fri  19th August 5:00pm – 6:00pm
• Writers Collaboration Panel, Sat 20th August 11:00am – 12:00pm
• Steampunk versus Alternate History Panel, Sat 20th August 1:00pm – 2:00pm
• Autographing: Sat 20th August 2:00pm – 3:00pm
• KaffeeKlatsch:Sat 20th August 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Well we survived the Steampunk Worlds’ Fair- not because it was awful, but because both myself and Tee were struck with the lurgy. The event was full of lovely, beautifully costumed fans of steampunk. I will do a roundup post on this event and Balticon in early June.

For now I am concentrating on getting this post out before I collapse back into bed.

My Balticon schedule, where you can find me, and what I am doing is what follows next.

Program change Friday, May 27, 2011, 9:00 PM  Chesapeake Suite, Alien Sex What Could Go Wrong

Saturday, May 28, 2011,   11:00AM Brown Bagging It the Wellington Way. Pick up a lunch-to-go from the hotel snackery and bring it to Salon A to have lunch with me. Attendance limited to 10 people. Sign up at the help desk.

Saturday, May 28, 2011,   3:00 PM  Chesapeake Suite, Book Launch: The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences: Phoenix Rising

Saturday, May 28, 2011,   10:00 PM  Derby Room Erotica A La Carte: Iron Chef

Sunday, May 29, 2011, 12:00 Noon  Garden Room GoH Speech: From Wellington to Baltimore- How New Media got me here

Sunday, May 29, 2011, 5:00 PM   Chesapeake, Metamor City Live:  SF/Urban Fantasy/Noir radio drama

Sunday, May 29, 2011, 7:00 PM   Maryland Foyer, Laura Frechette, Philippa Ballantine, and Starla Huchton Autographs

Monday, May 30, 2011, 10:00 AM, Salon C, Network vs Platform: Can you tell them apart?

It’s my very first Guest of Honor role, so I am a little nervous, but I hope to see some of you there. Please don’t hesitate to step up and say hi.

It’s been a crazy month in a crazy year.

Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel was launched about three weeks ago, and it’s been go go go. We’ve done three readings and signings, and been editing the second book in those three weeks.

But coming up are two even larger events.

The first is the Steampunk World’s Fair, in Somerset, NJ. So if you want to find us between 20-22 May check out this post over on the Ministry. It will be our first steampunk only convention, so we are really looking forward to it.

The second is the following weekend. Balticon in Baltimore held over Memorial Weekend, has become the default location for podcast authors to meet. (at last count there would be twenty-nine podcasters in attendance) I am very proud to be the New Media Guest of Honor. It is my first GoH and I plan on being everywhere I can.

So if you are attending either (or both) of these please stop by and say I. I really enjoy these opportunities to get out and about.

The convention season is heating up, and here are the places you can find me in the next couple of months.

RavenCon April 8-10, Richmond, Virginia

Reading at 4pm, and signing to follow at 5pm.

Panels: Writing sex in science fiction and fantasy 11pm Friday, Introduction to “social media” 10pm Saturday, the Problem with Genre Labels 11am Sunday, Genuine Steampunk 1pm Sunday

Borderlands Books, April 30, San Francisco, California

Signing and reading

Bookworks, May 7, Staunton, Virginia

Signing and reading, followed by a steampunk photoshoot (weather permitting). So bring your best gear and see you there!

Steampunk Worlds Fair, May 20-22, Somerset, New Jersey

Signings, panels and book launch (to be finalised)

Balticon May 27-30, Hunt Valley, Maryland

Signings, panels, tea part and readings (to be finalised)

Hope to see some at you at some of these conventions and bookstores. My co-author Tee Morris will be with me, so you get two for the price of once. There will be more confirmed places to find both me (and Tee too) but these are the soonest ones.

I am writing this from the dying moment of the San Francisco Writers Conference. A conference that I was unsure if I would enjoy.

Yet as you must have noticed, I love conventions. Heck, I am here in America promoting three books coming out in one year, and I have booked myself to attend cons with something that might be called wild abandon.

However those are science fiction conventions. I am comfortable with ‘my people’. We speak the same language (even if I am not fluent in Klingon). I know what to expect; people in the corridor in costumes, filking, panels on not only books, but movies.

This was different. A new step. The San Francisco Writers Conference is an event for writers.

Yes, these too should be my people. However I have been burned in the past by writers in different genres. Writers groups and writers association who were not exactly welcoming to a fantasy writer.

This conference has made me realise I need to get over that. Maybe it is that times have changed, maybe I was just unlucky. Whatever it was I have had a turn around.

I will keep going to my science fiction cons, but now I will be totally open to the larger circle of writing conventions. I want to attend more.

If you have money to invest in your writing career (and if you have money why would you not invest in something you want to make your profession) – find yourself a good writing convention. You will get a bunch of different things out of this kind of conference.

• You will spend time with not only other writers, but also with other folks you are far less likely to see at a con; agents, publicists, and publishers.
• You get in-depth panels on the craft of writing.
• You learn about the business of publishing, from people who are in it. (And now conferences are including panels on self and epublishing)
• Networking with these people- not just writers.
• Getting a new perspective on writing from people outside the genre. Yes you can learn from them too!

Lastly, I got to meet some fantastic people that got my creative mind whirling. I met everyone from a fellow kiwi RVing around the States, to the Shaolin Grand Master. Not a Grand Master the Grand Master. I thought that was pretty damn awesome.

Sometimes to get ourselves to the next level, we have to step outside our comfort zone- and when we do, often what we find can be pretty amazing.

It pays to get out of our genre bubble. Let’s do it more often.

I love San Franciso. There, I said it. It reminds me of Wellington- a hilly city with a magnificent harbour, and a propensity for earthquakes. Also the vibe is the same; laid back, metropolitan, and of course, excellent dining.

So I will be glad to head back there in February. Tee Morris and I will be at the San Francisco Writers Conference. I’ll be doing a panel on fantasy with Gabrielle Harbowy and Katharine Kerr on Saturday morning, and then the three of us will be teaching a class on writing science fiction, fantasy and horror in the post conference sessions.

This conference is packed full of events with authors, agents and publishers- many of which I will be going to myself. If you’re in the area, give this event serious consideration. Check out the website and get in quick- the main conference is nearly sold out!

And on Saturday 19th February, I will be at Borderlands Books reading from the as yet not released Spectyr, and signing books. After wards we’ll probably find a local pub and kick back. So I hope some of you can make it out. Borderlands is a great store, and my favourite place to shop in San Francisco.

Here’s the press release for the post and pre conference

2011 San Francisco Writers Conference Offers PRE and POST Event Classes!
Major Presenters will teach in-depth, low-cost writing sessions on February 17 & 21, 2011.

San Francisco, CA—1/31/11— The 2011 San Francisco Writers Conference will take place this February 18-20 at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. The prestigious event is where writers learn not only to improve their writing, but how to publish and promote their work. This year, in addition to the main conference, there will be classes on hot topics for writers both before and after the main event. Teachers include literary agents Donald Maass, Katharine Sands and Michael Larsen; bestselling authors Robert Dugoni, Sheldon Seigel, Katharine Kerr, Adair Lara; and many others. The classes are in-depth and low-cost…and open to all writers. For more information go to www.SFWriters.org.

PRE-CONFERENCE Pitch Workshop with Katharine Sands on February 17th

If your manuscript or book proposal is polished and ready to get into the hands of agents and editors, but you’re not sure how to do it successfully, then plan on taking PERFECT YOUR PITCH by New York literary agent Katharine Sands.  Katharine is coming to San Francisco to teach this workshop, Thursday, February 17, 2011 from 6-9 p.m.  Three hours to learn the secrets of successful pitching from the author of the book by the same name.  Katharine is one of the most popular faculty members at writers’ conferences around the country.  For more details, check the website, www.sfwriters.org. The cost is $149.

POST-CONFERENCE Intensive Workshops on Monday, February 21st

The Monday after the conference is always President’s Day holiday. SFWC organizers are encouraging attendees to consider adding an extra day onto their weekend, but in fact any writer can take one of the following intensive half-day or full-day workshops. Taught by experts in their fields, writers will learn from the best in small classes with lots of personal attention.  Below is a list of the classes. More detailed information can be found at www.sfwriters.org:

Full Day Classes Feb. 21st  (9 am to noon, no host lunch, 2 – 5 pm)   $297 for either class

1.      Social Media for Authors with social media gurus Tee Morris and Linda Lee
By the end of this nuts and bolts workshop, authors will know how to effectively use Twitter, Facebook, mySpace and Linked-In. Learn how to create a website and blog and how to podcast your writing.  (You’ll also know how to select which of these tools is right for you.)  A must have for writers in today’s online world.

2.      Self-Publishing Bootcamp with Carla King, Alan Rinzler, Joel Friedlander, Karen Leland and many more
Listen up, soldiers!  Today is the best time ever to be a writer. With eBooks and self-publishing options never before available to get your book in front of a reading audience, you need to understand the whys, whats and hows of self-publishing. Taught by the creator of the Self-Publishing Bootcamp and featuring a host of other teachers in design, publicity, editing, printing, eBooks and more.

Half-Day AM Classes Feb. 21st  (9 am to noon)…any class is $149

AM1   MICRO-TENSION: The Secret of the Best Sellers
with acclaimed Literary Agent Donald Maass
AM2   Writing Mysteries, Suspense and Thrillers
With best-selling mystery and thriller authors Bob Dugoni and Sheldon Siegel
AM3   Writing Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror
With best selling author Katharine Kerr, associate publisher Gabrielle Harbowy and           rising star fantasy author Phillipa Ballantine
AM4   Writing Romance and Women’s Fiction
With literary agent Christine Witthohn and romance author Elizabeth Jennings

Half-Day Classes Feb. 21st  (2 pm to 5 pm)…any class is $149

PM1    How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal
With the man who wrote How to Write a Book Proposal, literary agent Michael Larsen      and legendary independent editor Alan Rinzler
PM2    Making Your Memoir Bigger Than The Story of Your Life
With writing teacher and memoirist Adair Lara
PM3    How make money in the Hot Young Adult Market
With award-winning children’s book author Douglas Rees and Simon Pulse Editor            Annette Pollert

Another option for writers to build their writing career is the new San Francisco Writers University.  This new project from the non-profit San Francisco Writers Conference launched in November 2010.  According to SFWU Dean Laurie McLean, “In less than a month 150 members joined for free to download free and $10 audio classes, learn from each other in discussion forums and blogs, have their work critiqued by fellow writers, connect via emails, find experts to help them or list themselves as experts. SFWU is like Facebook and Linked-In specifically for writers, with classes, live events and lots of social media tools.”  Writers are encouraged to check it out at www.SFWritersU.com. Michael Larsen had a dream of creating a space where all types of writers at every stage of their writing journey could join together in a writer community and learn their craft in an affordable, simple, worldwide manner. McLean added, “We believe you’ll soon be asking yourself how you did without this resource before!  Join us.  We’d love to have you participate and make SFWU your home for writing!”

Yes, more news I have been sitting on for weeks (It’s dang uncomfortable I can tell you!)

I will be New Media Special Guest as Balticon - May 27-30 2011!

It’s my first big Guest role, and I plan to bring the A game to town. I’ll be reading from Spectyr- Geist’s sequel not out until June- and co-hosting with the charming Tee Morris, the release party for Phoenix Rising; a Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel.

If you don’t know about Balticon- let me fill you in. It is the Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, and it has quickly become the default con to attend if you want to see podcast novelists. It has plenty of other tracks to interest people as well such as Writing and Gaming. So all in all, a well rounded convention.

It’s held at the Marriott’s Hunt Valley Inn, just outside of Baltimore- and I can attest that this year I had a blast and next year is going to be even better. Not just cos I am going to be the Special Guest…but also a little bird has told me plenty of other podcast novelists will be in town. As an example, last year there was Tee Morris, Phil Rossi, PG Holyfield, Dan Sawyer, PC Haring, Nathan Lowell- and that’s just a taste.

So if you are craving some fun and frolics with podcasters, writers and readers then this is the con for you.

Looking forward to meeting you all next year.

I arrived home from a very fun, very informative, very useful WorldCon in Melbourne (blogpost to come on that), to find the uncorrected proofs of Geist. These are not the final product, but still being able to actually hold my bound words was quite the moment, and one more step towards the novel in stores.

Once it is, the market will decide its worth, but my aim is to make people aware of it. Yes, with all the books being published, getting yours noticed is the real battle.

So, as part of that effort I am doing a blogtour for three months. I’ll be talking about all sorts of things, but the first is an interview with Odin1Eye over at View from Valhalla. There were some pretty probing questions that made me think hard, and I hope you find it interesting.

Check it out here and see what other places I will be hitting.

In addition I have some beautiful Geist postcards to distribute- so if you can think of a place to put them where they would attract interest, then please email me motherabbey@booksoftheorder.com – I’ll send you a sweet treat to go along with it

With just over a week to go until WorldCon I thought I’d make a quick post about where you might run into me there- should you be so inclined.

HarperCollins talk about ebooks – Thursday 2 September (invite only, so if you’re in or nearby you might be able to catch me)

Voyager Party- Friday night (invite only, so if you’re in or nearby you might be able to catch me)\
Reading of Geist- Room 215, Mebourne Convention center, Saturday, 04 September 2010 5pm

You will also be able to catch me at;

Anachronistic fiction: successors to steampunk- Room 219, Melbourne Convention center, Sunday, 05 September 2010 11am

Also sharing a Kaffeeklatsch with Tee Morris – Room 201, Melbourne Convention center, Saturday, 04 September 2010 1pm

Hope to see you somewhere in Melbourne. Come up and say hi.

Just over two months out until the release of Geist, and I am beginning to gear up.

First off, you will find me at WorldCon in Melbourne. This is my first experience at a big literary con, and I am really excited to get into it. I know that Gail Carriger, Mur Lafferty, Dr. John Cmar and rocket scientist Laura Burns will also be venturing south to Australia.

Tee Morris and I will both be there too and we will have give aways. There will be Geist buttons and postcards, as well as Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences buttons too. So look for those on the freebie tables.

We’ll be attending the Voyager party on Friday night (our editor Diana Gill from Eos will be there!), but apart from that I cannot tell you where else we might be. We’re still waiting on confirmation from the organisers. But even if I am not on any panels I’ll be there to hang out, enjoy the atmosphere before the big dive into the year.

I just have this feeling once Geist is launched its going to get a little crazy….

Also if you pop over to my Appearances page you will see two things.

1) The Geist blog tour. It’s shaping up, but my plan is to have two guest blog or podcast spots each week for September, Ocotober and November. Hopefully you won’t get sick of seeing me pop up, because I will be talking and writing about different things in each one. From steampunk suffragettes, to were-creatures, to plot vs character, to interviews.

2) After WorldCon you will find a tentative schedule for what I want to get to between now and October 2011. This is all very contingent on a business visa from the American government. But hopefully supporting three books in one year with a con a month will be enough of a reason. If that fails, I still plan to get to some events, but they will be fewer. So *fingers crossed*

You know I love the cover Jason Chan did for Geist. I know the people at Ace love it too. Jason is an amazingly talented artist, so having him bring Sorcha and the Rossin to life was just wonderful to me.

So I encouraged him to make the print available, and he has! I have placed my order for the biggest one for my wall- and if you want the same, then head on over to the print shop and order.

So that’s the art, now here’s the fun….

Balticon!

This Memorial Day weekend in Baltimore, writers, costumers and tons of New Media producers will be gathering for networking, partying and chit chat. If you can join us then please do.

Here’s where you will be able to find me

Readings

From the upcoming release Geist- 1PM Sunday in the Pimlico Room

With Tee Morris- Books and Braun Chapter Two (including a special announcement!!) – 11PM Sunday in the Chesapeake Suite

Live Recordings

Metamor City – 5pm Saturday at the Chesapeake Suite

Girls’ Rules- 4PM Sunday in the Chesapeake Suite

Panels

Social Media for the Midlist author – 6pm Friday in the Chesapeake Suite

What’s Steamy in New Media? – 11AM Monday in the Derby Room

DragonMoon Press Booth

A host of DragonMoon Press authors will be there; Christiana Ellis, Val Griswold Ford, PG Holyfield, Tee Morris, and Phil Rossi. We will all be taking turns manning the DMP booth in the dealers room. So pop on over, buy a book (or three) and have it signed. We’d all love to meet you.

Every now and then I like to do a roundup of where I’ve been on the net.

View from Valhalla- keep an eye on this blog- Odin is doing a series of these ‘How I Do It’ from all kinds of podcast authors. I look forward to reading answers from others.

Great Hites – the prompt ‘Nature’s Wrath’. Jeffrey Hite has a great writing podcast- where prompts are presented, stories are written and votes are taken. It was my pleasure to be a guest host.

Don’t forget I will be at Balticon at the end of May signing books, doing panels and helping at the DragonMoon Press booth.

And if you want to keep more up to date I have a Group Page on Facebook. Once a month a do a round up of my writing life there.

Last week I had the honour of being one of the panel on Litopia After Dark. Hanging with the wonderful folks and talking writing was a lot of fun. I was a little nervous, but the panel made me feel at home very quickly.

Peter and Litopia do a great deal for the writing community- and their After Dark show is one I look forward to every week. I was so glad to be asked.  The best thing was I got the panel to give me their evil nemesis laugh- all except Peter. So there is something to go back for.

So have a listen to Word Wars for Fun and Profit

Litopia, which is a podcast and a community I have really come to appreciate, is running a week highlighting podcasters- and one of them was me.

I had a delightful chat with Peter Cox- and tried my best to sound as grown up as possible.

I hope to be involved with them again, and I think the interview came out quite well.

This is my last post before Christmas- which for me will involve BBQs, sun and homemade trifle. I hope where ever you are, and however you celebrate the holiday season, you are with people you love.

I will be doing a yearly wrap-up in the great tradition of every person and blog online. 2010 is going to be an exciting year, and I hope you will join me on the ride.

Just had to share this news… the BlogTalk Radio edition of Podioracket.com made it to the top of their Books Category. Now this was the show that Dan Sawyer, Chris Lester and I took over, since the lovely hosts were unable through sickness to attend. I worked the switchboard (which was very cool) and we had callers and everything.

Now Blogtalk is a big site, so it is quite a big deal to get the top of any of those categories. We had a blast- so here is a chance to have a listen to it.

The Triple Threat on Podioracket

After the whirlwind of Double Trouble in 2008, I decided to get together with fellow podcasters Dan Sawyer and Chris Lester and launch our follow up podcast novel on the world- but taking it one bigger. So was born the Triple Threat.

Check out Chris Lester’s Metamor City and Dan Sawyer’s Free Will.

So we’ve been hitting the podosphere.

Check out some of the recent interviews I’ve been on.

Touching the Monolith

The Creative Penn

If you are going to be at World Fantasy Con on 31st of October, please come along and hear the debut reading of Books and Braun; Phoenix Rising. It will be the first chapter which is full of explosions, gun battles and maybe an airship or two. It is 10am Saturday and I would love to see you all there!

Suddenly realized that I haven’t blogged in awhile- and that isn’t because things aren’t happening. In fact it is because they are! There have been more nibbles writing wise, that are both sureal and exciting– and none I can talk about. One of them does involve my steampunk story. It has a new title, Books and Braun: Phoenix Rising. Yes, this is easily a series.

And here we come to the title of this post. San Jose is the city hosting World Fantasy- and I will be there. I will be meeting with publishers and my lovely agent Laurie. Also Edge Publishing will be there, and hopefully there will be stocks of Chasing the Bard and Digital Magic available to be bought. Also Dan Sawyer and Gail Carriger will be in attendance. (Gail is also having a party to release her fantastic new novel- Soulless) So let me know if you are going to be there.

A couple of new interviews I have done recently- I am talking about my journey. Both The Creative Penn and Coach Ian Scott give great interview. Have a listen- I think there are some pearls of wisdom in there.

The Creative Penn

And

Coach Ian Scott (with Tee Morris)