Philippa Ballantine » Weather Child

Is there anybody out there??

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:59:35 +0000

I’ve mentioned before how lonely it can be writing (except when you have a energetic collaborator like Tee Morris but that’s another story for another post) so it is always nice when people send in voicemail, emails- or go that extra mile and review my work.

Recently two lovely ones have been posted over at Random Pimpage and View from Valhalla- and they are for the most personal of my stories (so far at least) Weather Child.

This is a story set in an alternate New Zealand and is, according to some reviews on itunes, seriously creepy. It is a rough first draft that I hope to get a home for after Geist has made its debut.

Here’s some of the things said that really made me smile

“Seriously just like I expected out of Pip great characterization you really were able to feel like Lily, Faith, and Jack were alive you get drawn into them and when the bad bad things happen to them (and yes some serious evil is laid down) you genuinely get pissed for them. It’s a great story great characterization and a hell of a ride. Let’s not forget the smooth sultry tones of the Lovely Miss Ballentine doing the narration” – Random Pimpage

“Weather Child is a beautiful and deeply personal story. Ms. Ballantine has drawn from her own family history to flesh out some of the characters, and it is an investment that is palpable. I love a well done historical fantasy, and Weather Child is very well done indeed. This is a story that exudes pain and sorrow, but never loses faith in the possibility of redemption.”- View from Valhalla

So yes – what you think makes a difference to me. It encourages me to write and podcast because it says that I am reaching other people. And that is what creativity is all about for me.

History never repeats…

admin — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:01:36 +0000

I have recently learnt what sort of geek I am. And frankly it was staring me in the face the whole time. Yeah, I am a gadget geek, a sci fi geek- but most of all I am a history geek.
Not surprisingly- I have two historical fantasy novel out! But I only realised this when I was putting together a google map for my podcast novel, Weather Child. I had so much fun making this map, and putting links to images from the past to go with it.
Wellington has a great little history, dark, violent and set in one of the most beautiful little cities in the world.
So check out the map, and follow along. As I drop episodes I will add more locations.

View Larger Map

You always take the Weather with you

admin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:02:39 +0000

Weather Child, my latest podiobook offering is now out in the wild. This is a very personal story for me, including many characters and stories based on my family. It is set the alternate history, where New Zealand is home to magicians- magicians that rely on a symbiote called a seraphim to give them their magic. Yet some one is planning to use the Awakened for their own purposes.

This is the book New York publishing houses said Americans wouldn’t be interested in reading, set as it is in New Zealand. Let’s see if that is true. New chapters drop every Sunday.

Friends will be friends

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:15:54 +0000

Well its been a while since I have been blogging so, let’s get into it.

First off Whispers at the Edge is on hiatus. I find I have just too many podcasting and writing projects that need to get done, and something had to give. I imagine it will be 3 months until I get back to it.

America was amazing fun. I got to spend some quality time with my favourite people who just happen to be my favourite podcasters. Chris Lester, Kitty Niciaian and Dan Sawyer, oh yeah and that guy Tee Morris. It was the first time I had met in person the San Francisco podcasting community, and it was an instant click. They are just fabulously talented, warm, wonderful people. I also got to see Scott Sigler and be there for his first book signing on the tour for Contagious. We got to hang out at a pub and I got made to feel bad. Two people approached me and said ‘if I’d know you were going to be here I would have bought my books for you to sign.’ If that was you, let me know – I have book plates to make up for it.

I got to have a very interesting conversation with my agent Laurie McLean, and came away feeling bouyed by the possibilities that the topsy turvey nature of the world may provide this year.

The Social Media Jungle in Vegas was a great chance to learn, and meet people in the sphere. And well with attending.

I got to see a lot more of Vegas than I had last time- including free tickets to O, the mesmerising Circe de Soleil show. Tee and I were able to take it in thanks to my fan Rachel Doughtery, who is one of the technicians behind the scenes at this amazing shows. It is an experience I will never forgot. It was also fun to to hang with her after. Vegas is somewhere that I will definitely be going back to. I never expected to like the town, but as crazy and weird as it is, I love it!

Books and Brawn, the steampunk CSI I am working on with Tee Morris is coming on at an amazing pace. It is a long time since I have collaborated with anyone, and I have forgotten how much fun it can be. We are on track for a late May release of this project.

And finally, Weather Child will be available from next week. This never before released novel, is set in New Zealand, and thus a first for the podcasting world. It can be found here

Message in a bottle

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:53:51 +0000

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.”