Philippa Ballantine - Author

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

Writing News

Mama I’m coming home

OK.. confession time. I have always concentrated my efforts on marketing and connecting with Americans, since they are the primary market for my writing. I need to correct that.

Hanging out with Tee Morris and going to the Conscription Con, I have made more connections and realised that there are indeed podcast and genre peers right here.

So here’s some payback. Two recommendations for writing and genre work in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

  • The Podagogue is a kiwi Dan Rabarts reporting on the world of podcasting, podiobooks and other fiction. Dan was asking about podcasting rigs, so I have high hopes that he will join me in the ‘sphere. Who knows- he could be doubling the number of podcasters in NZ.
  • And for all those kiwi writers out there don’t forget the Southern Cross Writing Challenge is on. 50,000 words in a month- sounds easy, right…

 

 

Talk about it, talk about it….

I’ve had plenty of fun this past week, hanging with my peers online.

I got to talk with the Dead Robots and Helen Madden, Nick Scipio and Nobilis about writing erotica. It is a subject I am just learning about, but it was a fun time. (WARNING- you may have already guessed, but this is NSFW or children, or those with a sensitive disposition to subjects of a sexual nature). We cover lots of saucy stuff, so have a listen.

And then I had a great interview with Michell Plested of Get Published where I talk about my 12 year journey to this point of having a book deal with a New York Publisher. Have a listen here.

The tide is high

After a conversation with my agent and various other wonderful creative types in San Francisco a few days ago, I have realised that things are changing in a major way in the publishing business. The negative gear change in the economy is scary, but it is also bringing possibilities. When the old order falls, new ones have a chance to breathe- like a tree falling in the crowded forest give seedlings below light for the first time.

The internet and its possibilities has been nibbling on the edges of the big publishers for years, and while some have tried to make changes and adapt, many have not. Houghton Mifflin’s recent stop on acquiring books is a pretty big indicator that there is a lot of struggle going on behind the scenes in the publishing business.

So the arrival of Scott Sigler on the New York Times Bestseller Lists is I feel a marker in the timeline of change. Scott is, if you don’t know it a great guy, the first person ever to pick me up at San Francisco airport without knowing me. Now I am very used to meeting people from the internet, but back then- I admit I was a little nervous. Scott however was just happy and kind and pleased to meet me. He set the tone for all these other trips.

So now he’s made it. The guy who first podcast a never before published novel is on the most prestigious list in publishing. It is a great beginning for 2009 for him- and heck for all podcast novelists.

To Scott I say- congratulations. You’ve been working so hard in a bumpy year to get here- bask in it for a spell mate. (As a nice side effect I’ll be able to dine out on that whole rubbing-vodka-into-your-head thing now)

Things are changing for us all, so let’s get ready to ride that wave!