Authonomy Again

Spent most of the last week on this Authonomy site (see earlier post). I just hope that HarperCollins and other publishers actually sift through some of the stuff on this site, because it's fab! There are novels on here that would fly off the bookshelves if published, so why is it so hard for a new author to get noticed these days. Is it really all about marketing? Two authors stand out so far for me - Anne Brooke and Ian Barker. Both very different, both excellent.

Getting some good reviews for my own stuff too, which is encouraging. Is there anybody out there listening?

Looking for Lisa

Odd title, I know - but I am. Looking for Lisa, that is. Lisa (Dachinger/Dorris/Petricca) is American and we've known each other for over 30 years, but lost touch recently. I was at both her weddings and she was at mine. She has 3 kids - Curt, Jennifer and Nathan and lives in Massachussetts. I keep seeing bits & pieces on the net about organic farming etc and trying emails but getting nowhere. Lisa' s one of my oldest friends, so if anyone knows her, please ask her to get in touch again!

Telos

If you're wondering why I have a link to Telos' website, it's because not only is MD David a very good friend of mind, but I also handle their retail orders and do occasional editing work for them. It's an online book store - check it out for factual tv guides, novels and classic reprints, especially if you're a Dr Who fan as there are lots of Dr Who goodies for sale.

I once asked Stephen King to dance ...

That's THE Stephen King. God of writing. And he plays a mean guitar too.

The man himself came to London to promote Bag of Bones and I was lucky enough to be invited to the evening party, courtesy of Hodder & Stoughton. We were all given special bottle of Bag of Bones beer, stored in large fridges with fridge magnets on them. Stephen gave a short concert with his band and we all drank a lot and ate very nice canapes.

And as the music got louder and we got drunker, I was talking to fantasy author Storm Constantine and between the two of us, we decided to ask Mr King if he'd like to dance. We almost got close to him as well, until his minder very kindly turned down our offer.

Shame, but probably for the best!

Authonomy

Finally been given access to HarperCollins' new Authonomy site in beta test version. There are only 100 of us - the first 100 who signed up back at the start of the year on an HC blog site.

It's interesting - kind of like YouWriteOn without the rules. You can comment on anybody's book at any time. I can see it becoming the first electronic slush pile, with presumably HC editors looking at anything which generates sufficient interest. However even with only 100 of us, it's getting busy and it's only been live for a week. I can't help wonder how manageable it will be when let loose on the web in its full version for anybody to sign up.

Winchester Writers Conference

Just signed up for Winchester again - first time I've been for 10 years! Well, it isn't as easy as it was when I lived in Surrey, and I didn't have kids to think about back then.

For anyone who hasn't been before it's a great place to meet fellow-writers & network - never mind the lectures, workshops and 1:1 appointments with editors and agents. I met one of my best mates on my first conference (it was Southampton uni back then). I'm going this year mainly to network - to meet up with editors I haven't seen for some time and remind them of my continued existence. I'm sure it will be great fun!

Welcome

Yeah, OK - my pre-teen daughter could probably blog better than I can. She can certainly text quicker and work the DVD player. But I thought I ought to join the online community a bit more interactively than just by having a website.

If you've wandered onto this page at random or have perhaps come across me linked with the word "fantasy", I should point out now that it's not the under-the-counter brown wrapper variety, but more the Stephen King flavour. Writing, conventions, British Fantasy Society, magic, alternate realities, science fiction, other worlds, Tolkien, elves and wizards if you must (though I'd really rather not). So if you were expecting content of an adult nature, I'm sorry to disappoint you and thanks for visiting. Switch the lights off as you leave, please.

So who am I? As above - mother, writer, wife etc in varying orders of priority depending on who's shouting the loudest. I'm a member of the British Fantasy Society and was on the committee for over 15 years, edited the BFS newsletter Prism for 5 years and the BFS fiction anthology Dark Horizons for 4 years. And I've been on - ooh, about 10 FantasyCon convention committees.

I've had short fiction published in numerous places, including womens' magazines. I've been short-listed in the Ian St James Award and had a novel long-listed in the Crime Writer's Association Debut Dagger Award. I've won several competitions, but am still chasing that elusive big break. I do get past editors now and into second and third readings - but it's the marketing departments I can't crack! I'm just not famous enough.

So that's me. Can't think of anything else witty and exciting to say, so I'll sign off now and see what my very first blog post looks like...