Friday, January 15th, 2010  Yay! I’ve been invited back to Balticon this year. I’m so excited.
I had a lot of fun being on all the panels last year, and reading from Blood Soup in the “Rapid Fire Reading” with other women authors from Broad Universe. (You can read what I had to say about last year’s awesome convention, here and here and here and here…)
This year I’ve proposed to run a critique session, (both a “how to critique” and a “how to start a critique group” seminar — based on a chapter I wrote for the book “How to Write Paranormal” (forthcoming!) and my own experience with my face-to-face critique group.
(Hi, guys! I know you’re reading!)
I’ll keep my fingers crossed, waiting to hear back from the Balticon folks about whether they’d like to host such a seminar. In the meantime, if you have questions about critiquing, or how to start a critique group…fire away. I’ll be happy to answer.
On Another Note
I’ll also be reading with some Broads at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC later this year. The date hasn’t been set in stone, but it looks like either April or June. If you’re in the DC area, I’d love to meet you. I hope you’ll stop on by to hear us read!
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009  Murder, Betrayal, Comeuppance…
That’s the tagline for my novella, Blood Soup, available from Eternal Press on September 7. The “Coming Soon” announcements page has recently been posted. You can see it here.
Blood Soup will also be available in print via Amazon, about three weeks after the electronic version.
Do you tweet? Do you like FREE fiction?
I’ll be running two twitter contests related to the book, both on September 7th:
First: The 25th and 50th person to re-tweet my announcement on the 7th will win an electronic copy of Blood Soup.
Second: Anyone who buys Blood Soup will also have the opportunity to win print versions of Triangulation: Dark Glass and Black Dragon, White Dragon (two anthologies that some of my other work appears in) just by tweeting specific information from Blood Soup. For instance, I’ll tweet: What’s the last word on line 4 of page 22? Give the correct answer and you may win a book. I’ll give away up to five print versions of these books. More details to come closer to the launch date. In the meantime, you may want to follow me on twitter: @kellyaharmon.
Excerpt from Blood Soup:
Theodicar looked down at the mewling infant in his arms, and felt the anger rise up. Even in death his wife defied him, the nurse ensuring her success. Women did not rule. He would not allow it. They had created a male child, and that child would take the throne upon his death. “You can save the boy,” he said to Salvagia.
She slitted her eyes at him, her stare mutinous. Her words were loud and hard in the wake of Pia’s death. “I have the power to save one at the expense of the other, Sire. The girl is stronger. And eldest. She was born to rule.”
Theodicar watched the girl curl up in his arms, her birth fluids staining a brown patch on the dyed-yellow wool of his tunic. She burrowed into the crook of his elbow, trying to achieve the comfort of the womb.
“I will not hear those words again,” he said. “That absurd idea died with my wife. My son will rule.” He reached for the boy, thrusting the girl child back into the nurse’s hands. “There’s no need for a daughter. And no need for anyone to know of her.”
“So be it,” Salvagia said, wrapping the weary girl in a square of wool, covering her face. She reached for her basket.
“Kill her now,” said Theodicar.
Salvagia looked stricken.
“Sire, if we kill her now, she will be of no use to her brother. Once dead, the blood won’t flow, and we need her blood to strengthen his.
“Then drain her now,” he snapped. “I will not have her crying out when we call the witnesses back to cut the boy’s cord.”
She paled, but nodded, and grabbed the necessary implements from her basket. She did the job quickly, tears streaming down her face. To keep it warm, Salvagia set the flask of blood in the ashes at the edge of the hearth. Then she wrapped the tiny body in linen and shoved it deep into her basket.
“Your life is forfeit if you speak a word of this to anyone,” Theodicar said. “Do you understand?” She nodded, pushing the basket out of view.
He sat down in his chair. “Call the witnesses back. We’ll sever the cord in their presence to prove the succession. Wipe those tears,” he said.
Thursday, August 6th, 2009 
I got it!
I received my contributor copy of Triangulation: Dark Glass in the mail yesterday. The cover is even more powerful up close and in person. It’s smooth and slick and the colors are a rich, deep, gorgeous darkness…I feel like I could step right into it and ask the guy if I can have a look-see through his spyglass.
Just so you know, Triangulation: Dark Glass is the 2009 edition of PARSEC Ink’s internationally acclaimed anthology series… I’m thrilled to have snagged a place in the line-up: only sixteen tales were chosen out of more than 500.
I’ve been reading the stories, right from the beginning…and I have to say…they’re really good.
(I haven’t gotten to my own yet…so I’m not bragging. Mom taught me not to brag.) But the rest of these tales? Really good so far.
Had you been at Confluence last weekend, you could have picked up a copy (they were printed especially for the Conference). But you can order yourself a copy on line if you’re still interested.
In Other Writing News…
I heard from my editor about a non-fiction piece I wrote on critique groups for a “how to write” book. The book is ready for print. A bio from me and the other contributors, some links to on-line resources for the chapters, and they’re ready to go… I’m excited about that one, too. I’ll put up the cover when it’s available.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 I finally received it! (Amazing how something can come clear across the United States to me in only a few days!) Here’s a scan of my Honorable Mention certificate from Writers of the Future for my story, Lucky Clover.
The scan really does it no justice. It’s much shinier than this in real life.
Saturday, June 27th, 2009 On one end of the spectrum…
I finished the edits today for Blood Soup….hundreds of edits and comments and commas (mostly commas)…most of which I agreed to; and some, I’m not adverse to changing…but I’d like more info from the editor. I just didn’t understand the changes she made.
This means I’ll probably have “round 2” edits to work through. No worries.
This editor has caught a number of issues that both my beta reader, my critique group, and a different editor all missed. She’s good. And everything she’s pointing out is going to make the piece tighter and stronger.
At the other end of the spectrum…
I received an email late tonight from the editor of the Triangulation: Dark Glass anthology in which my story, On the Path, is being published July 26. This was my editing document: an email. His changes: two sentences. That’s it.
And he complemented me for doing all the hard work already. Pete Butler, you’re one classy editor.
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 My short story Lucky Clover earned an Honorable Mention in the 2nd Quarter of the Writers of the Future Contest. If I remember correctly, this means it placed in the top 5 – 15% of all stories entered. You can see my name up in lights here (Edit: No you can’t. They removed the entry.), or visit the main contest page for rules.
If you write any sort of speculative fiction, you should investigate WotF. If you win, you’ll be flown to California for a week’s retreat to learn from some really famous authors (the list changes) and your story will be published in the yearly anthology. (Plus, you win cash!)
There’s no entry fee, but your story is judged against the bazillion others entered during the quarter. (Okay, bazillion might be just a tad inflated, but WotF doesn’t publish the real number of entries because they don’t want to scare people away from entering.)
I’ll post a scan of my nice, shiny certificate once I receive it…
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009  …they invited me to speak about my writers conference experiences and they didn’t act at all bored with my suggestions for getting the most out of a workshop (my biggest worry).
In fact, questions were asked, business cards were disbursed, and I think most attendees left knowing more about how to evaluate what conferences and workshops will work for them.
I got to chat informally with the fascinating folk who make up the group both before and after the event. Had there been time, I think the many of us (25 or so?) could have stayed another hour or two and discussed All Things Writing. It’s a comfortable group and I could feel quite at home in it.
And besides all that, they have this really kewl logo.
The venue was the Cyclops Independent Bookstore, a place so new and shiny that books don’t line the walls yet. I can tell tell it’s going to have just the right amount of glitz and trend married to Traditional Bookstore Goodness to make it a winner. Look for lots more events — music, as well as writing — at the Cyclops.
If you’re a local writer, check out the Baltimore Chapter of the Maryland Writers Association, or look to the main Maryland Writers Association if you’re a little father away.
Many thanks to Paul Lagasse, Gary Lester, Nancy O. Greene, Ally E. Peltier and the rest of MWAB for inviting me.
Saturday, May 9th, 2009 I received via email today my contract for Triangulation: Dark Glass. I’ll be signing it post-haste and winging it back to the Editor via snail mail Monday.
“On the Path” will appear in July. Very exciting!
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 I was at George Washington University in Washington, DC, last night to see a performance of “The Crossroads,” written by L. Ron Hubbard. (GW is L. Ron’s alma mater.)
The Crossroads was first published in Unknown Magazine in 1941. I mention this because I thought I was going to see a play…and what I experienced was more like a radio show: five actors standing in front of microphones, reading from dense text.
John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, and last night’s MC, introduced The Crossroads by telling the audience the performance would be “a very unique experience.”
I agree.
All the actors gave superb performances, but John Mariano, in the roll of Eban, kept me on the edge of my seat. Mariano has acted in The Sopranos, West Wing and ER, but I’m more familiar with his work on Steven Spielberg’s: The Animaniacs. (Sadly, I realize in afterthought, what that statement must infer about my television habits…)
And I have to mention that listening to Dion Graham, in the roll of Narrator, was just as exciting. He owns quite a mellifluous voice…
Prior to the performance we were treated with a biography of L. Ron Hubbard by Gunhild Jacobs, Senior Vice President of Author Services, Inc., and an interesting view of L. Ron Hubbard’s life on the GW Campus by the Campus Archivist, G. David Anderson. Anderson put together quite a few fascinating tidbits from the GW archives. My favorite was a poignant exchange between L. Ron and a former professor.
The event began with hors d’oeuvres and concluded with dessert, and all attendees received the gift of an L. Ron Hubbard reprint and some other goodies. (An obvious marketing ploy, as Galaxy Press is busy reprinting all of L. Ron’s “Golden Age” stories.)
In all, it was classy and fun – if a bit disorganized. (Speakers rehearsed until a few moments after the performance was to begin; my name was not found on the attendance list, despite RSVP’ing; and, other writers I know who live in the area were not invited. Still, these are minor, and didn’t detract from the show.)
It would have been nice to have the event coupled with the Writer’s of the Future Contest (since this year is the 25th Anniversary of the contest)…and Galaxy Press and Author’s Services, Inc. are closely related. It’s not often an opportunity presents itself to publicize the contest on the East Coast. I would have loved to pick the brains of some of the judges.
Thursday, April 30th, 2009 It’s official! Today I received my final scheduling update for Balticon. I’m participating in four events:
- A Rapid-Fire-Reading with Some Other Members of Broad Universe
- “High Noon in Fantasyland” Panel (Did Fantasy Kill the Western?)
- What is Social Media? Panel
- Developing One-Liners to Pitch Your Book to Media Panel
I’m really looking forward to the Rapid Fire Reading. This is where I, and several other members of Broad Universe, get to read from something we’ve published or from works-in-progress. Because it’s “rapid fire,” the audience will hear only 5-7 minutes from each author. It gives several of us an opportunity to showcase our work and keeps listeners attentive because the subject matter changes frequently. All of the RFRs I’ve attended or participated in have played to packed rooms.
At first I was leery about participated in the “High Noon” panel…but after doing a little research and giving myself a chance to think about it…I’ve decided I do have an opinion on the matter. I’m really looking forward to the discussion.
I work with Social Media a lot with my day job — especially lately…but there are some very talented people on the panel who live and breathe by social media. It should be very informative for all who attend.
The One-Liners panel should be very good, too. I’m hoping to learn as much during the panel as I’m able to contribute.
Here’s my Balticon schedule. Click on the Index to poke around for more information….or go to the Balticon Home Page.
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Writers - Maryland Writer's Assn.
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