lagilman | Entries tagged with e-books

Email from Nook Press this morning about their (finally!) expansion into other countries. which means that, for those of you who avoided Amazon, and didn't have access for whatever reason to Kobo, you will soon be able to lay digital hands on the Sylvan Investigation novellas MILES TO GO, PROMISES TO KEEP, and the story collection DRAGON VIRUS!

(as soon as I have confirmation that the sites are live and the titles loaded, I'll share them, promise!)

Meanwhile, those of you with Amazon or Kobo access can buy them there... or, yanno, via Book View Cafe...

For those of you who prefer to buy from B&N.... MILES TO GO and PROMISES TO KEEP are now available in epub from your dealer-of-choice!

Miles to Go

Promises to Keep

If you prefer to buy directly from Book View Cafe (with no DRM)
If you're an Amazon loyalist
If you prefer audio
If you prefer paper over pixel

I'm currently in the UK, doing Writerly Things (and eating ALL THE CURRIES), but in the world of things-already-set-in-motion, today is a really exciting day for me - and hopefully for you, too. Because Sylvan Investigations is officially opening its doors for business!

Sylvan What?

Y'see, in 2012, after ten novels, my publisher asked me to write what became the Portals Duology, rather than another Cosa novel. I agreed, but decided that - no matter what New York said - I really wanted to tell those stories anyway, if people were interested. Particularly, I wanted to tell the story of Danny Hendrickson, who had been a secondary player in previous books, but kept demanding a larger storyline.

So I floated a few feelers among readers, and came back with a very strong response: oh HELL yes.

And so a year later, with the assistance of Book View Cafe and Plus One Press, I'm pleased and delighted and all those other words to introduce you to the crew of Sylvan Investigations, featuring Danny Hendrickson, a cop-turned-PI who also happens to be half-faun, and the Seer only known as Ellen, both of them up to their ears helping those who get caught in the cracks of this modern magical world.

And what do those readers say now, that they've seen what they wrought?

“Danny and Shadow are a great team. They aren't perfect... but both are willing to risk everything to save lives and help. You want magic, sardonic humour and great stories? You've come to the right place.” – Ruth

"Since I can't hang out with Danny (and his cute little horns) in New York for real, reading some more of his adventures will just have to do." – Catherine

“Danny Hendrickson is never what you expect, yet he always manages to do the right thing. And get his man/woman/whatever. Like a Mountie, only shorter, cuter, and with horns . . . .” - Elektra

"if Mr Tumnus and Lucy had been written by Raymond Chandler it might be as cool as Danny and Shadow!" – M. Bernardi

"My problem is that I’m addicted to Danny, you see... I need my fix. (Having read the books, now) I’m out of Danny, and I. Need. Some. More.” - Joanna

But don't take another reader's word for it. Check out their. Brand. New. Pages for details! Or go directly to Book View Cafe to buy the ebooks (audio and print editions are due out next week)

(originally published at Writer. Editor. Tired Person)

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/tricks-of-the-trade-ebook-now-available-in-the-uk/

After a delay that was making me twitch (and no, I don't know why there was a delay), TRICKS OF THE TRADE (Paranormal Scene Investigations #3) is available digitally in the UK!

Book 4, DRAGON JUSTICE, will be available 1 June.

*throws confetti*

(and while you're there, check out the short fiction of DON'T READ THIS BOOK and DRAGON VIRUS!)

Thanks to reader Catherine Sharp for the news!

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/and-its-away/

The first "Sylvan Investigations" novella, that is.

This is the first of the Kickstarted novellas, following after DRAGON JUSTICE, spinning off half-faun PI Danny Hendrickson into his own series.

Sylvan Investigations_MilesToGo_final

We sent the file off to backers last week, and I've...well, been a little on edge, ever since. I got one "I loved it!" from someone I saw at Lunacon (bless her, I may have made her repeat it *g*), and the rest has been...silence.

Probably, that's because they haven't had a chance to read it yet. Or they're not the sort to gush. Or...they hated it. Ack.

*does NOT hide under the bed, damn it*

EtA: I'm not asking for reassurances. Okay, maybe I am. But it's okay. ;-)

I'm really hoping they like it. I'm really hoping they're looking forward to the next installment (PROMISES TO KEEP, currently in production). I'm really hoping they like them both enough that I get to write the 3rd novella, which in my head is called SOME MISTAKE...

Whatever happens, though, this was - and is - one of the more enjoyable Publishing Aventures I've had, working with my very own team of stalwart freelancers and lunatics. The fact that none of them throttled me may be a small miracle. :-)

(and yes, the novellas will be available to the open market this winter, so if you missed the Kickstarter, you'll get a second chance)

Current Mood: accomplished

Because some of you may've gotten shiny new e-readers recently, and some of you may've missed my happy flailing when these were first released, and because hey, if I'm not telling you about my books, I'm falling down on part of the job, right?

Dragon Virus
$4.99 at BookView Cafe Amazon B&N

“Laura Anne Gilman makes you care. You care about her characters and their choices; you care about what’s happening to their world.”
—Walter Jon Williams

It began soon after the Millennium. Reports of newborns with strange malformations, too weak to live…caused by a single genetic mutation. Or, as the press quickly dubbed it, the Dragon Virus. Scientists predicted that it was an evolutionary dead end; that the mutation would burn itself out quickly; that it was nothing to be worried about.

They were wrong.

Everything was about to change.

Six connected stories, charting the end – beginning – of everything we know, everything we fear, everything we hope for….

With an Introduction by Walter Jon Williams

From Whence You Came: A Lands Vin Novella
$4.99 at BookView Cafe
Centuries before the Vineart War, massive sea-serpents roamed the seas, endangering the lives of all who sailed there. Only the greatest magic could keep them in check, and protect the coastlines from their depredations. And then…they disappeared. Legend credited Master Vineart Bradhai, and called him a hero.

Legend…. is not always accurate. And often, the truth is a better story.

Set in the world of the Nebula Award-nominated Vineart War trilogy

Practical Meerkat's 52 Bits of Useful Information for Young (and Old) Writers
$2.99 at BookView Cafe

Writing is a craft. Publishing is a business. Today’s world requires you to understand both.

A year’s worth of first-hand advice from the popular “Practical Meerkat” series, including:
• Knowing When Not to Complain (and how to do it)
• Bar Schmoozing with the Big Dogs (even if you don’t drink)
• Dealing with a Difficult Editor/Agent
• and 49 more!

Anthologies:

Beyond Grimm
Edited by Deborah J Ross and Phyllis Irene Radford
$4.99 at BookView Cafe

Not your grandmother’s fairy tales…

From the far-ranging imaginations of Book View Café authors comes this delirious collection of classic tales newly twisted into dark, dangerous, and occasionally hilarious re-tellings. From the golden isles of Greece to the frozen north, from fairytale castles to urban slums, join us on an unforgettable journey!

Breaking Waves
Edited by Tiffany Trent and Phyllis Irene Radford
$4.99 at BookView cafe

All proceeds from the sale of this anthology will go to th Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund f the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

Breaking Waves offers glimpses of maritime splendor, poignancy, and humor through the works of poets, essayists such as Rachel Carson, and Hugo and Nebula-award winning authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Vonda N. McIntyre, and David D. Levine.

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/reading-material-available-only-in-drm-free-digital/

PSA: looking for that last-minute downloadable gift? Something to read on the long trip to Grandma's House? Pick up some DRM-free fiction at BookView Cafe! Act now, and catch our Holiday Sale

(and yes, this is a sideways reminder that my DRAGON VIRUS, FROM WHENCE YOU CAME, and PRACTICAL MEERKAT'S 52 BITS OF USEFUL INFORMATION on sale!) are available direct from the publisher here.... but also books from Vonda McIntyre, Pat Rice, Judith Tarr, Chris Dolley, and many others...)

You can also get DRAGON VIRUS from B&N and Amazon....

Well, so far 51 people have thought this would be a good/great idea, and only 4 people have slammed me for needing it to feed my ego*. So I guess that's a reasonable "no, you won't look like a total egomaniac asshole for doing this" vote.

Only 1 person thought $1.99 was a fair price for the collection - the sweet spot seemed to be around $4.50 (I haven't done the actual number crunching yet, that's back-of-the-envelope). Since that fit in with my thinking, I am pleased. The folk who said "choose what you want, we'll pay anything" were lying through their teeth. But I appreciated it.

Not sure how to rate the new/reprint question without actually crunching it, except that clearly, there are a number of you who haven't read my short fiction. Which is kind of the point in doing the collection....

So, here's what I'm thinking: 10-15 stories, ranging from shorts to novella-length, with 2-3 new stories included. None of them will be set in the Cosa Nostradamus or Lands Vin worlds, a mix of genres, no theme other than I Wrote That.

That could be fun. For you guys, I mean. For me it means having to read 25+ stories and pick favorites**, and that could get ugly...

*for those who are seeing this as an ego-pat: Yeah, once upon a time, only Certain Writers could get story collections, either from small presses or their main publisher. Yeah, I know I'll never be one of Those Writers. But digital publishing makes it possible to do this, and hey, why the hell not? I'm proud of these stories, an editor thought they were worth publishing, and they've gotten good responses over the years. So why not increase the readership, same as a backlist novel?

**and then check contractual availability

[Poll #1883256]

Most of the folk here, if you know me as a writer, know me for my novels.

I also write short fiction. Some of it's similar to my novels, and some of it...isn't.

Many years ago, I wrote a story. It was called "End of Days," and it was, in a phrase, one fucked-up child of a story. And I loved it, because it was so fucked-up, and painful, and true. And because it asked me to do things, writing-wise, and write things, theme-wise, that I'd never done before.

And then, a little while later, with entirely different things in my head, I wrote a story called "Dragons." And it was only mildly fucked-up, and in a totally different voice and time and setting, and - and they were set in the same world.

And I realized that they were the start and end points of.... call it a story-cycle.

And Dragon Virus came into being.

In 2011, Fairwood Press published it as a limited edition, signed hardcover.

And now, in 2012, BookViewCafe is publishing it as an ebook.

DRAGON VIRUS:
a tragedy in six evolutions / an evolution in six tragedies

Words, even beautiful words, cannot explain what this project means to me. It was the challenge to me-as-writer, and me-as-human. It's the challenge to all of us, to look at our beliefs, our expectations, our presumptions and our prejudices, and our innate, bastard/angel, human impulses.

I won't say I hope you enjoy it. I do hope it moves you.

~~(yes, it will go up on Amazon and B&N, for those who prefer those markets. Just...not quite yet.)~~ And it's now up at Amazon and B&N!

(and finding a reason to use my Nick Fury icon)

speaking of DON'T READ THIS BOOK, Dorkadia sez:

"I hate to apply “clever” as praise too often – it’s easy for it to come across as dismissive, like the follow-up “little” is lurking around the corner – but it’s one of the first things to leap to mind for the contributions from Greg Stolze and Laura Anne Gilman. Stolze’s “Don’t Harsh Your Buzz” is a well-framed fencing match between a human Awake (as the emigrants from the waking world are called) and an anthropomorphic nightmare, while in “Don’t Toot Your Horn” Gilman tells the story of a drifting jazz musician with the scattershot phrasing and odd timing beats of the protagonist’s own trombone playing."

And then they go on to say nice things about the rest of the anthology, too. http://www.dorkadia.com/2012/11/26/dont-read-this-book/

I m especially pleased because I sweated over that story, to get the phrasing and beats down right. *grin*

So, ya know, if you like clever dark fiction, or know someone who wants exactly that for the holidays... there's your shopping, sorted. Yer welcome. :-)

B&N
Amazon
Direct From the Publisher

while I'm thinking of it... a reminder!

From Whence You Came: A Lands Vin Novella

$4.99 at BookView Cafe
Centuries before the Vineart War, massive sea-serpents roamed the seas, endangering the lives of all who sailed there. Only the greatest magic could keep them in check, and protect the coastlines from their depredations. And then…they disappeared. Legend credited Master Vineart Bradhai, and called him a hero.

Legend…. is not always accurate. And often, the truth is a better story.

Set in the world of the Nebula Award-nominated Vineart War trilogy

Practical Meerkat's 52 Bits of Useful Information for Young (and Old) Writers
$2.99 at BookView Cafe

Writing is a craft. Publishing is a business. Today’s world requires you to understand both.

A year’s worth of first-hand advice from the popular “Practical Meerkat” series, including:
• Knowing When Not to Complain (and how to do it)
• Bar Schmoozing with the Big Dogs (even if you don’t drink)
• Dealing with a Difficult Editor/Agent
• and 49 more!

Last year, I decided to try a Kickstarter to, well, kickstart a novella set in the pre-history of The Vineart War trilogy. That story became "From Whence You Came," and it was funded, written, published, and, well, people seemed to like it.

It's now available to the general reading public (or at least, the tiny segment of said reading public who need more sea-serpents, magic, female scientists, and cranky merchants in their lives).

At the moment, you can buy it via BookView Cafe, in DRM-free mobi and epub formats.

Eventually, it will be available at Amazon and B&N (and, hopefully, participating Indiebound stores).... but I'll be blunt and say that I'd rather you supported BVC, as the monies raised go not only to me, but to support the co-op as a whole, so we can keep bringing you fine reading at reasonable prices.....

From Whence You Came: A Lands Vin story

And today is the Official (no really, the Official) launch day for Dragon Justice. The day the publisher had on their schedule, not when books actually appear on shelves.*

To celebrate Official Launch Day (oh dear, I'm OLD) and the release of the digital edition, I'm giving away a $30 gift card from SkinIt (or a $25 gift certificate to B&N - your choice). All you have to do is post here and tell me if you read paper or digital. If you want to tell me where you picked up your copy of Dragon Justice (or include a photo of you holding/reading it), that gets you another chance to win. The contest will remain open until Saturday, August 4th.

Oh, and I'm featured on the Paranormal Romance Blog today, talking about the journey that brought you the Cosa Nostradamus!

*stores have been putting the paper copies out ahead of the OLD for years. Unless you have a national embargo enforced by the publisher, there's nothing that really can be done for it - like kids trying to get half step ahead of the others, before the light changes and they can all cross the street.... It sucks for those of us who buy ebooks, but it's utterly out of the writers' hands.

Because prepping for epub makes the baby meerkat cry, and takes away from time better used WRITING, I built into my budget for the Sylvan Investigations novella project (small but reasonable) money to hire a Trained Professional to handle all the tech-geek formatting parts.

The first novella won't be ready for a few months yet, but since I like to get my ducks lined up ahead of time, I'm hereby taking suggestions and recommendations for, and job-bids from, Appropriate Trained Professionals.

The job would be for two distinct novellas, each about 30k words (guestimated), with appropriate font/back matter. No chapter headings, no internal art, etc.

oh yeah there it is, the "hazy hot and humid" forecast nobody was waiting for.... ices the coffee, cranks the ac without apology

Today (this week) is kind of crazy. I'm working on a novel draft and a short story. I'm trying to get organized for BEA next week (wheeee). I'm trying to get the apartment in shape for the BEA-related houseguests. There's some client work that needs to be finished up, and oh yeah, prepping FROM WHENCE YOU CAME and DRAGON VIRUS for their ebook releases.

And somewhere in there I need to think about what promo I'm going to do for DRAGON JUSTICE (PSI#4) which is out 1 August.... anyone have any ideas?

Carried over from last week

- return phone calls/~~emails~~
- ~~buy ISBNs~~
- ~~follow-up on pending story submission (on buy-hold since NOVEMBER, oy)~~

New Stuff

- read draft of FIXED for 2nd pass notes
- ~~finish draft of Kickstarter story #1~~
- make Kickstarter cookies
- ~~get to post awful~~
- ~~put up a Kickstarter update~~
- ~~settle BEA plans~~
- create a Lands Vin FAQ
- ~~talk to Madame Agent about New Proposals~~
- start contemplating new book promos

My cold seems to be settling in nicely.... meh. I am draggy and dopey and sleeping more than usual. Which I know is a healing thing but it's playing havoc with the stuff I'm supposed to be DOING.

On the other hand, there are e-books to be bought!

First: Angry Robot (not my publisher, no affiliation with me) is having a 50% off sale! angryrobotbooks.com For those of us in the US, that makes their ebooks Actually Affordable! Also: no DRM. Ever. So what are you waiting for?

Second: there's only 18 more hours to go to get in with Danny Hendrickson and Sylvan Investigations. $9 gets you two novellas. $15 gets you two novellas and a short story. $40 gets you two novellas, and THREE short stories! And yes... DRM free, in mobi, epub and pdf. But you'd better hurry, 'cause once that window closes....

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/980297055/miles-to-go-promises-to-keep-a-cosa-nostradamus-pr

Just a reminder that all the short fiction of the Cosa Nostradamus (to-date) is available in an easy digital format....

BN.com for Nook / direct from Smashwords

The Court rejects Google Books settlement w/ Authors' Guild: http://cnet.co/hD3rYq

(and via @rosefox) Here's a copy of judge's opinion in Google digital library case http://1.usa.gov/fpA9k4

I am... pleased by this. As the decision says, digitization is a good thing... but Google overreached themselves and infringed on copyright holders' legal right to decide what is/isn't done with their work (and then told us we were 'overreacting." As with most people who use that phrase, they really meant "don't take offense while we run roughshod over you." Well, we took offense).

And now, due to that overreach, they are no longer the only kids on the digital block, but have to share the market with other players. They've lost their advantage, and they've spent $$$ in court fees that could have been avoided if they hadn't gotten greedy/lazy.

"In the end, I conclude that the ASA is not fair, adequate, and reasonable....The motion for final approval of the ASA is denied, without prejudice to renewal in the event the parties negotiate a revised settlement agreement. The motion for an award of attorneys' fees and costs is denied, without prejudice."

And so back to the table everyone goes..

EtA: my new sig file: "A copyright owner's right to exclude others from using his property is fundamental and beyond dispute." - Judge Chin, 2011

I have been using my new Nook pretty much...well, not nonstop but quite a lot. So yesterday I went to recharge it, as I was going to be Out and About, and wanted to make sure that nothing interfered with my finishing the book I was currently reading. And the charger did not charge.

I plugged it in, the yellow glow started, and then...died. Nothing.

And, of course, B&N has made their charger proprietary (grr) so none of my other mini-usb chargers would work on it. That's the one thing I will not forgive them.

Anyway, while I was Out and About I stopped by a B&N, and they determined that yes, it was the charger, not my Nook that was broken (whew). They could not hand over a new one (having no extras) but got on the phone with customer service and arranged to have a new one shipped to me right away. So that was good.

And then they offered to top off the charge, to keep me going. And that was even nicer.

(I was told that, until the charger arrived, I could come into the store and have it plugged in, but alas, there is no B&N within walking distance of me, I have to take a subway, and I still have physical books to keep me company. Which is one of the great joys of physical books. They're bulkier, but they don't require a battery.)

And did I mention New!Bookcase arriving tomorrow? Am I maybe just a little too excited about that? Nah. Can't be too excited about New!Bookcase.

Current Mood: cold

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Laura Anne Gilman

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September 2018

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Page Summary

Digital Marketplace expansions...
We interrupt this LJ to bring you an important Sylvan Investigations Update....
Introducing... Danny Hendrickson, and SYLVAN INVESTIGATIONS!
TRICKS OF THE TRADE ebook now available in the UK!
And it’s Away!
Reading Material, Available Only In (DRM-Free) Digital.
Holiday Gifting PSA and Slightly Shameless Self-Promo
Informal Poll Results
Because I'm curious, and may have lost my mind...
New (ebook) Release: Dragon Virus
The story is "Don't Toot Your Horn" but here I am, doing just that...
ebooks currently available at BookView Cafe
From Whence You Came, now out in the wild!
It's Official Launch Day for DRAGON JUSTICE! (Important Post 3/3)
Lining it Up Now
Tuesday Very Much Like Monday, and it's summer no matter what the calendar says.
Oh Friday..... ooo, bookses!
Shameless, she is shameless....
Breaking News: Publishing
In which I have a boo and a yay about my Nook....

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Where Personal and Professional Life Collide...

My life in 8 words: Organized chaos, by preference. Exhausting, but never boring

Entries tagged with e-books

Digital Marketplace expansions...

We interrupt this LJ to bring you an important Sylvan Investigations Update....

Introducing... Danny Hendrickson, and SYLVAN INVESTIGATIONS!

TRICKS OF THE TRADE ebook now available in the UK!

And it’s Away!

Reading Material, Available Only In (DRM-Free) Digital.

Holiday Gifting PSA and Slightly Shameless Self-Promo

Informal Poll Results

Because I'm curious, and may have lost my mind...

New (ebook) Release: Dragon Virus

The story is "Don't Toot Your Horn" but here I am, doing just that...

ebooks currently available at BookView Cafe

From Whence You Came, now out in the wild!

It's Official Launch Day for DRAGON JUSTICE! (Important Post 3/3)

Lining it Up Now

Tuesday Very Much Like Monday, and it's summer no matter what the calendar says.

Oh Friday..... ooo, bookses!

Shameless, she is shameless....

Breaking News: Publishing

In which I have a boo and a yay about my Nook....