lagilman | Entries tagged with portals

Oh, *squeak* Purely by accident I stumbled across Black Gate's review of HEART OF BRIAR, and I am a happy happy happy author....

"She got me. I didn’t expect to get caught up in this book, thought I would just read the first couple of chapters, because it’s not my usual kind of thing. Gilman uses some of the tropes of paranormal romance, but she’s using them to do bigger things, some of which I did not see coming....I can itemize the romance elements that have been deployed here, but each one has been turned on its head in some deliberate way."

My favorite line:

"Gilman’s fairyland bears a remarkable resemblance to the chilling otherworld of C.L. Moore’s great pulp sword and sorcery classic story “Black God’s Kiss.”

Oh, how I loved that story as a kid.... Was I thinking of it when I was writing the Portals duology? I can't say I was. But it was probably in my mind, however deep...

And then they go on to talk about Jan, and totally get her: It’s easy to root for Jan, even when she makes her gravest mistakes. She’s funny, she’s brutally honest with herself about the uglier moments of her inner life, and the love that drives her is genuinely complicated. It’s angry love, wronged love, but to her surprise she finds that it remains unconditional love.

I'm now going to be nervously waiting to see what they think about Book 2, SOUL OF FIRE

Including my own SOUL OF FIRE.

soul_of_fire_front

The second part of the Portals Duology that began last month with
heart_of_briar_front

But don't worry, you can run out and get the other books today. I'll remind you about the duology again later....

(is it later yet?

How about now? Now?)

Soul of Fire at your local independent
Soul of Fire at Amazon
Soul of Fire at B&N

Heart of Briar at your local independent
Heart of Briar at Amazon
Heart of Briar at B&N

A contest! Caption the photos, and win books. How simple is that?

You have until 9am on Saturday the 28th to enter. In the interest of simplicity (and me not having to chase all over the socialsphere), I'm requesting that all entries be left on the site itself, not here. Thanks!

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/caption-contest/

Heart of Briar seems to be the little book that's slow to get noticed...but when people do, they like it, they really really like it.

This... pleases me. I mean, I'd be more pleased if the entire word had sat up and said IT'S HERE! OH YAY! but people liking it when they find it is good, too.

“You can always count on (the) gifted Gilman to deliver richly layered fantasy filled with winning characters and well-defined worlds, and she doesn’t disappoint with HEART OF BRIAR. (A) terrific series starter.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars) – RT Reviews

“Given the endless variations of [the Tam Lin legend] that have already been told, Gilman brings a refreshing 21st century sensibility to the tale… Best of all, Soul of Fire, the other half of the duology, comes out this fall. I’m looking forward to seeing how Gilman rounds out this story.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars) - SF Signal

“[Readers] will be seduced and enthralled by Gilman’s metaphysical thriller about wicked elves, shape-shifting supernaturals and portals to another dimension….melds magic with mayhem for a tale of bravery, friendship and devotion.” – Publishers Weekly

“Calling this story a retelling of Tam Lin doesn’t do it justice. Gilman has taken the bones of that fairy tale and reassembled it entirely, restrung with strength and ferocity and drive outside that pale relationship between a woman and her lost lover. Jan’s journey starts to find Tyler, but ultimately she finds so much more. Another world, a war, and a strength and bravery she never realized existed.” - All Things Urban Fantasy

Yeah. Not too shabby. Now if I can get some word of mouth started, in time for Book 2 (Soul of Fire) in October.....

(oh yeah. Buy links? I got those: http://www.lauraannegilman.net/whats-in-print/portals/heart-of-briar/)

from Publishers Weekly....

Fans and skeptics of the occult will be seduced and enthralled by Gilman's metaphysical thriller about wicked elves, shape-shifting supernaturals and portals to another dimension. A fable of good versus evil, Gilman's inspired fantasy is poised between two worlds: Human, whose denizens are unaware they are being invaded; and Preternatural, whose elf inhabitants, called preters, are infiltrating our world.

(cut for plot spoilers)

.... Gilman melds magic with mayhem for a tale of bravery, friendship and devotion."

(emphasis mine, obviously)

heart_of_briar_front I wrote a metaphysical thriller! Who knew?

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/oh-hi-there-shiny-little-surprise-review/

And I may have dated myself with that header. Ah well.

After the first week of on-sale for a book generally the fuss dies down a little. But not for me - I'm about to raise a little fuss! I hope to see some of you along the way...

As follows, the Not-A-Tour for HEART OF BRIAR:

First, I'm off to Portland, for a signing at Powell’s Cedar Hills Crossing on Monday August 12th, at 7pm.

Then back up to Seattle for the SFWA Pacific Northwest Reading Series on Tuesday August 13th.

Then down to Portland again to repeat the Pacific Northwest Reading Series for Portland on Wednesday August 14th.

(in-between I will be hitting local bookstores and wineries. Mostly I'll be signing credit card slips at the wineries, tho...)

And then I'm off to San Francisco, for SF in SF on Saturday August 17th, which promises to be much terrifying fun (for me, anyway. Hopefully just fun for y'all)

And then a signing at the Barnes & Noble in San Jose (Almaden Plaza, 5353 Almaden Expressway) Sunday August 18th, at 4PM

And then home again in time for my birthday, which I may spend in an exhausted sprawl on the sofa, before heading out again for DragonCon.

Updates as they happen. Following me on Twitter is probably your best bet for all the inspired goofiness and updates.

In the meanwhile, my dedicated catsitters will be holding the fort.... or being sat on by cats. One or the other. Pray for them, as they have to deal with Castiel Kitten of Thursday....

Originally published at Writer. Editor. Tired Person.

"Calling this story a retelling of Tam Lin doesn’t do it justice. Gilman has taken the bones of that fairy tale and reassembled it entirely, restrung with strength and ferocity and drive outside that pale relationship between a woman and her lost lover. Jan’s journey starts to find Tyler, but ultimately she finds so much more. Another world, a war, and a strength and bravery she never realized existed....I finished this book revved up and ready for more."

When a reader "gets it," when they read the book that was in your head and in your heart, that's absolutely the best feeling in the world, ever. <3

The rest of the review is here

And I just got the wonderful-and-yet-feared "read it in one sitting!" reaction from a reader.... Feared because oh shit that thing took me nearly a year to write, slow down! but also YAY! because the next book is scheduled for October. Yes, October 2013....

Originally published at Writer. Editor. Tired Person.

Oh hi, August, you're going to be insane-busy, aren't you? Connecticut, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Atlanta...

And I have a birthday in there somewhere, too.

First off, disappearing for a few days for for my first Agency Retreat, leaving the felines (reluctantly) in the capable hand of their cat-sitter. So I'll 'see' y'all Sunday night.... or at one of the following scheduled stops during the month:

Powell’s Cedar Hills Crossing (Portland, OR)
(signing for HEART OF BRIAR)
Monday August 12th, 7pm

Pacific Northwest Reading Series (Seattle, WA)
Tuesday August 13th, 2013

Pacific Northwest Reading Series (Portland, OR)
Wednesday August 14th, 2013

SF in SF (San Francisco, CA)
Saturday August 17th, 2013

Barnes & Noble (San Jose, CA)
(signing for HEART OF BRIAR)
Almaden Plaza, 5353 Almaden Expressway
Sunday August 18th, 2013 4PM

DragonCon (Atlanta, GA)
August 30th-September 2nd, 2013

The truth is that in recent years the idea of a single launch day has pretty much fallen into disuse, if only because the physical books are on the shelf before the digital books are officially released. But still, it's nice to have a single point in time when you say, "It's here! It's a Real Book You Can Read!"

And so, today is the day that HEART OF BRIAR is (officially) out in the wild! And I’m too busy with deadlines to do more than go “wooo!" and remind you. Party for me!

“You can always count on (the) gifted Gilman to deliver richly layered fantasy filled with winning characters and well-defined worlds, and she doesn’t disappoint with HEART OF BRIAR. (A) terrific series starter.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars) – RT Reviews

and here, don't take it on faith - Read an excerpt!

Available via...

Amazon

Your Local Independent Bookstore

Barnes & Noble

and I will be out and about in the next 4 weeks, doing signings and readings and whatnot...

Powell’s Cedar Hills Crossing (Portland, OR)
(signing for HEART OF BRIAR)
Monday August 12th, 7pm

Pacific Northwest Reading Series (Seattle, WA)
Tuesday August 13th, 2013

Pacific Northwest Reading Series (Portland, OR)
Wednesday August 14th, 2013

SF in SF (San Francisco, CA)
Saturday August 17th, 2013

Barnes & Noble (San Jose, CA)
Almaden Plaza, 5353 Almaden Expressway
Sunday August 18th, 2013 4PM

DragonCon (Atlanta, GA)
August 30th-September 2nd, 2013

Baltimore Book Festival (Baltimore, MD)
September 27-29, 2013

"Heart of Briar is an engaging fantasy read that works to turn a number of fantasy tropes and legends on their heads. There are elements from traditional tales like Tam Lin to ideas that would be more at home in a modern paranormal romance, mixed together and subverted." (from GoodReads)

Why yes, yes I did. I did that thing*.

The reader was less certain about Jan and Martin's motivations, but more of that will be coming in SOUL OF FIRE (October), as more of the curtain is pulled back....

As a reminder, this is what RT Reviews said:

“You can always count on (the) gifted Gilman to deliver richly layered fantasy filled with winning characters and well-defined worlds, and she doesn’t disappoint with HEART OF BRIAR. (A) terrific series starter.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars)

This is a very different book from anything I've done before, and I'm not sure I'll ever write anything like this again, but it was fun. I'm glad that's coming through in the reading experience, too. :-)

It ships in eight days. meeep!

B&N
Amazon
Your Local Independent Bookstore
(note: if you order it from Posman Books in NYC, I might be able to get it signed/personalized for you.)

or you can pre-order a signed copy from
Powells Cedar Hills Crossing where I'll be August 12th

and don't forget to check the sightings and signings page, to see where else I'll be this summer!

*I should point out, quietly, that I'm pretty sure TPTB at Harlequin didn't know that I was subverting the tropes when they approved the outline for Portals.
I mean what's the fun of subversion if you tell people you're doing it beforehand?

29 days until HEART OF BRIAR ships! Pre-order now and have it show up like magic!

(really like magic, if you order a digital edition!)

He has been taken. And you are his only chance.”

That wasn’t something Jan expected to hear-especially from strangers who’d just rescued her from some mysterious and ferocious creatures. And she really hadn’t expected her rescuers to be shape-shifters….
Now it turns out her boyfriend, Tyler, hasn’t gone missing, he’s been stolen-and Jan’s the only one who might be able to get him back.
From Elfland.

"“You can always count on (the) gifted Gilman to deliver richly layered fantasy filled with winning characters and well-defined worlds, and she doesn’t disappoint with HEART OF BRIAR. (A) terrific series starter.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars)

(RT Reviews)

direct Amazon link:

direct B&N link:

To buy from an independent bookstore:

originally published at writer. editor. tired person

And that word is pretty positive…

“You can always count on (the) gifted Gilman to deliver richly layered fantasy filled with winning characters and well-defined worlds, and she doesn’t disappoint with HEART OF BRIAR. (A) terrific series starter.” ♦♦♦♦ (4 stars) – RT Reviews

in stores 1 August 2013

Available for pre-order via...

Amazon

Your Local Independent Bookstore

Barnes & Noble

originally published at writer. editor. tired person

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/theres-got-to-be-a-morning-after/

Yesterday, I put the final touches on the revisions for SOUL OF FIRE, and sent it off to madame editrix. The next time I see the book, we'll be in copyedits, and then page proofs, and then a finished book. So it's not dusted, but yeah... it's done.

And that means my ten year, twelve-book relationship with Harlequin has also come to - well, a pause, if not an end. HEART OF BRIAR and SOUL OF FIRE will be the last books from Luna for me. The next fantasy book I want to write isn't one they thought would be right for their list, and I really didn't want to put this one aside for another year or more

So we'll see what we see.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on the 3rd Gin & Tonic mystery for Simon & Schuster, and putting "Promises to Keep" into production for the Kickstarter backers, and there's half a dozen other non-novel projects, as well as That Book I Want to Write. Which is good, because the morning after you hit a deadline, there's this sense of panic - but what do I do NOW? I mean, after you catch up on all the old tv episodes you've been meaning to stream on Netflix, and sleeping all the sleep...

Life goes on. The work goes on. Being bored is, thankfully, not an option.

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/heart-of-briar-is-up-for-pre-order/

You know, if you have a desire for such a thing.

He has been taken. And you are his only chance."

That wasn't something Jan expected to hear-especially from strangers who'd just rescued her from some mysterious and ferocious creatures. And she really hadn't expected her rescuers to be shape-shifters....

Now it turns out her boyfriend, Tyler, hasn't gone missing, he's been stolen-and Jan's the only one who might be able to get him back.

From Elfland.

Yeah, Jan's pretty sure the entire world's gone crazy. Even if the shifters claim that the naturals (like her) and the supernaturals (like them) belong in this world...but the preternaturals, what humans call elves, don't. And the preters have found a portal into our world. A doorway they can use to infiltrate, to take, to conquer.

Jan's not just Ty's only hope - she's got to rescue humanity, as well....

Heart of Briar

July 30, 2013

$7.99 paper/digital

"Do you believe in magic? You will when Gilman's done with you." -- New York Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow

At Amazon

At Barnes & Noble

At Powell's

At Mysterious Galaxy

Via IndieBound

Those of you who are sharp-eyed will have noted the price, and the format. That's right: HEART OF BRIAR is a paperback original.

I know that for a lot of writers, trade or - better yet - hardcover is where it's at. And yeah, the more expensive, more durable format is nice. But I remember being a teenager and going into a bookstore with my allowance -and later, my wee teenaged summer camp counselor paycheck - and trying to buy as many books as I could with the money I had. Paperbacks - the lower price point - allowed me to do that.

As much as I love trade paperbacks and hardcovers, I flinch when I see the prices, and think about the books I wouldn't be able to buy. So yeah, when Harlequin said "we're thinking about publishing this duology in paperback first..." I leapt on it with both hands and some unabashed glee.

I hope y'all feel the same. :-)

Current Mood: indescribable

Random playlist generator has decided that this is the hour-of-gutting-LAG. Thanks, RPG. Currently up: "Don't Talk to Her At Night."

Burn the blanket
Shoot the light
But don't talk to her at night

And oh, followed up with "Desperado Under the Eaves." We're going to be like that, are we? All right, some Huey Lewis an the News as a chaser, that's better.

I have made it to the halfway point in SOUL OF FIRE revisions, moving slow but steady, and cursing a lot when we have another timeline tangle. Some book I will learn not to run concurrent threads with different characters in different locations impacting each others' discoveries. This, once again, is not that book.

I think I'll make deadline without death (mine or anyone else's*), but no promises.

Meanwhile, it's pizza and RTEs until further notice. Bartender, the glass appears empty. Refuel, svp!

*except them as already dead in the manuscript

Copyedit in email for me to go over. Hrm. *opens file, sets to work.*

Okay, fine, I understand you have to change things to house style, but you don't have to patronize me with your explanation every time you do it: your house style is not Gods' Own English style, and I'm not going to relearn just to have my next publisher do it differently. You people also choose gray over grey*, so pffft.

...works works..... mutter a little, works, works....oh for...

"does the author intent to invent this word?"

No, the author is using a word that appears commonly in the English language, and is (gasp) even in dictionaries, with a first cited use in 1814!

Page 10 and I'm already rolling my eyes. This may not go well.

(I am informed that the CE actually quite liked the book. I am pleased. I'm still rolling my eyes.)

*Publisher's stance: we don't use "grey" here in the States. Writer's stance: There's a 'grey" in my mailbox address, but you seem able to use that without a problem... Publisher: ....shut up, Gilman.

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/first-look-heart-of-briar-and-soul-of-fire/

[yes, I am making you go to the main website for the visuals. Click! Look! Comment!]

And with the push of the send tab, SOUL OF FIRE (Portals #2) is off to Madame Editrix. It will come back to me for dire revisions, as she points out all the mis-builds I was too in-the-guts to see, but right now I'm feeling pretty good about the book, and the duology overall. You'll get to see the results in August (Heart of Briar) and October (Soul of Fire) 2013.

Having hit send, I then tried to figure out how many words I've written (novels and short stories, but not including multiple rewrites of same) in 2012. I'd say 350,00-ish, best guesstimate. No wonder my brain now feels like a slice of processed cheese food. Worse: if I do as planned in December, it will hit over 400,000.

I may have done more the year I was writing one Vineart book and two Cosa Nostradamus novels, plus short fiction, but considering that was the year Madame Agent said "don't do that again...."

Anyway. On to happier thoughts! Ebookses! That you can buy!

DRAGON VIRUS is now available at Amazon and B&N, for those of you who prefer to stick with your regular ebook ~~dealer~~ bookseller. It will, I hope also be up soon at Wizard's Tower, and various other indie sites.

Buy early, buy often! And if you prefer the limited edition hardcover, Fairwood Press still has some available!

Meanwhile, BookView Cafe is having a December Sales Event on many of their ebooks, including my own PRACTICAL MEERKAT and the anthology BEYOND GRIMM.

And now, if you'll excuse me, my cheese food brain and I are going to drink some wine, and stare at the tv, and maybe try to read a book I didn't write....

EtA: Oh, and eat. I should eat something more than the bowl of rice and yogurt I had for lunch, huh?

Although not really, because the book's not due until Monday. So I have two more days to give it a final submission-draft readthrough. *whew*

The interesting thing with this revision pass is that when I finished Draft Zero I - bluntly - thought the book sucked. It had lots of great set-pieces and funny lines and character gems, but overall, the plot felt like a bunch of wires and cords thrown in a drawer, and I had no idea how I was going to untangle them and then wind them all into a neat strand.

And then I started the revision pass, an about 1/3 of the way through I realized "oh...it was just the first chunk where I wasn't quite sure where I was going that was making me all nervous." Once I got past that, everything was pretty much laid out and just waiting for me to plug everything in.

(yes, it seems that I am using a Christmas lights metaphor here. It's almost December, what do you expect?)

And now... well, if we're going to continue that metaphor, the strands are untangled and draped just-so, to the point where I can see how nicely everything will ~~look~~ read, and all I need to do is get down and plug that last cord in and... then see if it lights up, or if one burnt-out bulb somewhere in the middle stops it all dead.

I think I'll wait until tomorrow for that, though.

I will say that the last half, once I had everything sorted? Filled me with a readerly glee. I'm hoping that's a good sign, and not proof I've lost all ability to judge...

And now, if you'll excuse me, there's a slab of red meat grilling with my name on it.

From the fantasy WiP draft, in which our heroine has an encounter with a Jenny Greenteeth, a river sprite.
-------------

“Relax, human,” the river spirit said, still grinning. “I’m no brownie-man, to begrudge you your place in the court. She uses us as she will, and we take what she gives.”

“And what is she giving you?” Jan asked. They’d known there were supers following the preter queen willingly, but not why, not beyond vague guesses and suspicions.

“Entertainment,” Greenteeth said, her slim form dancing around Jan, forcing the human to turn in order to keep the super in sight at all times. “It will not be dull, while she is here. Allies and enemies, plots and plans, whispers and hisses.”

“Stirring the pot?”

“Yesssss…..” Those black eyes sparked with something deep in the pupils, and Jan knew she should be disturbed, maybe even frightened, but suddenly Greenteeth seemed less frightening than, somehow, endearing.

“Jenny. Are you glamouring me?” Jan tried to sound stern, but her voice cracked on the last word.

“Heeeee. Human who smells of kelpie knows better. I don’t have to try, you’re already halfway there.” The Greenteeth leaned forward and pressed her lips to Jan’s, a warm, wet tongue darting out to lick her once, quickly, before the super had danced away again.

“That’s sexual harassment!” Jan yelled after her, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, but she was laughing despite herself.

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Laura Anne Gilman

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September 2018

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Page Summary

Another Reviewer Heard From... on HEART OF BRIAR
It's a Tuesday. So there are many book releases out in the wild today...
Caption This! Contest
Recapping, because I can...
oh. hi there, shiny little surprise review….
Leaving, on a Jet Plane…
All Things Urban Fantasy liked HEART OF BRIAR!
oh hello August...
BOOK DAY! for HEART OF BRIAR (and related information)
First reader-review for HEART OF BRIAR
And so it begins…. 29 days until HEART OF BRIAR ships!
The first word on HEART OF BRIAR!
There’s Got to Be A Morning After….
Heart of Briar is up for pre-order!
state of the meerkat, Saturday edition
Why Writers Drink, Take Whatever...
First Look: HEART OF BRIAR and SOUL OF FIRE
That was the Weekend That Was (sort of lost in a fog of words)
And here endeth FiMyDaNoMo
something not mysterious....

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Where Personal and Professional Life Collide...

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Entries tagged with portals

Another Reviewer Heard From... on HEART OF BRIAR

It's a Tuesday. So there are many book releases out in the wild today...

Caption This! Contest

Recapping, because I can...

oh. hi there, shiny little surprise review….

Leaving, on a Jet Plane…

All Things Urban Fantasy liked HEART OF BRIAR!

oh hello August...

BOOK DAY! for HEART OF BRIAR (and related information)

Available via...

First reader-review for HEART OF BRIAR

And so it begins…. 29 days until HEART OF BRIAR ships!

The first word on HEART OF BRIAR!

Available for pre-order via...

There’s Got to Be A Morning After….

Heart of Briar is up for pre-order!

state of the meerkat, Saturday edition

Why Writers Drink, Take Whatever...

First Look: HEART OF BRIAR and SOUL OF FIRE

That was the Weekend That Was (sort of lost in a fog of words)

And here endeth FiMyDaNoMo

something not mysterious....