I now both love and hate Justin. I love him for this story, and I hate him for not writing 5 of them in this series before getting the first one published. But that’s easily forgiven, since he is writing more, and I have learned to be patient. I don’t have to always like being patient, but I can still be patient.

I’m writing a review of Black Magic Woman for Dragon Page. I’m also reading the book again for that purpose. Those of you who know me can take that as an indicator of how much I enjoyed this book, and I think I already mentioned how much I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Wait until December.

The other book I have to mention is actually a pair of books… the first two in a series. Here, There Be Dragons and The Search for The Red Dragon by James A. Owen. First two books in “The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica”, you almost have to read them a couple of times to pick up all the interwoven and cleverly hidden historical references, both real and literary.

This series is a proposed seven volumes, and will actually tie in to the graphic novels and some other work that James has done. The third volume will be out this fall, so I won’t have to wait too long… and I have to re-read the first book anyway, to catch some of the stuff I missed last year… stuff James mentioned during the interview we did.

I want more time to read, and to write. Lots more!

Anyway, go find these books… I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I found out this weekend that the AZ Book Festival may held it’s last festival.

The AZ Book Festival lost it’s usual space at Carnegie Center, and as a result will not be able to hold the festival in April 2008 as they have been held the past few years. They’re officially on hiatus, hoping for a new location for Fall 2008 or Spring 2009, but that’s not hopeful-sounding news.

I hope they manage to find a new home.

He brought a microburst with him. One that was perfectly aimed at key areas of Mesa. I don’t know how he managed to conceal a weather tracking and targeting system in his cane, but that’s only my best guess as to where it might be.

It’s the only explanation that makes sense to me… he had mentioned not wanting to burst into flames when he arrived here, and having some rain cool the place down a bit is a perfect way to avoid that. It barely rained in some other areas, but it was torrential in the area around Atomic Comics, and in the hour leading up to when his signing event was to begin.

Country Club (Rt 87), the major road going to that strip mall, was partially blocked in 2 areas south of Route 202 (3 northbound and 3 southbound lanes whittled down to 1 lane in each direction), and continuing southbound it was completely blocked off because a trestle underpass was completely flooded out… blocked by fire trucks. The side roads to take to get to other major roads were swamped under. The parallel major roads were either partially blocked, or barely moving because of redirected traffic (sometimes by both).

So getting to Atomic Comics from the north was a bust, and looping around to approach from the south was no better.

The major highway nearby, Route 60, was diverting all traffic onto Country Club (this is south of said mall) because the area where the highway passed under Country Club was flooded out. All evening rush hour traffic was being forced onto an already choked street. One intersection I sat at was reminiscent of the traffic jam caused in the remake of “The Italian Job”… no movement for any green light for several cycles!

Flooded roads, cars in parking lots suddenly under water, mayhem ensuing in the aftermath? Force of nature in action, all converging on Warren’s very location in Mesa. And I’m sure he did it all with a secret button in his cane. Or maybe his hat. I don’t have proof, and I’m not sure I want proof. That could end up going to scary places where I’m not prepared to look yet.

All in all, what should have been a 40-minute drive from work to the comics shop took a total of 115 minutes. But I got there, dammit… I was on a mission, and no force of nature or interference from the universe was going to thwart me.

This went way beyond wanting him to sign my copies “Global Frequency”… this was a rare chance to show a bit of appreciation to someone who made me cry laughing during a rather dark time in my life. Have you ever read his Ripping Yarns essay? If not, go do so now… I’ll wait.

About a month ago, Brian told me he was coming to town, and I knew I had to do something beyond just asking if his schedule would allow him to drop by the studio for an interview. So I asked the very talented Cheyenne Wright if he could come up with some artwork that appropriately reflected the tone and dark humor of that essay, and he exceeded my every expectation.

Because of that I was able to present Mr. Ellis with a unique piece of art commemorating that essay properly. And of course Brian and I got him to sign copies for us, Michael and Cheyenne.

note: Later, if Warren says that I can send that image out into the wild for everyone to share, I will. I have also sent him the digital version, so if he wants to post it himself, he is able to. It’s not my call, unless he says it is.

All in all, it was a good thing. The rain would have prevented us being able to interview him in the studio and get him to Atomic on time, and I don’t think any amount of good scotch would have been able to make up for that faux pas.

I think asking him for an interview on “Cover to Cover” about his book is a very good idea, and fun to boot.

The Dragon Page/Slice of SciFi part of the signing didn’t go off quite so well, unfortunately. Between Mike, Mur, Evo and myself, I don’t think we signed a single copy. The copies of “So Say We All” that I had been told would be there weren’t, so I couldn’t have signed anything if someone had wanted it.

The fun part was getting some of books of mine signed. I talked with Melanie Rawn for a little bit while she signed 4 books for me, and I was completely tickled. Her Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies rank up there as some of my all-time favorite books (and those first three are the only other books besides Stover’s “Heroes Die” and Steve Perry’s Matador trilogy that I’ve bought multiple times and given to others to read).

I talked with Emma Bull and Will Shetterly for a long time after she signed “War for the Oaks” for me, and my only regret was that I couldn’t find my copy of “Bone Dance” to bring for her to sign. She talked about a book coming out in July, “Territory”, and I can’t wait to get my hands on that one.

Then I had my ancient copy of “The Gift of Magic” signed by Lois Duncan, and spent nearly an hour sitting with James A. Owen as he was signing and drawing in copies of “Here There Be Dragons”. He told all sort of fascinating stories about the artists and writers he’s worked with over the years, and now I’m just waiting for him to send me an email so we can get him scheduled for a chat at Dragon Page. My day of getting things signed at the festival was complete.

Afterwards, I drove Jim Butcher back to the studio for his interview, and we chatted about all sorts of scifi television geekery. Turns out we’re both fans of Robert Hewitt Wolfe’s work for similar reasons: Andromeda, the first two seasons, and more particularly, Tyr Anasazi, out of Victoria by Barbarosa.

aside: For those, like me, who are interested in writing for television, check out “Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for Television” by Joe Nazzaro (Titan Books, 2002). It contains interviews with folks like RHW, JMS, DC Fontana, David Greenwalt, Michael Piller, Joss Whedon, Jonathan Glassner, and Rob Tapert. Some of it’s fluff, but overall it gives a pretty good look into the minds of some of the best TV writers out there.

As I was driving Jim back to his hotel, I fessed up on some of the things that had me stuck when it came to finishing longer works, and he suggested I take a look at his Livejournal entries about writing. I don’t think I’d ever seen that part of his website conglomeration before, but I’m glad he pointed it out to me.

Between those suggestions, tidbits from a couple other sites, and Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art” (both the 1st edition faux-metallic hardcover copy and the MP3 audiobook), I believe I can get back into the long form groove.

And I also suggested that he give “Heroes Die” and “Blade of Tyshalle” a try when he gets a chance.

We’re going to be rather busy again, interviewing authors, and there’s even a panel for us to participate in. Maybe even a signing session!

Now all I have to do is finish and sell a few more things, so there will be more books people would want me to sign, and we can really have some fun…

Jim Butcher will be there, and there will be much rejoicing. And hopefully he will sign some of my books…

3/23 update: I’ve been informed that there may be some copies of “So Say We All” available, so I’ll be joining Michael and Evo at the FarPoint Media/Dragon Page signing session.
Giddy doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel…

If you’re into good audio stories, there are two sites that you need to check out: Steve Eley’s Escape Pod zine (paying market, btw), and Podiobooks.

I’m currently listening to Voices: New Media Fiction, which is a collection of SF short stories, including some notable names. The stories are all considered reprints, since they’ve appeared elsewhere, but I have it on good authority from the editor that a Voices 2 is being considered that would be an anthology of new fiction.

I’ll be waiting.

Fiction

Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover (Apr)
Bold As Love by Gwyneth Jones (Night Shade Ltd Ed, Apr)
Harshini (Hythrun Chronicles, 3) by Jennifer Fallon (Jul)
The Blood Knight (Kingdoms of Thorn & Bone, 3) by Greg Keyes (Aug)
Woken Furies (3rd Takeshi Kovacs book) by Richard Morgan
The Snake Agent by Liz Williams
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, 4) by George R. R. Martin
The Thousandfold Thought (Prince of Nothing Trilogy, 3) by R. Scott Bakker (Oct)
Ilario (prequel to ASH) by Mary Gentle (Nov)
Children of the Company (The Company, 6) by Kage Baker (Dec)
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Jan 2006)
The Machine Child (The Company, 7) by Kage Baker (Dec 2006)

Non-Fiction

Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon’s Firefly edited by Glenn Yeffeth and Jane Espensen (Apr 2005)

Gatekeepers Without Gates by Jay Rosen, New York University journalism professor. On his blog, Pressthink, he quotes Publisher’s Weekly as saying that it’s about “exploring the ways in which the Internet has transformed, and will continue to transform, the press through web logs and other interactive forms, including a look at why an interactive, open-source press is gaining public support and views on what big media corporations and journalists must do to regain the public’s trust.”