Messages

1

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: February 25, 2017, 10:44:01 AM »

It was a fabulous evening! So fabulous I spent most of yesterday clinging to the sofa scoffing ibuprofen...

Ignoring my hangover for a moment, it was lovely that so many people came out despite Storm Doris, and I got to practise my new baby griffin doodle many many times. 

2

Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: What are you currently reading?

« on: February 23, 2017, 08:59:45 AM »

It is to do with demand, as you suspect - if not enough people download the audible version, they won't record the sequels (it doesn't seem to matter so much if the book/ebook itself was selling really well). I guess to a publisher it makes sense, as employing a narrator/recording studio is an extra expense, and if the book is selling well but there's little demand for audio, judging by the first book, why bother? That should all be taken with a pinch of salt, because actually as the author I know very little about it and certainly don't have any control over it. Happily The Ninth Rain will have an audio version.

As a side note, @-ing me on here doesn't give me notifications any more...

Thank you for comment, senny dreadful. Audible also replied to my last tweet and said it also happens when they haven't secured rights to a book, so will wait and hope. Very happy to hear The Ninth Rain will be audible,  my book will turn up soon but one day I hope to get the audible as well.

The narrator suggested slightly Welsh accents for some of the characters in The Ninth Rain and I am VERY excited to listen to it myself 

3

Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: What are you currently reading?

« on: February 22, 2017, 10:37:17 AM »

I read and enjoyed Malice by John Gwynne when it came out, just accepted it for what it was, a classic style new epic.* Maybe mostly listening on audible, or being a reader rather than a writer is an advantage in terms of enjoyment.  I get caught up in good characters, world and magic, only stiff dense prose or bad dialogue hits me enough to DNF. Although a bad narrator can be a killer too, and the one for Malice was hard work.

Which brings me to an on-going frustration. The only audible of The Faithful and The Fallen series is Malice. The only audible of The Copper Cat series is The Copper Promise.

@sennydreadful I know this is not under your control as an author, but please can you explain why this happens ? Is it to do with book/kindle sales numbers having to reach a minimum first? Audible only say 'sometimes a book has not been recorded." So why not in a series? I do my bit by requesting often but that's a drop in the ocean

At least one of my favourite series seems to be  continued promptly because about to begin the last part of Shades of Magic series. A Conjuring of Light by V E Schwab came out today on audible and I'm looking forward to stepping back into the four Londons.

ETA * I did note on GR that I needed a map, so concede Peat has a good point about  split location starts and there was much jumping around.

It is to do with demand, as you suspect - if not enough people download the audible version, they won't record the sequels (it doesn't seem to matter so much if the book/ebook itself was selling really well). I guess to a publisher it makes sense, as employing a narrator/recording studio is an extra expense, and if the book is selling well but there's little demand for audio, judging by the first book, why bother? That should all be taken with a pinch of salt, because actually as the author I know very little about it and certainly don't have any control over it. Happily The Ninth Rain will have an audio version.

As a side note, @-ing me on here doesn't give me notifications any more...

4

General Discussion / Re: Member birthday calendar

« on: February 20, 2017, 09:50:44 AM »

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I ate a huge pizza and got plastered - it was great! 

5

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: February 20, 2017, 09:48:13 AM »

Sadly I am working until 10:00 unless they cancel my shift as they did Friday. 

I guess you will get lots of support from the SRFC though?

We shall see I suppose!

6

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: February 19, 2017, 09:00:01 PM »

Bumped to the top as it happens Thursday.

18:00-19:00 23/2/17 Forbidden Planet Megastore somewhere near the theatres.

Plus pub afterwards!

7

Writers' Corner / Re: Writers - Empathy and Lack Thereof

« on: February 10, 2017, 10:15:46 AM »

I have been known to cry over toilet roll adverts, so it's possible I have a lot of empathy. Plus, my books are built around the characters, and my goal is to make the reader care about them, or at least want to know what happens to them - so empathy is at the heart of writing for me.

8

Fantasy Movies, Comic Books & Video Games / Re: Mass Effect: Andromeda

« on: January 27, 2017, 12:37:49 PM »

I AM SO EXCITED

Female Turian! Krogan! I cannot wait to meet them all.

9

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Conventions 2017

« on: January 27, 2017, 12:36:20 PM »

*jumps into thread to look bashful*

Aw shucks!

I will almost definitely be at Fantasy in the Court (it's practically my favourite event because it's standing around drinking and chatting), definitely Bristolcon because I am a guest of honour  and hopefully will be at Fantasycon and EdgeLit. 

10

Fantasy Movies, Comic Books & Video Games / Re: Mass Effect: Andromeda

« on: January 05, 2017, 10:07:44 AM »

So here for this! I have all the feelings for Mass Effect

Mainly I am excited to meet the new characters - that's what Mass Effect has always been about for me.

11

Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Your 2016 Bests

« on: December 31, 2016, 12:21:48 PM »

4. What book are you looking forward to the most in 2017? - Will Hilary Mantel finish Wolf Hall?

I live in hope!

12

Open For Submissions / Re: #SFFPit tomorrow, 12/8/2016, 10am-6pm EST

« on: December 08, 2016, 10:57:22 AM »

to me, it just seems like the digital version of "the one-line elevator pitch" that every author is supposed to have at the ready just in case.

This is the thing. Being able to do this is an incredibly useful skill, not just in terms of pitching, but also because I find it helps me with how I think about the book. If keeping an entire book inside my head at the planning stages is starting to get uncomfortable, I go back to my one line pitch and things feel manageable again.

I'm also pretty terrible at coming up with them, but Save the Cat by Blake Snyder helped me get my head around the idea. (It's an excellent book in any case - it's about writing screenplays but much of it can apply to books too. Highly recommended!)

13

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: December 01, 2016, 02:51:46 PM »

And we've set a date for the launch - 23rd of February at Forbidden Planet in London 

https://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2017/02/23/join-jen-williams-launching-ninth-rain/

14

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: November 30, 2016, 02:05:41 PM »

Is it here yet? Is it? Is it???

Noooope.

But nearly!

15

Upcoming Conventions & Book Releases / Re: Release Date: 23 Feb 2017 - The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams

« on: November 29, 2016, 09:36:36 AM »

Hooray! Equal parts excitement and terror