• November Updates

    Date: 2009.11.04 | Category: News | Tags:

    Welcome to the November News-Letter from Robin Hobb

     

    Welcome!

     

     

    Well, October and Halloween are behind us here. Meant to get this out November 1st, but here it is the 4th already. I hope everyone in the US found their ways to the polls and voted!

     

    Book and Publication News

     

    Italian rights to Shaman’s Crossing have been sold to Fanucci Publishing. The paperback edition of Fool’s Fate  is out and about by now.

     

    Indonesian Rights to The Farseer Trilogy have been sold to Matahati Publishing.

     

    In Mainland China, The Soldier Son Trilogy will be coming out soon from China Woman publishing.

     

     

     

    Upcoming Stuff

     

    I just did an on-line interview with Randolph Carter of http://grindingtovalhalla.wordpress.com/ Visit his site to read it. If you enjoy gaming in any of its multitudinous forms, or reading in-depth author interviews, don’t delay in visiting the site. He asks good questions!

     

     

    Look for Eos Books to bring out the US hardback edition of Dragon Keeper, book one of The Rain Wilds Chronicles in January of 2010.  And here you may see the cover.

    http://harpercollins.com/books/9780061561627/Dragon_Keeper/index.aspx

     

     

    In early January, visit Coffee Time Books (http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/) for an advance review of the US edition of Dragon Keeper. (I’ll keep putting this reminder up until it’s actually there!

     

    In January, Seattle and Tacoma University Book Stores will celebrate the 110th anniversary of their founding. They were created as a student co-op to get textbooks. Pretty cool! In honor of the anniversary, they have invited some authors to submit 110-word stories. The stories will be published in a booklet entitled 1-10-110. People purchasing a volume by one of the contributing authors will receive a copy for free. Celebrate in January 2010 with University Book Store.

     

    Personal Appearances

     

    OryCon 31

    Portland DoubleTree Hotel at Lloyd Center

    1000 NE Multonah Street

    Portland, Oregon 97232

    November 27-29

     

    The writer guest of honor is

    Patricia Briggs!

     

    You are running out of time if you want to buy your membership online. You can still get a great deal ($60) until November 15. The hotel block closes November 6, however.

     

    Below is the schedule for the panels I will be on. I hope to see some of you there.

     

     

    Fri Nov 27 12:00:pm

    		  

    "I have a story idea, where do I start?"

    Madison Room

    Beginnings, middles and endings. Characters and situations. What is required to translate your great idea into a real story.

    David D. Levine, Mary Robinette Kowal, Mary Rosenblum/Mary Freeman, Robin Hobb

     

    Fri Nov 27 3:00:pm

     

    "Alternate History Fantasy?"

    Multnomah

    Fantasy is often written in a pseudo-medieval society. Some authors bring freshness to the setting by traveling the world, while others go backward, or forward, in time or just adopt technology or lack thereof on a secondary world. Lace and blade, prehistoric, and other choices in fantasy, and how magic fits in, if it even has to at all.

    M.K. Hobson, Alma Alexander, Michael Ehart, Robin Hobb, John P. Alexander

     

    Fri Nov 27 8:00:pm

    		  

    "Proofreading, Smoofreading: Copy Editors Untie!"

    Hamilton

    Inconsistencies, plot holes, typos. Are books being proofread anymore before going into print? Was the author not careful or did the errors get inserted? Everyone wants to look good in print. Get the skinny on how things go bad.

    Robin Hobb, Deb Taber, A.M. Dellamonica, Kristin Landon

     

     

     

     

    Sat Nov 28 12:00:pm

     

    "Building a balanced mythos"

    Roosevelt

    How to balance the mortal, immortal, mythical, legendary and cultural elements when world building.

    Lou Anders, Mary Robinette Kowal, Alma Alexander, Rebecca Neason, Robin Hobb

     

    Sun Nov 29 12:00:pm

     

    "Theme"

    Roosevelt room

    What is theme? How do you develop theme in your writing, or should you even try? For the sake of future graduate students studying your brilliant prose, learn about this often-neglected aspect of storytelling.

    Robin Hobb, Marilyn Holt, A.M. Dellamonica, Bill Johnson, Kristin Landon, Karen L. Azinger

     

    Sun Nov 29 1:00:pm

     

    "That’s gotta hurt!"

    Idaho room

    Why wounding, maiming and torturing your characters is good, and why it should be done often.

    Robin Hobb, Pat MacEwen, Judith R. Conly, Rhea Rose, Phoebe Kitanidis

     

     

    Not on this schedule is my secret plot to take over Hospitality (the free food room at Orycon) from 2 to 4 on Saturday. Ben Dobyns, owner of Zoe, a Seattle based production company will also be on hand, as well as the ever gracious Askable Kat. You may recognize Ben Dobyn’s name from Dead Gentlemen (http://deadgentlemen.com/) producers of the cult hit movie The Gamers and Dorkness Rising. Visit http://www.myspace.com/deadgentlemen for a free sample. And if you plan on attending Orycon, do drop in on Saturday to say hi, look at our film stuff, and have some tea with us! 

     

    I’ll also be contributing a nice shopping tote of books and things for the convention auction. Every year, Orycon puts on the Susan C. Petrey Auction to raise funds for Clarion scholarships. Read about it here: http://www.osfci.org/petrey/

    What is Clarion? A wonderful workshop for would be writers of SF. http://www.clarionwest.org/

     For six weeks, aspiring writers live away from home in a writing intense atmosphere. Each week is taught by a different instructor drawn from the SF/ fantasy professionals. 

     

     

    Miscellaneous Bits

     

    I will be attending Rustycon 27 on January 15, 16, and 17, at the SeaTac Marriott Hotel. Guest of Honor is James P. Blaylock. This is the same hotel that was used for SteamCon, and once again, the convention will have a Steam Punk theme. I’m looking forward to those gorgeous hall costumes again. http://www.rustycon.com/

    You can still buy a $45 membership until November 29th! That’s a very good deal! If you hurry, you may still be able to get a room at the convention hotel, too.

    When I know my panel schedule, I’ll put it in a newsletter.

     

    And, of course, in conjunction with the January publication of Dragon Keeper I will be doing a localized book tour. Here’s the skeleton list. I’ll fill it out with details as the dates get closer.

     

     January 26    7PM The Release of DRAGON KEEPER in the US!  The party is at University Bookstore in the Seattle University District.

    January 29  7PM Powell’s Books in Beaverton, Oregon. 

    January 30  2PM  Barnes and Noble on Black Lake Blvd. in Olympia Washington has invited me to come by and sign some books.

    Feb. 6 Noon.  For the first time ever, I get to sign on Fort Lewis!  I’ll be at Building 528 on Pendleton Avenue.

     

    Far distant future department:

    Tentatively, I’ll be at Imaginales in Epinal France in 2011.  :)   It’s our tenth anniversary, so I’m looking forward to getting back to my French hometown and see all my friends again!

     

    My current read

     

    Boneshaker  by Cherie Priest

    Concise Review: Still reading. Big YES so far.