Reddit for Helen Lowe’s AMA  (Ask Me Anything!)

“Words Like Coins” is a Six Duchies story that was first published in the Subterranean anthology A Fantasy Medley.  This lovely little volume featured stories by Kate Elliott, Kelley Armstrong, C.E. Murhphy and myself.  It sold out in a heartbeat.

Since then, I’ve heard from a number of readers asking if there is any way to get a copy of the story.  I am pleased to say that “Words Like Coins” is now available as a lovely e-book with literally fantastic illustrations by Tom Kidd.  It’s only $3.99. 

That link goes to the Nook version from Barnes and Noble, but you can find it for the Kindle as well at the Amazon store.

I did some interviews during my visit, so I think I’ll add links to those here as well:    This one is at Magictales  with Cocky van Dijk and here is one at Planet Aeon with Ines van Dijk.  

Many thanks again to all the people who made me feel so warmly welcomed there!

I’ll be interviewing/ MC’ing a question and answer session with Helen Lowe at 6 PM Pacific time.   I’ve been recommending her books for over a year now.  Heir of Night was  the first book in what promises to be a four book tale, The Wall of Night series.  It’s a well -realized setting, with great characters and a plot line full of intrigue, magic, and dark predictions.  I’ve read the first two books and loved them both.

So I expect to have a great time asking her questions on Reddit.  Reddit bills itself as the Front Page of the Internet, and justifiably so.  If there is anything worth talking about, someone has started a discussion about it on Reddit.  Their AMA’s are Ask Me Anything, in which authors, musicians, politicians, celebrities, etc come onto Reddit and spend an hour or two fielding questions from the public.  I was a guest there not long ago and greatly enjoyed it, and I’ve spent some time since then in exploring Reddit more fully.  Fascinating place!

I’ll try to post a direct link to the AMA as we get closer to it in time!

This was the bedchamber in the loft of my room at the Ambassade Hotel.  I always love staying there.  I had a wonderful view of the canal from my window. The staff there is multi-lingual and always makes me feel so welcome. The hotel caters to writers, so they have a huge library of books autographed by the authors who have stayed there.

At Elf Fantasy Fair, I had the opportunity to meet all sorts of characters. The costuming was amazing, as was the setting.  It’s the only gathering of this kind held on the grounds of a castle, as far as I know. Here is just a glimpse of the folk one might encounter there:

http://www.facebook.com/siewertw  For more photos of this wonderful pair!

And then there was Eefje Poppelaars:

Elf Fantasy Fair 2012 Eefje as The Fool

 And with that tantalizing glimpse, I have to end this post and go get the oil changed in my car.  Sigh. So hard to come back to chill grey reality.  But what would be even worse would be to sit by the side of the freeway with a seized up engine!

No, wait, one more! From a lovely luncheon I had with readers at Cultuurcafe Noordwijk.  One of the great pleasures of these visits is that I often have the opportunity to meet old friends from my newsgroup.  Here I am with Si2Au!

I wish I’d had the forethought to get some snapshots of the whole gathering!

And now I’d better hurry before they give my oil change appointment away!

Friday, April 20 at 1 PM, I will be having lunch with readers. A few seats are still available. Het Cultuurcafé, Vuurtorenplein 6-10, Noordwijk. Phone: 071-3613073. E-mail: info@hetcultuurcafe.nl. Tickets are € 10,-, lunch included.  I always enjoy these smaller gatherings where  it’s possible to have a real conversation!

Friday, April 20 at 5 PM I will be at the Donner Bookshop, Rotterdam, to read a selection and then answer questions.
Boekhandel Donner, Lijnbaan 150, Rotterdam. Phone: 010-4132070. Entrance: free.

Saturday, April 21 ELF FANTASY FAIR www.elffantasy.nl
2 PM Reading at Het Verboden Rijk at the Fair, followed by signing from 3 to 4:30.

Sunday, April 22 ELF FANTASY FAIR Reading at 2PM, followed by signing from 3 to 4:30 PM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vunKzcxVcIo&context=C4232d33ADvjVQa1PpcFOYNYk_rbVSp55riAL9SGvZ-EtDG7Zsw4A%3D   

Thank you, Stephen Ludlow, for permission to share this.

Meanwhile, back in the UK (must be a day for initials) there is another Kindle special starting.  Dragon Keeper, the first volume in the Rain Wilds Chronicles, is available at this link for 1.99 pounds.  (Why don’t I have a pound symbol on this keyboard?) This is a limited time offer, so I’m posting it ASAP here.  If you haven’t ventured back to the Rain Wilds, this is a wonderful way to put your toe in the water (mind the acid!) and see if you’d like to know more.  City of Dragons is just around the bend!

Here in Chicago, I’m looking out at a blue sky that I probably won’t glimpse again today.  There is so much going on here that I’m having a terrible time choosing my path for the day.  Just the range for the 10 AM panels is amazing.  Everything from Postapocalyptic YA panel to 9 Naughty Novelists (featuring the Smutketeers!) to Urban Fantasy; What’s Hot? to How to Write a Comic.  Or Kiss Me, Kill Me.  Or Writing Inspirational Historical Fiction.    That’s not getting into the track for aspiring writers with all those workshops, or the Agent/Editor appointments that are going on all day.  Flipping a coin won’t do; makes me wish I’d brought a 12 sided die with me!

Should be another great day!

Now I understand what the big deal is about this gathering. Books. Free books. And then free loot.  And then more books. And informative panels. Oh, and some more free books.

Romance, like fantasy, is a genre that does not mind slipping into another genre’s bed.  So we have romantic fantasy, romantic historical, psychic romance, cowboy romance, vampire romance, SF romance . . .  for all I know, there may be a subgenre of NFL romance.  At this point and after today, I would not be surprised.

The convention is largely a female gathering of hugely voracious readers, writers, editors and reviewers.  I received my badge at 9 AM, and a large flower pin to denote that I am a writer.  From there, I went downstairs and turned in a chit to receive  a large and sturdyconvention bag stuffed full of goodies. Books. Coupons for free e-books.  Postcard ads for books with candy attached to it.  Bookmarks with attached key chains, or flashlights, or more chocolate.  Then, in the next room, I turned in my chit and was told, “The outer tables are YA books.  You can only select ten free books from those. The inner tables, take as many as you please.”  Women were staggering out of the room with armloads of free books. 

Now in the next magical chamber, there were many tables, each laden with a variety of large and wondrous baskets  (I might as well write this like a fantasy, as it was truly a book lover’s fantasy.)  Each of these baskets were full to overflowing with marvelous gifts. Bath salts and tea cups. Chocolates and jewelry.  Wine and biscuits. And more books.  And each of these baskets was to be raffled off, for free, to any convention attendee who cared to fill out an entry. 

Then I went to the welcoming party. We were given luscious soup choices, with crackers or biscuits, and coffee, tea and as many desserts as we cared to ferry back to our tables.  We were welcomed with speeches and then turned back out to the convention.

There are multiple tracks of programming and many workshops, with the difficulty being choosing which one to attend.

At 3:30, I went down to help set up Linnea Sinclair’s Intergalactic Space Bar and Grille.   We filled over 200 goodie bags. and then filled a large table with bigger prizes.  Including books.  And book bags, and T-shirts, and coffee mugs.  Then the doors were opened and we filled that room with readers, giving each one a big goodie bag, and then enjoying games and conversations until the prize table of big prizes had been emptied. 

And then I wandered off to eat dinner with fellow writers.

Tonight, there are parties and a dance going on. And in the halls, there are tables, many of which are offering free loot of all sorts and discounts on books and coupoons for free or discounted e-books.  And the opportunity to meet many writers.  Or, if you are an aspiring writer, there are workshops and the chance to pitch to agents and editors.   

So.  This is the RT Booklovers Convention.    Did I mention that it goes until Sunday, and Saturday is a special YA day for teen readers?

And this is only Wednesday.