• Ask me anything. Really!

    • COLD STEEL Giveaway

    Copies of COLD STEEL arrived on my doorstep this afternoon.

    I can’t read them all, plus I already know the story, and meanwhile the book is not officially released until 25 June 2013.

    [The ebook will be released into the wild on 25 June but it is possible that the print book will start showing up earlier in bookstores just as the print copies of COLD FIRE did. So if you are buying the print version, keep your eyes open.]

    Obviously the only thing to do is to have a giveaway.

    I’m giving away four copies of COLD STEEL.

    Here are the rules:

    1. The giveaway will be open for one week, from today 20 May until 9 p.m. HT (Hawaii Time) on Monday 27 May.

    2. Anyone can enter internationally.

    3. To enter, ask me a question about the Spiritwalker Trilogy *or* about writing *or* about the science fiction/fantasy field and media *or* about something else. Everyone who asks a question is entered. There are no stupid questions.

    4. Three of the copies will be picked randomly from all entries (here, on livejournal, and on tumblr). One copy will be picked at my discretion based on the questions themselves—but only one. There may be a few of you who worry about whether your question is good enough or clever enough or interesting enough: It is. And anyway, as per the above, lest you are still secretly fretting as I would be, three of the winners will be picked without regard to the question asked.

    I will mail out the winners’ copies as soon as I get addresses (on May 28 if possible).

    5. After you have read the book you can review it IF YOU WISH, or not review it, as you wish. This giveaway is in the nature of thanking my readers.

    Just to clarify, any review should be the honest opinion of the reviewer. While I naturally hope all of you love the novel, I am aware that not everyone will, and reviews should be honest. However, IF you decide to review it, I ask (as per Orbit’s request) that you not review it until late June when the books are available.

    Do not underestimate the importance of the social media conversation about books. The conversation is a fabulous thing, and it matters.

    A brief reminder: Check out my book event dates (San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Seattle, Portland), and come if you can!

    One last thing: YOU GUYS. Thank you for being the best readers.

    Any questions?

    racebending:

    Hi everybody!   When I’m not working on Racebending, I’m a grad student at UCLA where my colleagues/friends and I are currently researching the wellness outcomes of LGBTQ Asian Pacific Americans!   (See above video for more details.)   

    We are in the process of conducting a survey of people who identify as LGBTQ and Asian Pacific American and would love your participation.  Make sure our voice is heard! We were awarded a small grant so we will be raffling off a bunch of $50 Amazon gift cards, too.   The link to the survey is www.uclaqapistudy.com!     

    Please consider taking the survey and reblogging!   

    (Reblogged from malindalo)

    Dance

    (Source: narthakiwannabe)

    (Reblogged from ionsfolly)
    stitchsketchbook: “The Severed Sophistry of Nathaniel Sharpe.” View high resolution

    stitchsketchbook:

    “The Severed Sophistry of Nathaniel Sharpe.”

    (Reblogged from charibdys)
    angrygirlcomics: in Chinese mythology, the Dragon Kings ruled the four seas and often had fearsome half-human half-dragon forms. throughout the land in shadowy groves and clandestine coves lurked fox spirits, beautiful, cunning creatures who often took the form of seductive young women. while the Dragon Kings often were frightening in appearance, their children were quite lovely and could take fully human forms. I wanted to draw a fairy tale story with a fox spirit and a dragon prince. please do not remove my commentary if you do reblog, thank you!  I love this! View high resolution

    angrygirlcomics:

    in Chinese mythology, the Dragon Kings ruled the four seas and often had fearsome half-human half-dragon forms. throughout the land in shadowy groves and clandestine coves lurked fox spirits, beautiful, cunning creatures who often took the form of seductive young women. while the Dragon Kings often were frightening in appearance, their children were quite lovely and could take fully human forms.

    I wanted to draw a fairy tale story with a fox spirit and a dragon prince.

    please do not remove my commentary if you do reblog, thank you! 

    I love this!

    (Reblogged from angrygirlcomics)

    Ocean

    (Reblogged from crossedwires)
    fuckyeahdinoart: Stygimoloch spinifer, because I find the species utterly adorable. View high resolution

    fuckyeahdinoart:

    Stygimoloch spinifer, because I find the species utterly adorable.

    (Reblogged from fuckyeahdinoart)
    shwetanarayan: taijavigilia: I was stuck in the car for about eight hours over the weekend while going to visit the in-laws and my mind was just wandering around.  Part of me ships Merida with MacGuffin but part of me is like.. ehh.. it’s more likely she married some complete outsider or no-one at all. So in one of the alternate versions I came up with Abderrahim.  The third son of an Iberian nobleman he chose the life of a scholar and was on his way back from drawing complete map of the Baltic Sea when the vessel he was traveling on capsized in an autumn storm and the few survivors floated to shore not far from Castle Dunbroch.  With her father’s health starting to fail Merida took to looking after the injured and before long the adventurous duo were inseparable and Abderrahim’s despair over his lost research forgotten as Merida showed him the Highlands.  Three years later at her coronation Merida announced that they were to marry.  Initially the clansmen disagreed but as Merida’s influence grew and Dunbroch and neighboring clans prospered beyond everyone’s expectations with the new trade routes to south the doubters were silenced.  This picture is Queen Merida and King Abderrahim on the tenth birthday of their firstborn twins, crown prince Fergus and crown princess Jamila.  Oh there was a load of other stuff as well but another (story)time. LOVE This is adorable. View high resolution

    shwetanarayan:

    taijavigilia:

    I was stuck in the car for about eight hours over the weekend while going to visit the in-laws and my mind was just wandering around.  Part of me ships Merida with MacGuffin but part of me is like.. ehh.. it’s more likely she married some complete outsider or no-one at all.

    So in one of the alternate versions I came up with Abderrahim.  The third son of an Iberian nobleman he chose the life of a scholar and was on his way back from drawing complete map of the Baltic Sea when the vessel he was traveling on capsized in an autumn storm and the few survivors floated to shore not far from Castle Dunbroch.  With her father’s health starting to fail Merida took to looking after the injured and before long the adventurous duo were inseparable and Abderrahim’s despair over his lost research forgotten as Merida showed him the Highlands.  Three years later at her coronation Merida announced that they were to marry.  Initially the clansmen disagreed but as Merida’s influence grew and Dunbroch and neighboring clans prospered beyond everyone’s expectations with the new trade routes to south the doubters were silenced.  This picture is Queen Merida and King Abderrahim on the tenth birthday of their firstborn twins, crown prince Fergus and crown princess Jamila. 

    Oh there was a load of other stuff as well but another (story)time.

    LOVE

    This is adorable.

    (Reblogged from shwetanarayan)

    A Song of Lament for Syria: In Aleppo, a city famous for its love of music, the bombs are drowning out the songs.

    ellenkushner:

    This article by Syrian novelist Nihad Sirees includes info on “the banat ishreh — women who form intense, intimate relationships with other women and who meet in groups in order to sing, dance and socialize. The atmosphere at those soirees was rife with coquettishness, jealousy and love. Each woman would sit next to her particular friend and, in turn, would sing her a song. ….  

    “I had heard of two banat ishreh who lived together, and I wanted to meet them, so I called them and set up an appointment….

    “The younger woman, whom I’ll call Ahlam for her protection, was a dark-eyed beauty. I’ll call her friend Hameed — she had given herself a man’s name, one that reminded me of the burly heroes of Egyptian movies from the 1960s. Hameed had a boyish haircut and a mannish way of sitting and smoking cigarettes. She acted as if she were the husband of Ahlam, and had even purchased a hair salon in Ahlam’s name in case something bad happened and she was no longer able to take care of her.

    “Hameed was also a famous wedding singer who was known all over town, and wedding halls would fill to the brim with women who had come to hear her sing — and behave — like a man. They would clamber up onstage with her as she sang to the newlyweds, dancing and writhing around her.

    “I loved those two women, and began to visit them whenever I could, soaking up Hameed’s stories about the banat ishreh … . “

    Like Japan’s Takarazuka, like the cross-dressing English music hall performers … Wonderful to see an example out of Syria!  A moving article about what the war has done to music, and to these people in particular.  May there be peace.  And music, soon.

    (Reblogged from ellenkushner)

    COLD STEEL events

    To support the release of the third and final volume of the Spiritwalker Trilogy I will be at the following bookstores/events:

    Borderlands Books, San Francisco, CA: Thursday June 27 at 7 pm

    with Katharine Kerr who will also have a new book out, Sorcerer’s Luck.

    Mysterious Galaxy San Diego, Saturday June 29 at 2 pm

    with Andy Duncan and Clarion students (should be fun AND educational).

    New York City: NYRSF reading Tuesday July 2 (other author TBA) at 7 pm

    University Bookstore, Seattle, WA: Monday July 8 at 7 pm

    Powells Beaverton, Portland OR: Tuesday July 9 at 7 pm

    All events will include reading from Cold Steel, from my forthcoming YA fantasy, and maybe even from the epic fantasy trilogy I’m currently working on, or possibly I will read a short story instead although that might necessitate you believing I can actually write a short story. Which I can. I totally can.

    PLUS Q&A (you have to bring the Qs).

    AND I will either have print copies of The Secret Journal of Beatrice Hassi Barahal available (art by the awesome Julie Dillon!!!!) OR if it is not yet finished I will have a rough version with some of the illustrations to display and a place to sign up with your email/address to get notification when the print and e-book versions are ready for purchase.

    Please know that I would love to see you. Yes, you! Especially YOU!

    And your friends, family, or indeed any passers-by you can snag off the street. If I’m not coming to a city near you then send friends or family who live in the area to the event! The more the merrier. If enough people come I will sing OR demonstrate how to paddle an outrigger canoe and punch sharks.

    I plan to attend the Sirens Conference in Oregon in October (it’s a wonderful small conference — come if you can!) but besides that the events listed above will be my only appearances in public venues/conventions this year (as far as I know).

    A note on bookstore events:

    I’m signing at four well regarded and valued independent bookstores. You may bring personal books from home for me to sign. It is not required to buy (for example) Cold Steel or any book from the bookstore but it is always a strong show of support for independent bookstores if you can and do buy a copy of my newest book or, indeed, any book while you’re there (whether or not it is one of mine).

    If you’re not able to make the event, I do always sign stock at each bookstore so you can order a signed copy afterward. If you contact any of the bookstores IN ADVANCE you can reserve a book and get it signed to you at the event (by me! not some random book signing gnome).

    Finally, if you are so inclined, do feel free to signal boost this announcement. There is always always someone who says afterward: “But I didn’t know you would be here!”

    zamaaanawal: Aswan, Egypt, 1910. View high resolution

    zamaaanawal:

    Aswan, Egypt, 1910.

    (Reblogged from dynamicafrica)

    Must always reblog this man.

    (Source: sawdustanddiamonds)

    (Reblogged from crossedwires)

    dreamdefenders:

    On April 22, 16-year-old Kiera Wilmot was arrested at her Polk County high school for conducting a science experiment. The teen, who has no criminal history and maintained good grades, suddenly found herself trapped in Florida’s insidious school to prison pipeline; which has continually funneled mostly youth of color out of Florida’s schools and into the criminal justice system.

    According to a report by Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice, over 57% of the state’s 96,515 youth incarcerated in 2012 were Black and Brown. In Kiera’s home of Polk County, Sheriff Grady Judd has presided over a system in which youth have continually been cycled through county jails in which severe abuses have been alleged including the use of pepper spray and the holding of juveniles in cages.

    During the 2013 Florida Legislative Session, Dream Defenders worked with allies in the Florida Campaign for Juvenile Justice to reform Florida’s broken juvenile justice system. Despite repeated community visits to the state capital, briefings and press conferences by advocates and sponsoring legislators, the 2013 Legislative session closed with no action on critical bills such as SB 1374/HB 1039 which would have reformed Florida’s Zero Tolerance law at play in this case.

    While Kiera navigates the legal ramifications of her unjust case Polk County Superintendent John Stewart has made the decision to place Kiera in an “alternative school” as he considers expulsion proceedings. Dream Defenders find these actions by Superintendent Stewart reprehensible. Dream Defenders demands that Stewart drop all expulsion proceedings against Kiera Wilmot and allow her to return to her enrollment at Bartow High School.

    Dream Defenders calls upon all local, state and national allies to TAKE ACTION to ensure Kiera does not become another casualty of the school to prison pipeline.

    WHAT YOU CAN DO:

    Sample Script:

    Superintendent Stewart,

    My name is _____________ and I am calling to express my concern about the expulsion proceedings against Kiera Wilmot. Florida has been among the national leaders in furthering a school to prison pipeline; with zero tolerance policies being used to lock up, expel and divert youth from their right to an education. Ms. Wilmot’s case is another example of the state and your office criminalizing and derailing the future of a girl of color. Your handling of her case has been irresponsible and reprehensible. Ms. Wilmot’s actions and intent simply do not warrant expulsion or placement in alternative schooling. I am calling on you to immediately drop all expulsion proceedings against Kiera Wilmot and allow her to return to her regular enrollment at Bartow High School.

    In order to make an impact in this case we will need the support of thousands.

    Please share this message with family and friends. Let’s ensure there is

    #JusticeForKiera

    (Reblogged from shwetanarayan)

    marthajefferson:

    lohrien:

    Illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano

    (Reblogged from karenhealey)
    tofuist: 上賀茂神社　笠懸神事 View high resolution

    tofuist:

    上賀茂神社　笠懸神事

    (Reblogged from uhhpinkuwapinku)