Jean Marie's Domain

You want to come to York, PA, August 2. You know you do.

2008-07-24T02:45:21Z

Because if you don't, you'll miss the York Emporium's SciFri Saturday with author signings, blooper reels (with popcorn!), a visit from NASA, stand-up comedy, an art show and meeeeee! I'll be one of the authors signing. I don't think I'll be contributing to the comedy or the bloopers, but you never can tell. More details can be found here.
I'll also be appearing at DragonCon, August 29 - September 1. It remains, in Teri's immortal words, my favorite summer camp for wayward adults. I don't know my final schedule yet, but it looks like I'll be on at least three tracks.
In addition, I'll be signing books with six other authors at the Fort Meade Post Exchange and Borders in Columbia, MD, on Saturday, September 13. I'll be talking more about these signings later, but at the moment it looks like we'll be at the PX from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and the Borders from 2-4 p.m. There will be giveaways and prizes, and wild and crazy writers.
Oh wait. Wild + Crazy = Writers. Guess it can't be helped. ;-)
Finally, you may have noticed a new link on my LJ page. A few weeks ago a friend introduced me to BookTour.com. It's a great resource for finding author signings and events in your neighborhood. I'll be using it to keep my calendar until I can get my new web site up and running.
Yeah, I'm behind on that too. LOL
Cheers!

For hutch0 (and anyone else who's interested)

2008-07-17T04:52:05Z

...The cave was decorated. And if that wasn’t weird enough all by itself, it looked like the designer followed every rule set down in the collected works of the Margravine von Stewhard, including the ones that contradicted each other. Painfully symmetrical fans of exactly seven glowing feathers were arranged in as close to a checkerboard pattern as the pits in the walls allowed. Winking gems organized by color and sized turned a stone niche into homemade abstract art. Directly below it, a line of crevices boasted rolls of gold, silver and copper coins stacked as neat as bank rolls. The place didn’t even stink like it should--unless your definition of a monster was a little old lady who lived alone with a parrot and never opened her windows.

Where were the mounds of treasure? Where were the crunchy bones and late-night body part snacks?

Sorry to have been out of the LJ loop for so long. A trip to Florida and a little bout of surgery will do that to a girl.
Fortunately, the surgery went well, and I think I got some good photos of our stay in Tampa. Fingers crossed I'll get to download and tweak them soon. We visited Haslans, the bookstore supposedly haunted by Jack Kerouac. I didn't see him, but that doesn't mean anything. After all, as Teri said, I'm too stubborn to see most human ghosts.
Besides, I don't know what he looks like. ;-)
Cheers and grins,

Turtles And Tigers And Beavers, Oh My!

2008-06-26T06:03:40Z

I can't seem to create a book video or trailer, but I have, entirely by accident, created my first YouTube movie. Okay, so it's a slideshow. But remember, technologically, I'm still in the 20th century.
The thing is, it wasn't even supposed to be a slideshow. This post was supposed to be a short, giddy ramble about our strange and wonderful new animal neighbors accompanied by two or three of my (less than stellar) photos.
Yesterday, around 7 p.m., I'd been dawdling on the bridge in the little park at the foot of our street, when I happened to spot a beaver chewing on a straw. I immediately called the dh, who arrived too late to catch the beaver. But he spotted an enormous snapping turtle. Two beavers could've ridden its shell without being crowded or trailing any appendages in the water. Naturally, we didn't have any cameras with us, so I thought I'd try getting a few shots this evening. Boy, did I. Not only did the beaver show up, two prehistoric-sized turtles decided to throw a party. The ducks were not amused.

As if that wasn't enough, a friend sent me some pictures taken at Thailand's amazing Tiger Temple, where the monks hand-raised seven abandoned tiger cubs--and bred ten more. Now the monks support the temple and an ever-growing number of animals through donations from visitors who want to have their pictures taken with the tigers. I so want to go there!

Cuteness Factor: Off the Scale

2008-06-24T00:04:52Z

Courtesy of pds_lit

Now if that doesn't make Monday feel better, I don't know what will.
I know, I know, I haven't been blogging much about writing stuff lately. Personal stuff has been far more interesting. But I am writing. The current project is a short story for an anthology about sirens. I don't think there will be anything quite like it in the slush pool. Let me put it this way, how many sirens do you know sing about strudel to the strains of Wagner's Siegfried?
It's all my husband's fault. Really...
The outline for the Persephone story is close enough to complete to begin work. But I don't want to get too far ahead of the submission process. The first editor to request a look at Highway from Hell has had the partial for three months. I plan to ping the editor--gently--this week. Not screwing up someone's consideration process while not screwing yourself over requires a very delicate touch. I am so screwed!
Hugs and cheers,
Jean Marie

Cheers & Best Wishes To...

2008-06-22T05:06:57Z

{{{{{tree220& hundakleptisis}}}} on their marriage. They've both suffered more than their share in the last few years, and they carried on with grace and honor. I hope today marks a turning point for the better. Best wishes for a long and happy life together.
{{{{magick_poet}}}} on her graduation from FIDM. You go, girl! There's nothing you can't do. :D
Congratulations and cyber-champagne,

"After This There Will Be Only One."

2008-06-21T01:08:31Z

He said it! He said it! Oh, life is good!
Hugs and giggles,
Jean Marie

Now THAT'S a Friday Night Movie

2008-06-21T00:31:47Z

Jet Li as the Highlander. Well, techinally it's called The One. But the plot's the same. A bad guy, Jet Li, is rampaging through the Multiverse killing the parallel versions of himself to gain incredible power. And all the different Jet Lis can feel him coming because of their spidey sense, but only one is warrior enough to stop him.
After all, there can be only one!
*snerk* Oh, I am so glad I found this.
Hugs and giggles,
Jean Marie

He's Baaaaaack!

2008-06-20T17:56:35Z

After a month down for the count with bronchitis, Hail Dubyus is back and swinging. Today, the oil companies, Monday...the world! Hey, Fred and Bert need their weekends too. Cheers!

About that climate change that isn't happening...

2008-06-18T22:25:39Z

Northern Virginia is currently having a thunderstorm, complete with lightning strikes, while the sun shines gaily on the proceedings. WTF?
Fingers crossed we don't have another tornado skim the hills in our housing development like we did Monday night. It wasn't a big twister, but dang if you can't track its passing from the splintered and uprooted. The dots connected in a wide arc from WNW to SE.
Unfortunately, in addition to tracking the destruction, I decided to see what the street looked like without artificial light to get the description right for a short story I'm working on. You wouldn't think I'd walked up and down the front steps for, oh, fifteen years or that I was carrying a working Coleman Lantern. Completely missed that last step before the sidewalk and wrenched my right ankle in all sorts of a amazing and painful ways. The doctor had me collect six different Xrays today, which wouldn't be so bad except the dh and I were supposed to be in California in only a couple hours. :-P
The universe obviously had other ideas.
Stay dry!

Balticon 2008, The Hard Way

2008-06-08T06:50:52Z

It's hard, not because of the con, which was pure pleasure, but because I had to post the pictures at Beyond the Veil using the Blogger app. Snarl. I hate posting pictures in Blogger. The fool thing requires knowing which one of their impenetrable instructions actually posts flush left, THEN minoogling the html around it. And I'm not great shakes at html either.
But some of the pictures are nice--and the people were splendid.
Enjoy!

Best Wedding Wishes

2008-06-08T02:39:12Z

To Nate & Ron, who celebrated their union today at Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church. For those of you who know them and mostlynormal1, here are a couple pics.

Nate & Ron exchange rings while Nate's brother David (far left) and Misfits List Members Heather & mostlynormal1 look on.

Nate (left, in the kilt) and Ron exit the church while Heather's husband Andy tries to restrain their son Miller.

mostlynormal1, yours truly and Heather.

Ron & Nate cut the cake

Guys, today really is the first day of the rest of your lives. May your life together be long, healthy and supremely happy!
Now to write the Beyond the Veil blog I should've posted first thing this morning. Oops.
Cheers and cyber-champagne,

Somewhere between amused and appalled

2008-06-07T06:38:24Z

From Moggy

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

Where did I go wrong?
Grins and headshakes,

Shouting Fire

2008-06-05T05:36:48Z

Sigh
Silly me, and here I thought "unlawful free speech" meant doing something dangerous, like shouting "Fire!" in a packed theater when nothing was burning. As far as I'm concerned, if you can't make your mind known in front of the U.S. Supreme Court (and it's been way too long since you could), a lot more than a theater is burning. Unfortunately, the powers that be seem to be bound and determined to make sure none of us make it out of this decade with our lives and liberties intact.
Sorry. I'm not a political creature by nature, but sometimes it's impossible to not comment. At least I can keep this particular rant short. Returning you now to your regularly scheduled apolitical blog.

Egoboo times two

2008-05-28T07:28:13Z

Finally the link has been posted! With Nine You Get Vanyr finaled in the sf/fantasy and humor categories of the 2008 Indie Awards. And there were several other Samhellions to keep me company: D. Renee Bagby (Serenity, SF/Fantasy category), Traci Hall (Her Wiccan, Wiccan Ways, New Age category) and Ann Warner (Dreams for Stones, Romance category).
Still working on my Balticon photos. The short version of my con report is I had a fabulous time. The staff was too kind. (They gave me a t-shirt! Bouncy. Bouncy.) Connecting with friends--old, new and previously Internet-only--is always a blast. And the programming and absinthe were lots of fun. (Yes, thanks to Kelly and her husband, I've joined the decadent ranks of 19th century French poets and mad pre-Raphaelites.)
My only concern relates to the impression I may have left on one of the women who attended both my Feudalism and Mythology panels. The subject of Joseph Campbell's monomyth came up in the latter, and unfortunately, it's one of the few subjects that make me bats*it insane--urm, rouses me to flights of rhetorical passion.
I would've liked to talk to her about it later. I seldom meet a woman who both understands and accepts Campbell's thesis. Many think they do, but they haven't read enough of the misogynistic twerp--er, George Lucas's favorite scholar to understand what's actually happening in his so-called hero's journey. (As someone who's spent most of her life in the company of military personnel, I also take violent exception to his thesis that legendary and historical heroism is necessarily the product of profound mental illness, but that's a whole 'nother rant.) I would've liked to learn what attracts her to Campbell's ideas and perhaps get a better grasp on why his interpretation of classical mythology resonates so strongly with so many. But she left the panel when her husband arrived, a few minutes before the end.
I love participating in con programs. I'm a natural-born ham, and nothing makes me happier than giving the audience a good show.  But performing in a setting where you and your audience are up close and personal requires a delicate balance between courtesy, respect, expertise and flamboyance. Limited time means everything is delivered in broad brush strokes. I never want to imply my view is the only valid one out there--especially on a subject as controversial as Campbell--but I am a redhead, with all the drama that entails. I'm the living embodiment why symphony conductors used to warn their proteges, "Whatever you do, don't smile at the brass." I can be as brassy as it gets.
Since the woman left early, I don't know how well any of my intentions came across. But I hope she enjoyed herself, and that she realizes the thanks and applause I gave our audience at the end of the Mythology panel were intended for her too.
Cheers,

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2008-05-19T02:18:07Z

I'm in over my head in research mode for My Big Fat Olympian Wedding From Hell, the working title of my Persephone story. In my version, Sephie is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at Olympic University, which I decided to model on Columbia. Making the story work entails a lot of research into Columbia and Morningside Heights, and the stuff I'm digging up proves, once again, synchronicity defines my world.
My current favorite is a description of St. John the Divine, the world's largest cathdral, as a key center of "episcopalian paganism". Well, duh, Olympic was founded by Olympians... ;-)
Another funny: My story moves from Manhattan to Laguna Beach to wind up in Iowa. So I probably shouldn't have been surprised that the Stoneyard on the grounds of St. John the Divine provided cut stone for the restoration of the Iowa State Capitol.
Plus, so many of the local hang-outs are Greek-owned. And I never knew this existed, but now that I do, I absolutely, positively have to write it in
Sometimes I really love my job.
Cheers and grins,

Balticon Schedule

2008-05-17T00:19:29Z

The final nail of official approval has been hammered into the coffin of my Balticon--wait, I'm not sure I like where this metaphor is going, especially since I'm rather fond of Balticon. Let's just say, I have my Balticon schedule and it is good:

E-Publishing (Friday, 7 p.m., Derby) - After editing Crescent Blues for eight years, persuading other people to publish my articles and stories online, and working with Samhain as an author and final line editor, this was probably a no-brainer. But I'll try to find some new stories to tell.

How Do You Write Them Shorter? (Friday, 11 p.m., Salon D) - This is a perfect example of chance working for you. I hadn't marked this on my Wanna List, but I actually do have some good info to share--like how to cut 45K from 165K manuscript in 30 days or less and what to do when you get invited to participate in an anthology and you haven't written short fiction in over five years. My only problem is I'm not sure how to promote this as a sex panel. When it comes to late night panels, short is generally not considered a good thing. ;-)

Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading (Saturday, 11 a.m., Salon D) - I've got two passages earmarked for reading here: the opening of Highway from Hell and the opening of "Hero Material", the short story resulting from the panic attack alluded to in the last paragraph. Guess it depends on what the other writers--Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Kelly A. Harmon, Gail Z. Martin, Christy E. Tohara and Trish J. Woolridge--choose to read. My natural inclination is to read whatever offers the greatest change of pace. But I won't know what that will be until I get there.

Feudalism (Sunday, 6 p.m., Derby) - You'd never know my minor was British History in the Medieval/Early Modern Period from the way my brain froze when I read that. Time to relearn "usufruct". LOL

Reinventing The Myth (Monday, 2 p.m., Salon D) - This is the one I asked for special, and the Programming Crew was kind enough to sign me up. This so very much relates to Highway and my work-in-progress. Looking forward to hearing what my fellow panelists are up to, as well.

Looking forward to connecting with everyone who can make it. Now it's time to get back to researching that WIP--more You Tube videos of Who Wants To Be A Superhero auditions. Who says I don't suffer for my art?
Cheers and grins,

Wicked Game = Wicked Good Book

2008-05-13T18:36:46Z

The only reason I won't be buying Jeri Smith-Ready's (aka jer_bear711) new book Wicked Game at my local Borders today is because I was one of the folks lucky enough to buy it at RavenCon a couple weeks ago. Which means I've already read it (aka devoured it in one sitting). Which means I can honestly tell you to run out and buy it, because it's a fabulous book.
Yes, the book has vampires. (Hawt vamps, even.) Yes it has romance. But it takes both in directions you've never seen before. The heroine, Ciara, is a con woman trying to go straight by helping a group of vampire DJs keep their station from being gobbled by a homogenizing radio conglomerate. (Can you say Clear Channel? Jeri didn't, but that's what it reminded me of.)
The vamps were turned at the transformative moments of 20th century music--the delta blues of the Twenties, the rockabilly of the Fifties, the psychedelic Sixties, the reggae of the Seventies, the Eighties' goth and alternative scene, and the grunge Nineties. But they're stuck there. Jeri modernizes the old Eastern European tradition that a vampire can't cross a threshold which has been scattered with grain. According to the tradition, the vampire will be forced to count each grain and will be trapped until sunrise. In Jeri's hands this translates to OCD vamps, and it works beautifully.
Just about everything in the book works beautifully--plot, characterization, language. My only gripe is how long it will take before book two is ready to roll. But Jeri's trying to mitigate the pain. Over the next twelve months, Jeri will be posting the turning stories of each of her vamps on her site. I'm looking forward to them all.
But I really want to read what happens next.
Cheers and smiles,

The Monthly Elsewhere Blog

2008-05-11T20:24:20Z

Yep, it's that time of the month again, time for me to blog about writerly stuff over at Beyond the Veil like I know what I'm talking about. This month's topic is the natural storyteller. I planned to make this announcement a little wittier, but that was before I realized I'd be typing with the laptop balanced on my shins cradling Duzie the Octo-Cat. If it's rainy he must be needy. LOL

Battle Cry of the Arachnid

2008-05-09T05:53:17Z

Can't persuade myself to write a book review, but gakking a meme from vampry? I'm so there. LOL

T13: RavenCon Photos

2008-05-01T20:32:00Z

It took me a long time, but thanks to the lovely and talented Carolan Ivey, I finally posted my 2008 RavenCon photos at Beyond the Veil. Thanks again, Carolan!
Now, all that's left to do is email the blackmail photos...er, share some of my image files with my esteemed colleagues before settling back down to writing. I do love cons.
Cheers and evil grins,
Jean Marie

i can has contract

2008-04-30T05:32:42Z

Wheeeee!
"Hero Material", the short story several folks on the f-list critiqued in late March, has been accepted for an anthology scheduled to be published this August. I still don't quite believe it, but I've got the contract and the check (fastest evah!) to prove it. Just one more reason to look forward to DragonCon. :D
We will now return you to your regularly scheduled blog. But I'll be back Thursday with 13 pics from RavenCon. Didn't plan to make a T13 out of it, but that's the way it wants to go.
Cheers and big, big grins,
Jean Marie

Because I'm Ebil...

2008-04-25T04:40:04Z

Thought you might like to see firsthand what REALLY goes on behind the scenes at RavenCon.

Bag stuffing. (With Fan Guest of Honor Filthy Pierre, in the white shirt) drafted to help.)

A lot of bag stuffing.

Hugo award-winning author Alexis Gilliland supervised.

I took photos. Like this one of Davey Beauchamp (l) and Tony Ruggiero (r) having a father and son moment.

Just one problem. They're not related, and Tony swears he's not old enough to be a father. Ahem.

Why yes, I have been into the port. Need you ask? ;-)
Cheers!

We have achieved Richmond

2008-04-24T03:32:54Z

Roomie Jana Oliver and I arrived safe and sound, and ate at a fabulous seafood joint, Croaker's Spot, in one of Richmond's more historic neighborhoods. I never realized how much Richmond architecture resembles New Orleans'. Hope to do some touring tomorrow in the Shockoe Bottom district to see if it's a general trend. Meanwhile, I thought I'd post my RavenCon schedule in case anyone can make it.

Friday, April 25

6 p.m. Reinventing Paranormal: Making Love to an Alien, Fairy or Werewolf. For my sins, I'm moderating this one. There are only three--count 'em three--listed victims...er, participants, and I happen to know one of my co-panelists, jer_bear711, is taking a train that isn't scheduled to arrive in Richmond until 4:45 p.m. It's gonna be close, folks. Plus, the panel's supposed to be about injecting new life into the tropes of paranormal romance. This one should be really interesting. Hmm, wonder if it's too early to bring rum.

8 p.m. Opening Ceremonies. Not much for me to do there except stand around looking harmless. Another challenge. Guess I have to forego the rum. Dang!

Saturday, April 26

9 a.m. The Best Little Series You Never Saw. Yes, you read that right--A.M. Needless to say, I've written up copious notes on all the TV shows I loved which never made it past their first or second season, and brought toothpicks to prop my eyelids open so I could read them.

Noon. Blogging for the Modern Day Writer. It's a craft panel discussing the utility of blogs for new and established writers. I'm moderating this one too, but a host of people are on the guest list, so there should be a lot of opinions to choose from.

7-10 p.m. Book Launch/Pre-Publication Party. With dessert! And liquid-type stuff (for which we may need to card)! In honor of Jeri's Wicked Game (first in a new series, pub. May 13) and Jana's Madman's Dance (third in her Time Rovers series, pub. September), we'll be opening the suite to friends, relatives and anyone who will consent to take home a bookmark and promise faithfully to buy...er, express interest in the books, including With Nine You Get Vanyr. (Hey, I'm sharing the room too!)

9 p.m. Le Bad Anime. I'm gonna miss part of my own party! Wah! But at least I'll be able to dis my least favorite anime in the fashion they deserve.

Sunday, April 27

9 a.m. Urban Fantasy. Yes, another day for the toothpicks. I think the programming director hates me. And she doesn't even know me! *sob* The description of this panel poses the musical question: "Why are there werewolves, vampires and ghosts in a world that should be primarily fey?" That buzzing you hear is my next attack of Devil's Advocate coming on strong.

2 p.m. The Popularity of Parnormal in Both Nonfiction and Fiction. The juxtaposition of both should give this panel a nice twist.

Hope to see you there!

Another One Bites The Dust

2008-04-22T19:22:01Z

It wasn't my neighborhood bookstore. It wasn't even the bookstore near my mom's. But it was just fifty feet from one of my favorite bakeries amid some really wonderful restaurants. I spent a lot of time browsing before and after lunches and dinners, many of them with qnotku.
Now it's no more. Farewell, Books-a-Million Shirlington. My personal world is a sadder place.

I Can Has Fan Art

2008-04-22T08:06:45Z

My first--squeeee!
Lian Ikariyang, one of the two young women who stayed at our house for KatsuCon has posted pictures of Roarke and Theron, from With Nine You Get Vanyr, on her Deviant Art page. Pics behind the cut for ease of loading.
Thank you, Lian. I'm so honored.