Jean Marie's Domain

From Twitter

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:03:31 GMT

16:36 Sorry 2 b so quiet. Still crashing on a story, so no brain left for brilliance. So I'll start an occasional series reviewing other folks'. #
16:37 Some R brilliant. Some not so much. All books, etc., bought by me unless I say otherwise. #
16:41 HOUSE OF MANY WAYS: Cranky, very real heroine I didn't like until I started loving her. & Howl! & Sophie! All good. All D. W. Jones. :D #

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From Twitter

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:04:17 GMT

12:19 Just checking in to say I'm here too. :-) #
17:51 Adding my voice in praise and gratitude to our veterans and the many sacrifices they've made for liberty. Thank you, all. #

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From Twitter

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:00:45 GMT

01:06 My Capclave report is live at Beyond the Veil <bit.ly/s430n>. Enjoy! #

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Adventures in Capclave

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:17:04 GMT

My report on Capclave 2009 is now live at Beyond the Veil. And the rest of the photos can be found on my Flickr page. Enjoy!

Anniversaries and Some Good Stuff

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:50:57 GMT

Today is the day I set aside to remember two remarkable women, Teri and my mom. Bought the roses, visited them...and felt pretty damn sorry for myself because they're no longer around.
Then a friend called with the world's best news. I can't share it yet, because she hasn't, but it's totally wonderful and totally deserved. And it had me dancing around the room. Go you--and you know who you are. ;-)
Hugs and happy dances,
Jean Marie
*heading back to the deadline cave*

From Twitter

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:05:03 GMT

00:52 @cacha412 *snerk* Gives a whole new meaning to the term "high fashion"... #
01:38 Prepping for Capclave. Hoping to see some of you in Rockville, MD, this weekend. <www.capclave.org> #

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From Twitter

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:04:29 GMT

15:02 @cacha412 Yes, ma'am. #

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From Twitter

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:03:21 GMT

02:23 Sorry to be all but invisible. Still living in The Dreaded Deadline Cave. But my Capclave schedule is up. Link to follow. #
02:23 My 2009 Capclave schedule: <bit.ly/s5pHB> #

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My 2009 Capclave Schedule

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:16:29 GMT

Now that I’ve (more or less) recovered from DragonCon, it’s again time to put on my convention hat and party hard—er, prepare to educate and entertain at Capclave 2009, this Friday to Sunday, October 16-18. Capclave is the Washington, DC, area’s premier science fiction, fantasy and horror convention. Although it focuses on literature, particularly short stories, you can’t bring a bunch of daft writers together and not wind up with a good time.

If this sounds like your thing, you can find us at the Hilton, Washington DC/Rockville Executive Meeting Center, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852, from 3 p.m. this Friday until 5 p.m. on Sunday. I hope you’ll join us. I especially hope you’ll attend a panel of mine. Or two. Or all of them. The one thing I’ve learned over the course of my writing career is you can never be too rich or have too many fans.

Seriously, the thin thing is negotiable.

Jean Marie’s 2009 Capclave Schedule:

Friday, 8 p.m.
Fantasy-Mystery – From Harry Dresden to Rachel Morgan to Sookie Stackhouse to Anita Blake, a lot of popular urban fantasies/paranormal romances seem to be mysteries. Why add this element to the mix? What works and what doesn’t when you combine them?
Panelists: Andrew Fox (m), Peter Heck, Victoria Janssen, Jean Marie Ward, Diane Weinstein

Friday, 10 p.m.
Kryptonite for Characters – What do you do to limit your characters and keep them from being too powerful? What flaws do you give them? How do you have them grow and gain without becoming gods?
Panelists: Diane Weinstein (m), Davey Beauchamp, Neil Clarke, Tom King, Jean Marie Ward

Friday, 11 p.m.
Are Vampires Still #1? – Why are vampires so popular? Is anything likely to rival them—werewolves? Zombies? What? Whose vampires are the best and why?
Panelists: Andrew Fox (m), Davey Beauchamp, Darrell Schweitzer, Jean Marie Ward, Lawrence Watt-Evans

Saturday, 11 a.m.
Paranormal Romance—Just Chick Lit? – Why is the main character in paranormal romance usually female? Is the audience meant to be women only? What is the right balance between the paranormal and the romance? (And, the moderator adds, why the heck aren’t there any men on this panel? Hmph! I have a feeling I’m going to have to be a very bad girl on this one.)
Panelists: Jean Marie Ward (m), Mattie Brahen, Mindy Klasky, Victoria Janssen

Saturday, 1 p.m.
Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading – Join the Broads of Capclave as they read fast-paced excerpts from their latest fictions. There will be chocolate.
Panelists: Jean Marie Ward (m), Diane Arrelle, Roxanne Bland, Kelly A. Harmon, Victoria Janssen

Sunday, 11 a.m.
Paranormal Versus Urban Fantasy – Is paranormal romance just another name for urban fantasy? If not, what is the distinction? How do writers determine the right balance between paranormal and romance? Is it just classic boy meets girl or does being a paranormal make it different?
Panelists: Scott Andrews (m), Catherine Asaro, Karen Newton, Edmund Schubert, Jean Marie Ward, Diane Weinstein

###

From Twitter

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:46 GMT

23:31 Well, cr@p. Kate Duffy's gone <bit.ly/w4Jx0>. #
23:32 Condolences to Kate's loved ones and all the friends she made family. She was one of the great ones. The world is a much poorer place. #

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From Twitter

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:00:06 GMT

15:53 Finally posted my DragonCon report--with photos <bit.ly/MBKwm>. Enjoy! #
15:56 @reticulan Eeep! Glad you didn't lose the important stuff. #
16:49 Looking for more DragonCon photos? I've got those too <bit.ly/178Et7>. More to love. :-) #
16:50 @carolanivey Thanks {{{{Carolan}}}}! #

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The DragonCon Report, 2009 edition

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:05:41 GMT

Want to see--and read--more? It's all at Beyond the Veil. Enjoy!

From Twitter

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:04:21 GMT

14:23 Sending a shout-out to Mandy and Margaret who found me on Facebook. Really, sometimes you get a gift. :-) #

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From Twitter

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:04:02 GMT

13:54 Squeee! "Hoodoo Cupid" has a Coming Soon page <bit.ly/1sZJmI>. #
14:01 @crissyb65 And this surprises you, why? Good luck! #
14:02 @LAGilman Dang woman! The book isn't out until next month, and you're making me want it NOW. Cheers and smiles, #

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From Twitter

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:03:50 GMT

01:57 head down, trying to finish a short story before 30 Sep. 33 pp. of URLs and notes, and I've barely started the 0-draft. Oops. #

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From Twitter

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:02:34 GMT

13:13 @VonAllan Nice page! Commented and subbed to the LJ feed. Best wishes! #
13:16 @cacha412 twitpic.com/heteo - Nice, nice pic. Looking forward to meeting him next time I'm in CA. #
14:01 @cacha412 {{{cacha412}}}} #

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From Twitter

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:03:59 GMT

01:09 Back home from DragonCon. Posted my first notes at <jeanmarieward.blogspot.com/>. #
01:10 Haven't downloaded my photos yet, but Marianne Plumridge took a great one <bit.ly/jeWDs
>. #
01:16 @cacha412 *snerk* I had eight panels at DragonCon, including a dramatic reading. #
01:18 @LAGilman Dang, I missed that. Am I doomed? I only hugged you, after all. ;-) #

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DragonCon PS

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:59:16 GMT

You can tell I'm fried when I neglect to Peter David, Katherine Kurtz, Terri Osborne & James Palmer rock. Or that I managed to cause Van Plexico to bury his face in his hands again. I don't feel I've succeeded in my DragonCon obligations until I manage that. :-) Cheers and smiles,

DragonCon 2009: First Notes

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:35:58 GMT

Back from DragonCon. I had such a fabulous time I'm way to tired to write coherently about it, but I thought I'd post a few (a very few!) of the highlights as a teaser of things to come--as soon as I finish sorting the 570 photos I took. Until then, this will have to do:

- FINALLY getting to see a panel with James Marsters (with green hair, no less) and Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones in Torchwood).

- Running into our very own dustbunnygirl directly afterwards.

- Hanging with friends like artist/writer Marianne Plumridge and her husband, artist Bob Eggleton,cymreiges , Teresa Patterson and my roomie kittysilhouette. Also ran into the old Press Room gang--Star, Leigh, Kelly, Dave & Phyl. (Randi couldn't make it, but I did talk to her and the new bambino.) I even met fledgist

- Dinner with Crissy Brashear (owner and publisher of Samhain Publishing), Jacob Hammer (Samhain's office manager), Alex Ross (Jacob's girlfriend) and writers Ally Blue and Rosemary Laurey/Georgia Evans and her husband George at Nikolai's on the Roof, the extraordinary restaurant on the top of the Hilton. The company was fabulous and the dinner... Well, let me put it this way, the meal started on plates with gilded images of Faberge eggs and ended with the presentation of a single red rose to all the ladies.

- The amazing historical and Steampunk costumes, and dressing up in my own less amazing Steampunk outfit (see Marianne's great picture of her husband, artist Bob Eggleton). At least the hat, the rose from Nikolai's, and all of Marianne's DragonCon pics were splendid. ;-)

- Sitting back-to-back with William Shatner, Kate Mulgrew and Leonard Nimoy at the DragonCon Awards Banquet. (BTW, they're actually serving meat now--the banquet, I mean, not the stars.)

- The Cruxshadows concert. (Duh!)

- Surviving a four-panel Sunday running from 10 a.m. (after the Cruxshadows concert--ow!) to 11 p.m., after the "sex panel": "Sex in SF/Fantasy--Too Much or Not Enough?"

- The Lost Boys concert at the Pirate Ball followed by costume watching at the Marriott Starbucks, which has replaced The Perk as the ultimate people-watching destination since the Hyatt has gotten pissy about photos in the lobby.

- Sitting next to Rogue on my last panel, "Under Raven's Wings: 200 Years of Poe", listening to three of his dramatic readings, including the awesome "Annabel Lee", and having him autograph this year's Cruxshadows single for Bree and me when the panel was done. And day-um, he smelled good. White musk, I think. (Made me wish I'd packed my favorite Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab scents, but I've been afraid ever since my hand lotion triggered Barbara Hambly's allergies at World Fantasy Con.)

- Drinking 12-year-old Glenlivet single malt in the Green Room at the Hair of the Dog Party (i.e., the clearing of the Green Room after the Dead Dog Party). I didn't even know they had Glenlivet in the Green Room.

- Getting back home to Greg and the Duz. Gotta recover in time for next year, after all. ;-)

From Twitter

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:04:12 GMT

21:30 In Atlanta for DragonCon. This may be my last online keystrokes for while. Don't do anything I have to post bail for. I'll be jealous. :-) #

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From Twitter

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:01:06 GMT

00:59 Posted my 2009 DragonCon schedule at <bit.ly/jhcmM
>. #

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Eight Panels and Counting: My 2009 DragonCon Schedule

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:56:51 GMT

Are we there yet?

DragonCon, the world’s greatest summer camp for wayward adults (2009 edition), starts in five or six days, depending on whether you count the Alternate History Track Meet & Greet at Max Lager’s brew pub and the concerts Thursday night. (I do.) I’m pumped. I’ve got my postcards (for Fantasy Art Templates, the art book slated for release in March 2010). I’ve got bookmarks for Master of Crows, grace_draven’s fabulous fantasy romance. I will have postcards and bookmarks for the spouse’s web site, Intravenous Caffeine as soon as they arrive at home of an Atlanta-based friend.

But I don’t have a thing to wear!

Actually I’ve got... quite a lot. I need it, because in addition to the Meet & Greet, the Time Travelers Ball (Friday, September 4) and the Pirate Party (Sunday, September 6), I’ve got eight panels! And once again, The Powers That Be have blithely assumed that I will be conscious and capable of carrying on intelligent conversation with the likes of Peter David and Katherine Kurtz at 10 a.m. on the morning after the Cruxshadows’ midnight concert. They are so insane. I am so doomed. Of course, I’ll be worse at 1 p.m., Monday, September 7, when they’ve scheduled me on a panel with Rogue, the Cruxshadows’ lead singer. Get your earplugs now. Given the fan girl squee that’s building, you’ll need them.

There will be photos.

Eventually. ;-) Hope to see you there!

Saturday

You Say Religion, I Say Magic – An examination of the use of religion and magic systems in science fiction & fantasy. What is their place and why? Panelists: D.A. Adams, Linda L. Donahue, James Palmer, Stephanie Souders (Moderator), Jean Marie Ward. 1 p.m., Greenbriar Room (Hyatt)

They SHOULD Be Movies! Books You Want to See on Film – Indulge your fantasies. Talk about the books you most want to see on the big screen…and who’d you most like to see do them. Panelists: Van Plexico, Jean Marie Ward. 4 p.m. Fairlie Room (Hyatt)

Sunday

Where Do You Go When You Need…? – The pitfalls and benefits of doing research for your writing. Panelists: Peter David, Katherine Kurtz, Terri Osborne, James Palmer, Jean Marie Ward. 10 a.m. Fairlie Room (Hyatt)

Beyond Binaries – Gender Roles in Science Fiction & Fantasy – What fantasy and science fiction literature has gone beyond traditional gender definitions? How successful is it? Does this require aliens or magical creatures? Panelists: Lee Martindale, Jean Marie Ward. 2:30 p.m., Greenbriar Room (Hyatt)

Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading –The broad-minded science fiction and fantasy writers of Broad Universe bring you a buffet of snack readings just when you need it most. Unlike most other DragonCon panels, this one will run two and a half hours to accommodate lots of writers, including some not listed on the guest list. Panelists: Marcia Colette, Kathryn Hinds, Gail Martin, Racheline Maltese, Sandra Ann McDonald, Tee Morris, Jean Marie Ward, Trisha Wooldridge and more. 7 p.m., Fairlie Room (Hyatt)

Sex in Science Fiction & Fantasy: Too Much or Not Enough? – With the rise of paranormal romance, sex seems to have become de rigueur. Is this right or wrong? Why or why not? Panelists: Sandra Ann McDonald, Van Plexico, Jean Marie Ward. 10 p.m. Greenbriar Room (Hyatt)

Monday

The Future of Urban Fantasy – Where does the genre go from here? Panelists: Jennifer Heddle, Althea Kontis, Heather Osborn, Jeanne C. Stein, Jean Marie Ward. 11:30 a.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)

Under Raven’s Wings: 200 Years of Poe – Poe’s influence on popular culture – sometimes in unexpected ways. Panelists: John Everson, C. Gilbert, Kat Richardson, Rogue, Stephen H. Segal, Jean Marie Ward. 1 p.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)ends here.

From Twitter

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:02:48 GMT

22:45 twitpic.com/fal7u - Squee! This is the cover of the book coming out in March. Isn't it gorgeous? *bbg* #
22:46 @cacha412 And this surprises you, why? LOL #

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Fantasy Art Templates

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:56:56 GMT

My next book in all its luscious cover glory. Can't wait to hold it in my hands, but publication's been pushed back to March 2010. It's probably for the best, though. People buy more books in the spring--and the art in this book deserves to be bought. Enjoy!

From Twitter

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:02:40 GMT

23:10 @sjwilling Sending hopes and hugs and the best mojo I've got. Good luck! #

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