Kathleen Jennings does really deep analysis of story structure. She’s had stories in Years Best anthologies, in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, and is also a graphic artist of note. She seems not to worry about escalating tension so much as “what emotion does an action invoke?”
Follow the escapades of The Mad Earl Fazgood in this rollicking tale based on the should-be-true adventures of a delightfully bizarre nobleman run rampant.
All seems straight-forward enough when Fazgood and his compatriots sail in search of his much beloved but ever-elusive moosecrab stew, despite everyone, everywhere wanting him dead for no good reason at all. Sailing from port to port doesn’t seem to evade his executioners so Fazgood goes to the capital of the Kingdom, despite being an exile, hoping for at least one bowl of moosecrab stew before he must surely face his doom.
Instead of moosecrab, however, Fazgood and his outrageous companions find corruption, deception, and an ancient talisman that could easily dissolve the very Kingdom he hates to love.
Fazgood finds himself conniving the highest ranks of society into helping him solve the problem of his imminent demise or, for that matter, the Kingdom’s. And he does what any good hero would do: he crafts a plan so cunning, so secret, even he cannot fathom it.
Join the Mad Earl and his compatriots as they traverse a Kingdom filled with peaceful, god-ruled citizenry ranging from carnivorous plants to sorcerous gas bubbles.
Will he save the Kingdom that set him on his felonious life or will he let the Kingdom be digested?
Ginni Koch: Go to Absolutewrite forums “Water Cooler”. I learned everything from these forums.
Summer Hanford: Pen names allow for greater flexibility in genre and voice. Reader expectations can limit an author from growing or trying different genres.
GK: Traditional publishing provides more professional, experienced resources paid by others, plus an established distribution network. Book stores still matter!
SH: Do seven months prep before self-publishing; cover, promotions, a mailing list, ARCs.
GK: Hire an editor to edit your damn book!
GK: If you have a traditional agent for your publishers, whenever you self-publish, give 5% to your agent. It will keep your agent invested in your progress.
“Publishers are looking for feel different, look different, and sound different. Translations are very popular now for that reason. If you want to get away from Amazon’s pay scales, try libro.fm for audiobooks and bookshop.org.”
With Ted Chiang, Phillip Dunlop, and a really good article by Annie Dillard.
The first panel I attended was Friday’s “The Worst Advice I Ever Received”. Translating the negative definitions were a little tricky, but here is what the panelists said THAT YOU SHOULD DO AND IS QUITE OKAY TO DO:
Adam Troy-Castro: “‘Said-Bookisms’ are OK. Use them.” (‘Said-Bookisms’ are when a character dialogue has ‘explained’ or ‘stated’ or any description of intention versus physicality. I use them sometimes to reinforce physicality, but maybe I’ll use them more).
Phillip Dunlop: “Never listen to your own advice.” (I phrase that often as “You got your own ass lost in the woods. To get out, get a Ranger.”)
Ted Chiang: “Writing for a living limits you.” (Meaning having to rely on writing to pay your bills urges you to write what is financially practical and stop experimenting.)
All: “Tax pros are worth the money.”
AT-C: “Do not listen to people who tell you to stop trying.”
UM: “What is ‘success’, anyway? Anyone can make salable art.”
PD: “Know your objective. Know your audience.”
AT-C: “Publishers, answer your emails.”
UM: “You can use slurs, as long as they are necessary to the plot.”
All: “There are no limits. Write your style.”
AT-C: “Editors and editorial staff are your friends. Be nice to them. Bring donuts.”
An epic thief enters middle-age mad, bad, and dangerously neurotic. After a life of offending entire civilizations, that thief Fazgood smuggles himself and compatriots back into his home city…the city that Wants Him Dead. Once smuggled, he uncovers an earth-shattering secret, multiple traitor-ings, a new type of magic and more, all toward his goal: a home-cooked meal. Or did Fazgood send himself on a mission so secret that he himself doesn’t know the mission exists? To quote: “That is the sort of thing I would do, the bastard.”
Unorthodox plotline with a major twist! Death-defying, absurd heroism! Sensuous massages! Villains villains villains! A narrative voice that will make you say “does that word exist? and if not, it should!”
Meet Fazgood! His brilliant familiar Warren the weasel! Fazgood’s entourage: the panplasmic Calzjha!
Can Fazgood win the day? Can he defeat the villains and save the kingdom that Wants Him Dead? Will he get his fluxion-damned meal?
Follow the escapades of The Mad Earl Fazgood in this rollicking tale based on the should-be-true adventures of a delightfully bizarre nobleman run rampant.
All seems straight-forward enough when Fazgood and his compatriots sail in search of his much beloved but ever-elusive moosecrab stew, despite everyone, everywhere wanting him dead for no good reason at all. Sailing from port to port doesn’t seem to evade his executioners so Fazgood goes to the capital of the Kingdom, despite being an exile, hoping for at least one bowl of moosecrab stew before he must surely face his doom.
Instead of moosecrab, however, Fazgood and his outrageous companions find corruption, deception, and an ancient talisman that could easily dissolve the very Kingdom he hates to love.
Fazgood finds himself conniving the highest ranks of society into helping him solve the problem of his imminent demise or, for that matter, the Kingdom’s. And he does what any good hero would do: he crafts a plan so cunning, so secret, even he cannot fathom it.
Join the Mad Earl and his compatriots as they traverse a Kingdom filled with peaceful, god-ruled citizenry ranging from carnivorous plants to sorcerous gas bubbles.
Will he save the Kingdom that set him on his felonious life or will he let the Kingdom be digested?
And will he ever get his god-poxied moosecrab?
Do you like “Our Flag Means Death”? The absurdity of Terry Gilliam?
About 45 years in the making! All yours for Halloween!
