So yesterday I answered some questions about writing, my process, and what’s worked for me. Today, we’re going to talk about getting an agent, which is the source of no small amount of angst among many would-be authors.
As I said yesterday, my experiences will likely be very different from yours, and other authors may have different opinions here. This is my take on it.
Here we go: Continue reading
Filed under Books, Publishing, Writing
Believe it or not, that “Contact” tab sees a decent amount of use, which pleases me greatly – I love hearing from folks about my work. Some of it is out-and-out fan mail, which will never ever get old. Some of it is about writing and publishing and requests for advice.
Between e-mail and some in-person questions I’ve received at readings and conventions, it’s readily apparent that there are folks out there very interested in my experiences writing novels and getting them published.
Now, my advice is probably worth that portion of your monthly electric bill used solely to power your computer, but since people have asked, I’ll do what I can. As with so many things in life, your experience can, and likely will, be different.
I’ll be doing a topic every other day for the next week or so. Note that the questions are tongue-in-cheek but also reflect things I’ve actually had folks ask me. With that said, here we go: Continue reading
Filed under Books, Publishing, Writing
I’ve re-emerged from the wilds of Idaho mostly intact, though rather exhausted after a long work retreat. I had a flight cancelled out from under me, requiring a five-hour drive to get to my final destination. That was followed by three short, somewhat uncomfortable nights, then a red-eye. Yet I did have a lot of fun, mixing both hard work and hard play. And Idaho is really a pretty piece of country. I’m a lucky guy when it comes to day jobs.
I have a few notable items to throw out here. On Saturday, July 26, I’ll be at Borderlands Books in beautiful San Francisco starting at 3 p.m. to do a reading, Q&A, signing, whatever. I know there’s some Night Shade Books fans in San Francisco, so I hope to see you there. It’ll be a lot of fun. (And then I’m going to Mission Chinese Food, because it’s nearby and I hear it’s the best, but I digress.)
Secondly, while I was off in Idaho and well out of cell phone range, the Qwillery offered up reviews of both The Enceladus Crisis and The Gravity of the Affair by TrinityTwo. On Enceladus, she writes:
The Enceladus Crisis … packs an astounding wallop of adrenaline. This is a smart, well-written and outstanding series; no sophomore slump here, Book Two is even more exciting than the first one.
And on Gravity, she says:
I must admit, I didn’t care for Horatio Nelson overmuch; he’s too pompous. But the author’s depiction of this historical figure rings true … It’s an excellent companion to Martinez’s series and gives readers a glimpse into events that shaped Nelson’s destiny before he became renowned as Britain’s most heroic sailor.
She pretty much nailed Nelson — he was brilliant and a true English patriot and hero, but he was most definitely pompous and not an easy guy for modern readers to like. Many thanks to TrinityTwo for her kind words, and to Sally at the Qwillery for her most excellent blog and the hard work all involved put into it.
Now that I’m back, I’ll be putting the finishing touches on The Venusian Gambit over the next three to four weeks or so, and perhaps blogging a little more regularly. The finale of the Daedalus series is coming along quite nicely, and the ending is deeply satisfying to me in terms of where the characters end up and how the worlds have changed. It’s also one heck of a ride. I was writing a particularly fun scene a few weeks ago on a plane, when my wife Kate looked over and saw me grinning as I wrote.
I consider this a very good sign.
It looks like Gambit will launch next May. The reception to these books has definitely exceeded any reasonable expectation, and for that I’m grateful to all the folks who’ve read it. I hope you enjoy the conclusion as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!
#SFWApro
Even though I’m freshly returned from my beer/bike/book adventures in Colorado, I’m off once again this week, this time for a retreat as part of my day job. It’s up in Idaho, and I do believe cell coverage will be spotty at best. So if you’re looking for me here or on Twitter, or you’ve sent me an e-mail, well…I’ll get back to you Friday-ish, most likely.
A few things before I go: My thanks once again to the awesome people at Boulder Book Store, and everyone who came out, for a great event last week with Sara Megibow and I. We had a good crowd and good questions about publishing, and I signed many books and met new fans. Thank you, one and all.
And if you missed me in Boulder, you can catch me in a few weeks in San Francisco. I’ll be doing a reading/signing/Q&A at Borderlands Books on Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. PDT. I’ll bring bookmarks. It’ll be fun.
Finally, I expect to show up on a couple of fresh podcasts soon, and although I don’t have direct links, I figured I’d throw them out there. I did a roundtable on Skiffy and Fanty where we dissected the first season of BBC’s Sherlock. (I generally love the show, others less so.) And I did a quick interview on the Reading and Writing Podcast, where I discussed my books and how they came to be. Totally unsure as to the exact dates for these, so keep an eye out.
Of course, if I’m able to get a signal out in the sticks, I might have a few fun Tweets or posts later this week. But otherwise, I’ll be back at you on the weekend. Have fun and be kind to one another.
#SFWApro
I was going to write up a big post about Amazon-Hachette and how it was made, by some, into a self-publishing vs. traditional publishing brouhaha. But as usual, Chuck Wendig did it first, and did it better. I recommend his post wholeheartedly.
As for my opinions, I’ve stated my affinity for traditional publishing before, and I also believe that self-publishing is extraordinarily valid and awesome for those who really put the time and effort in. I also believe that Amazon vs. Hachette has very little to do with this. It’s a contract dispute between two large corporations that has inconvenienced readers and probably harmed authors in the short-term — and not just the big-name authors, but the mid-list and debut Hachette authors as well. Assign blame between the two companies as you will.
I happen to like Amazon as a company, and I think their hardball tactics here, while perfectly legal, really suck. Those are not conflicting opinions. You can really love Star Wars and still think Phantom Menace was horrible, after all. I also think Amazon provides great resources and a fantastic marketplace for self-published authors — and I’ll point out that The Gravity of the Affair is self-published through my literary agency.
I have no dog in the fight with regard to Hachette, as I don’t work with them. I have author-friends who do, and they’ve seen their books become pawns in all this, particularly Amazon’s tactics of slowing shipments and/or putting ads on book pages that divert consumers away from their books. Naturally, I tend to side with my friends on this one.
Anyway, read Chuck’s post. It’s worth the time, and it’s funny too. Because it’s Wendig. Duh. And although I realize this is the Internet, it’d be really cool if we could show each other just a touch more respect all around.
#SFWApro
Filed under Books, Publishing
Not a bad way to spend an afternoon in Colorado.
If you’ve been following my Twitter feed at all, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been in Colorado this week, and also that I’ve been having fun. If you haven’t been following that, I’ll do my best to catch you up.
I’m here visiting family, including my 4-month-old first-cousin-once-removed, who is now tied with my daughter for Cutest Baby Ever and don’t you dare tell me otherwise. This being Colorado, there’s also been hiking and biking and a goodly amount of beer, including a tasting of 22 different beers on Tuesday as part of a bike-tour of various Fort Collins breweries. Thankfully, tastings are in tiny glasses, which means over several hours, I wasn’t unduly wrecked.
Author and agent: Talking books in Boulder.
Last night’s discussion and Q&A at Boulder Book Store with my agent, Sara Megibow, went really well. Ben and the rest of the store crew were awesome. We had a great crowd and lots of good questions about the writing life and publishing and getting your stuff out there in to the big wide world. I also saw a lot of copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis head out the door, so thank you to everyone who bought them, and for supporting a fantastic independent bookstore as well.
And speaking of that support, Boulder Book Store still has autographed copies of both my books in stock, so if you’re around the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area, go grab a copy!
The fermenters at Walnut Brewery, full of great beer.
Knowing that I’m both a beer aficionado and a home-brewer, Sara arranged a tour of Walnut Brewery‘s brewhouse before the signing last night. Brewmaster Rodney Taylor himself took us around the brewpub’s facilities, explaining his process and how he comes up with Walnut’s excellent brews. Rod has a pretty sweet 14-barrel brewhouse going, and he’s very into the art of brewing. It was a huge treat for me to see it. Many thanks to Rod for taking the time, and Sara for making it happen.
So yeah, when you’re done picking up my books at Boulder Book Store, go down the block and around the corner and have one of Rod’s beers (and some excellent food, too) at the Walnut Brewery!
#SFWApro
Filed under Beer, Books, Events, Publishing, Travel
Happy July! And given that it’s the first Tuesday of the month, today is when Apex Magazine comes out with their newest monthly issue. In this month’s issue 62, you can catch a brand new excerpt from The Enceladus Crisis in there, full of late 18th century sailing ship action. I don’t think this bit of the book has been put out there yet, so enjoy!
And do check out the rest of the magazine, which has brand new stories from Laura Davy, Victor Fernando R. Ocampo, Gillian Conahan and others. Plus poetry, interviews, essays and more. Apex is a 2014 Hugo nominee for best semiprozine, after all, so you know it’s good. You can buy individual copies on Kindle or Nook, or via the Apex site and at Weightless Books. Or you could subscribe, which is a great deal and supports a great magazine and darn it, just makes you a better person thanks to all the great, thoughtful fiction and commentary you’ll be reading.
Many thanks to Apex for the opportunity. Keep on being awesome.
While I’m here, a reminder: Tomorrow (July 2) at 7:30 p.m., I’ll be at Boulder Book Store with my agent, Sara Megibow, to talk about my books, getting them published, and a variety of other writing-and-publishing things. There’s a $5 voucher to attend, but you get to use it as a coupon to buy books at the store, including The Enceladus Crisis. So if you’re around, say, Colorado, and you want to come out, I’d love to see you! Here’s the event page with all the details.
Speaking of Colorado, it really is nice here. Exhibit A:
That was from a great hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Today, it’s bikes-and-breweries touring here in Fort Collins. If you follow me on Twitter or Untappd, you may see a lot of beer-related stuff today. You’ve been warned. (And don’t worry…if you see me logging a dozen beers today, it’s because I’m doing small tastings, not because I’m torturing my liver!)
#SFWApro
Filed under Books, Events, Publishing, Travel
Just a quick reminder: Awesome-agent Sara Megibow and I are doing a panel on publishing a debut novel this Wednesday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Boulder Book Store in beautiful Boulder, Colo. The event page is here. Sara and I have near-perfect banter, along with excellent jazz-hands technique, so this will totally be worth the $5 voucher to get in. (And the voucher is good for use in buying The Enceladus Crisis any time, or anything at the store on the night of the event.)
Seriously, though, I think if you’re interested at all in the publishing process, this will be helpful. I’ll also be doing a reading from Enceladus and taking questions about the books, and Sara will be taking pitches from would-be authors after the event. Plus you’re supporting a great indie bookseller. So you have so very many reasons to attend. Plus, did I mention jazz hands?
Hope to see you there!
#SFWApro
Filed under Books, Events, Publishing
When folks ask me where I’m from — pretty common in New York, which is a very transient city — I say Vermont. Now, I only spent three full years of high school and all four summer breaks from college in the Green Mountain State, but I claim it anyway. There’s more of Vermont in me than any of the other places I’ve lived.
So when I get to return, such as this past weekend to visit my mom, I get a little blissed out. And this time, Vermont laid out a bit of a welcome mat. The picture here is of the Local Authors shelf at the Bennington Bookshop, where I bought many a book in my youth. Even though I’m not technically local anymore, you can see both The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis there on the second shelf. And that brought me joy.
There are also copies in the SF/F section, and all my books there are now signed. As further incentive, my 10-year-old daughter signed the photo credit she received in the back for taking my headshot. Rare collectables, y’all. So if you’re in the Bennington area, stop by and support a great local bookseller!
Bennington gave me my start as a pro writer; I interned at The Bennington Banner, the local daily. And below is a picture of the Silk Road covered bridge outside town. It’s an awesome bridge, dating to 1840. Twenty-four years ago, I took almost this exact photo for the paper. Now, I was never a great 35mm photographer, and it was in B/W film on top of that. It took a good hour of developing to get a usable image for the paper. The photo below happened in one click with my iPhone 5s, and came out fantastic:
If I were in the darkroom (or Photoshop, I suppose), I’d dodge in a bit more of the other side of the bridge, but really, I was pleasantly surprised at how well this came out, especially when I remembered just how stubborn my first attempt was more than two decades ago.
So there’s my bit of Vermont. Enjoy your moment of zen.
#SFWApro
I love visiting Colorado. I’m fortunate in that my cousins live there, and seem quite happy to have us crash now and then. (Or, at least, they don’t kick us out when we show up.) I’m looking forward to great beer, lots of nature and, most importantly, seeing my cousin’s new baby.
And I’m doing a reading and discussion with my awesome agent, Sara Megibow, on Wednesday, July 2, at Boulder Book Store. So I got that going for me, too.
It’s going to be a bit different from the events I’ve done in the past in that Sara and I will talk about the behind-the-scenes process of getting a debut novel published. Given last year’s sale of Night Shade Books to Skyhorse Publishing, there are some good stories to tell. I’m also going to read from my latest book, The Enceladus Crisis, and we’ll take questions on just about anything.
And yes, I’ll happily sign your books. That never, ever gets old.
Again, it’s Wednesday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m. MDT at the Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. in Boulder, Colo. The event page is here. Vouchers to attend are $5, but you can then put that $5 toward a purchase at the store that evening — or a purchase of my books any time you like. Sara and I will do our level best to make sure you get at least $5.01 worth of information and/or entertainment.
In other news bits, I saw a very nice review of The Enceladus Crisis over on book blog 20four12. Caleb Flanagan writes:
The Daedalus Incident was one of the best books I read last year and I waited very anxiously for The Enceladus Crisis to be released. Everything about what Michael J. Martinez is doing with these books delights me, and this second book in the series was no disappointment…. This is a fantastic book and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Of course, I’m working hard on that next installment, The Venusian Gambit, due out next March, which is why I haven’t blogged much of late. That will probably change in the coming weeks as I wrap up Gambit and do a bit of traveling. In addition to Colorado, I’m spending a few days the following week in Idaho, and visiting San Francisco later in July. (There’s a signing at Borderlands Books, too!)
Many thanks to Caleb for the kind words, and to Boulder Book Store for hosting Sara and I.
#SFWApro
Filed under Books, Publishing, Writing
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