Found the cats

[rachelmanija]

When I got back just now from Mel's place and saw that the litter box hadn't been used, I worried enough to embark upon a search. They are in a two-shelf kitchen cabinet thing, Nuala (the gray tabby) on the top shelf and Ripley (the tortoiseshell) on the bottom, which recapitulates their dominant-submissive pattern. I wish I could inform them that no more strange men will be visiting the house any time soon, but still to come are the landlord to open the jammed window in the bathroom, and the bookcase people and loveseat-and-armchair people.

While I was at Mel's place her mother called and, when told that I was there, started saying stuff like, "Tell her I love the back cover! And the little thingies on each page!" Just then my cell phone rang. It was the manager of the Century City Brentano's, to whom I had given an ARC. She wanted to let me know that she had mentioned it to a customer who was a film producer, and the customer had given the manager her contact info to give to me so I could get her an ARC.

I swear I will also tell you guys once the bad reviews and crushing disappointments start coming in.

Comments

[literaticat.livejournal.com]

Hey, did you get Tamora yet?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. My parents said they received several packages of books for me.

[sorlklewis.livejournal.com]

Speaking of cats, you're full-up it seems, but do you know anyone that wants an adorable kitten? My friend weaselchopsaw (who was a writer/producer on a Henson property, actually) has two kittens seeking good homes. I seem to have exhausted my sources, and thought you might know someone in the LA area?

She wanted to let me know that she had mentioned it to a customer who was a film producer, and the customer had given the manager her contact info to give to me so I could get her an ARC.

Oh, that's cool!

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

Oh, good that you found the cats. Every time I think I've figured out everywhere mine hide, they find a new place. Last time I misplaced Smokey, she had crawled under the covers on our bed and inserted herself between my body pillow and G's knee pillow, so that she looked like just part of the pillows. It took me about twenty minutes of concentrated searching to find her. (I'm a worrywart and always think that a missing cat must have sneaked out the door without my seeing her.)

She wanted to let me know that she had mentioned it to a customer who was a film producer, and the customer had given the manager her contact info to give to me so I could get her an ARC.

Wow, how cool!

[(Anonymous)]

Your book is incredible. I couldn't put it down. You're not going to get any bad reviews.

Justine Larbalestier

[larryhammer]

Well, no bad reviews that aren't axegrinding aimed outside of, yanno, whether the book is any good.

---L.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked it, or are liking it if you're still in the middle of it.

But everyone gets bad reviews if they're reviewed widely enough, which I hope my book will be. Also, while I was initially looking for an agent I got bad reviews, so to speak, from a bunch of people who did not want to be my agent. The word "flip" figured prominently. Plus two different people called it "overwritten and unpublishable."

By the way, I just read Midnighters, followed almost instantly by Midnighters II. I haven't been so glad I had the second book on hand since I read Dunnett's Lymond series in Japan. A more formal rave will follow when I have time, but in the meantime, can you ask Scott what would be an acceptable bribe to get my hands on an ARC of the third book the instant one is available?

[(Anonymous)]

Well, yes, even the best books get bad reviews. I was in the first flush of just having finished your book and couldn't imagine anyone not loving it as much as I did! I guess I meant that you'll only get bone-headed ones that don't count. Sometimes, though, I think the sign of a book that will last is the passion with which people respond to it. The Lymond books are a great example I adore them and I know people who absolutely hate them, or find them unreadable, but I don't think I've come across someone who's thought they were just kind of okay. (Check out the one-star Dunnett reviews on amazon some time!)

As for Midnighters you'll have to ask Scott about that (his email address is on his website). He is eminently bribable but there were hardly any ARCs of the second book so I'm assuming the same will be true of book 3. Glad you liked 'em! I'm a fan too.

So when's your next book coming out?

Justine

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I always feel much more discouraged when people have lukewarm reactions to something I write than when they absolutely hate it.

I just found Scott's website. His website is so cool! Now I must read all his other books.

As for my next book, unfortunately, I spent this entire year, during which I had hoped to write it, writing manga, TV proposals, and dealing with real-life stuff, much of it unpleasant and one of which, a car accident and resulting injuries, made it impossible to write the book I had planned to write-- it was going to be about martial arts and after spending the whole year thinking I'd be fine any day now, I finally decided it was just going to be too depressing to write while I still can't train and don't know when I'll be able to again. So I had to come up with a new book, which isn't written yet. But since I plan to start it next month when I get settled in, and it will probably take a year or so to write, it'll probably come out the year after next.

[(Anonymous)]

Heh, heh. That's just the effect we're hoping the website will have.

I'm really sorry about your year. I had an accident way back in 1994--broke my wrist and some bones in my back. It's amazing how long it takes to heal.

So, when you say it was going to be about martial arts, was it going to be more non-fiction? Do you plan on writing novels as well? Not that I have a preference for one over the other. I'm just curious as so much of All the Fishes is about reading fiction.

Justine

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

How long did your back take to heal? It's been a year for me, and they're still not even sure what's wrong with it-- which is not helped by my insurance fighting every single test and treatment into multiple appeals.

Yes, I was going to write a non-fiction book about my experiences with martial arts. Way too depressing now, though, even though my main manga is all about martial arts, and I'm not finding that too hard to write. It seems that for non-fiction, I need some emotional distance, whereas for fiction, being emotionally involved is a plus.

I do write fiction, but most of it has been in visual and collaborative media-- plays (not any more, though), TV, and now comics. I also have a looooong fantasy novel that I need to revise and complete before I'd want to submit it anywhere. I learned so much about prose by writing Fishes that I think it would be a disappointment if I tried to sell the novel as is.

[(Anonymous)]

The main damage was my wrist, not my back (though three of the vertebrae were broken--they healed fine). The wrist was not diagnosed properly for six weeks so I kept using it when it should've been in a cast. Turned out it'd been a bit crushed--lost about 3 millimetres in density (which is a lot) they estimated at least five bones were broken, but couldn't be sure. Anyway, took two operations before I could use it properly again. Two years in all before it was sort of back to normal. But this was in Australia with nationalised health care. I wasn't insured so there was no fighting with insurance companies. Not very helpful to you, I know. The American system seems, um, less than optimal.

That's exactly how I feel about non-fiction and fiction. The idea of writing a memoir is just too much. (Yet another reason I admire All the Fishes so much!) Writing about yourself has to be the hardest kind of writing of all. If you do it well, I mean. Making yourself go to places you don't want to go . . . Ouch. Then the other kind of non-fiction--all heavily researched and such--is a nightmare cause you have to get everything right, cross every t etc. The kind of fiction I write is much easier on the old brain pane. (I'm not saying it's easy, mind, just easier!)

I look forward to whatever you publish next.

Justine

[(Anonymous)]

The main damage was my wrist, not my back (though three of the vertebrae were broken--they healed fine). The wrist was not diagnosed properly for six weeks so I kept using it when it should've been in a cast. Turned out it'd been a bit crushed--lost about 3 millimetres in density (which is a lot) they estimated at least five bones were broken, but couldn't be sure. Anyway, took two operations before I could use it properly again. Two years in all before it was sort of back to normal. But this was in Australia with nationalised health care. I wasn't insured so there was no fighting with insurance companies. Not very helpful to you, I know. The American system seems, um, less than optimal.

That's exactly how I feel about non-fiction and fiction. The idea of writing a memoir is just too much. (Yet another reason I admire All the Fishes so much!) Writing about yourself has to be the hardest kind of writing of all. If you do it well, I mean. Making yourself go to places you don't want to go . . . Ouch. Then the other kind of non-fiction--all heavily researched and such--is a nightmare cause you have to get everything right, cross every t etc. The kind of fiction I write is much easier on the old brain pane. (I'm not saying it's easy, mind, just easier!)

I look forward to whatever you publish next.

Justine

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I don't think you're going to bad reviews, either. Your bad luck will come out in other ways.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Cooooool on the arc front!

Glad the cats showed up. I wondered if they might have taken to cupboards.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I believe cats often like to hide for a while when they've been forced to move to new places, just to establish one safe hidey-hole. Then they can venture out, knowing they have a place to go. Just cat nature.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Amazon is telling me that the ship date will be in October. It's not released till then?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

No, sorry. It may be out in some stores in September, though. You might try ordering through booksense.com rather than amazon, which is also good because it goes through your local independent bookshop.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Oh, many thanks. Good point.