la_marquise

Today, you can find me over at the website of the very talented Mary Robinette Kowal, guesting on her regular slot My Favourite Bit, wherein writers talk about what they love most about their books. I'm talking about my shape-shifting ferret twins, Yelena and Julana. Many thanks to Mary for hosting me.

Less than 24 hours to go until new book day. Colour me nervous. I really hope you're going to like it.
Meanwhile, I have three of my silly promotional pens to give away. Leave me a comment and I'll pick out winners from a hat tomorrow.

Skirt of the day: patchwork silk wrap.


EDIT: and it's Tuesday. queenoftheskies, princejvstin and steepholm, you have each won a pen.

First of all, you still have two days to win one of jemck's wonderful Hadrumal Crisis novels: the marquis and I will be selecting the two winners on Tuesday. The details are here

Secondly, it's just over two weeks until the official publication date for The Grass King's Concubine but I have two advance copies to give away. This time, it's a Musketeers'-related trivia quiz.

There's a two-part question, plus a special bonus question for a mystery prize. I will be screening replies until Wednesday, when I'll put all the answers into a hat and draw the two winners.

Here's the main question: you need to answer both parts

What is Aramis's real name according to Alexandre Dumas pere? And what is the name of the historical figure on whom he was based?

The bonus question, for the mystery prize (you don't have to get the other question right to win this one): in The Three Musketeers, Dumas tells us that Athos is the pseudonym for the Comte de la Fere. Elsewhere in his writings, Dumas also gave Athos a first name. What is it?

I'm over at SF Signal, as one of their Mind Meld authors discussing books about revolutions and independence movements today. There are some great recommendations there.

And Happy 4th July to my friends in the USA.

Skirt of the day: denim.

But not word-less...

deborahjross, who is a brilliant writer and a wonderful person who I admire hugely, just made me tear up by posting this. I can't begin to express how touched and honoured I am. And startled and embarrassed and all sorts of things. I look forward to her next post on this anthology, because it is fine and I am, in my own opinion, the weakest link therein.

And I realise I did a Bad Meme. It was all about words, really: there was no intention to check. That came with the phrasing. But I apologise anyway. Will do better in future.

The Four Musketeers has been borrowed 58 times in the last year. I find that obscurely pleasing. (This is in British public libraries). Welsh Kings is over 100, but it's a text book, so I find that less intriguing. It's good to know around 58 people wanted to know about the musketeers.

Look what the marquis spotted:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grass-Kings-Concubine-Kari-Sperring/dp/0756407559/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320430987&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Grass-Kings-Concubine-Kari-Sperring/dp/0756407559/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320431077&sr=1-1

The Grass King's Concubine is now available for pre-order from Amazon.co.uk and .com. Publication day is 7th August 2012.

Woot!

Skirt of the day: black cord with purple trim.

The inestimable Jim C Hines has kindly let me talk on his blog today as part of his First Book Friday series . You can find it here:
http://jimhines.livejournal.com/598445.html
In which I talk about my first book... and my seventh.

Skirt of the day: blue wedgewood.

I am now on Twitter. Bah. I blame desperance. He made me do it. I am, predictably, @KariSperring.

Well, it's less than 24 hours till Picocon and I am somewhere between anxious and apprehensive, en route to stage fright about it, though I'm looking forward very much to all the bits which don't involve me being a writer in public. I have notes on things to talk about, and a story to read, and a cold.
I'm hoping not to share the latter with others. It's a nuisance, but it happens, and I have decongestants and zinc and so forth. And, y'know, it won't be the first time I've had to stand up and present something with a cold. Though it's easier when the thing I'm presenting is the succession to Rhodri Mawr, or the career of Earl AElfgar of Mercia or anything normal and familiar.
And there will be a number of people I like very much attending and that will be good, too.
I'd take Ish -- he makes an excellent icebreaker and he likes travelling -- but he can't be trusted not to spray something he shouldn't (chairs, tables, carpets, other guests) and Imperial College very probably have rules about cats on the premises. Mooncat wouldn't enjoy it. And take it from me, Horus is *not* going. He is very poor company when he's nervous. Also very smelly company. And noisy. (Although now I come to think of it, he would drown me out quite nicely.)
The marquis is going, of course. He's much better at the 'author in public' thing than I am.
Is it too late to claim I'm really just another of desperance's identities? Yes, I thought so.

Skirt of the day: lilac rayon, under my black Gudrun Sjoden Christmas dress.