Kind of a mixed week. Didn’t get nearly as much writing done as I’d been hoping. About halfway through the week I came up with a fantastic idea for a completely *different* urban fantasy world, and spent a few days hashing out a basic world outline and primary character. Which was all very well and good, and I would love to someday have two series going at once, but seriously, FUCK. That was basically anti-progress on Book Three! And now I have to keep straight exactly which world has the egg-layers… grumble, grumble…

So unfortunately the writing goal this week is basically the same as last week – get a solid outline going for Book Three. I need to make some pretty hefty character decisions, figure out exactly how this Mystery Plot A is going to fit together in a way that brings in all the elements I need it to, and keep doing my research on bears.

Yes, that’s right, bears.

Bears are critical to the plot in Book Three. Because someone took their pic-i-nic baskets.

Other stuff went a bit better. Generation V is up to sixteen reviews on Amazon.com (only four more and I’m at twenty!), plus a very nice 5-raven review just went up today at The Bibliophilic Book Blog. Mihir at Fantasy Book Critic also did a great mini-review of Generation V that you can read here, so it was a good week for the book in terms of press as Generation V hit its one-month birthday.

Also fun – my post last week about A Modest Proposal About Firefly was hands-down my most-viewed post ever, so that was great. Even better was when Brian Taylor at A Descent Into Slushland wrote Another Modest Proposal About Firefly, which you should absolutely check out. I talked to a few other people about possibly doing a few more of these as guest posts – it’s a lot of fun to put together, and I love seeing what other people imagine. If anyone reading this is interested in putting a Modest Firefly Proposal together, just drop me a note.

My membership at the SFWA was approved – right in the middle of the absolute Chernobyl-level meltdown over the frothing misogyny displayed in the most recent Bulletin edition. Now, I’ll never see that edition (which I’m sorry to miss out on only because there was an article by the great Jim Hines in it), since my membership kicks in with copies now. But it was certainly an interesting experience to have already paid my dues money, but be unable to participate on the forums or speak as a member. The dust is settling now, and a number of absolutely wonderful responses and articles have already been written (the benefit of an incident happening in an organization of *writers*), many of which I already linked the crap out of on my Facebook and Twitter feeds. I’ll restrict myself to linking to only two items of interest on this entry – the presidential statement by John Scalzi, which I think best exemplifies why I still really want to be involved in this organization, crazy glaring flaws and all, and Chuck Wendig’s marvelous blog post about sexism.

Now, here’s a palate-cleanser link for everyone who just got flashbacks from even that short paragraph – Kickstarter for All-Female Gaming Miniatures Reaches Goal in 30 Seconds!

Last item of note – I just got my copies of the Ace/Roc sampler in Science Fiction and Fantasy (New Classics and New Voices). This is extremely cool – one cover is of a steam-powered ship going into a wormhole and has samples from Jack Campbell, Ilona Andrews, Faith Hunter, Taylor Anderson, Mike Shepherd, and Anne Bishop – but then you flip the book over and there’s a second cover of an empty helmet on a snowy battlefield, and this side has samples from debut authors, the first of which is me! My sample is the first chapter of Generation V, which my brother recently told me was his favorite chapter of the entire book (it ought to be – this was the bait on my fishing hook to get published, and I cannot even say how many times I smoothed and rewrote this fucker). The sampler will be available for free at the Ace/Roc booth at conventions all this summer, so check it out! Also, I’ll be at ConnectiCon and WorldCon this summer with a backpack full of the sampler, which I’ll be happy to sign and give to anyone who wants one!

The other debut authors featured are Stella Gemmell (the cover on the New Voices sampler is actually from her debut The City!), Luke Scull, Alan Averill, Anthony Ryan, and Django Wexler.

Okay, here’s a pair of fun facts – I loved the crap out of Django Wexler’s debut, and think that everyone should buy it and read it. Admittedly, everyone should buy and read Generation V first, but right after that, check out The Thousand Names.

The second fun fact is that Django and I not only went to the same college, but we were in the same program, and actually once took the same writing workshop with Hilary Masters.

In case you weren’t already pre-ordering The Thousand Names, here’s another reason why you should buy it:

Because it comes recommended from Django’s adorable cat, Tomoes.

But, seriously, no buying his book until you already own mine.

Hairless Cape Cat commands that you buy Generation V before The Thousand Names. Do not risk Hairless Cape Cat’s displeasure.