With the release of the Close Encounters of the Urban Kind anthology earlier this month, what better time to get to know one of its several authors? The always entertaining Rosemary Jones recently agreed to a brief interview about her work, her process, and the anthology. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado...Rosemary Jones!

1) Your last novel and companion short story were largely centered upon the undead, and set in and around an enormous graveyard. Despite some genuinely creepy scenes in each, they are unlikely to be called "horror." Yet "Two Out, Wendigo" in the Close Encounters of the Urban Kind anthology is undeniably horror, the only story at a recent reading singled out by Seattle-Geekly.com (Podcast #58) as being creepy. Do you have a horror author inside you crying to be let out, or do you see this as a continuation of the stories you've been telling?

RJ - Probably a continuation. I love old ghost stories and Victorian horror tales, but I scare very easily. I don't think my inner horror author would last long. If you find me with my hair turned white, fingers frozen to the keyboard, staring blindly into the blue light of the monitor, you'll know I tried it.

2) When given the opportunity to choose from the deep pool of urban legends, what led you to telling a story about baseball?

RJ - Well, it started out with the words “urban” and “legend” processing separately in my brain. It doesn't get more urban than Chicago and there's no bigger legend than the curse of the Cubs. Then you handed me that terrific title and that started me reading about the wendigo, another amazing American legend and one that luckily fits geographically. At least it does by the time the story gets to 1945.

3) In most of your fiction, your heroines tend to rely on brains rather than brawn (though they aren't above getting in a scrap if necessary). Additionally, while your stories are packed with action, they are considerably less violent than the typical fantasy novels. To what do you attribute this distinctive voice?

RJ - Distinctive is a great compliment! Thanks! Basically I write the type of stories that I like to read: lots of swash and buckle, witty repartee, smart heroes and heroines, and, hopefully, a few surprises. If the writing doesn't engage me, I won't stick with it. So I have to tell a story that I'll want to read multiple times. Because that's the other thing about writing, the first time through is never enough. You have to edit, rewrite, put it aside, rewrite again, and then edit it once again. By that time, you either have to love your story or it becomes a real chore.

4) Many writers acknowledge that while having written is fun, the actual writing is real work, and not generally much fun. What is the most fun you've had in the actual writing of a story?

RJ - Any action scene is a hoot to write. The faster the problems pile up, the better! In Two Out, Wendigo, I loved chasing my heroine down the streets.

5) What is next for Rosemary Jones?

RJ - I have been invited to write for several anthologies this year including one cyberpunk, one fantasy, and one superhero. I'm excited about all the possibilities.

Rosemary Jones writes. Anything. Safety supply catalogs, articles, theater reviews, short stories, and, in the last few years, novels set in the Forgotten Realms. You can always find out more about her latest projects at www.rosemaryjones.com.

Norwescon draws ever closer, and I, for one, can hardly wait. Unlike the last few years, I'll be staying there at the hotel, so I will be able to take part in a lot more of what Norwescon has to offer. Here's my tentative schedule if you're looking to find me...you know, to get something signed or join me for a beer or coffee. ;)

Thursday, 8:00 p.m., Cascade 9
Horror on the Big (and Small) Screen
I will be moderating this panel, and it should be a great way to start off the weekend.

Friday, 12:30 – 1:00 p.m., Cascade 3
Reading: "Deacon Carter's Last Dime," Urban Science Fiction, Rated: PG

Saturday, 2:00 p.m., Cascade 4
Little Known Horror Movies
I'm looking forward to this panel most of all. I have a love for obscure and over-looked classics, influential films that mainstream horror watchers might not know about. I look forward to what the other panelists and the rest of the crowd suggests.

Saturday, 6:00 p.m., Cascade 5
Comics and Film
Does it surprise anyone who knows me that I'm on this panel? I think not.

Sunday, Noon, Cascade 8
Exploring the Human Condition
I'm moderating this panel as well. Not really sure how it's going to go, but I have the whole weekend to get into the flow.

Let's take a moment to discuss your fourth-season comedy, 'Til Death.

I don't watch this regularly, in fact over the four years, I've only seen a handful of episodes. But even then, I've noticed a few things.

First off, I have nothing against the core cast, who I take to be Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher (the other married couple played by Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster being removed after 2 seasons). But that is the main focus of my concerns here. The show has been on for 4 years and has been overhauled more times than my old Pontiac station wagon. When tonight's episode came on as I puttered about my home, I noticed that they had recast the daughter on the show (with the delightful Kate Micucci). This makes the third actress to take over the role, each previous actress having held the part for less than 10 episodes. In fact, the only consistent thing has been Brad and Joely and the set.

Here's the problem. Sure, Brad and Joely are fine, but they don't have that much to work with. There is nothing special, not even remotely, that justifies keeping this show around for so long tinkering on it. It's like someone's favorite junker on the front lawn that gets new parts and dice from the rear view mirror but never runs well. It's a waste of half hour (a full hour, as FOX somehow feels the need to burn off two episodes tonight - with two different daughters, btw!)

So, why, FOX? Can you please explain this two me? You've had other shows that were innovative, smart, and already in the can. (I'm thinking of Drive, in particular, but Firefly is another prime example.) These unique shows were killed rather than take up air-time. But 'Til Death, which is about as trite, useless and unfunny as any sitcom I've seen, has somehow justified 63 episodes (yes, 31 hours of this crap) which is more than Firefly, Drive, and the movie Serenity combined.

The hell, FOX?

Just, the hell?

I could understand if you were killing decent shows that had promise if you had something better to show. Clearly, that is not the case.

It is official. There are now two readings scheduled for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE URBAN KIND (which is released April 4th. Get your pre-order here, me hearties!).

The first is:
Saturday, April 10th
8-10pm
Wayward Coffeehouse in Greenwood (8570 Greenwood Avenue N)
Editor Jennifer Brozek and authors Nathan Crowder (that would be me), Erik Scott de Bie, and Rosemary Jones will be in attendance. Jennifer will be bringing books along for those who didn't pre-order.

The second is
Thursday, April 15th
7-9pm
University Bookstore, Seattle
Jennifer Brozek, me, Erik Scott de Bie, Rosemary Jones, and Mark Henry should be there. And the University Bookstore would be more than happy to sell you a copy of the anthology, as well as copies of the author's other publications.

Come along to one or both for some fun and occasionally spooky tales of aliens and urban mythology.

Oh, what a delightful way to end my weekend!

The Close Encounters Of The Urban Kind anthology comes out on the last day of Norwescon. I'm very excited. And perfect timing, as I will be attending the con as a pro this year, sitting in on a few panels (the specifics yet to be determined).

The anthology is available here with a great pre-order discount. Get enough for the whole family!

First, an announcement -- Most of my posts and updates from a writing perspective tend to be put up on my professional website these days, so I'm not updating Live Journal as much. I'll still be making posts of a more personal nature here, however.

Now onto the big news.

Far be it from me to scoff at innovation, especially when it comes to marketing and publishing. I read this great post by author Joe Konrath about piracy and digital downloads of books, and found myself nodding along quite a bit. In particular, I found a lot of agreement in how big publishers (and Kindle) seem to have not learned the lessons about digital downloads that the music and video industry have learned in the past decade. In short, cheap is good. Free is better.

A balance needs to be found where it's less painful to buy the download than it is to track it down and find it free somewhere else. in this model, a digital copy of a book costing more than a paperback doesn't make sense. But a copy costing under two bucks? That's an easier pill to swallow. And in Konrath's experience, it hasn't hurt him. Just as the largely free song downloads of musician Johnathan Coulton haven't hurt him. I'll say it again. Cheap is good. Free is better.

So the upshot of all of this? I've changed the prices for digital copies of my novels.
As of now, my novel Greetings from Buena Rosa is free to download at my online storefront. The others are only $1.99 each. This will allow readers a chance on something new without a big investment. It is my belief that they will like what they see, and will recommend to friends, read all of the books, and even buy print copies in the future. But the thing is, they don't have to. The choice is entirely theirs.

Well...yes and no.

I'm partial to the DC Comics character Ragman, one of the more obscure "weird-heroes" from the 70's, along with The Creeper and Swamp Thing. I had been doing a pitch for a relaunch of The Outsiders, and wanted to add him to the mix, including hints in a dream sequence early on, then a big appearance at the end. The launch never went anywhere, other than talking to another "Named" comics writer who then went on to relaunch The Outsiders himself less than a year later.

But my artist and I knocked about the idea of just doing the book ourselves. We weren't using the full cast, and we had changed their look enough that we could get away with it, should we choose to do it -- we just needed to change some names.

I renamed Ragman as Tatterdamelion. I didn't realize at the time that I had misspelled Tatterdemalion. In fact, I didn't notice it for quite some time after, and now it's stuck.

Wow...what a whirlwind weekend.

Short and sweet, I have two stories to share with you all.

The first is "Masks." This was originally written years ago and is the first story I ever set in the Cobalt City universe. It stars Manuel de la Vega, known by others as the cycle-riding vigilante Gato Loco. This page also features a link to Partners in Health, a wonderful organization who has been involved bringing relief to Haiti - among other places - for years. Click on the link and you can donate to their relief efforts in Haiti, but it isn't required to read the story. http://nathancrowder.com/cobalt-city/masks-a-de-la-vega-mystery/

The second is available as print OR audio download. It's called "Memory in the Time of Bones," and it's a short little sci-fi tale, and is up at the Wily Writers site here: http://www.wilywriters.com/blog/?p=1301

Enjoy!

It's been a little while since my last update, so here ya go!

First off, my official authorial web presence has been updated with a new look, and a bit of a resource for Cobalt City info. You can find it at www.nathancrowder.com for various professional tidbits. The look is not 100% what I wanted, but I am not a web designer. As I am not much more advanced than a monkey with a stick, this will work just fine until I get the professional help I need. Web design help, that is. I'm not seeing a shrink. Too many good story ideas would be lost that way.

Ok, on to the writing update!

I've set a detailed schedule for this year, complete with writing goals for the month and year. Unlike previous years, this is relatively sane. The upshot: by the end of the year, I will have at least 6 new short stories, an RPG sourcebook, a fresh Cobalt City anthology, and two finished novels -- Ink Calls to Ink (the current work in progress) and Requiem of Ash (the final Protectorate novel).

I had intended to finish Ink Calls to Ink last year. Things happened. I got off track. I worked on other projects. I watched too much TV. Etc. I came into 2010 with 37,000 words of an approximately 75,000 word novel done. That leaves less than 40k to write. I'm on track with the paltry requirement of 5,000 words a week. I will be done with the first draft by the end of February and have it off to my loyal army of readers (and my Editor General). After that, I only have to write 10,000 a month to finish Requiem of Ash. Along with a short story every other month, this is a cakewalk.

The RPG sourcebook has a first draft due in a few months, and I'm well into it, with regular weekly goals being met. If everything stays on track, the finalized draft will be done in June with a projected Septermber release. Other than that, I'm keeping details secret for now.

So that's the year ahead for writing.

Today I took what I hope to be the first of several "Spa Days." What this means to me is a day off work with me and my dear friend Aarron hunkered down in a coffeehouse writing. For today it also included a delicious pastry start at a Danish bakery and nachos at Gordito's for lunch. I'm gonna head for the casa in another hour or two, turn off the computer, and relax in front of Dollhouse with a bowl of popcorn. And water. Lots of freaking water. I've drunk the nation of Colombia, steamed with milk, for most of the day. Holy jumping Jesus with a sidecar of strawberry ice-cream, but I'm dehydrated. Nasty, religion-changing leg cramps await me in my sleep if I'm not careful.

Heck, they'll happen even if I am careful.

Other updates -- look for the Crossed Genres anthology to come out February 1st. "Deacon Carter's Last Dime" will be in it, as will stories from friends Jennifer Munroe and Jeremy Zimmerman. I'm very excited about it. Like, let's go to the Snoose Junction and drink absinthe excited.

Oh, and I'm booked for Norwescon first weekend of April. Come, my little, dark delights, and trip the con fantastic with me!

Started this morning with some asiago bagels that had too much cheese in them so they were too strong and oily...total fail from Safeway.

After the movie Aarron, Michaela and I went to two different Chinese restaurants for dinner. The first was closed between 2 and 4 (it was about 2:30 at the time). The second one didn't open until 4. Our fall back was the IHOP next to Chinese restaurant 2...they had their open sign lit and everything. IHOP, however, was closing at 3, and even though it was 2:40 at this point, it was a no go. I went from, "Yeah, I can eat," to "Damn, I'm hungry." I ended up going home hungry instead.

I considered ordering pizza, but no one delivers on Christmas day.

No worries, right? I have food at home. I fired up the steamer for brown rice and popped frozen fish fillets into the oven. Despite having made these exact same fillets a hundred times, they came out burned.

What could possibly save this? Fresh pumpkin walnut muffins. I had everything I needed, looked up a recipe online, wrote it down and put them together. They went in just after the fish came out. Then I tasted the spoon. They weren't even remotely sweet. Why would they be? I hadn't added sugar. I looked at the written recipe in my hand. It hadn't called for sugar. I returned to the recipe online. There it was, halfway down the list, under salt, 1.5 c sugar.

Crap. I have no idea how they're going to taste. Probably not edible.

Clearly the universe is telling me that I can live on brown rice, and should just be happy with it. Again. Crap.