End of May News
First of all… look! A giveaway! It runs through Friday.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Clockwork Dagger
by Beth Cato
Giveaway ends May 22, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
My publisher did a really nice post congratulating me on my Locus nomination. Awww.
Remember the #TwitterFiction I did last Wednesday? You can now read the whole event in a convenient Storify format!
SheKnows.com included The Clockwork Crown on their list of 15 most anticipated spring and summer books! Huzzah!
I’m at Kate Heartfield’s site to talk about Unlikely Influences: What Beth Cato Learned About Writing by Baking Cookies. I know. Feign surprise at the subject matter.
Do you want to know more about research books I used for The Clockwork Dagger series? Find out in Magic and World War I Medicine at Teresa Frohock’s Blog.
For a general overview on medicians, read Medicians in The Clockwork Dagger at David Walton’s blog.
I also had a post at SF Signal with Developing Miss Percival as a Sympathetic Villain.
I was interviewed by the East Valley Tribune about my books and Phoenix Comicon.
Whew. I think that’s it. Things are crazy here right now. My son finishes up his 4th grade year today. Tomorrow is my 15th anniversary. I’m trying to edit a few stories and work on promotional stuff for Crown‘s release. I only have a few days left to prepare for Phoenix Comicon.
YES. I CAN DO THIS. …Right?
Locus Awards Nominee
Something crazy happened yesterday. The Locus Awards nominees were announced. The Clockwork Dagger is one of five books in the Best First Novels of 2014 category.
These awards are among the biggest honors in genre fiction. For my book to make the shortlist… I’m gobsmacked. Right now I’m trying to finagle things so that I can make it to the Locus Awards Weekend in Seattle coming up in June. If you’re going to be there, let me know!
THANK YOU to everyone who has read and spread the word about my book. You people are awesome.
Poetry and Locus
My poems “After” and “The Selkie Visits the Beach (Six Months After Losing Her Pelt)” were just published in Grievous Angel.
On the subject of poetry, my “Mama Gonna Fight” poem in March’s Apex Magazine was well-reviewed at Quick Sip Reviews..
Now to something else that’s nifty.
I mentioned a while back that Locus Magazine had The Clockwork Dagger on their short list of best 1st novels for 2014. Well, it’s now time for people to vote for the annual Locus Awards, and as a recommended read, my book is already included on the ballot.
One thing that sets these awards apart from the other major genre awards is that ANYONE can vote. All you need to do is fill in your name, email, and vote in whatever category you want. The ballot is huge. You don’t have to fill in everything.
Take a look and vote! The deadline is April 15th.
Read MoreAwards Consideration for 2014
It’s award season for genre fiction writers, that time when last year’s works are being considered for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. I had a few things published in 2014 that I’d like folks to keep in mind.
Foremost of all, there’s this book called The Clockwork Dagger.
In the short story category:
- “A Mother’s Touch,” Perihelion Science Fiction
- “Hatchlings,” Daily Science Fiction
- “Post-Apocalyptic Conversations with a Sidewalk,” Nature Magazine
- “The Cartography of Shattered Trees,” FAE; on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (If you want to read my story for consideration, drop me an email/tweet/message and I’ll happily send it along.)
- “Measures and Countermeasures,” Daily Science Fiction
As for works that I plan to vote for, I list those over on Novelocity. It’s a great post where my fellow authors Fran Wilde, Michael R. Underwood, Tina Connolly, and Ken Liu also chime in with their favorites.
Read MoreSo Many Links
I am behind on All the Things. See, last week I finished up the novella I worked on for five days in November. Then I gave myself the severe deadline of finishing the first revision pass before the end of the month. Oh boy. That was mean of me. It’s been a very intense rewrite of a very bloated, crappy rough draft. It still needs a lot more work but that first pass is done and now I can catch up on other things, like my blog.
HI, GUYS. Let’s get all caught up, shall we?
– I was interviewed on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast. You can watch the full video or download the audio alone. I talk about my experience with Harper Voyager, my writing background, Dragon Quest slimes, and the Holy Taco Church. As one does.
– Also on the subject of podcasts, at Skiffy and Fantasy Michael R. Underwood gave Clockwork Crown a shout-out as among his most anticipated reads of 2015. He’s at the 30 minute mark. The whole podcast is very interesting, the sort that’s dangerous for your book wish list.
– I’m REALLY EXCITED (CAPSLOCK!!!!) that I have an article on Tor.com: That Was Awesome: The Power of Voice in The Diabolical Miss Hyde. This is a new steampunk book out from Voyager in a few weeks. It’s really good, very intense, definitely on that borderline with horror.
– My recipe at the Holy Taco Church this month is a healthy one: Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tacos.
– Awesome Australian Pete Aldin interviewed me: On CLOCKWORK DAGGER, 5 Questions and 1 Statement.
I had a bunch of new poems come out this month as well!
– “When Death Rides Among Puppets” is in Eye to the Telescope
– “Time Traveler’s Diagnosis,” “Loophole,” “The Border Cowboy in Fairyland,” and “The Border Cowboy’s Smile” are in Star*line 38.1. Follow that link and you can read “Loophole,” which is very short.
I think that’s everything? Maybe? Anything else can wait for another post. A long to-do list awaits!
Read MoreBook Giveaway(s)! And CLOCKWORK CROWN has a cover!
Hey, would you like to win a copy of The Clockwork Dagger? You can, over at Kings River Life! They choose a winner on January 31st. Check it out, and please spread the word.
Oh, but you already have Clockwork Dagger? Would you like to read Crown and get the early buzz going? The book is available through Edelweiss. If you’re registered there, submit your request and wait impatiently.
On the subject of Clockwork Crown, there’s this.
ISN’T IT PRETTY?! I’ll do a post soon where I talk more about the cover, but I am so excited about how it turned out. SQUEE.
