Tag Archives: Bradley P. Beaulieu

Published: November 30, 2012

Professional Critiques for Aspiring Authors

This is a Worldbuilders Blog.

At its heart, Worldbuilders is a charity for people that love books.

Given that so many of Worldbuilder’s supporters are readers, it’s not terribly surprising that a lot of them are aspiring writers as well.

Every year we run a few auctions where authors and editors offer to give folks critical feedback on their unpublished manuscripts. Generally speaking, every year, they’re some of our most successful auctions.

Since people seem to like them so much, this year we’re delighted to offer more critiques than ever before. We have an even dozen read-and-critiques being offered by skilled industry professionals: authors, agents, and editors.

First, I really want to thank everyone who is donating their time and talent to these auctions. You are all shining examples of humanity.

Second, I’d advise you to read the details of each auction carefully. Each of the critiques below is different, some are for the first 15,000 words of a manuscript, others are for anything up to 100,000 words. The different professionals have different skill sets and are offering different things.

Third, some of the folks below have laid out some guidelines in terms of when and how quickly they can offer their critiques. I’m going to add a general caveat on top of that, asking that you respect the fact that all the professionals below are busy people. That means if you win a critique with them, you’re going to have to work with them to schedule a time that works for both of you.

So, please be understanding. Besides, you rush a miracle man, you get lousy miracles.

If you win my critique, for example, it can’t happen until mid-February at the very earliest. I’m busy with revisions, and I simply won’t have time before that.

Fourth, when the auctions below mention that they’ll read “X pages” of a manuscript, assume they’re talking standard manuscript format. That means, generally speaking, double-spaced, 12 point courier font, one inch margins.

Finally, if you’re an aspiring author, but you don’t have the cash to win one of these auctions, don’t despair. I’m going to be throwing a *second* read-and-critique of my own into the lottery. That means if you donate at least $10 to Heifer International over on the Worldbuilders Team Page, you have a chance to win my critique, as well as over a thousand cool books and other goodies…. (more details below)

Also, need I mention that a professional critique would be an excellent gift for that hard-to-shop-for aspiring author in your life? It would. It seriously would.

Okay, on to the show:

  • A critique of the first 20,000 words of your manuscript by literary Agent Matt Bialer.

Matt Bialer (literary agent) will read and evaluate the opening chapters of one manuscript (up to 20,000 words) within three months of submission, not including the last few weeks of December. He will read and critique, and help the author think about the issues that could be raised by editors at publishing houses.

He will write a general evaluation of the book, both strengths and weaknesses, but line editing is NOT included. If the book is fantastic or has the potential to be fantastic then offering representation is not out of the question — but representation is not a guarantee.

Pat’s Note: Matt is my agent, and I really can’t say enough good things about him. He worked with my The Name of the Wind before we sold it to a publisher, and his advice was invaluable. He knows the genre inside and out, and he gives great editorial feedback.

To bid on Matt’s read and critique, head over to the auction.

  • A critique of a sci-fi/fantasy short story up to 30,000 words by award-winning author Brenda Cooper.

Award-winning Pacific Northwest writer Brenda Cooper will read and critique a science fiction or fantasy short story up to 30,000 words.   Her novel-length work is primarily science fiction written for nine to ninety year old readers, and her short stories range across genres and age-groups.

Brenda Cooper writes science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. Her most recent novel is THE CREATIVE FIRE, which came out in November, 2012 from Pyr. Brenda is also a technology professional and a futurist.

In addition to the critique, Brenda will provide a copy of her latest novel, The Creative Fire.

To bid on Brenda’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

  • A critique of the first 100 pages or 3 chapters of your novel by author Scott Lynch.
Scott will review one piece of writing, preferably a section of a novel-length work, up to 100 pages or three chapters. This work should be double-spaced in a common electronic format such as Word or TXT/RTF. Scott will provide a detailed overall response to the piece and cover specific topics such as plot, character, dialogue, theme, and other aspects of narrative craft. Line and copy editing will be strictly at his option. This critique cannot begin before January, 2013 and will probably require six weeks from receipt of manuscript.

 

To bid on Scott’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

 

  • A critique of the first 100 pages of your novel by author Joshua Palmatier (aka Benjamin Tate).

Joshua Palmatier (DAW Books author of the “Throne of Amenkor” trilogy and the “Well of Sorrows” trilogy written as Benjamin Tate) will read and evaluate the first 100 pages of your novel within 3 months of submission.  The manuscript must be in standard manuscript format (typed, double-spaced, 12 pt font, etc).  He will write a general evaluation of the novel’s opening and mark up the manuscript using comments and track changes in the document itself, although this will NOT be a formal line or copy edit, simply commentary at specific points of the manuscript.

Joshua Palmatier has five dark, epic fantasy novels published by DAW, four short stories in various anthologies, and has co-edited two anthologies with Patricia Bray.  His experience is mostly with all forms of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.  His intent will be to offer editorial advice on how to improve your novel and to use his experience as both author and editor to make it the best it can be.

In addition to the manuscript review, Joshua will provide the winner with two signed, personalized editions of his books:  WELL OF SORROWS and AFTER HOURS:  TALES FROM THE UR-BAR.

To bid on Joshua’s critique, head to the auction over here.

(This is Patricia, not Joshua, obviously.)

Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray (co-editors of the DAW Books anthologies AFTER HOURS:  TALES FROM THE UR-BAR and THE MODERN FAE’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HUMANITY) will each read and evaluate your short story (up to 7500 words in standard manuscript format) within six weeks of submission.  Each author will write a general evaluation of the story and mark up the manuscript using comments and track changes in the document itself, although this will NOT be a formal line or copy edit, simply commentary at specific points in the short story.  Patricia Bray is the author of six fantasy novels from Bantam Spectra and has published numerous novellas and short stories in various anthologies.

Joshua Palmatier has five dark, epic fantasy novels published by DAW and four short stories in various anthologies.  Their experience is mostly with all forms of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.  Their intent will be to offer editorial advice on how to improve your story and to use their experience as both authors and editors to make it the best it can be.

In addition to the manuscript review, they will provide the winner with two signed, personalized editions of the books:  THE FIRST BETRAYAL by Patricia Bray, WELL OF SORROWS by Benjamin Tate (pseudonym of Joshua Palmatier), and AFTER HOURS:  TALES FROM THE UR-BAR.

To bid on Joshua and Patricia’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

Bradley P. Beaulieu is pleased to offer one story or chapter critique of up to 7,500 words. Brad will draft a formal review that will cover such things as how well the story opens, complicates, and closes, how well the characterization works, dialogue, tone, pacing, tension, and a host of other issues. Essentially, he’ll provide a formal review on the positives and negatives found in the story.

Bradley P. Beaulieu is the author of The Winds of Khalakovo and The Straits of Galahesh, the first two books in The Lays of Anuskaya trilogy. The concluding book in the trilogy, The Flames of Shadam Khoreh, will be released April of 2013. In addition to being an L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award winner, Brad’s stories have appeared in various other publications, including Realms of Fantasy Magazine, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Writers of the Future 20, and several anthologies from DAW Books. His story, “In the Eyes of the Empress’s Cat,” was voted a Notable Story of 2006 in the Million Writers Award.Mailing details and contact with Bradley will be set up following the auction.

To bid on Brad’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

Laura Anne Gilman, the former executive editor for Penguin/NAL/Roc Books, and author of over twenty novels, will read and evaluate your submission packet (cover letter, synopsis, and first three chapters up to 15,000 words).  She will read and critique, with an eye toward catching – and keeping- an editor or agent’s attention, and help you create hooks that will encourage the reader to ask for “more, please!”  She cannot promise to provide any introductions to agents or editors…but she won’t rule it out, either, if you knock her socks off.

Laura Anne Gilman spent fifteen years on the editorial side of the desk, including 6 years running the Roc SF imprint, before becoming a full-time writer in 2003.  She also runs d.y.m.k. productions, an editorial services company.

Pat’s Note: This is something really cool folks. I would have given a kidney for something like this during the two years I spent trying (and failin) to get an agent to look at The Name Of the Wind.

To bid on Laura’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

D. B. Jackson, who also writes as David B. Coe, is the award-winning author of more than a dozen novels and the occasional short story.  His most recent novel, THIEFTAKER, written under the D.B. Jackson pen name, is the first volume of the Thieftaker Chronicles, a series set in pre-Revolutionary Boston that combines elements of urban fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction.  The second volume, THIEVES’ QUARRY, is currently in production and will be published in 2013.

Writing as David B. Coe, he has published the LonTobyn Chronicle, a trilogy that received the Crawford Fantasy Award as the best work by a new author in fantasy, as well as the critically acclaimed Winds of the Forelands quintet and Blood of the Southlands trilogy. He has also written the novelization of director Ridley Scott’s movie, Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe.  David’s books have been translated into a dozen languages.D.B./David co-founded and regularly contributes to the Magical Words group blog (http://magicalwords.net), a site devoted to discussions of the craft and business of writing fantasy, and is co-author of How To Write Magical Words:  A Writer’s Companion.

To bid on Brad’s critique of up to 25,000 words of your manuscript, head to the auction over here.

  • A critique of the first 100 pages of your manuscript by editor David Pomerico.

David Pomerico is an Acquisition Editor at 47North, where he works in all the wonderful sub-genres that make up science fiction, fantasy, and horror.  Still, his passions definitely lie in the realms of traditional fantasy, space opera, military sci-fi, and dystopian novels. Before joining 47North, he was an Associate Editor at Del Rey Spectra.  Some of the great authors he’s been lucky enough to work with include Ari Marmell, Peter F. Hamilton, Sarah Zettel, Chris Wooding, Felix Gilman, Jeff Grubb (and many more that he’d love to list), and future projects by Dana Cameron, Jason Sheehan, Mark Barnes, Jeff Wheeler, SD Perry, and Aaron Pogue (again, among many, many others!).

He’s offering a detailed critique and commentary (but not a line edit) for the first 100 pages or so of your manuscript (double-spaced, please—and no margin shenanigans!), which he will get back to you within three months of receiving the manuscript. While he could possibly be blown away and want to make an offer on your book, this isn’t guaranteed (otherwise this might be a really pricey auction!).

To bid on David’s read and critique, head over to the auction over here.

  • A critique of a novel up to 100,000 words by author and editor John Helfers.

John Helfers is an author and editor currently living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. During his sixteen years working at Tekno Books (the largest commercial book packager in the nation), he co-edited more than twenty short story anthologies, as well as overseeing many others for publishers in all genres. He has worked with many well-known authors and co-editors, including Lawrence Block, Larry Bond, Elizabeth George, Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts, Nelson DeMille, Charlaine Harris, John Jakes, Anne Perry, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Connelly, Walter J. Boyne, Harold W. Coyle, Mercedes Lackey, Margaret Weis, Kevin J. Anderson, Ice-T, Richard Belzer, and Max Allan Collins.

He has also edited more than forty novels by such authors as Doug Allyn, Brendan DuBois, James Patrick Hunt, and Jean Rabe.  He has also published more than forty short stories in anthologies such as If I Were An Evil Overlord, Time Twisters, and Places to Be, People to Kill. His fiction has appeared in anthologies, game books, and novels for the Dragonlance®, Transformers®, BattleTech® and Shadowrun® universes. He has written both fiction and nonfiction, including the third novel in the first authorized trilogy based on The Twilight Zone™ television series, the YA novel Tom Clancy’s Net Force Explorers: Cloak and Dagger, and a history of the United States Navy.

Again, this is for a complete edit of a novel (up to 100,000 words, including line-edit and editorial comments.) This will be done within six months of receipt of the manuscript after the auction is completed.  The manuscript must be supplied in electronic format (MS Word preferred).

 

Pat’s Note: You see that thing up there that I made red? That’s big. Nobody else here is offering you line edits.

 

To bid on David’s read and critique, head over to the auction over here.

 

  • A critique of the first 75 pages of your novel by author Jamie Lee Moyer.

Jaime Lee Moyer is offering a read and critique of the first 75 pages of your finished novel. While she won’t line edit for grammar, she will comment on plot, pacing, character arc, voice, how well the “hook” or opening works, how well the story sustains her interest, and give overall, general impressions of the story. Critique will be done in MSWord via track changes, but please use a readable font and double-space your work. The critique will be returned to you within three months, edit letters and deadlines allowing.

Jaime Lee Moyer is a speculative fiction writer, poet and recovering editor. Jaime is the author of Delia’s Shadow, the first in a three book series coming from TOR beginning in September 2013. Delia’s Shadow won the 2009 Columbus Literary Award for Fiction, administered by Thurber House and funded by the Columbus Art Council. She doesn’t take herself nearly as seriously as that credit implies. Jaime’s short fiction has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Lone Star Stories, and two of the well-respected Triangulations anthologies. She was the editor of the 2010 Rhysling Anthology for the Science Fiction Poetry Association, a poetry and short fiction editor for a semi-pro zine for five years. For a short period of time she read slush for a literary agent, and has critiqued more novels and short stories than she wants to count.

To bid on Jamie’s read and critique, head to the auction over here.

Patrick Rothfuss (international bestselling author, lover of women, and hirsute iconoclast) will read your manuscript and give you critical feedback. (Up to, say, 250,000 words.) We’ll schedule this based on when your manuscript will be ready and my own schedular constraints.

I’ll read through your manuscript, scrawling notes and dirty words in the margins, then I’ll call you on the phone and we can discuss it. I won’t write you up a detailed critique because that’s not how I roll. But we’ll probably chat on the phone for a couple of hours discussing the various strengths and weaknesses of the book, your writing craft, and I’ll offer any suggestions I might have.

If I think your book is super-awesome, I might be willing to pass it along to someone. But be very aware that what you’re buying here is a critique, not a blurb or an introduction to the publishing world. A critique.

Mailing details and contact with Patrick will be set up following the auction.

To bid on Pat’s critique, head to the auction over here.

  • Lottery Item: A critique of your entire manuscript by Pat Rothfuss.

(That’s right, ladies. All of this, and brains too…)

Here’s the deal. I’m well aware of the fact that a lot of authors are starving-artist types. I spent more than a decade below the poverty line working on my books before I was published.

I know those people can’t afford to blow a bunch of money on an auction for a critique, and I feel bad about that.

So this year, I’m throwing a critique into the lottery.

Here’s how it’s going to work. For every $10 you donate to Heifer International over on the Worldbuilders Team Page, you have a chance to win my critique, as well as over a thousand cool books and other goodies we have listed on our main page.

Unlike the books though, who go to pretty much anyone that wins. This prize will be selective. I’m going to call whoever wins it, and if they’re not an aspiring author who wants help with a manuscript, we’ll draw another name. We’ll do this again and again until it ends up in the hands of someone that can use it.

So if the auctions are out of your reach, pitch in on our team page. The more you donate, the more you’re likely to win.

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If you’d like to see all the auctions Worldbuilders is currently running, you can find them over here.

If you want to see the other items that have been donated to Worldbuilders, or learn more about the fundraiser itself, you can head over to the main page here.

 

Posted in Revision, the business of writing, the craft of writing, Worldbuilders 2012 | By Pat29 Responses
Published: January 15, 2012

Auctions: Critiques and Other Assorted Cool

This is a Worldbuilders blog.

First, a quick announcement. We’re extending the end date of Worldbuilders to February 7th. I looked at all the donations we still haven’t listed and realized we needed a little extra time to fit them all in.

Second, today I get to introduce you to several delightful human beings who have generously generously offered their time and talent to Worldbuilders, so we can auction them off.

We have authors, editors, and agents offering to read and critique unpublished manuscripts, a tuckerization, and a bookbinding that I myself am currently resisting the urge to bid on.

All auctions are starting at one (1) penny. And remember, proceeds go to improving people’s lives all over the world though Heifer International,  so bid lavishly and spread the word.

  • A read-and-critique of the first 20,000 words of your manuscript by agent Matt Bialer.

Pat’s Note: Matt is my agent, and I wouldn’t trade him for his weight in gold. He helped me revise my book several times before we landed a publisher, and his help has been invaluable in revising my second book. He’s all kinds of smart, understands stories, and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

You can get more of his professional information HERE.

Matt Bialer (literary agent) will read and evaluate the opening chapters of one manuscript (up to 20,000 words) within three months of submission, not including the last few weeks of December. He will read and critique, and help the author think about the issues that could be raised by editors at publishing houses. He will write a general evaluation of the book, both strengths and weaknesses, but line editing is NOT included. If the book is fantastic or has the potential to be fantastic then offering representation is not out of the question — but representation is not a guarantee.

Mailing details and contact with Matt will be set up following the auction

Interested? You can bid on this critique from Matt Bialer over here.

  • A read-and-critique of your short story of 7,500 words by Jennifer Brozek .

Jennifer Brozek (DAW Books Human for a Day Editor, Editor Assistant Editor Apex Publications) will read and evaluate your short story (up to 7,500 words) within six weeks of submission. She will write a general evaluation of the story and mark up the manuscript using comments and track changes in the document itself. With seven anthologies, two writing awards and one editing award under her belt, she has the experience and skills to help your story be the best it can be. The bulk of her experience is in horror, science fiction, and urban fantasy. Also, the winner will receive two signed anthologies edited by Jennifer Brozek: Human for a Day, published by DAW and the award winning Grants Pass, published by Morrigan Books.

In addition to a manuscript review, Jennifer will be providing the winner with two anthologies that she has edited, Human for a Day and Grants Pass. Grants Pass won the 2010 Australian Shadows Award for best edited publication. She will personalize and sign each book and send them to the winner.

You may learn more about Jennifer at her website.

Mailing details and contact with Jennifer Brozek will be set up following the auction.

Interested? You can bid on Jennifer’s critique over here.

  • A read-and-critique of your manuscript up to 10,000 words by Kat Howard.

Pat’s Note: Kat once saved my life by lifting a burning SUV off my shattered body, and carrying me three miles to a hospital on her back. True story.

Kat Howard is a writer of speculative fiction and an academic, teaching English literature at Stony Brook University. She is a 2008 graduate of Clarion (UCSD). Kat has short fiction that has appeared in the anthology Stories, in Weird Tales, and is forthcoming in Lightspeed and Subterranean. One of her short stories, “Choose Your Own Adventure,” was just chosen for Rich Horton’s Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2012.

Kat will review one piece of writing, up to 10,000 words. Whether that is in the form of one short story, or a section of a novel is up to the winner (She just ask that it not be something like ten one thousand word short stories, please.) She would like the work to be double-spaced in a standard, readable font. It will probably about two weeks, so long as she does not have any other deadlines in that period of time. Kat will provide an overall response to the story or novel excerpt, including what she feels are the strengths and weaknesses of the piece as a whole. She’ll talk about character, plot, language, theme, all the storytelling and craft kinds of details. What she will not do is a line or copy edit.

Learn more about Kat on her blog.

Mailing details and contact with Kat Howard will be set up following the auction.

Interested? You can bid on Kat’s critique over here.

  • A read-and-critique of the first 100 pages of your manuscript by David Pomerico.

Pat’s Note: David is the sort of editor I would have loved to have read my manuscript and give me a few pointers back during the long years of rejection before my book was published. What’s more, he’s an absolute prince for donating his time and energy to Worldbuilders even though I don’t have the least bit of blackmail evidence to use against him.

The official description:

David Pomerico is an Associate Editor at Del Rey Spectra, where he focuses primarily on traditional fantasy, urban fantasy, and dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature. That’s not to say that he doesn’t know other genres (he claims to be something known as “well-read”), but that’s definitely where his interests lie. He’s worked with a variety of authors, including Felix Gilman, Sarah Zettel, David J. Williams, Chris Wooding, Darin Bradley, and Ari Marmell, as well as being a part of the Star Wars publishing program at Del Rey. He’s offering a detailed critique and commentary (but not a line edit) for the first 100 pages or so of your manuscript (double-spaced, please—and no margin shenanigans!), which he will get back to you within three months of receiving the manuscript. While he could possibly be blown away and want to make an offer on your book, this isn’t guaranteed (otherwise this might be a really pricey auction!).

Mailing details and contact with David will be set up following the auction.

Interested? You can bid on David’s critique over here.

  • A read-and-critique of first 100 pages of your manuscript by Adrienne Lombardo.

Adrienne Lombardo started at Trident Media Group in the winter 2009 as the assistant to Ellen Levine and later to Don Fehr as well. Before being promoted to Audio Rights Agent in January 2011, she was instrumental in managing Ellen Levine’s extensive backlist, helping to find new clients and handling various subrights sales. She holds an MS in Publishing from New York University.

Her interests include general commercial, sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal, horror and historical fiction, graphic novels, YA, narrative nonfiction and memoir. “My main focus is science fiction, fantasy and horror, genres I’ve been reading all my life, and I’m interested in authors who know how to create worlds of their own.”

She will provide a detailed critique of the first 100 pages of your manuscript and an opinion on the book’s saleability. She is already going blind (probably from reading too much), so she would appreciate a double-spaced submission. She will get back to you within two months of 2012. If she likes your book enough, she may decide she wants to represent you.

Mailing details and contact with Adrienne Lombardo will be set up following the auction.

Interested? You can bid on Adrienne’s critique over here.

Bradley P. Beaulieu is the author of The Winds of Khalakovo, the first of three planned books in The Lays of Anuskaya series. In addition to being an L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award winner, Brad’s stories have appeared in various other publications, including Realms of Fantasy Magazine, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Writers of the Future 20, and several anthologies from DAW Books. His story, “In the Eyes of the Empress’s Cat,” was voted a Notable Story of 2006 in the Million Writers Award.

Bradley P. Beaulieu is pleased to offer one story or chapter critique of up to 7,500 words. Brad will draft a formal review that will cover such things as how well the story opens, complicates, and closes, how well the characterization works, dialogue, tone, pacing, tension, and a host of other issues. Essentially, he’ll provide a formal review on the positives and negatives found in the story. For these and many more details, including Brad’s bona fides, please visit his Worldbuilders 2011 Auctions page.

Mailing details and contact with Bradley will be set up following the auction

Interested? You can bid on Bradley’s critique over here.

  • Tuckerization to appear in book by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Tuckerize: The use of a person’s name or description in an original story. Term is derived from Wilson Tucker who made a practice of using his friends’ names for minor characters in the stories.

Bradley P. Beaulieu is pleased to offer one Tuckerization for inclusion in the third and final novel of his critically acclaimed Lays of Anuskaya trilogy. All proceeds from the auctions will benefit the 2012 Worldbuilders fundraiser. For the details, please visit Brad’s Worldbuilders 2011 Auctions page.

Contact details with Bradley will be set up following the auction

Interested? You can bid on Bradley’s tuckerization over here.

My name is Gerald and I have been working as a professional bookbinder and conservator for a little over a decade. I am originally from Charleston, South Carolina, though I now work and live in Northern Indiana with my wife, daughter, a disinterested cat named Rudy, and an obscenely large book collection. My specialties in bookbinding are 15th – 19th century style reproductions in leather. You may view my work at here.

The bookbinding process typically takes 4-6 weeks depending on the complexity. I am offering to rebind one book of the winner’s choice in leather (either calfskin or goatskin) and tooled on the spine and boards. I will work with the winner in regards to leather type and color, what kind of marbled endpapers they would prefer, and design suggestions…I have quite a few images and scans that I can provide. The winner will pay to ship the book to me, and I will pay shipping for the return of the completed book.

Mailing details and contact with Gerald Ward will be set up following the auction.

Interested? You can bid on Gerald’s bookbinding over here.

  • A read-and-critique of your entire manuscript by Pat Rothfuss.

(Me.)

I’ll read and critique your whole book. Though I should put some sort of reasonable limit on it, I suppose. How about this: I’ll read your book, anything up to 200,000 words.

What else should I say about myself? It’s hard for me to do these promotional write-ups for myself. Let’s see…

Before I became a published writer, I was a teacher for five years. Before that, I was a writing tutor for nine years. So I know something about giving productive feedback on a piece of writing. I’ve read roughly ten thousand novels, mostly sci-fi and fantasy.

I think about stories all the time and am obsessive about revision. I also have a soothing baritone voice, an IQ in the 160s, and the ability to steal any other mutant’s power just by touching them.

Ah hell… See? I can never take these things seriously. Just read the official description below for the details:

Patrick Rothfuss (international bestselling author, lover of women, and hirsute iconoclast) will read your manuscript and give you critical feedback. We’ll schedule this based on when your manuscript will be ready and my own schedular constraints.

I’ll read through your manuscript, scrawling notes and dirty words in the margins, then I’ll call you on the phone and we can discuss it. I won’t write you up a detailed critique because that’s not how I roll. But we’ll probably chat on the phone for a couple of hours discussing the various strengths and weaknesses of the book, your writing craft, and I’ll offer any suggestions I might have.

If I think your book is super-awesome, I might be willing to pass it along to someone. But be very aware that what you’re buying here is a critique, not a blurb or an introduction to the publishing world. A critique.

You can bid on the critique by Pat Rothfuss over here.

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Obviously, these auctions are only going to be running for a limited time. So if you know of someone who might be interested, I’d take it as a kindness if you let them know.

If you’d like to see all the auctions Worldbuilders is currently running, you can find them over here.

Or, if you want to see all the other items that have been donated to Worldbuilders, or just learn more about the fundraiser itself, you head over to the main page.

Posted in Worldbuilders 2011 | By Pat34 Responses
Published: December 5, 2011

Signed Books

This is a Worldbuilders blog.

Here’s our first batch of author-donated books, all of them lovingly signed by the authors themselves.

  • A first edition, hardcover set of books from the Black Jewels World: Tangled Webs, The Shadow Queen, Twilight’s Dawn, and Shalador’s Lady by Anne Bishop. All signed by the author.

“Anne Bishop does not disappoint. I have not read a book of hers that did not immediately captivate me and draw me immediately back into her world….[She] waves her spell so well…. Her characters seem so real and engaging.” – SFRevu

  • One set of Shadows and Light & The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop. Signed by the author.

“Plenty of thrills, faerie magic, human nastiness, and romance.” – Locus

  • One set of Australia editions of The Invisible Ring & Twilight’s Dawn by Anne Bishop. Signed by the author.

“The Invisible Ring will serve as an enticement, whetting the appetite to explore more of the realms in the Black Jewels trilogy. It and its predecessors are genuine gems of fantasy much to be prized.” – The Zone

  • One copy of Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop. Signed by the author.

“Bishop’s talent brings the world to life and creates characters who will intrigue, outrage and captivate the reader.” – Romantic Times

  • Two copies of The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer. Signed by the author.

“It’s not very often that I get to say this, but Courtney Schafer’s The Whitefire Crossing is the complete package. Fully developed characters. Across the board world-building. Intriguing magic. Accomplished writing. Engaging storytelling. Thrilling adventure… Add it all up and there’s no doubt in my mind that The Whitefire Crossing is not only one of the best fantasy debuts of 2011, but it’s also one of the year’s best fantasy novels period.” – Robert Thompson of Fantasy Book Critic

Pat’s note: I’ll admit that after reading that blurb, I’ve added this one to my own mountainous to-be-read stack.

  • One copy of Wells of Sorrows by Benjamin Tate. Signed by the author.

“Brilliantly detailed worldbuilding and complicated characters makes this an engrossing read.” – Laura Anne Gilman.

  • One set of The Throne of Amenkor: The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, and The Vacant Throne by Joshua Palmatier. Signed by the author.

“A gritty, edgy, unsettling book. This tough young woman makes her choices in a world where good and evil often look like twins. I was riveted by her story!” – Tamora Pierce, author of Terrier

  • One copy of After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar edited by Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray and signed by Joshua Palmatier.

Science fiction and fantasy readers have long shown an affinity for a good “bar story”. Now some of today’s most inventive scriveners have decided to tell their own tall tales-from an alewife’s attempt to transfer the gods’ curse to Gilgamesh, to Odin’s decision to introduce Vikings to the Ur-Bar, from the Holy Roman Emperor’s barroom bargain, to a demon hunter who may just have met his match in the ultimate magic bar, to a bouncer who discovers you should never let anyone in after hours in a world terrorized by zombies.

“The Winds of Khalokovo is filled with clean prose, intelligent language, and brilliant imagination. Reading this fantasy was like sinking my teeth into a rich and exotic dessert.” – Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show

“The boldly imagined new world and sharply drawn characters will pull you into The Winds of Khalakovo and won’t let you go until the last page.” – Michael A. Stackpole, New York Times bestselling author of I, Jedi

Pat’s note: For those of you who aren’t familiar with publishing lingo, ARC stands for Advance Reader’s Copy. These are the sneak-preview books that a publisher gives to reviewers and booksellers. They don’t tend to print very many of them, so they’re kinda rare. What’s more, a lot of times they haven’t gone through final edits, so you get the chance to see a rough-hewn version of the story, and occasionally chuckle up your sleeve at the author’s typos.

Also, Bradley has gone out of his way to sign this one with extra panache, rubbing my nose in the fact that I have the handwriting of a 3rd grader.

  • One anthology of Stalking the Wild Hare edited by John Helfers, Chris Pierson, Marc Tassin, and Jean Rabe. Signed by Bradley P. Beaulieu.

Adventure . . . danger . . . romance . . . or maybe a good scare? Yearning to read some fantasy . . . science fiction . . . humor . . . urban fantasy . . . horror . . . or even a haunting Civil War tale? We’ve got what you’re looking for! The authors in Gen Con’s Writer’s Symposium have collected 22 of their favorite tales into this volume.

Pat’s note: I met John this year at World Fantasy. He was cool enough to donate some signed copies of his profoundly creepy Cthulhu/blues fusion debut novel.

(Say “Cthulhu/blues fusion debut” three times fast, I dare you. Now go say it in front of a mirror at midnight with all the lights off. No. Wait. Don’t do that….)

In addition to chipping in some books, John also went above and beyond the call of duty and helped us finally design a our webpage for the fundraiser: Worldbuilders.org.

“A sumptuous Southern Gothic thriller steeped in the distinct American mythologies of Cthulhu and the blues . . . Southern Gods beautifully probes the eerie, horror-infested underbelly of the South.” – The Onion AV

  • Three first edition hardcover copies of Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi. Signed by the author.

“Fuzzy Nation seeks to bring a 21st century storytelling sensibility to a half-century-old genre classic, and it succeeds far more wildly than I imagine even John Scalzi himself hoped. What began as an unabashed exercise in labor-of-love fanfic became not only excellent SF in its own right, but, incidentally, Scalzi’s best novel to date in a career that was already impressive and well above the bell curve.” – SF Reviews

Pat’s Note: I never read the original story Scalzi drew inspiration from (H. Beam Piper’s Little Fuzzy). But that didn’t keep me from thoroughly enjoying the novel.

*     *     *

Remember, for every 10 dollars you donate on the Worldbuilders Team Page, you get a chance to win these books and hundreds of others like them.

Plus there’s the whole helping make the world a better place thing. That’s nice, too.

And don’t forget, Worldbuilders is matching 50% of all donations. So you get a bigger bang for your buck when you head over to our Team Heifer page and chip in.

Or, if you want to go back to the main page for Worldbuilders, you can click HERE.

Posted in Worldbuilders 2011 | By Pat20 Responses
Published: November 16, 2010

More Signed Books

This is a Worldbuilders blog.

A bunch more signed books today. Let’s start off with the ones donated by the authors themselves:

  • A set of The Lighthouse Duet: Flesh and Spirit, Breath and Bone by Carol Berg. Signed by the author.

I’ll admit I’ve never read Carol Berg. But when these books showed up, my assistant Valerie emitted a piercing screel of delight.

So, rather than voice my ignorant opinion, I figure we’ll just ask her what she thinks.

Heya Valerie, you remember what color you are?

A nice mellow green. So your blog readers can happily imagine you have a nice mellow assistant.

Pishaw. You’re way better than mellow. But we can pretend for the readers if you like.

Okay, here we go. Carol Berg. How good is she on a scale of one to Gaiman?

The best way I can describe my appreciation of her writing is in the fact that after I lost my first collection of books and decided to stop buying/collecting books and switched exclusively to libraries, I did re-buy copies of all her books.

Hold on. You don’t collect books?

Well I did drive across six states to come work for you, and I could only fit about six boxes of books in my car. So whenever I covet a book I ask myself if it is worthy of being personally carried around the world with me wherever I go. Final decision: no, I do not collect books and I only have two bookshelves of books in my house.

I can’t believe I didn’t know this about you. I… we… I don’t know if I can talk to you right now. I think I need to put up blurb from someone else while I wrap my head around this.

“Berg brings to life every stone in a peaceful monastery and every nuance in a stratified society, describing the difficult dirty work of ordinary life as beautifully as she conveys the heart-stopping mysticism of holiness just beyond human perception.” – Sharon Shinn

  • A set of The Books of the Rai-kirah: Transformation, Revelation, and Restoration by Carol Berg. Signed by the author.

Okay. I’m over it. Kinda. Pitch this series to me. Why should I read it?

Because, and pardon the giddy fan review, Berg writes worlds of magic and mystery. Her plots are usually grand schemes to change the world itself while the characters are full of very human flaws and failings. Plus I think her writing is classy and elegant. Is that too gushy?

Nah. You didn’t use words like “luminous” or “effulgent” or anything. You’re good.

  • A set of The Bridge of D’Arnath Quartet: Son of Avonar, Guardians of the Keep, The Soul Weaver, and Daughter of Ancients by Carol Berg. Signed by the author.

Okay. One more time. Hit me.

Everything I said before. Plus I want to add that her books aren’t just fantasy fluff. They make me think things I never thought before.

“If you enjoy fantasy with a dark thread… Carol Berg is someone you should try. If you like good characters in an exciting, unpredictable plot, this is also a series for you.” – Colleen Cahill, SFREVU

  • A set of The Twenty Palaces novels: Child of Fire and Game of Cages by Harry Connolly. Signed by the author.

Jim Butcher says Child of Fire “is excellent reading and has a lot of things I love in a book: a truly dark and sinister world, delicious tension and suspense, violence so gritty you’ll get something in your eye just reading it, and a gorgeously flawed protagonist. Take this one to the checkout counter. Seriously.”

Man. That’s a great blurb. Why can’t I get a blurb from Butcher? Every time I see him, he just curses and hucks stones at my head.

  • Five copies of Shadow’s Son by Jon Sprunk. Signed by the author.

“Masterful storytelling at its finest, be prepared for a late night.” –Maria V. Snyder, New York Times bestselling author.

“ Shadow’s Son is easily one of my favorite books of 2010 and I look forward to seeing what Sprunk can add to this trilogy.” –Fantasy Book Critic

“This collection of 17 stories from Card’s e-zine takes its title from his belief that writers getting readers to suspend disbelief is like old-fashioned medicine-show hawkers convincing customers that their patented elixirs will work. […] Adding value are the authors’ afterwords, which disclose the remarkable diversity of ways writers reach the Web or the page and how Card influences new writers.” – Roland Green, Booklist

From the back of the book: “Adventure . . . danger . . . romance . . . or maybe a good scare? Yearning to read some fantasy . . . science fiction . . . humor . . . urban fantasy . . . horror . . . or even a haunting Civil War tale? We’ve got what you’re looking for! The authors in Gen Con’s Writer’s Symposium have collected 22 of their favorite tales into this volume.”

The Writers of the Future anthology has a warm place in my heart, as I got my start in Volume 18. I always make a point of picking up the new one every year, as I know that these writers really had to beat out some stiff competition.

As Tim Powers says, “[Writers of the Future] is THE place to look for the writers who will be winning Hugos and Nebulas a few years from now.”

“The anthology stood out for one reason to me–each story captured some of the magic and uniqueness that can only be found if you live in a city.  Amid the constant lights, streams of traffic, and seeming sleeplessness, a city holds a powerful magnetism for ordinary and paranormal folks alike.  This collection spotlighted the best of those feelings.” – BSC Reviews

  • A set of the As You Wish series: How Not to Make a Wish, When Good Wishes Go Bad, and To Wish or Not To Wish by Mindy Klasky. Signed by the author.

“Fresh and often hysterically funny, this story also has a solid emotional core. Heroine Kira’s fire-person perspective keeps it all real for the reader…” – Romantic Times.

  • Two copies of The Fall of Ossard by Colin Taber. Signed by the author.

“Brave… Innovative… Bold…” – Stefen Brazulaitis, reviewer and columnist, Australian Bookseller and Publisher.

“I stayed up all night!” – Sara Douglass

“I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pages turn at a rapid pace and I loved the ending. This is not your expected fantasy-type book. I can’t wait for the next of the series.” – Rebecca’s Book Blogspot.

Kat Howard will always have a warm place in my heart, as she invited me to one of my first conventions as a professional writer.

I didn’t find out until much later that she’s a hell of a writer, as evidenced by the story she’s got in Gaiman’s new Anthology.

Robert J. Wiersema wrote in the National Post: “There’s not a single misstep, not a single story that can, or should, be skipped: Stories is a winner from cover to cover. […] Kat Howard’s A Life in Fictions, for example, is a strangely powerful account of what happens to a writer’s muse in both good times (when she is becoming different characters, taking on their traits and quirks) and bad (as when her world freezes, the writer suffering from writer’s block).”

*     *     *

In the two years I’ve been running Worldbuilders, I’ve hit up authors and publishers for books. It’s worked out petty well, and I’ve been really impressed at how generous people have been.

This year, just to see what would happen, I threw the doors open wider, inviting anyone to donate books. Amazingly, a lot of fans and readers have been willing to donate some really lovely stuff to the cause. All of the following are signed.

  • A copy of Odd and The Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. Signed by the author.

On a scale of one to Gaiman, this book unsurprisingly ranks in at a full Gaiman.

“Gaiman does it again…this sweet, wistful, slyly funny novella…succeeds both as a delightful children’s book and an adult collectible. Children will enjoy Odd’s quiet heroism and the simple adventure; adults will love the squabbling gods and the strong women. All in all, another winner.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

  • A hardcover copy of Hyddenworld: Spring by William Horwood. Signed by the author.

“This is the first installment in a new series that builds on the fantasy genre, taking in elements from historical fiction, folk tales and legends. The real hook, though, is the characters: each is introduced with such care that the reader really gets to know them and is genuinely concerned about their story.” – Waterstones Books Quarterly.

  • A hardcover first edition copy of Nocturnes by John Connolly. Signed by the author.

“Connolly creates those rarest of books – literate and beautifully written page-turners.” – Mark Billingham, Daily Mail.

  • A copy of Redemption Falls by Joseph O’Connor. Signed by the author.

“Redemption Falls…is told with extraordinary ingenuity, the tone a mixture of the playful and the grave, at times fast-moving, smart, and very clever, and then full of beautiful writing and heartbreaking sequences. The cadences of the competing voices in the book combine to produce a dazzling narrative.” – Colm Tóibín, author of The Master, winner of the 2006 Dublin International IMPAC Award

  • A hardcover signed numbered limited edition of The Corpse King by Tim Curran. Signed by the author.

“Horror finds its roots in many places […] Often overlooked, however, but perhaps even more potent are the pages of history. We didn’t always live in such a sanitized, advanced, progressive world.  For all but a few, especially those who lived in crowded urban areas, life was often a miserable, filthy, degrading experience that offered little hope for the future, and in this sewer-bound world very real, tangible horrors, inescapable abounded.” — Kevin Lucia, Shroud Magazine

  • A hardcover copy of Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja. Signed by the author.

“This book made me drunk. Koja’s language is at its poetic best, and the epic drama had me digging my nails into my palms. It’s like a Tom Waits hurdy-gurdy loser’s lament come to life, as sinister as a dark circus.” — Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing

This book is a serious treasure. Not only is it a massive collection filled with a lot of hard-to-find Ellison stories, but it’s signed by Ellison AND Dowling. I covet it.

I was seriously considering selling this one in an auction this year, but I’ve decided to leave it in the general lottery instead. Why? Because I like having some rarer stuff in the lottery, that way, everyone gets a shot at it, not just collectors or folks with a ton of money to spend.

I also hope things like this in the mix will help to nudge people to donate a little more. Because you never know, you might get lucky…

“Ellison has never fit comfortably in any category. Instead, he’s tackled them all (or so it seems) and more often than not has come out on top. Considering the often insular tastes of genre readers, that alone is reason enough to place this book at the top of every recommended reading list.” – Jayme Lynn Blaschke SF Site

Remember folks, for every 10 dollars you donate to Heifer International, you get a chance to win these books and hundreds of others like them. Plus there’s the whole helping make the world a better place thing. That’s nice too.

Don’t forget, Worldbuilders is matching 50% of all donations made. So why not head over to my page at Team Heifer and chip in. Trust me. You’ll feel great afterward.

If you want to go back to the main page for Worldbuilders, you can click HERE.

Posted in a few words you're probably going to have to look up, Neil Gaiman, Worldbuilders 2010 | By Pat33 Responses

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