Some string and bits of fluff

In news of the surreal, A Year and a Day is currently selling for $160+ on Amazon's marketplace!
o.O
For serious.
I had a hard time believing it myself. Could it be rumors of a reprint that has been driving the price up like this? No idea.
It is flattering, however.

Secondly, my newest work, The Convent of the Pure, is currently being featured as the Sunday Freebie over at Apex. They will take answers to the posted trivia question until Tuesday night and announce the winner on Wednesday.

And third, I am still stupidly spinning my wheels trying to come up with what to work on next. Putting together a couple of short pieces that were requested of me and then I will dive back into the idea pool for a new novel. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them. Thusfar, been banging my head against the wall. Repeatedly.

Interview!

My co-Blogspot blogger, Rie over at Leaving Shangri-L.A., interviewed me for her blog this week!
It's all very exciting! You should go check it out!

Apex Stats for March

I am in some FINE company!

Apex Books Bestsellers:
1) The Convent of the Pure
2) Open Your Eyes
3) I Remember the Future: The Award-Winning Stories of Michael A. Burstein

Stats page can be found here.

Beginnings and endings (which are also beginnings)

Today.
Today is April the first and, no foolin', the release date for The Convent of the Pure. Also, I sent in the final draft for The Labyrinth of the Dead. We don't have a release date for it yet- it will depend on a variety of factors but is tentatively queued up for a slot either around Christmastime or early 2010.
It is really exhilarating to see a book on which you have worked so diligently see the light of day and go forth to make its way into the great wide world. It is also a special kind of magic finishing a work that has been on your plate since July 2008 and start it on its own path.
And I did both today.
I am a crazy thing! And just soaring!!
I sold more than 100 pre-orders, a great feat for a new author with a small press. It is all because I have caring people like you who want to exchange your hard-earned money for my hard-forged words.
I hope this bodes well for the future of Convent and the other two books in the trilogy.
So I am in a very tingly headspace, made all the more topsy-turvy with the announcement that Apex Online is not running my Amanda Palmer interview in the June edition, but instead creating an Amanda-fucking-Extravaganza in the blog section with 10 days of my interview questions and collected YouTube clips and etc. put together by Awesome Apex Frontman, Jason Sizemore (who also interviewed me in March).
What makes this extra shiny is that Neil Gaiman just posted a tweet about said interview!
I think you should check it out, too!
All the cool kids are doing it!

p.s. Don't forget to pick up your copy of The Convent of the Pure!
Stillwondering if you'd like it? Check out this AMAZING trailer, courtesey of Catherynne Valente and Abney Park!

About writing: That Coffee Shop Thing

What's up with all the writing in coffee shops?
I have to admit with full disclosure that I am one of those authors, the kind you see taking up a corner of the cafe with a mug and a plate of nibblies.
Or, you may not see me- I tend to be unobtrusive and wrapped up in my own little world. The coffee shop is a great environment for me because it provides two things: a steady supply of snacks and a convivial atmosphere away from dogs, laundry, TV, and the need to answer the phone.
Most of the time my husband is with me, "getting coffee" is a weekend ritual for us that will never be skipped unless we are away at a convention.
Depending on what cafe we plan to visit will set our schedule. Lately we've been going to Crema since Sam & Zoe's got sold and is getting all corporate and snotty. Crema isn't open on Sundays so we go there on Saturdays. If we haven't anything else planned for the weekend, we still might go over to Sam & Zoe's on Sunday (which is really the best day to go there in general as the awesome Baja Burrito [NOT to be confused with the inferior chain place Baja Fresh!] is also closed on Sundays and there is plenty of parking in the tiny lot they share).
At coffee, notebooks and/or laptops are opened and working commences for as long as the batteries hold out. (I am rather suddenly down to 45 minutes of juice on poor Pixie. *pout* Need new battery STAT!)
Usually we stick to our current works in progress, occasionally stopping for a coffee refill, another scone, or to read a sentence aloud to one another to make sure it sounds good.
The staff get to know us pretty quick, many of them already have copies of A Year and a Day and are usually thrilled to know I am working on my next published book in their cafe.
The ever-present hum of chatter and squeal of espresso machines is comforting and generally if people see that I'm working they tend to leave me alone.
I know there is a massive, writerly stereotype of the sorts of people who work in coffee shops, but unlike a lot of those types, my husband and I try to get read work done and don't care who sees us. It is a really nice break from home and the change of atmosphere is incredibly focusing.
And really, if writers around the world are doing it, there has got to be a reason why.
Now you know mine! ^_^

By popular demand!

So, I am told there aren't enough posts about my current progress with The Convent of the Pure.
Well, the next few days are being spent in release party prep. I have final arrangements to arrange- like securing prizes for the costume contest for example! (Currently looking at Tea for Two at the historic Hermitage Hotel as the first prize!)
Touching base with the Syrens of the South about their set and out of town guests coming over!
The release party happens on March 14 here in Nashville.
The following weekend is MidSouthCon and the weekend after THAT is my very first The Convent of the Pure signing!
Leading up to this, I have an interview published in this month's issue of Apex Magazine.
*phew!*
So, when does that leave me time to work on the edits for book two and the first draft of book three?
Good question!
The answer is: tomorrow.
I am hoping to get some time and work through the bulk of the edits tomorrow, perhaps over coffee and an awesome veggie burrito.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat on Saturday.
Things at the day job are winding up, we're on week nine of eleven of the quarter and then I will have two weeks of NOTHING TO DO BUT WRITE. Which will be made of win! Win and sleeping.
Better get to it, then!

THE CONVENT OF THE PURE reviewed!

From Publisher's Weekly, February 2nd 2009:

The Convent of the Pure Sara Harvey. Apex (www.apexbookcompany.com), $13.95 paper (137p) ISBN 978-0-9816390-9-3

Harvey (A Year and a Day) cobbles together gothic steampunk fantasy and fluffy lesbian erotica in this romantic, necromantic tale. Two years after Imogen Gyony's death, her spirit still frequently visits her lover, Portia. Both are Nephilim, born of a celestial and a mortal being and raised to be warriors in an age-old fight against the demonic forces out to destroy humanity. When demons capture Portia, she escapes with crossbow blazing and takes on the fiends one by one, determined to bring Imogen back from the dead and save her Nephilim chapter house from being taken over by demon-influenced mages. Readers who aren't put off by the cheesecake cover illustration of buff, busty Portia will appreciate the mix of heat, horror and humor. (Apr.)

2009 starts out well!

From the desk of the Apex Book Company blog today:

Apex Bestsellers of 2008

Best sellers of 2008:

1) I Remember the Future — Michael A. Burstein
2) Unwelcome Bodies — Jennifer Pelland
3) Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales — Fran Friel

December 2008 Bestsellers:

1) I Remember the Future — Michael A. Burstein
2) Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales — Fran Friel
3) The Convent of the Pure (pre-orders) — Sara M. Harvey

How awesome is that?

I hope to be one of the top 3 sellers for 2009! ^_^

In other news, the Arisia convention in Cambridge was a wonderful event! I sold 10 pre-orders of The Convent of the Pure, 8 copies of A Year and a Day, and a large handful of chapbooks.

Now, these are not huge numbers, but they are significant and mean that I just about broke even on my weekend. I was in the company of several other fine authors as we formed a collective that we lovingly call the Hot Chicks With Books!

This coming weekend I am staying more local and heading out to Chattacon in Chattanooga, TN, about 2 hours away from Nashville. I'll be judging the Masquerade and probably participating in the Syrens of the South burlesque show as a dresser and "pick-up girl."

I have also got the honeymoon scheduled but I am going to need to sell more books if I am going to afford all the Guinness Matt and I are going to want to drink!

A writing weekend of much success!

My husband and I both finished our books this weekend! Of course mine was a lot easier and begun not so long ago, but I finished up The Labyrinth of the Dead, the sequel novella to The Convent of the Pure. I also put down the first paragraph of the third and final (?) installation of the little novella series which is going to be called, The Tower of the Forgotten!
I also got to take a look at the interior artwork for the book. And WOW is all I can say!!
As soon as I can finagle some permission, I might be able to share a sneak peak with y'all.

My husband finished his 146k fantasy novel about a young man turned assassin to avenge his parents' deaths. There is a lot of intrigue, blood, sex, battle, gods, mages, and warring religious factions. And don't think I find this interesting or noteworthy simply because he's my husband. I fell in love with him because of his writing...his charm and good looks were also helpful in that.

And since were were so productive with writing so early on this weekend, we tackled painting our hallway and hanging some art! Tomorrow more art will be hung when the hallway has had time to dry completely. It is a lovely shade of golden-peach which complements the darker antique gold of the front room/kitchen and plays nicely against the pale blue-green of the bedroom.
Happiness abounds in our literary love-nook!

THE CONVENT OF THE PURE available for pre-order NOW!

From the desk of Jason Sizemore, editor-in-chief of Apex Publications:

I'm excited to announce that we're opening pre-orders for the next two books in our novella series. Remember, we're running a free shipping special so now is a great time to take advantage of some USPS savings!
Free shipping is currently available for ALL ORDERS over $25
Free limited edition short story chapbook is included with your pre-order!

Sara M. Harvey - THE CONVENT OF THE PURE

Secrets and illusions abound in a decaying convent wrapped in dark magic and scented with blood. Portia came to the convent with the ghost of Imogen, the lover she failed to protect in life. Now, the spell casting caste wants to make sure that neither she nor her spirit ever leave.

"The Convent of the Pure is a compelling blend of the numinous and the creepy, with a rich, atmospheric setting. I devoured it in a single sitting!"
– Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Dart)

Publication Date: April 1st

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=78

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sara's Official Author's Site
http://www.saramharvey.com

Excerpts, artwork, photos, and event schedule!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shakes out the dust and scatters the tumbleweeds.

Goodness gracious, it's been since MAY that I have posted here.
Apologies, life is busy as usual.
Some small announcements, I have a short story to be included in the upcoming Dragons Composed anthology due out in Summer 2009 from Kerlak Publishing. My husband Matt's story has also been selected and we will be sharing a volume for the first time. I hope it won't be the last! This also marks Matt's publishing debut.

Secondly, I am working on another non-fiction assignment for Greenwood Press. This one is about the Fashion and Beauty industry.

And lastly, plans continue at a hectic pace as I gear up for the release of The Convent of the Pure early next year. In fact, on Friday I am heading up to Philadelphia for my first appearance to promote the book! I'll be at PhilCon from Friday til Sunday with my wonderful convention family.

That'll be my last convention of 2008, but my schedule starts up again in 2009 with Arisia and Chattacon in January.
Currently, my workload includes both the fashion industry chapters and the second novel in the series begun with The Convent of the Pure, called The Labyrinth of the Dead. There will be a third book in the series to finish off the story and after that I have to get back to my urban fantasy, To Shining Sea.
My agent (I have one now! Yay!) has high hopes for that one!

There is a lot going on in my life and now that things are moving forward with the writing, I have more to share with y'all.
So look for details to come soon!

Moving up in the world!

In addition to my Wkipedia entry, I have merited an entry on the Fandom News & World Report community on LiveJournal!

Shiny!

I can haz Wiki!

Mark this day in history, I now have a Wikipedia entry!

Bookmark it for all your Sara M. Harvey encyclopedic needs!

I've got all the luck this month!

There was some Suck but it looks like Awesome once more prevails.
Tomorrow I head over to Jack FM at noon to record my promo spots as Jack FM's Ordinary Listener of the Week.

I will prvide details as they come available to me. I know you can catch Jack FM online as a live feed and I will see if there is a schedule of spots. Also, there is going to be a very silly YouTube video in which I will strive for as much SHAMELESS PROMOTION as possible.

Now...what do I wear???

A new novel for you!

Hey there fair and gentle readers,
Great news!
Apex Books will be publishing my next work, a horror novella (that needs a title) about half-angel demon-hunters in a Steampunk universe.
Melissa Gay will be my artist for both the cover...and interior line art!

I am thrilled to pieces and just damn honored to join the ranks of such great authors such as Cherie Priest and Jen Pelland and Michael Burstein and Geoffry Gerard and Steven Savile and Lavie Tidhar and Brian Keene and way too many more to name!

Thanks everyone for all their love and support during this little whirlwind project of mine and look for it to be in print in Spring 2009.

We need a theme song....

Convention Report

Here it is, April, the fresh new spring of the year. And I have already been to 3 conventions in 2008. I had a back-to-back double-header of Arisia in Cambridge, MA and Chattacon in Chattanooga, TN one weekend after the other in January. I had the month of Februrary off where I ended up beginning a novella project that came to life because of events that transpired at those two conventions. Never underestimate the power of networking, even at your friend's after-hours birthday party, I'm just sayin'. Opportunities don't always happen during the 10am-10pm convention "day" and they might take a couple of months and several appearances later to really come together.

And that is how I ended up working for Apex Books. Which will be expounded upon in greater detail in a later post, I promise.

In March, I attended MidSouthCon in Memphis, TN for the first time. It has been a while since I was a first-timer at a con. Luckily my first con ever was a small and wonderfully supportive one here in Nashville, TN called Hypericon which happens in June. After that first weekend of being shown the ropes, I felt like this convention thing was old hat.

But here are some quick dos and don'ts of being at a convention for the first time, whether is it your first con ever or your first appearance at a particular con.

First off, make sure you and the con staff are clear on your status. Some cons have a distinction between a "guest" and a "panelist." To clarify, all guests are (usually) panelists, but not all panelitsts are always considered guests. Every convention has various Guests of Honor (in different fields like writing, art, costuming, webcomics, etc.), these are usually very important or very famous professionals within their industry and serve as a draw to people to attend that particular convention. (Example: Pi-Con in W. Springfield, MA enticed me to come visit because Jacqueline Carey was their Guest of Honor)

The Guests of Honor (or GOH in the vernacular) have all their expenses paid by the con: travel, lodging, convention membership and/or any miscellaneous fees, and sometimes even food (even if not in an "official" capacity, most GOHs get treated to a meal or two or three by the con or the staff or the fans). A GOH gets a whole page in the con book with their picture, a long bio, and often reviews of their work or an interview with them.

A regular guest is an industry professional, often listed with others of their ilk in the "also appearing" or "other guests" category. Guests get just a short bio in the con book which will be organized alphabetically and not by industry. Guests write their own bios and so can include anything they want. I talk briefly about my current novel, any upcoming or current writing projects I might have, a sentance or two about my costuming background, followed by a single senatnce that sums up my other interests and where I am from and then I usually end up mentioning my fiance and my two dogs. People tend to relate to other people with pets and relationships, makes one seem like a real person, more approachable and likable, or so those marketing and promotion books tell me. I do get people asking me what kind of dogs I have and when my wedding is taking place, so I suppose it works.

This is an example of one of my bios, this one comes from my Amazon.com blog:

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Sara has traveled all over the country from her home state of California, all the way to New York City, and finally settling (for a little while anyway) in Nashville, Tennessee. She loves costuming and theatre as well as writing. She has a fantastic fiance, Matt, and a very dramatic dog, Guinevere.

It is brief, but with some fun style and panache to it. Hits the major bases and ends with a humorous and loving mention of family. My convention bio is similar but contains the titles, dates, and publishers of my books.

A panelist is someone who is knowledgable about a subject and not necessarily an industry professional. Many times a convention will have their GOHs and then everyone else is listed as a "panelist." Many conventions have their GOHS and everyone else is a "guest" (lower case). Some conventions have GOHS, guests, and panelists, the difference between "guest" and "panelist" being whether or not they are a professional in whatever field the panel is about.
One thing about being on a panel is finding the right balance between making yourself heard and hogging the time. Find that balance. Don't let the "big names" roll over you, you were asked to speak on that panel on that subject for a reason. If you never open your mouth, no one will know who you are! But always remember to let your fellow panelists speak...there are 3-6 people trying to express their opinions about a given topic and there is only ONE HOUR for everyone to get their points across. Be assertive, but considerate!

Another difference is that guests usually do not have to pay to attend the convention. They are a "guest of the convention." They still need to pay to travel to the con and for their own food and lodging. For the savvy con guest, this becomes a shiny tax deduction as it is a business expense.

Some cons, especially smaller ones, have rules about how many panels on which one must participate to earn a complimentary membership. Many cons allow guests to bring their own guest, usually a spouse, significant other, or other family member for free. Others allow a "guest of the guest" to attend for half-price, others require any additional people with the guest to pay the full convention membership price. Cons vary widely in this practice, so this is definitely a question to ask ahead of time.

But how does one go about getting involved in conventions?

I don't know how anyone else does it, but I just look them up and send them an introductory email and ask if I can come be a guest. I have some fiction published, plus I have a whopping load of costuming credentials including a mater's degree, a year of servitude in the Disney World costume shop, I teach fashion and costume at the college level and I have written several chapters on costume history. That is usually enough to get programming chairs drooling for my presence. After my first con, I had some experience so I could list at what other cons I had appeared and build myself a convention resume listing where I had appeared and what sort of topics I had spoken about. In other instances, I made friends who attended other cons and put in a good word for me. Elizabeth Donald is an ANGEL at this. And I have tried to turn around and show the love back to some good folks like Shane Moore and others. And on a couple of occasions, the programming folks or other staffers of other cons have seen me at one con and invited me to theirs.

In short (too late!), I have found that conventions have been my mainstay in terms of book sales and generating interest in me and my work and by that, new readers. My goal is to be able to make a career of writing, that is, to be able to generate enough income from selling books that I don't need to have an additional job unless I want one. I mean, fame and fortune are great, but more realistically, just being able to make a halfway-decent living with writing would be a dream come true.
So, if you are looking for a new angle or edge to further your budding career, try looking into some conventions. I'll see you there!

Reputation

I love that song, "I Don't Give a Damn About My Bad Reputation." But when it comes to writing and success, a lot rides on a good reputation.

One of my most favorite things to do is speak at conventions. There is so much excitement and Adventure, not to mention attention! It is every extrovert's dream! I also really enjoy my time there. I love interacting with the other guests as well as the fans. The costumes are phenomenal and where else can you stay up all night drinking and eating M&Ms with your friends and then have breakfast in the morning with the likes of Jacqueline Carey and Voltaire? Where else is Vic Milan going to chide you for not sneaking into the SFWA party?
Cons are, by far, my favorite authorial perk. It is where I can really shine and it is where I can make connections and network and it is where I get to see the people who buy my book face to face. This makes me the happiest of all.

And I have developed, over the past year and a half, a very good reputation among conventions. Such that, I have been asked back year after year. Sure they are expensive and a bit of a headache to plan around, but I have seen a marked increase in my sales as well as a healthy dose of name recognition. (Plus they make me deliriously happy to attend!) Slowly I am building my way to Mostly Famous (I would consider myself Nearly Famous right now!) and then I can be Really And Truly Famous (with a nice royalty check to match! Goodbye student loans!).
Even my wonderfully frugal fiance who watches our every penny has to admit that my momentum has caught on and it would be foolish to stop this snowball once it has started to roll downhill. So, more conventions for me! Yay for a sterling reputation!

In addition to building a good reputation for making appearances and being a valuable addition to conventions and other events, I have been developing a network of people for whom I have written and who are always willing to take a look at more of my work. This started with non-fiction and costume history writing. This has now begun to cross over into fiction where small publishers are requesting work from me. Now, if only I had it ready to give, I'd be set! I think that maybe I ought to finish this up and complete my grading and get home to log more words!

But long story short (too late!), a reputation is a valuable thing. It is precious and should be guarded and nurtured. I started this process in June 2006 and have seen excellent results, but it was certainly not an overnight process!
Be aware that writing is a business and you are more than just representing yourelf, you are representing yourself as a brand, as a marketable commodity. I think about that whenever I step foot out of my hotel room and out into the public convention space. I put such thought into my clothing, my hair, my perfume, like dressing a character for a play. It all plays into my reputation.
And without a good reputation, all the talent in the world can only take you so far.

A moment of real life blogging

2007 swept into the sunset like an errant whirlwind, leaving me dizzy and catching my breath.
In 2008, I have made a concerted effort to straighten out my hectic schedule and allow for some more "down-time" where I am doing stuff just for me to recharge my soul batteries.
And here it is, end of January and I am rushing to finish yet another ambitious wearable art project, start about 4 new novels, and foster an extremely energetic 5 month old puppy.
There went that New Years Resolution. At least I am losing weight! ^_^

But going into February, I have one time-sensitive sewing commission to finish and reams of words yet to be written, but in my own time and from my own mind.
I full intend to blog more and craft more (especially since I have just learned to knit this month!) and stress less.
So, I'll keep you appraised of how that all goes.

Until then, this is my foster pup, Eowyn, dozing on the futon with Guinevere, the Drama-Dog.
For those new to this, Eowyn is the blondie, a Yellow Lab/German Shepherd cross. Guinie is the ebony to her ivory and is a Border Collie/Blue Heeler cross. They get along about 90% of the time, unless there is food involved. Then Guinie will get snippy. Or if there is attention being given to anyone else besides Eowyn, in which case she becomes the very figure of a jealous, demanding bitch.
But they are both just angels when they are sleeping!

Because there is far too little bookishness to speak of, I shall distract you with costumes!

"Lux Arumque,"Christmas at Belmont, 2007
Schermerhorn Symphony Hall, Nashville, TN
Original costume design by Franne Lee. Construction and additional design by Sara M. Harvey.

Much Ado About Nothing, Belmont University's Inaugural Performance in the new Troutt Theatre, September 2007.
Original costume design, Franne Lee. Assistant costume designer, stitcher, shop manager, Sara M. Harvey

Author Chat and upcoming e-anthology

You can join me in an Authors' Chat for the upcoming e-anthology from Circle Dark Publishing, Twilight and Thorns on Friday November 30th at 7pm CST. Click here for the direct Java-enabled chat room link. Or find the "CDP Chat" link at the bottom of their homepage!

Not only is this Circle Dark's debut work...it is my first foray into the world of e-books! Let's make it a good one!
Books may be ordered at the website or by emailing the wonderful ladies of the Circle Dark at orders@circledarkpublishing.net!