Forward to January, 2007...

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Monday 12-25-06

NEWSFLASH!

Merry Christmas!

Or just a happy Monday and hope everyone's enjoying all the other wonderful December holidays. What a glorious month!

Once again, I've been incredibly busy this month with Norilana Books, and not sure if things will let up until at least March, by which point I hope to start having a stable income base from this business. Incidentally, as of this moment Norilana Books now has a total of 42 books in print. I have been somewhat slacking off over this month and the last, due to being ill for a lot of it, and the Holidays, but -- time to get cracking. January might be insane!

Also, there are some really neat Norilana Books news and announcements brewing, so stay tuned! Can't say what it is just yet, but it's something that's going to make a lot of people happy. :-) One of the items that I can mention is that Catherynne M. Valente has kindly agreed to write a brand new introduction for an upcoming Norilana Books edition of Jane Eyre. To say that I am excited is an understatement.

In other news, I've received an MZB Fall Royalties check last week covering some French and Italian Darkover royalties -- enough for a nice dinner for two , and a nice three-figure check from Helix #2 for my story "Port Custodial Blues." Also, looks like this story got a couple of Nebula recommendations in the latest NAR, which is qool. :-)

Talking about -- if any SFWAns are reading this, I would like to point out that my collection Salt of the Air has two original, previously unpublished stories that I would really love to see on the Nebula Ballot. And they are not just any stories but two that are very special to me. "The Story of Love" is a new Compass Rose story, and "Lore of Rainbow" is a Rainbow universe origin story, which tells how the impossible world without color in Lords of Rainbow came to be. Here's your chance to find out how it all began, if you've read the actual novel and are dying to know! I am happy to provide email or snail mail copies of these stories to any active SFWAns who are willing to take a look. Of course, you can really make my day and just buy the collection -- a great gift idea for the readers on your list (hint, hint).

This month's issue (December 2006, Issue #551, p 25, 66-67.) of Locus has a truly wonderful review of my collection. Reviewer Nick Gevers says, among other things:

"These are beautiful, haunting confections, reminiscent of Tanith Lee's erotically charged tales in Red as Blood and elsewhere."

and:

"And while Nazarian thus strikes fresh notes off old vessels, she provides the template of sword-and-sorcery with new glitter, new power."

and:

"Fine shades of emotion, mythic grandeur, crystalline prose, sharp revisionist intelligence: these are Vera Nazarian's hallmarks, signs of a strong emerging talent. Salt of the Air is her best, most representative book so far."

I am psyched and hugely flattered! :-)

I am also more than pleased and flattered to see the wonderful Anna Tambour feature Salt of the Air on her Irresistibles page!

Some time last week, I got a long-awaited revision request from BenBella Books for a SmartPop essay for an upcoming anthology -- not sure if we are at liberties to talk about it yet, so will not for now, but trust me, it is Wonderfully super-hero-licious! :-) I've turned in this essay months ago in the summer, so now must go back and do the edits before the January deadline.

I also just found that my PS Publishing novella The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass got an Honorable Mention in 2005 from Gardner Dozois in last year's The Year's Best Science Fiction Twenty-third Annual Collection. That's a pleasant if belated bit of news!

Last Saturday, had a great time hanging out with Jenn Reese and other folks, first at a lunch gettogether (with Susan Franzblau and others) then later that night at our Kung-Fu / Tai-Chi studio holiday party. As holiday gifts, the Sifu handed out a pair of gorgeous mahogany dragon figurines to all the families! I love mine!

This Friday, December 22, was my Dad's 89th birthday. Happy birthday, Dad -- he had a wonderful day! :-)

I have only one more book in two editions to produce this year for Norilana Books, and then I'll take the last week of December off to write Cobweb Bride. Finally! Pleasure work, what a concept! :-)

Meanwhile, I've started a new weekly feature on my LiveJournal, the Author Tour Stop. I post one every Monday, and so far the featured authors and novels have been:

Joshua Palmatier - The Cracked Throne

Sophie Mouette - Cat Scratch Fever

Catherynne M. Valente - The Orphan's Tales

Jenn Reese - Jade Tiger

Ken Rand - Dadgum Martians Invade the Lucky Nickel Saloon!

Jim C. Hines - Goblin Quest

More great interviews and exciting authors are coming soon, so be sure to drop by the Author Tour Stop every Monday, because you just never know who might be in the hot seat! :-)

Note that this year I've been very low-key and frugal about sending gifts and cards out, so if you did not get something from me, don't worry, I still love you, and will make it up to all of you next year!

As the year winds to a close, and the countdown to 2007 grows near -- keep warm, stay healthy, stay true, and happiness will not be far behind!

Happy New Year!

Vera Nazarian is a speculative fiction author, artist, and creator of wonder.