Happy to announce that I signed the contracts today for Powerless‘ Italian debut!  Molto importante publisher Mondadori has aquired Italian rights to the novel thanks to super-agent Kate Schafer Testerman’s super-agentin’.

If there are any Italian booksellers who want to schedule a signing, I will tell you now that I am willing to make that trip - I will suffer for my art.

This is my first foreign rights deal and, of course. the question of the day from friends and family has been, ” Wow, I didn’t know you spoke Italian!”  My answer is that I don’t, but I am rooting for Fabio on Top Chef so I think that counts for a lot.

Happy to announce that I signed the contracts today for Powerless‘ Italian debut!  Molto importante publisher Mondadori has aquired Italian rights to the novel thanks to super-agent Kate Schafer Testerman’s super-agentin’.

If there are any Italian booksellers who want to schedule a signing, I will tell you now that I am willing to make that trip – I will suffer for my art.

This is my first foreign rights deal and, of course. the question of the day from friends and family has been, ” Wow, I didn’t know you spoke Italian!”  My answer is that I don’t, but I am rooting for Fabio on Top Chef so I think that counts for a lot.

For those New Yorkers amongst us, I’ll be chatting with Jonathan Stroud as part of the Thalia Kids’ Book Club series at Symphony Space on January 25th.  We’ll be talking about the wonderful Bartimaeus Trilogy of course, but we’ll also get into Jonathan’s brand new book - Heroes of the Valley.  It’s not out until January 27th, but I got the chance to read it over Christmas and it’s good.  It’s real good.

If anyone has any good questions for Jonathan, go ahead and post them here. I’ll see if I can fit them in.

For those New Yorkers amongst us, I’ll be chatting with Jonathan Stroud as part of the Thalia Kids’ Book Club series at Symphony Space on January 25th.  We’ll be talking about the wonderful Bartimaeus Trilogy of course, but we’ll also get into Jonathan’s brand new book – Heroes of the Valley.  It’s not out until January 27th, but I got the chance to read it over Christmas and it’s good.  It’s real good.

If anyone has any good questions for Jonathan, go ahead and post them here. I’ll see if I can fit them in.

So a few days ago a former teacher of mine sent out a call for writing advice to share with her new students. Specifically, advice about how to balance a writing life with the very likely day-job.  Fellow Clarion alum and KT Literary client Catherine Cheek replied with a very nice response which she also blogged about here, and subsequently linked here by our agent extraordinaire.

In the interest of fairness, and petty one-upsmanship, I will now share my own small response that was originally a part of that discussion.  My thoughts are brief and nowhere near as well thought out, but they do reflect a serious concern of mine - The Danger of the Hobby Writer!

Enjoy. (or if Kater’s reading this - come and flame me!)

I agree with a lot of what’s been said but . . .  I absolutely abhor, dread and despise the term “hobby writer” (but I absolutely love, admire and celebrate Kater!).

I certainly agree that writers must come up with a financial safety net, whether that is a day-job with benefits or employed spouse.  But I’ve known several aspiring authorly friends over the years whose writing careers ended not with a bang or whimper, but with the words “I’m more of a hobby writer now.”

It takes such devotion, such a ridiculous faith-in-one’s own worth to be a writer that I think it needs to always be at the front of your ambition.  A writer needs to cover the basic hierarchy of needs, and that usually comes in the form of a day job, but that is only to support the writing.

I’ve sold two books, but I’m the sole support of my family of three, therefore I teach English and ESL at the community college, which is a rewarding job with time off to write.  I’m planning to have a day job for a long, long time, even if I sell more books, because that’s the reality of this business for most of us.

But on my taxes I put “Writer”.

When asked what I do for a living, I answer “Writer”.

My “hobby” is collecting comic books (yes I’m that kind of nerd).

So a few days ago a former teacher of mine sent out a call for writing advice to share with her new students. Specifically, advice about how to balance a writing life with the very likely day-job.  Fellow Clarion alum and KT Literary client Catherine Cheek replied with a very nice response which she also blogged about here, and subsequently linked here by our agent extraordinaire.

In the interest of fairness, and petty one-upsmanship, I will now share my own small response that was originally a part of that discussion.  My thoughts are brief and nowhere near as well thought out, but they do reflect a serious concern of mine – The Danger of the Hobby Writer!

Enjoy. (or if Kater’s reading this – come and flame me!)

I agree with a lot of what’s been said but . . .  I absolutely abhor, dread and despise the term “hobby writer” (but I absolutely love, admire and celebrate Kater!).

I certainly agree that writers must come up with a financial safety net, whether that is a day-job with benefits or employed spouse.  But I’ve known several aspiring authorly friends over the years whose writing careers ended not with a bang or whimper, but with the words “I’m more of a hobby writer now.”

It takes such devotion, such a ridiculous faith-in-one’s own worth to be a writer that I think it needs to always be at the front of your ambition.  A writer needs to cover the basic hierarchy of needs, and that usually comes in the form of a day job, but that is only to support the writing.

I’ve sold two books, but I’m the sole support of my family of three, therefore I teach English and ESL at the community college, which is a rewarding job with time off to write.  I’m planning to have a day job for a long, long time, even if I sell more books, because that’s the reality of this business for most of us.

But on my taxes I put “Writer”.

When asked what I do for a living, I answer “Writer”.

My “hobby” is collecting comic books (yes I’m that kind of nerd).

Interesting article in the Times yesterday about the reading habits of adults - and it seems we are reading more fiction.  At least, more than we were a few years ago.  This is good news considering the all the publishing doom-and-gloom that’s been arriving in my inbox with frightening regularity.  And it’s worth noting that the major uptick is in the 18-24 set, and Twilight is mentioned by name.

No more vampire jokes from me.  Nope. Nadda. None.

Interesting article in the Times yesterday about the reading habits of adults – and it seems we are reading more fiction.  At least, more than we were a few years ago.  This is good news considering the all the publishing doom-and-gloom that’s been arriving in my inbox with frightening regularity.  And it’s worth noting that the major uptick is in the 18-24 set, and Twilight is mentioned by name.

No more vampire jokes from me.  Nope. Nadda. None.

As winter break comes to a close, I’m spending these last few days spending time with family, lesson planning for next semester’s classes, and writing.  The new book is going well, though it’s no longer called the 100 Year-Old Bookclub, in fact there isn’t  book club to be found (though the hundred years still has some significance).  The working title is currently, The Last Explorer.  Not nearly as cool, but there it is.

One of the things we have been doing over this break is a cleaning of the bookshelves for our (mostly)annual book donation to Housing Works.  This serves a dual purpose of going to a very good cause as well as keeping our smallish New York apartment from being overtaken by books.  Keeping the corners free of stacks and stacks of books has become extra-important now that Will is getting ready to walk.

So which books do you keep?  Which do you give away?  At times like this I always try to impose some kind of rule, such as “If it’s been on my shelf for more than two years unread then it goes.”  or “All previously read paperbacks must go”.  I know, nice try.  What about that well-worn Henning Mankell  collection that a friend gave me several years ago?  I haven’t worked my way through all of them yet, and they look so nice together on the shelf . . .  and what about the battered paperback of A Game of Thrones?  I’ve read it twice and some day might go back for a third.  I might.

So in the end there is no rhyme or reason.  But today I will be braving the cold and the snow to deliver bags of books downtown, some of which are bound to be well-loved, earmarked and creased, others will be like-new.  You decide which are the better finds.

Since I already did the 2008 reflective post, so here are some random links of interest to me, some of which are long overdue:

Christopher Barzak has some interesting thoughts about the book recession and its effect (or lack thereof) on the YA market.  I think he’s on to something with the price issue.

Forget Jurassic Park, a scientist has discovered a 140 million year-old spider web encased in amber.  How creepy would that movie have been?

An old friend of mine recently brought the blog/review site Guy’s Lit Wire to my attention and I’m really enjoying it.  (The fact that her husband is a contributor did not sway me a bit.  Not a bit.)

This post by fellow Fantastic Salooner Justin Howe made me spit coffee through my nose.  Christmas in Tokyo and Atrocity Meat.

Have a Happy New Year’s Everyone!

As winter break comes to a close, I’m spending these last few days spending time with family, lesson planning for next semester’s classes, and writing.  The new book is going well, though it’s no longer called the 100 Year-Old Bookclub, in fact there isn’t  book club to be found (though the hundred years still has some significance).  The working title is currently, The Last Explorer.  Not nearly as cool, but there it is.

One of the things we have been doing over this break is a cleaning of the bookshelves for our (mostly)annual book donation to Housing Works.  This serves a dual purpose of going to a very good cause as well as keeping our smallish New York apartment from being overtaken by books.  Keeping the corners free of stacks and stacks of books has become extra-important now that Will is getting ready to walk.

So which books do you keep?  Which do you give away?  At times like this I always try to impose some kind of rule, such as “If it’s been on my shelf for more than two years unread then it goes.”  or “All previously read paperbacks must go”.  I know, nice try.  What about that well-worn Henning Mankell  collection that a friend gave me several years ago?  I haven’t worked my way through all of them yet, and they look so nice together on the shelf . . .  and what about the battered paperback of A Game of Thrones?  I’ve read it twice and some day might go back for a third.  I might.

So in the end there is no rhyme or reason.  But today I will be braving the cold and the snow to deliver bags of books downtown, some of which are bound to be well-loved, earmarked and creased, others will be like-new.  You decide which are the better finds.

Since I already did the 2008 reflective post, so here are some random links of interest to me, some of which are long overdue:

Christopher Barzak has some interesting thoughts about the book recession and its effect (or lack thereof) on the YA market.  I think he’s on to something with the price issue.

Forget Jurassic Park, a scientist has discovered a 140 million year-old spider web encased in amber.  How creepy would that movie have been?

An old friend of mine recently brought the blog/review site Guy’s Lit Wire to my attention and I’m really enjoying it.  (The fact that her husband is a contributor did not sway me a bit.  Not a bit.)

This post by fellow Fantastic Salooner Justin Howe made me spit coffee through my nose.  Christmas in Tokyo and Atrocity Meat.

Have a Happy New Year’s Everyone!

Clarion Writers' Workshop

I recently got an email reminding me that the Clarion Writers Workshop is accepting applications for it’s 2009 session.  I, myself, am a proud graduate and would recommend it to anyone looking for a shot of writing adreniline.  It’s six weeks of intensive, immersive writing geekery and it’s also a lot of fun.  The teaching is excellent, the staff great, the campus beautiful and the San Diego beaches are gorgeous.

When I was there way back in aught ‘07, I got up at the crack of dawn and went for a jog in the neighboring eucalyptus forest, then attended workshop for a few hours and spent the rest of the day writing, or talking about writing before taking a little hike down to the cliffs to watch the sun set over the Pacific.  If it was the weekend, some of us would head for the beach to swim with the seals. Oh, and there were squirt-gun fights.  Sound like a good way to send the summer?  Then check out the info below:

Announcing the

2009 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop

@ UC San Diego

June 28 to August 8, 2009

The Clarion Workshop is widely recognized as the premier training ground for aspiring writers of fantasy and science fiction short stories. Many graduates have become well-known writers, and a large number have won major awards. Instructors are among the most respected writers and editors working in the field today. The 2009 writers in residence are Holly Black, Larissa Lai, Robert Crais, Kim Stanley Robinson, Elizabeth Hand, and Paul Park. The six-week workshop is held on the beautiful beachside campus of the University of California at San Diego.

Since its inception in 1968, Clarion has been known as the “boot camp” for writers of speculative fiction. Each year 18-20 students, ranging in age from late teens to those in mid-career, are selected from applicants who have the potential for highly successful writing careers. Students are expected to write several new short stories during the six-week workshop, and to give and receive constructive criticism. Instructors and students reside together in campus apartments throughout the intensive six-week program.

The application period for the 2009 workshop is January 2 – March 1. Applicants must submit two short stories with their application. Scholarships are available. Additional information can be found at http://clarion.ucsd.edu.

Here in the States, another Christmas has come and gone.  But there are still places in the world where the Twelve Days of Christmas are still going strong.  In certain, more celebritory, parts of the world this time of year is a series of festivals and feasts (unless you happen to be the unfortunate family in a Susan Cooper novel, then the Twelve Days are a long battle against The Rising Dark).

So to those of you who can’t do it cold turkey, who need a little soft come-down from the holiday crack, I say Happy Wren’s Day!  (Or happy St. Stephen’s day, if you prefer a less pagan observance).

In Irish traditions past, Dec. 26 would see a great hunt for the King of All Birds, the treacherous Wren.  Having been chased down by groups of rampaging boys (or simply dying from exhaustion) the wren would then be dangled from a stout staff and used to beg for treats as the Wren Boys, dressed in wren masks and face paint, caroled from door to door.

Today, the wren is hung in effigy and the King Bird allowed to sit upon his throne unmolested ( for the most part).  The wily Wren Boys still sing a variation of this rhyme:

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,

St. Stephen’s Day was caught in the furze,

Although he was little his honour was great,

Jump up me lads and give us a treat.

As I was going to Killenaule,

I met a wren upon the wall.

Up with me wattle and knocked him down,

And brought him in to Carrick Town.

Droolin, Droolin, where’s your nest?

Tis in the bush that I love best

In the tree, the holly tree,

Where all the boys do follow me.

Up with the kettle and down with the pan,

And give us a penny to bury the wren.

I followed the wren three miles or more,

Three miles or more three miles or more.

I followed the wren three miles or more,

At six o’clock in the morning.

I have a little box under me arm,

Under me arm under me arm.

I have a little box under me arm,

A penny or tuppence would do it no harm.

So if the Wren Boys visit your home tonight, please spare a penny or two, or a cake or other sugary treat.  Here in the Cody-home, we’ll probably be watching HGTV.

Here are a few more.  It’s a small list this time.  Most of my time was spent reading student’s papers.  As usual, these are in no kind of order.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, words and art by David Peterson

Gentlemen of the Road, by Michael Chabon

The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, by Robert E. Howard

The Black Petals, by Michael Moorcock

Summerland, by Michael Chabon

Will is turning one tomorrow, which means that I’ll have to change my categories from “Babies” to “Toddlers”.  This is absolutely breaking his poor mother’s heart.  She is wandering around the apartment wondering where her little handful of a baby went (actually he was never a handful, he was nicknamed the Champion by the hospital nurses).

Me, I’m all reflective and nostalgic.  The end of the year has come early for me - its a milestone.  This has me thinking a lot about 2008 and trying to figure out what it a was all about.  2007 was easy to figure - it was a big year.  In 2007 my wife got pregnant, I signed my first book contract, went to Clarion, had a crazy health scare that had a happy ending and, of course, Will was born.  Big freaking year.

2008, on a personal level, was much less momentous but just as important.  Powerless is done and ready to go but we are still 10 months away from publication.  At home its been all about raising Will to be a happy, healthy one-year old who gets all twitchy when he sees daddy’s original Millenium Falcon (proud of that, thank you very much).  2008 was not my most productive year as a writer, but in some ways I attribute that to all the really interesing stuff that was going on around me.  With the historic election, the financial meltdown, Phelps the Dolphin-Man and the cries of “apocalypse!” in publishing world, there was just too much distracting real-world stuff to look at.  In many ways 2008 has been about nesting in against the turmoil of the world outside and enjoying the stability of family (albiet a sleep-deprived stability).

In 2009, my first book will finally come out and I’ll finish writing my second.  Will’s going to be walking and talking.  I cannot wait to hear what he has to say.

It should come as no surprise that this is my favorite time of year.  I suspect that if you polled writers in general you’d get the same answer as often as not.  There is something about the chill in the air, the early evenings and the changing leaves that sparks the imagination.  Bradbury captured this time of year wonderfully in Something Wicked This Way Comes, devilish, time-reversing carousels and all.

It’s the season of stories really - beginning now with ghost stories at night by the fire (or for us city folk, by the radiator), stories of thankfulness and remembrance in November and, of course, tales of Christmas and Hannakah to usher in the long winter months.

Today was sunny and crisp - jacket and long scarf weather outside.  Tea and warm socks weather inside.  It was the perfect day to stay in and finish that space story I owe my writers group.

Instead, we went to the carousel.  Thankfully, everyone was the same age getting off, as they were getting on.

In the midst of all this chaotic business, I’m always glad when I find time to do some reading.  Because lists are fun and easy, here’s one:

MY RECENT READS (fiction):

Thirsty by M.T. Anderson - Dark, funny young adult vampire story done right.  Did I mention it was dark?

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman - I’ve been holding off on reading this until Powerless was off to the presses.  It was well worth the wait.  Human nuances and complex relationships painted with bold, primary colors.  My kind of stuff.

Starman Omnibus Vol. One by James Robinson and Tony Harris - I’d always heard good things about this comic, and now with the hardcover omnibus I can see for myself.  So far, so very good.  Waiting for Vol. Two.

Steampunk Anthology, edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer - Another kick-ass anthology from Florida’s speculative power couple.  I can’t wait for their anthology of pet fiction.

Holes by Louis Sachar - I read this for a course I’m teaching and I was very glad that I did.  Folklore, tall-tales and yellow-spotted lizards.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - That Holmes thinks he is so smart.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle - Shoot.  That Holmes really is so smart.

Have you read any of these?  Do you want me to spoil the ending?

I’ve been gone a long time, but due to the demand of thousands of worried readers (well, one) I’m back for some more intermittent nonsense.  By the way, check out Kater’s story in this creepy-cool anthology, hot off the presses!

I’ve been teaching nights in an English immersion program at LaGuardia Community College - a really wonderful city initiative that is rewarding and a whole lot of work.  The plus side is that I’ve now got my days free to spend with my baby boy, and I will proudly brag that his first words were ” Da-Da”.  Snap.

Some updates on Powerless:

Final edits on Powerless have been approved, I’ve seen some terrific cover art and now I’m just waiting on notes from the copy editor.  We’re still looking at a Fall ‘09 release, but I hope to get advance copies before the NY Comic-Con.  I don’t know if we’ll be able to swing that but it would be nice to hand out a few copies to the kiddies and chubby stormtroopers at the con.  I can’t wait to see it in actual book form.

I’ve also begun two new novels, which is incredibly frustrating because I only have one brain and seeing as how its a rather small and feeble brain anyway I’m having a hard time focusing on one.  I’ve been showing bits and pieces of both to my agent, my editor and, of course, my wife.  Hopefully they will provide some objective perspective and I’ll get cracking on just the one book.

So I’ll either be spending my autumn with American revolutionary magicians or steampunk explorers.  Both sound like good company right about now.

On that note, here are some more Steampunk Star Wars figures.  Check out the Ewok!

oh, and I started playing City of Heroes this weekend.  So, you know, goodbye writing career.  Goodbye family . . .

In case you haven’t seen these yet.  So very cool.  More Here. Including Gaslight Justice League!

I owe a belated congratulations to two splendid people:

Fellow Clarion classmate and wicked-talent Catherine Cheek has just joined forces with Secret-Agent Exemplar Kate Schafer-Testerman to rock the world of adult speculative fiction.  Catherine (Kater to those in the know) is a multi-talented writer and graduate of the Clarion Class of 2007 (as is yours truly) and Kate is the owner of KT Literary (of which yours truly is a client).

It’s nice when good things happen to good people.

Seriously.

John Hodgman wrote a great review for today’s New York Times on comics. Though it still irks me that the Times tends to lump all genre material together for these kind of group reviews, it is nice to see them get some respected ink. The best part of his essay was the review of Jack Kirby’s reprinted Fourth World Omnibus - a psychedelic, epic space opera about warring gods and superheroes.

Superheroes.

What tickled me so much about Hodgman’s review was the focus a classic superhero story. It’s become trendy, if not yet fashionable, to praise comics as a medium while ignoring the slightly awkward, pimply-faced gorilla in the room wearing tights. I wholeheartedly agree that comics is much more than men-and-women-in-capes, it’s a platform for telling all sorts of stories.

But I love superheroes. I love the history, the legacy of decades worth of stories written drawn by hundreds of writers and artists. Most of those writers faded into obscurity, and a few achieved a certain level of fame, but they all contributed to the greater whole, this enormous shared world mythology. There’s really nothing else like in popular culture.  We meet these characters when we are young and they stay with us forever.  Batman.  Superman. Spider-man.  How many different hands have touched their stories?  And how long will their stories go on?

Plus, I mean, c’mon. Admit it - Batman’s just  cool.

This weekend was spent mostly hanging out with Baby Will, and we had a grand old time together reading, giggling and making spit bubbles. (I’m a slightly better reader but Will has got the giggling and spit bubble parts down pat).

It is remarkably hard to tear myself away from that little sprout and write. I often walk around the apartment moaning that “if I only had an office, I’d get so much more done” but I suspect that this is a bit of bunk. If I had a room down the hall, I would just be that much closer to the cute and therefore more easily tempted by it’s spit-bubble making trickery. The only thing the office would be good for would be displaying all of my geeky stuff. Comics, books, statues . . . on second thought the office is a fine idea. I’m back on the office train!

It’s a thing, I suppose. Time spent with Will is probably the most important job I have right now, but it’s a slippery balancing act. You’d think they would have licked this family/career thing long ago. Someone needs to get back to work on that, please.

Sorry I’ve been off the radar for a while but I’ve been . . . er . . . off the radar.

So a here are a few things that I’ve been neglectful in mentioning some Salooners during my surprise hiatus:

Justin Howe has co-authored a great article on the influence of role-playing games on fantasy writers over on Clarkesworld. Included are interviews with Jeff VanderMeer, Jay Lake, Paul Witcover, Tim Pratt, Tim Waggoner, Catherynne Valente, John O’Neill, Howard A. Jones, and China Mieville. That’s a lot of talent rolling them 20-sided dice.

Also, if it’s not too late pick up the April/May issue of Asimov’s for Nick Wolven’s story “An Art, Like Everything Else”. I saw an early draft of Nick’s story at last year’s Clarion Workshop and lemme tell you - it’s good. Heartbreaking, but good. If you can’t find a print copy you can get an e-book of the issue at fictionwise.

Check this stuff out. These guys are good.

So I’m sorry that I’ve been MIA lately - between finishing edits on Powerless and watching the unbearable cuteness that is my son I have had little time to blog.

But I have been reading and man it’s a good one. The Lies of Locke Lamora is one of those door-stopper sized fantasy novels that intimidate 98 pound readers like me. But I am about 400 pages through it so far and I am loving every page. No “chosen one” farmboys here, no axe-wielding orcs and Scottish dwarves or boy wizards - just good old fashioned skullduggery! Think Ocean’s Eleven set in a fantastical Venice filled with wit and adventure. The writing is superb. The story is absolutely engrossing.

What a great read. (so far, if the ending blows I’ll find Scott Lynch and hammer him to death with this twenty-pound monster)