Book Expo America is on again this coming week at the Javits Center in NYC. I’ll be there as an editor for Stackpole, but I always get a chance to wander so I’ll definitely stop by the Simon and Schuster booth to see what’s going on (I’m verrrry curious about when they are going to release the cover for Ashes!) Actually, there are a lot of cool booths to check out. Amazon have one, too. BEA isn’t like a Con, though. I was going to say there are no costumes, but actually, some enterprising folks promoting books do in fact dress up. I think the, ahem, most interesting in recent memory were the massage girls at Heidi Fleiss’ booth. Presumably she had a book, too. It’s long days and sometimes nights, but it’s a great chance to catch up with people I only see once a year.

No sooner does BEA end than I hop a train or bus (haven’t decided yet) and make for Balticon in Baltimore. Never been to this Con, but I already know several people going so it should be a lot of fun. If you’re attending and see me, please say hi. If you’re really nice (and have either beer or chocolate on you – by the way, when will someone invent chocolate beer already?) I’ll probably be easily persuaded into giving you a sneak peek of the cover. The deeper into the evening you find me correlated with my proximity to a bar will no doubt increase those odds.

Some of you may know that I’m a runner, although to be honest I’ve felt like a fraud the last year or so because with my injuries I wasn’t able to do much running at all. Well, I’m back and it feels wonderful. I switched shoes (for what I think is the 15th time) and more importantly, entirely switched up my running style. It’s been like learning to walk again.

I was a big heel striker with a long stride. Now, I’m landing mid-foot with a significantly shorter stride with a greater lean forward. If you’re not a runner this might be about as interesting as listening to paint dry, but for me it’s been nothing short of a life-changing experience. I can run again.

I certainly won’t go as far as to say it’s better than sex (it’s not, and ex-girlfriends are not allowed rebuttals!) but it’s an incredible release. I spend all day as an editor with a lot of the hours before and after taken up with writing novels (the latest tweaks to Ashes of a Black Frost are done and I’ve been seeing/hearing rumors there’s a new cover out there in the ether, but I don’t think it’s official yet so I’ll hold off posting an image) which means most of my time is spent in intellectual and creative pursuits. So it’s an amazing feeling when I can get out there and run and let my mind wander as my body takes over. And for the first time in a very, very long time, my body is cooperating.

Not sure how else to describe it except that it’s simply bliss.

Karen Traviss emailed me with the sad news that the truly exceptional historian, Richard Holmes, has passed away. His book, Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket, served as a key resource for me while writing the Iron Elves. I feel fortunate to have known him through his writing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/8486836/Professor-Richard-Holmes.html

It’s essentially the North American cover, but a much leaner look. I like it. And a very interesting title change. Thanks to Emmanuel at http://www.elbakin.net for finding it and posting it at http://www.leselfesdefer.net

Cheers,

Chris

Really love the look of this. And the title change is cool, too. Very nice way to start Sunday morning, especially as I am finishing up the last tweaks to the book. The North American cover is still to be revealed, but I think it’ll debut very soon.