A Gift For You For AN INVOLUNTARY KING's Birthday!

AN INVOLUNTARY KING: A TALE OF ANGLE SAXON ENGLAND will be two years old on September 8!

So here's a switch... a birthday gift from AIK to you!  Throughout September. you can download the ebook on Smashwords.com for nothing.. zip.. nada... a 100% discount!

Just go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/5636 

After you click on Buy This Book, use this coupon code for 100% of the cover price:

VL67J

Already got it?  Don't wanna read it?  Well then, heck, give it to someone for Leif Errickson Day on October 9  Or is you are a *%$*! Norman-lover, for harold Godwinson's Death Day October 14.

From Nan:  Writing and publishing this book was a lifetime dream and my proudest moment... so far.  Be sure to read the introduction.. it will tell you all about that.

Smashwords, by the way, makes ebooks available in several formats, including Kindle.  Or go buy yours a couple reams of printer paper and you can hold the print version in your hands. 

This offer is good throughout Septeber 2010 and is vvalid anywhere in the world.

Happy Birthday Dear An Involuntary King,
Happy Birthday to You!

Was hæl!(Old English for "Party on!")


Get a discounted autographed print copy from Amazon.com.

See also the continuing story at http://aninvoluntaryking.blogspot.com

The Joy of Editing

I always thought I would just hate editing. How dull! I read this book already!  Why do I have to read it again and again and so soon?

Much to my surprise, however, I actually quite enjoy it.   I wake up in the morning and think, "Oh good!  I am working on editing Chapter Nine today!"  I get to read a story I love about characters I love even more, and I get to make it better?!  Quelle joie!

Counterpoint: Dylans Story author Ruth Sims said somethg that made great sense.  First of all, she said that editing allows her to spend more time with her characters.  She loves them and wants to hang out with them some more.  I could understand that.  I refuse to estrange myself from my An Involuntary King ensemble, and I set up a blog so I could keep writing about them.  I know there are at least two sequels...

Something I said to Ruth made sense to her.  I told her I like editing because I like how I write!  She said, "Me too!" and complained about people who don't get it and insist she shouldn't praise her own writing.  She said that if you don't love your writing, you have no business putting it out there and expecting other people to read it.  I agree wholeheartedly.  It doesn't have to be Shakespeare.  If you enjoy it, others will.  Not everyone, but so what!  Not everyone likes the way I make scrambled eggs either.

Ruth and I appear to be in good company.  Truman Capote once said “Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the back yard and shot it.”  

Today I did my nearly last edit on a chapter where it turned out I had to completely rewrite a big chunk of it.  It was glorious!

(Ruth Sims is also the author of The Phoenix.)

Meet Mr. Heartthrob

Mr. Hata: Love Is Orange

Me and my best friend, MacDhui the Dick, a Cat.  He was telling me to go to the doctor and get my lip fixed.  I hate the doctor.  She touches me down there.  It turns out the thing on my lip is and allergy and now I get shots for it.  :(

I know this looks really uncomfortable.  Actually, it is.

My mom set up a new blog the other day, as if she needs any more stuff to do when she has me to kiss and nap with.  It's called Cats Who Have Historical Novelists and you can read more about me and my housemates at http://historicalnovelcats.blogspot.com/ .

I like to listen to my Dad read Bernmard Conrwell, but my Favorite Book of All Time is An Involuntary King: A Tale of Anglo Saxon England.

My mom says I am her fiancé, but ours is a courtly love, so don't get your catnip slug in a twist.

Machines I Wish Someone Would Invent

The Thing Putter Awayer

I want a  machine where I can put anything in its slot and it will store it.  There would have to be a keyboard so I could say where it is, then type in what I want when I want to retrieve it.  It would unfortunately have to be quite large, but if it was nice looking one could replace a load bearing wall with it, I suppose.

The Cat Barf Detector

This audio activated device would be similar to a Roomba but would hear the cat barfing, would detect the location of the barf by scent, then clean it up much as one of those carpet cleaners you just set down on the stain does.  It would have some sort of disposal method.

The Corporate Common Sense Ray

You know it's a dumb idea, if they really thought it through so would they.  But no, they have to cut staff, add ridiculous record keeping, take out the trash cans so people have to get up and throw their trash in the recycle bin down the hall, hire a consultant at an incredible rate per hour to tell them how to cut costs, and that sort of thing.  As soon as the boss opens his or her mouth, you shoot them with the ray.  The person says, "Oh yeah, that's right.  Never mind."

Note Taker Cap

You put on this attractive cap, which comes in several styles appropriate to both men and women, and all you have to do is think of something you would normally write down as a reminder and the cap remembers it for you.

Kid Noise Cancellation Machine

For people who work from a  home office, this device emits a tone inaudible to the human ear but which matches and negates the sounds of kids shouting and scream and of basketballs bouncing so you can get some work done.  Available in other models, including Barking Dog, Revving Motor, and Neighbor's Stereo.

(c) 2010 Nan Hawthorne

New Regular Feature: Burning Issues in Historical Fiction

Burning Issues in Historical Fiction

We are starting a new regular feature on Nan Hawthorne's Booking History where we pose a question relating to a more or less hot topic for both readers and writers of historical fiction.

You can either post your comments here on the post or go to the Facebook page for the Burning Issues in Historical Fiction discussion area.

The First Issue!

When does history end and today start?  That is, when is a time and setting old enough to be considered ripe for historical fiction?

Be among the first to give your opinion!  See what well known authors and enthusiastic readers think of the same topic.

Please note:  Anything posted on the Facebook page for Burning Issues in Historical Fiction will be considered for addition to this blog.  Your permission to do this is implicit in anything you post on that page.  If you do not want to have your comments reprinted on this blog, do not post them on the Facebook page.

Please share this on your blog or in your posts on groups and message boards.  Thanks!

Burning Issues in Historical Fiction
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burning-Issues-in-Historical-Fiction/

Vikings: A Hoot a Minute

Spam-Loving Vikings?

I came on my blog today to rant about those wonderful folks who post comments where the sender says something vaguely complementary about your latest post and includes a link to one of those sites you never want to visit.. the one's with tracking cookies and worms and other delicious things.  if nothing else they waste your time trying to decide if this one or that one is legit.  As soon as I opened my Blogger Dashboard I discovered a red bordered box reassuring me and all my fellow blogger types that new spam filters are in place ...

That's great news, since it is tempting to  beef up your moderation.. is it OK to talk about beef and spam?  I suppose if there is one rule of thumb, it is probably that if the person commenting includes a web address in the message, it's a come on.

Harold Bluetooth

I was telling my husband about the book I am reading now, Mother of Kings by Poul Anderson.  It is about the witchy wife of Eric Bloodax  and, you guessed it, the mother of several kings.  I made r reference to another character, namely Harold Bluetooth.  Jim's response to that was, "And I suppose Harold Bluetooth went around Denamrk connecting to things wirelessly?" 

That's almost as funny as Futurama's robot baseball player, Wireless Joe Jackson.

The book is terrific, by the way.  Amazing use of prose to suggest the Norse storytelling and verse style.

The Pen Is Mightier Than the.. Huh?

They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but clearly it is the reverse for the sword wielder and the pen wielder.  Here historical novelist Nan Hawthorne is killed several times in battle with a barbarian at the Enumclaw Highland Games on August 1, 2010. 



Sats Mighty Nan, "I think I will stick with writing battles... Even Shannon O'Neill could could beat me."