Next week, at this time, I will be kicking off a few days of panel appearances at Renovation: the 69^th Annual World Science Fiction Convention in lovely Reno, Nevada. If you are out west for the extended weekend, here is where I will be appearing during the weekend:

• Social Media for Writers (moderating), Fri 11:00 – 12:00, A03 (RSCC)
• Introduction to Steampunk: What Is Steampunk and Why Is it so Popular? (moderating), Fri 13:00 – 14:00, A13 (RSCC)
• Writers Collaboration Panel, Sat 11:00 – 12:00, D05 (RSCC)
• Steampunk versus Alternate History (moderating) , Sat 13:00 – 14:00, D03 (RSCC)
• Autographing: Sat 14:00 (with Pip Ballantine) , Sat 14:00 – 15:00, Hall 2 Autographs (RSCC)
• KaffeeKlatsch: Sat 17:00 (with Pip Ballantine), Sat 17:00 – 18:00, KK1 (RSCC)

Saturday night may very well be an all-nighter for Pip and myself as we are scheduled for an early Sunday flight out of Reno (the only flight we could get out of Reno that returned us to DC at a decent time…), but grab us anytime between Thursday and Saturday as we will be there at WorldCon!

So, I’m all rested up and recovered from an amazing weekend at the Steampunk World’s Fair (review in the works). What’s next?

Why, another con appearance, of course…

Concluding The Ministry MAY-hem Tour (at least, this part of it) is an old favorite of mine — BALTICON. It was nearly ten years ago when I first arrived at this event with Morevi.  I looked something like this back then…

This was before the time of facial hair, before the days of podcasting, before the days of Facebook, Twitter, and Social Media. Right now, I’d love to go up to that guy and say “You have no idea what’s in store for you, bro.”

What a long strange trip it has been. And with the premiere of Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, it may just get a wee-bit stranger at Balticon 45 as tea parties, time traveling dances, rock-and-roll courtesy of Ditched by Kate, and panels-panels-panels are all in store! Here’s my schedule for the next few days…

FRIDAY
New Independent Voices in New Media — 6:00pm, Chesapeake
(New Media GoH, Pip Ballantine will be taking my place on the “Alien Sex: What Could Go Wrong?” panel at 9:00pm)

SATURDAY
The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Tea Party & Book Launch — 3:00 pm, Chesapeake

REMINDER: At the Ministry tea party we are giving away prizes, including a Catherinette steampunk ring AND a Dr. Grordbort signet ring. Constellation Books will be there to sell books, and we will provide tea and cookies!

Antigone’s Wrath LIVE — 4:00pm, Salon D
Low Budget Filmmaking — 9:00pm, Chesapeake

SUNDAY
Metamor City LIVE — 5:00pm, Chesapeake
The Time Traveler’s Ball (serving as DeeJay PirateBoy) — 10pm-1am, Garden Suite

MONDAY
Networking Vs. Platform — 10:00am, Salon C
The Shrinking Man Project LIVE — 1:00pm, Derby

The schedule is subject to change (in case of invites to join other panels), but now you know where to find both Pip Ballantine and myself. Don’t be a stranger — say hi, buy a book, and get your geek on at Balticon!

Last week, you got the behind-the-scenes look at how a lot of work can go into books and how a publisher can change their minds without telling you. We also got a look at how I’ve been making some rookie flub-up’s and probably need to go back and listen to my own podcast on writing and what not to do. This week, Part II of “The Tough Choices” goes into the characters people know me for and the questions people have been asking me since 2005…

The Billibub Baddings Mysteries

“So, are you ever going to podcast Pitcher’s Pendant?”

Two of the best things a writer can ever hear about their work is:

• I read it again, and it gets better every time.
• Where’s the next book?

While my podcasting and Twitter books are the bigger financial successes, it is my print and podcast novels that people ask me about the most. In particular, when is the next one coming? I suppose that would make the novels from Dragon Moon Press artistic successes.

The Case of the Singing Sword, both in print and in podcast, stands out as my most acclaimed work, winning an Honorable Mention from ForeWord Magazine for Best Fiction of 2005 and Best Audio Drama (Long Form) from the 2008 Parsec Awards. As much hard work as the podcast was, I had a blast doing it. The podcast also made an impression on me as I heard many of the voices from Singing Sword while writing Pitcher’s Pendant. In my head, I had the novel cast by its completion and was seriously considering a podcast of it either late 2009 or early 2010.

Life, and my professional relationship with Dragon Moon Press, had other plans; and I was finding myself at odds with both.

So it went in the Spring of 2010 that Dragon Moon and I, after eight years of epic adventure, supernatural sleuthing, and columns on writing and being a writer, parted company. We agreed that for anthologies and Complete Guide to Writing installments, I would contribute when time allowed. It was time I moved forward in my career, something that I promised myself I would do during my live Survival Guide at Balticon in 2009.

This means that in April of this year, the Billibub Baddings Mysteries will no longer be available from Dragon Moon. The rights will revert back to me and, once that happens, I will work with my agent to find them a home. Once I do find a home for my wise-cracking dwarf, I will gladly forge ahead with him, Mick, Alphonse, Gertie, and the rest of the colorful characters residing in my alternative Gangland Chicago. I will probably not podcast Pitcher’s Pendant until I have a home and a bankable future for the series.

This doesn’t mean I’ll be pulling down the podcast. It will still be available on Podiobooks.com, and there it will stay unless someone makes an offer;but for now, Billi’s leaving the axe on the wall and Beatrice locked away in his top desk drawer.

The Morevi Saga

If people haven’t asked me about Billi, they have asked about the fate of Rafe, Askana, and those loyal to House Moldarin and the Defiant.

Where do I begin?

Much like with Billi, MOREVI: Remastered was a joy. I was exhausted when I was done, but quite pleased with the end result. It was an experiment, and some chapters worked better than others In the end I was very happy with the voice talent and the production quality.

But what of the series?

Legacy of Morevi, for those of you who have read it, know it ended on a killer cliffhanger. I was more than ready, on announcing MOREVI: Remastered, to return to the lands of Naruihm and podcast Legacy while working on the third title, Exodus from Morevi. Again, as with the Twitter books, I announced the next book in the series, a podcast anthology, and plans for the Legacy podcast. All of these grand plans hit the sea floor on realizing that the year was not going the way I had planned.

Poor planning, sadly, isn’t the reason why Rafe, Askana, and cast are facing futures unknown. The main reason is Morevi’s original co-author: Lisa Lee.

I have remained tight-lipped about Lisa for years, but here is the story few have heard. When we wrote Morevi together, it was incredible fun. Our story captured the attention of media. We appeared together on The Dragon Page in 2004, marking the only time Lisa and I were both present for an audio interview. We were having a great time. For the most part.

When she announced (after I had asked her not to…) we were working on Morevi’s sequel, we agreed this was our next step as a writing team. It was time to get cracking on a sequel. Lisa would start (as I had written the opening chapter last time), and this would begin new directions for our characters. It was all very exciting…

…until within two months, all communication abruptly stopped.

I never found out why Lisa shut me out, and still have no definitive answer; but I did find myself alone at the writers’ desk with a Prologue and an opening to Chapter One. I also had a deadline and a delivery date set.

So, during Legacy’s development, I had a lot of things to deal with…except for my writing partner.

After repeat email and even legal documents went ignored, I forged on ahead without Lisa. The original Prologue was scrapped. Chapter One’s opening was completely re-written. This new adventure now took twists and turns that were my own. Even with its open ending, Legacy of Morevi was received with praise from the fans of the first book, and was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Best Fantasy of 2005. Not bad for picking up the reins unexpectedly.

Fast forward to 2010…

Six years of silence finally broke when I found Lisa online. I reached out to her, asking for written permission to Morevi’s rights, seeing as she had no interest to continue writing in this universe. After all, it had been six years, right?

Here was Lisa’s reply:

“I am not sure about relinquishing all rights to Morevi – I will have to think about it. This is not so much about any monetary value but more about how I feel about something so personal.”

She also added:

“I appreciate that you’ve put a disproportional amount of work into Morevi compared to what I have contributed. All I can say is that for me, the overwhelming feeling I had when I first leafed through the printed copy was embarrassment. I guess that’s the only way I can go towards explaining why I felt I had to drop it.

But even so, it’s my first and maybe only ever published work. So before I can say here you go take it I want to know what you mean by find another home for it.”

What I find so bizarre about this exchange is how she refuses to say “yes” or “no” about relinquishing the rights to Morevi as it is “so personal” of a work, even after she had turned a blind eye when I wrote Legacy and produced both the 2005 and Remastered podcasts.

And this exchange happened at the end of August. I followed up with her in October. As it went six years ago, Lisa has apparently closed off communication. Again.

What exactly does all this mean? On a personal perspective I have formulated my own opinions; and I’ll admit—it would be real easy for me to dish.

I don’t dish. I rant. There’s a difference.

Without a definitive answer, I am left with an “Okay, what can I do?” So, once I am caught up with my Ministry commitments, I may return to Morevi’s universe and completely—to use the new, hip term in Hollywood—reboot the series.

As I discussed on my Facebook Group, I am considering a steampunk makeover for the swashbuckling series. A new era. A queen on England’s throne. A whole new attitude on some familiar friends. I believe Rafe could make the jump without a problem. It only becomes tricky as to how the reboot would change the plot, the environment, and the dynamics of the original.

I can promise you one thing: the Morevi reboot would be, without question, Elf-free.

This means Legacy would disappear into the aether. I would attempt to salvage as much as I could from it; but in giving my first novel a completely new angle with far less Fae, a lot will change.

All this would happen, though, after I meet my commitments with the Ministry.

(NEXT WEEK: Great Expectations)

This is me, six years ago, recording Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana.

Six years ago, I was talking to Evo Terra about podcasting Morevi with support from The Dragon Page, a podcast about Science Fiction and Fantasy literature. This was all to promote Morevi‘s upcoming sequel, Legacy of Morevi. Evo paused, and said “Let me get this straight: You want to podcast Morevi. That’s a really big book, Tee.”

Evo and his on-pod partner Mike Mennenga, at that time, hadn’t been podcasting for long. Only a few months. It made sense, though. Their podcast was all about books, and all about Science Fiction and Fantasy. Have an author podcast a book on their Dragon Page feed. Sure. Why not?

Six years ago, Mike Mennenga patiently walked me through the process of hooking up a mixer to my PowerMac G4. My first rig, including the iLife package that included GarageBand, was an investment of $400. After making sure the cables were plugged into the right inputs, the audio card was solid, and the MXL990 was hearing me loud and clear, I started recording. After roughly a week of recording, editing, and mixing, my first episode was ready for delivery.

Six years ago today—January 21, 2005—the Prologue of Morevi went live on The Dragon Page’s RSS feed, beginning the first novel to be podcast in its entirety.

This was a publicity stunt. A shot in the dark. A leap of faith, which ironically was the title of the Prologue. Shortly after I went live, author Mark Jeffrey stepped up and said, “I’d like to podcast my young adult novel, The Pocket & the Pendant.” Then along came a guy named Scott Sigler who wanted to release exclusively as a podcast his novel, EarthCore.

In the midst of all these downloads from Dragon Page’s RSS feed, Evo coined the phrase “podiobook” and later launched Podiobooks.com.

All this started six years ago. Today. And it hit me just this morning.

Woah.

Thank you, authors and listeners alike, for coming along with me on this unexpected journey.

I’ve got more coming. See you on the other side…

You know that blogpost I’ve been promising concerning Rafe, Askana, Billi, and their respective futures?

Make sure you’re sitting down, because this is it.

I could just make it short and sweet, but you all deserve a lot better than that. Also, I don’t think I can do that. I try for “short and sweet” and then, after I say what I have to say about what I really need to touch base on, it’s 3000 words later.

Besides, would you all expect any less from me? After all, if you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve bought one of my books. Do I have to remind you how big Morevi is?

As many of you know, the previous year came out of the corner swinging haymakers like a wrecking machine. Rough seas had actually hit in 2009, but it was the beginning of 2010 that changed everything for me and my daughter. While I was counting on change in 2010, I didn’t foresee things changing as dramatically and as quickly as they did. I think Pip put it best when she said to me “Life around you is accelerated.”

I felt those G-forces most assuredly last year.

This blogpost is about the professional choices I had to make in 2010, and what is facing me in this new year. Those of you asking about Rafe, Askana, and Billi may not be thrilled with these decisions (Heck, you may flat out hate what I have to say…), but I am considering the grander scale of what I want to make a career. This means tough choices, choices you all as fans of my work should know about.

And instead of slamming you all with these touch choices in one grandiose blogpost, I’m breaking these tough choices up into a series of blogposts. I’d rather not melt your brains with a few thousand words. No need to serve the entrée and dessert with the starter, right?

So, let’s begin with a favorite of Tee Morris fans. Let’s start with where I opened my mouth and choked on my Reeboks.

Second Editions of Twitter books

In a Bird House Rules alongside Doc Coleman, I announced that I would be working on updates for All a Twitter and Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes. I was really looking forward to doing this as I was insanely proud of both titles, All a Twitter in particular as my voice, opinions, and approaches to the social network rang true. While the market was flooded with books written by people who were all about making a fast buck on Twitter, my book was a book written by a Tweeter, for the Tweeters. (And no lie, it was really me writing this book.) Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 outsold All a Twitter, but All a Twitter definitely received more accolades and shout-outs on both TeeMonster and ITStudios; and considering my love for the 140-character driven network, I was more than happy to give them an upgrade.

However, when I made that announcement on the podcast, I knew I’d probably regret it.

Something I’ve noticed since shutting down The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy: I’m making some pretty serious rookie mistakes. One that I know I covered on that podcast was talking about deals before the ink is dry on the contract. Doesn’t matter if it’s a book deal or Hollywood showing interest in one of your properties, you should never talk about any upcoming projects until the ink is dry on the contract or the advance check arrives. With All a Twitter and Twitter in 10, I had neither. I did have a phone call and an agreement; and shortly after said agreement, I sent in all the paperwork I was asked for. Then I waited for the final offer and deadline to reach my desk.

That was August.

I don’t know exactly what happened; but considering how the non-fiction books, while definitely money makers on a modest level and overall successes they were, didn’t open the doors I thought they would, I concluded that it was time to stop doing these kind of projects. Even with the credentials of a successful For Dummies book, two successful Twitter books, and having spoken on Social Media coast-to-coast and around the world, I was always passed over for the fly-by-night hucksters and Social Media Snake Oil Salesmen with self-published works and somewhat questionable credentials. This was made evident when TwitrCon came to Washington D.C., my own stomping grounds, and I was not invited to speak. The organizers did, however, fly in people from all over the country…but not the local author of two books that actively and professionally practiced Social Media.

Maybe it was because I wasn’t doing the “Make Money Now” dance, or perhaps my take on Social Media was too honest; but after filling a 300-seat theatre in New Zealand with my talk on Social Media, and then coming home to “I’m sorry, you’re who again?” I took this odd silence from publisher and agent that my stint as a computer book author was done. I still think All a Twitter and Twitter in 10 were two solid titles to close this chapter of a writing career.

Besides, I was ready to return to my first love: Fiction.

(NEXT WEEK — Concerning Dwarf Detectives
and Swashbuckling Pirates)

I have been accused of being a real devotee of the house that Steve built. I admit that yes, I do love me my Apple gear…

• MacPro…check
• MacBook Pro…check
• iPod…check
• AppleTV…check
• iPad…check

I have drank the Kool-Aid and I want more. I am impatiently waiting for October so I can treat myself to an iPhone 4 for my birthday. I love-love-love-love Apple…

…but today, my dearest love punched me in the nose. Really, really hard.

From Mur Lafferty’s Twitter feed came a posting that made me go “Wow…just…wow.” Apple is celebrating Podcasting’s birthday with a celebratory banner (seen above), featuring many “trailblazers” of the medium. Very cool…until you note the birthday.

I was willing to scoff at Steve Jobs when he went on record to say “Folks who want porn can buy a Droid.” I was okay with a face-palm when Jobs told their iPhone 4 users “You’re holding the phone wrong.” All of Apple’s recent successes could just be making him giddy with elation…

Today, with me and a few others, a line was crossed. So for Steve Jobs and the folks at Apple, allow me — one of the authors of Podcasting for Dummies — to give you a brief history lesson.

Podcasting came into wide distribution in 2005 when iTunes recognized it, I’ll give you that; but podcasting had been around a bit longer than iTunes claims…and some of their “early adopters” were pre-dated by others. Podcasting for Dummies traces the first podcast back to August 2004 (although just today, I was shown an article penned by The Guardian’s Ben Hammersley where the term “podcasting” is used — thanks, @ghostfinder!) when Adam Curry and Dave Winer created the code in RSS that made the magic happen. Apple didn’t jump on to podcasting until nearly a year later. June 2005 with iTunes 4.9, if you should ask (PfD, Chapter 1, page 24). While it can be debated which came first — the RSS or the iTunes — the truth is that there were podcasts available as far back as 2004, some of them including:

• The Dragon Page
• Slacker Astronomy
• Geek Fu Action Grip
• Useful Sounds
• Coverville
• Escape Pod
• The Radio Adventures of Doctor Floyd

…and a few others.

Many of those “few others” went omitted from the “Early Adopters” such as Mur Lafferty, Michael R. Mennenga, Evo Terra, Chuck Tomasi, Kreg Steppe, C.C. Chapman, Rob Walch, and Todd Cochrane. Podcast authors, including the early adopters such as myself, Mark Jeffrey, and Scott Sigler, went completely omitted.

I recall launching into this uncharted territory in 2005 with no help from Apple in the ways of distribution, and still I managed to find listeners around the world. I remember tracing the steps and working on roadmaps for people to try and avoid the pitfalls. I remember Steve Jobs condescendingly referring to podcasting as “the Wayne’s World of Audio” right before announcing that iTunes would provide a directory.

And I also remember when Apple made early adopters rewrite their RSS feeds in order to appear in said iTunes directory.

Still we managed through the up’s and down’s and the lack of a “real contact” at iTunes, particularly when it came to their “Show Approval” notices and rejections, and now, podcasting is rapidly approaching its birthday. We have now evolved into video, and there are still enhanced podcasts working their way through the podosphere. Some voices may have faded into the night, but more talent continues to appear on the iTunes Directory and share their thoughts with the world.

I do agree that this is a time for celebration. And gifts. So for you, Apple, I come bearing the gift of knowledge.

Now you know better. Happy birthday. In two months.

At the end of 2009, I was invited by The Chef to return to the Erotica ala Carte kitchens for another round of saucy, spicy fun. My menu items on this go-round were:

• Female P.O.V.
• Time travel
• Artificial Intelligence
• Leather and Lace

The end result was “Dagger of the Mind” and my return to podcasting fiction. In light of so much talk and controversy concerning it and coupled with the way my year has been, I have been ready — so very ready — to do this.

But be warned…this story goes dark. WAY dark. Darker than I imagined I could ever go in my writing. This is not safe for work, kids, queasy dispositions, or those new to Pip’s podcast. I’d recommend working up to this one by listening to early episodes, and then having a listen to what the Chef describes as “the darkest we have ever gone…”

Something terrible is in Anna’s mind. Something alien that uses desire as a whip, but is it trying to drive her mad or is something even more nefarious going on?

This is my return to writing, and I can’t thank Pip enough for being my Muse (or Swift-Kick-in-the-Pants, whichever you prefer) in this setting. This story has been receiving a lot of traffic on Twitter, and I’ve been pretty humbled by the reactions. The inspiration behind this stems from one of my favorite movies of all time — Time After Time. (It’s on my AppleTV Wish List.) The film marked the directorial debut of Nicholas Meyer (who went on to direct Star Trek II and VI), and stars a young Malcolm McDowell as H.G. Wells and a young David Warner as Dr. John Leslie Stevenson whom we find out later is Jack the Ripper. I love time travel stories, but this one stands out as a favorite. I also wanted to try something different, something the EalC Kitchens had never seen before. I went into fetishes that haven remained unexplored, and then there was the Horror angle I dedicated in following. I was told in one harsh critique that “Horror and erotica simply do not mix…”

Someone didn’t tell Clive Barker that. Twisted as it is, Hellraiser is an incredibly sensual, erotic work. (And yes, terrifying.)

What has surprised me the most about this short story is that, for the first time as a writer, I’m discovering the possibilities. This world, these characters, and this situation are far from done. I’m thinking I may have my first erotic thriller in the works, and I am thrilled at where my ideas are leading me.

Oh my Muse, you are the dark, delicious, and saucy temptress…

And while people have been talking about it, I should point out that both my Erotica ala Carte dishes are eligible for the 2010 Parsec Awards. So if it hasn’t happened already please consider nominating:

• “Release Me” for Best Speculative Fiction (Short Form)
• “Dagger of the Mind” for Best Audio Drama (Short Form)
• Erotica ala Carte for Best Anthology Magazine

If you shared your thoughts (good or bad) concerning my “Erotica ala Dark” on Twitter, thank you! Feel free to leave comments here, or go to the Erotica ala Carte site and share your review with the Head Chef.

And feel free to share this twisted tale on your own blog….if you dare….

I’m not the biggest fan of April Fool’s Day. Never have been. The history behind April Fool’s Day is quite cool, but that’s about it. I don’t like pranks played upon me and playing pranks on others I’m not too crazy about. (I do remember one prank, though, where a college suitemate covered another suitemate’s doorway with newspaper. Guy opens the door and sees a wall of headlines staring back at them. I had a hand in that, and that was funny. Not to mention, harmless.) April 1st Is also crappy when you have to report news or stay on top of current events, and too many news outlets now think it’s “fun” to throw in gag stories. And now, on Twitter, tweetpranks are running amuck.

Yes, I hate April Fool’s Day.

I hate it all the more as one of my best friends, Joe Murphy, passed away on this day in 2007.

Every year, Jack and I ask that you remember our fallen friend, Joe Murphy. From the reaction on Facebook to my profile picture already (only posted an hour ago, and Robin Hudson, Marc Bailey, and Robert Goshko suggest Root Beers to be drank in his honor), the Community keeps Joe in their minds and hearts.

For those of you new to podcasting, you might have missed the audio wit and always-clever banter of my friend, Joe Murphy. He was (and still is) an amazing guy, his voice now part of the history of such podcasts, as Wingin’ It, Slice of SciFi, The Kick Ass Mystic Ninjas, and the award-winning The Case of the Singing Sword: A Billibub Baddings Mystery. He was taken from us too soon, and on April 1 we remember him.

I got to see Joe a month before he died, and it was hard. He was sick. You couldn’t deny that. On April 1, I remember my friend, Joe, in memories like the one I have posted above. I remember his banter against Michael, Evo, and the crew of the original Wingin’ It. I remember his loyalty. He pushed me to be a better writer, and he never pulled punches on how I carried myself, both as a writer and as a person. This is how I remember Joe. A smile that can turn around a bad day. An honest opinion that you could grow from. He was an amazing guy, and I miss him terribly.

Please syndicate this tribute show (originally produced in 2008 as part of the Give Us a Minute podcast.) through your feeds, blog about Joe Murphy, tell a friend today about Joe, show your support in an avatar change (be it a picture of Joe or a candle in remembrance), and let the Community know that you also remember Joe.

I’m starting to get my groove back (like Stella) in producing ideas, writing (seriously), podcasting, and playing with Sonic Boom. This road has been difficult (and no kidding, a blogpost is written, but I am not ready to drop it just yet. Bear with me…), but I’m taking everything one step at a time, one day at a time…

One of those positive steps is getting back into the interview circuit. Recently, Que Publishing contacted me concerning All a Twitter. The book is being featured again in Barnes & Noble Bookstores everywhere, and Que is hoping to get the first Twitter guide written from a user’s perspective (and when my byline says “written by Tee Morris” it means it!) into new readers’ hands. They asked me “Whatever you can do to get the word out…” and so I sent out a query to my Twitter networks.

Meet Michele Price. She queried me before I tweeted!

Michele is the host of Breakthrough Business, and on her BlogTalkRadio show we talk about Twitter, about my job at Intersections Inc, and about approaches that go against the grain of the marketing books. We talk about how “old school marketing” just doesn’t work with Social Media, and how businesses need to understand that Twitter (and Social Media, on a whole) is about people.

We had a blast on this interview, and there are more slated for the month. The geekier ones I’ll feature here, but if you want to hear more about the Social Media, take a trip to Imagine That! Studios for the full blogosphere-podosphere interview tour!

The day after the Great #Snowpocalypse of 2009, I felt the walls closing in a bit…and the twins inviting me to play with them really wasn’t helping. Fortunately, saving the day was Peter Cox all the way from Central London when he rearranged his schedule to sit down, open up the mics, and talk with me about podcast fiction. Seems that Litopia has opened a floodgate in talking about podcasting, Social Media, and the modern writer, and Peter wanted to sit down with the guy that started it all.

If you don’t know Litopia, you should. Lipopia is  run by writers for writers. It’s a podcast, it’s a blog, it’s a forum. It’s an inside look and a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry, and what was supposed to be a fifteen minute podcast…well, we went a little longer…

Enjoy this bit of time travel through the history of podcast fiction, and looking at the present day and possible tomorrows of Social Media in the publishing industry.

Listen. Comment (here and at Litopia). Share.

With a whopping 42 comments to it (and as that is the big answer, I thought the time was right for this post…), I think it’s pretty much common knowledge by now that I got a new job. I didn’t really consider how quickly the wheels got rolling on getting me in there; but on retrospect, this place did not diddle around. I was offered the job on August 4, taught my final class on August 14, and then on August 17 I walked in, filed paperwork, went through the orientation, and was then literally thrown into the thick of it. I didn’t hit the ground running. I bitch-slapped the ground, made it call me a pretty girl, and had it beg for more when I was through with it.

And the really frightening bit? After a week, I’m still not sure how my voice mail works.

But what exactly is the job? I didn’t really go into detail on that in “Perseverance and Peter Gabriel” as that post was less about the job itself and more about the job hunt. Amidst the comments of congratulations and inspiration, a few of you have wondered “So what is this job you got?” I wanted to wait until I finished the first week before I shared details, and I’m glad I did. Last week was overwhelming, amazing, and eye-opening, on a lot of levels.

I was also beat at the end of every day. Slept a lot. Now, with some of the blur that was last week processed, here it is…

Intersections is a security firm, based out of Chantilly, VA. Since 1996, Intersections has dealt with credit history and digital identity protection. They are in the business of making electronic transactions, be they financial or personal, safer; and I have been hired as their Social Media Manager. (I’d like to point out that this job falls under Corporate Communications, not Marketing. That thrills me like you wouldn’t believe.) They were looking for someone who could not only apply Social Media, but understand the different initiatives out there and what they offer.

They were also looking for someone who could write. Yeah, I think I got that covered, too.

What I’m particularly excited about with this job is the angle Intersections takes with Social Media. Obviously, I’m being called upon to manage blogs, create podcasts, edit video (which I’m doing right now), and manage an outreach program with Twitter and (soon) Facebook; but I am also being asked to investigate and research security in Social Media, something I’ve touched on in Bird House Rules but only scratched its surface. On Friday, I was forwarded some news about Social Media from a security perspective and I was floored. The ironic bit is, that morning I was catching up with The SpyCast and listening to a fantastic interview with Dr. Terry Gudaitis who specializes in cyberintelligence gathering. (That’s the June 15, 2009 show if you’re interested.)

I feel as if I am starting all over again in Social Media, this time from a new perspective I hope Blogworld will let me speak on this year. I am officially on their schedule. I’ve confirmed “But Honey, It’s For the Studio” but am working to change topics concerning my second talk. So, if you’re at Blogworld this year, stop me and say “Hi.” It should be good fun in Vegas this October!

A cublicle in transition

So in the end, I am using my knowledge and background on Social Media for good, not for evil. While I will help in the promotion of what Intersections does, I will also be their on-call specialist in Social Media while I find out more about security matters with Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and the like. My brain has been firing on all cylinders since Day One, and I’m soaking it up like a thirsty sponge. The first week just blinked by, and I’ve not slowed down yet.

If you were wondering, though, how the day job will affect my writing, it will only make me more productive. Now that I know my hours, I can regiment and manage my time efficiently. I’m still writing for AppAdvice; and this weekend Pip and I completed the first draft of Books & Braun: Phoenix Rising, our Steampunk CSI peppered with hints of James Bond. I’m also planning to dust off Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and start working on that. I’ll give up details with an upcoming Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy…and yes, that will be its final episode.

It’s a long story and a hard decision concerning The Guide, and I’ll save the rest for that show.

My job at Intersections is now underway, and my writing is moving forward. From here, all that I have to face now are the possibilities.

In this picture are two people that I hold very dear in my life. One of them is my daughter. I will let you try and figure which one of them is her…

The other “bloke” is Martyn Casserly, a journalist, an accomplished musician, and now he is an award-nominated podcaster with his one-minute Movie Mantras podcast. (Martyn is also a dad and a good mate to boot…although his opinions concerning the new Craig-Bond films and recent Doctor Who are completely wrong, but I digress…) With the many endeavors he had going, Martyn approached me this Spring to talk about an article he was penning on podcast authors. He was optimistic that Wired Magazine (UK) would pick up the column. So I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

This morning, I checked my Twitter stream and found this waiting for me:

My article about Podcast Authors is up on Wired ! @scottsigler, @sethharwood, @jchutchins, @teemonster all appear. http://bit.ly/Pv53w

Now live on the site, Wired Magagine (UK) picked up  “Novels by Podcast” where Martyn discusses how we authors are giving away our hard work in audio format for free. He also goes into the genesis of the podcast novel and why we do what we do.

“Giving away your stories isn’t a risk… it’s a competitive advantage,” explains Scott Sigler. “If a reader who’s never heard of me has $25 to spend and they’re looking at my book next to a Stephen King book, who are they going to choose? They take King. He’s a proven storyteller. But if King is $25 and my story is free they may try me out first. Why not? It’s no risk to them. If they like me, they buy me. If they don’t they buy King. Whatever happens the customer gets what the customer wants.”

It is a tight article covering successes and milestones; and while many who follow us on Twitter, on blogs, and through podcasts, may consider what we do “old hat” after four years, podcasting — and more importantly, podcasting fiction — is still a brand-spanking new concept to the mainstream market. Articles like Martyn’s and venues like Wired are getting the word out about what we are doing. That’s what is important here: getting people to listen.

Show Martyn appreciation by blogging about this article (and yep, I got it covered from the business perspective over at Imagine That!), syndicating his link in your feeds, dropping him comments on the article’s page, and talking it up on your podcasts. Let Wired know we’re paying attention and appreciate their support, and let Martyn know both on Twitter and on Wired that his words ring true.

Thanks, Martyn. Well done!

Back in December, you might recall a blogpost proclaiming my love for New Zealand smut. Well, Chef Ballantine appreciated my kind words so much concerning the podcast too hot for iTunes, Erotica ala Carte, that she invited me to cook in her kitchen. The ingredients this naughty Gordon Ramsey (with help from her listeners) threw at me were:

• Alternative History
• Government Bureau
• Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down

The end result is the short story (borderline novella) “Release Me” which dropped just before Balticon. As I mentioned, the story seemed to write itself and really took on some serious momentum, surprising (if not, disturbing) me. The end result, though, I am quite happy with:

In an alternative America a superhero learns a lesson in control.

Inspired by my favorite film of the year so far, Watchmen, I went with a government bureau of superheroes instead of something along the lines of The X-Files. (I think that is what folks were expecting.) There are also a few nods to the Twitter community and a homage to one of my Geek Chic heroines. This was a lot of fun, and a terrific exercise for me as a writer. So as it stands, J.C. Hutchins has challenged me with writing a thriller and Pip has tapped me for erotica. What’s next? Horror?

Scott Sigler? Phil Rossi? Any of you guys wanna throw the gauntlet?

Have a listen, and let me (and Pip) know what you think.

photo by Kreg Steppe

Are you in the Washington D.C. area, within driving distance of the Nation’s capital, or happen to be in my stomping grounds next week? If you are, you have two chances to catch me speaking on Social Media. The Washington Network Group and The Washington DC Write to Publish Group have invited me to come in and speak, and I am thrilled to present:

ANTI-Social Media: What Not to Do in Web 2.0

Thursday, February 26
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

hosted by
The Washington Network Group
Merrill Lynch Conference Center, 6th Floor
1152 Fifteenth Street, NW

Ξ

Social Media for Writers: Making Web 2.0 Your Marketing Machine

Saturday, February 28
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

hosted by
The Washington DC Write to Publish Group
Arlington Central Library
1015 N. Quincy St., 2nd Floor Meeting Room
Arlington, VA

If you are in the area, I hope you can make it for the discussions. Feel free to pass along the appearance links on your own feeds, and I hope to talk to you then!

Coach Ian Scott connected with me through my work on Podcasting for Dummies, both the podcast and the book. (No, the PFD Podcast hasn’t faded. It’s just been difficult to get to on the priority list.) I have been working with him on fine tuning both his podcasts, and as a way to say “Thank you” Ian invited me on his interview show “Conversations with Coach Ian Scott” which is a talk show featuring creative professionals from around the world. From his website, Ian says about our interview:

We talk about Tee as a podcaster and author. Podcasting: How and Why organizations, corporations, and individuals should be utilizing the power of podcasting. Social Networking, the CES 2009 Expo of January 8 – 11. Projects Tee Morris is currently working on, and a new book on Twitter to be launched around the Summer of 2009. Oh, and we had some fun along the way!

We most certainly did that! In this interview, I give one of the reasons I have not been on Twitter recently. (It’s a good reason, trust me.) I also have a few announcements to make after I return from Farpoint. Enjoy the interview and please leave Ian a comment on his blog concerning the interview. He’d love to hear from you!

Finally, after all these years, the F.D.O. joins me in the foxhole
for an interview…

About to wrap up his second Stank Tour, New York Times Bestselling Author and Failed Pimp, Scott Sigler, joins me on the Survival Guide to talk about something near and dear to us both: Facing the Challenges of Real Life. While the topic has been touched on once or twice here in Boot Camp, this time I take a look at dealing with the demands of delivery while coping with real life situations; and as many of the Junkies know, Scott had a rough-and-tumble 2008 as well. Here he comes — the Force of Nature that is Sigglerisimo.

00:00 — Creatures & Crooks promo

01:47 — Introduction

• Recovering from an ill-fated SMJ/CES
• First Appearance of 2009 — Creatures & Crooks, Richmond VA
• Jumping in to an interview with Scott Sigler

07:20 — On Writing Demands and Real Life (with Scott Sigler)

• Three years of podcasting novels
• Scott takes his own advice
• Scott talks a bit about how Contagious his latest work is!
• Scott’s epic journey, Nocturnal
• How Scott and The Sarge are working through Real Life Demands…
  • Pushing out a novel in record time
  • Making the priorities
  • “2008 was one thing after another…” — Scott Sigler
• How do you continue to produce through the dark times?

28:08 — Promos: In Your Right Mind, The Brain Science Podcast

30:03 — On Writing Demands and Real Life (Part II)

• Guest Bumper: Kimi Alexandre
• Details on “Books & Bling” at Creatures & Crooks in Richmond, VA
• Allowing your work to be your escape and your focus
• Dealing with aggressive fans and negative reactions
• The Two Kinds of “Fans”
• Setting Priorities (Revisited)
• Connecting with the fans and meeting expectations
• Keeping up with the deadlines, staff turnovers, publishing politics, and your sanity

54:43 — Wrapping Up