Michele Lang

Hey everybody!

I know I’ve been too quiet around here…usually a dangerous sign *g*

Spring is trying its best to appear in these parts, and I’ve been out in the good weather every nice day we’ve had in the last week or so.  My agent, Lucienne Diver, has a great LJ with pictures of her recent trip to Paris; it got me thinking about all the places I’ve gotten the chance to visit, and all the places I’d still like to see.  So I’ve been taking long walks, and daydreaming…

One place I love right in NYC:  The Hungarian Pastry Shop, located across the street from the magical St. John the Divine.  I spent many hours of my misbegotten youth there, eating rumballs for dinner when I was broke, and writing for hours, and talking to genial slackers about Rimbaud and Reagan.  Ahhh…heaven.

Where do you wish you could be right now?

Sorry to the people who have been commenting and writing to me!  I am in a strange state…I’ve been sick all week, but it’s more than that.  It’s like I’m walking around in a permanent daydream.  It’s a good sign where the writing is concerned but it is rough on my interpersonal skills. LOL

Again, my apologies for the delay in posting comments, and writing back to people who are trying to contact me.  One of my goals for this quarter is to get much more routinized in my writing life, so I hopefully will overcome this tendency to vanish.  Thank you for your understanding and patience!

I don’t know why I get so quiet, solemn even, when something truly amazing happens.  I guess it’s partly because I’m afraid I’ll wake up any second, and also because something this good is a gift from the writing gods, something I will never take for granted. 

 What happened, you ask?  Well, only this … here’s the official deal memo from Publisher’s Marketplace:

 FICTION: SCI-FI/FANTASY

Michele Lang’s LADY LAZARUS, the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy set on the eve of World War II, in which a hereditary witch with the power to call souls fights to avert the horrors of her sister’s visions; pitted against her are SS werewolves, wizards, and demons, including the one who has possessed a willing Adolf Hitler, to James Frenkel of Tor, in a very nice deal, by Lucienne Diver of Spectrum Literary Agency (world).

I am thrilled about this…and deeply grateful to my fabulous agent, Lucienne Diver, who believed in this story and found it a perfect home.  More information as I get it!

Ah, what a month.  From all reports, the response to NETHERWOOD has been terrific.  The book has been sighted in Hawaii and Mississippi, Texas and Rhode Island, in Walmarts and Barnes & Noble book stores and in supermarkets.   Without further ado, the winner of the contest is: 

 cagill2use 

Please email me so that I can send you your $50 Amazon gift certificate

Sorry for the slight delay in announcing the winner and in posting an I-CON recap…something big is brewing and I will soon have an announcement – and a new reason for a celebratory contest J  Thank you all so much for your support! 

Finally, I realize that I have never indulged in an official book pimping post for NETHERWOOD…so check out these great reviews:

 “Original, exciting…you can’t stop turning the pages!” —NYT Bestselling author Susan Squires

The two leads are strong, intelligent and likable characters and the action-packed story kept me turning the pages…[T]he human vs. computer struggle woven through the story gives Netherwood a unique and deeply-felt quality which will make it a sure reread for me.—All About Romance

“NETHERWOOD is one of those books that had me going back to re-read sections just for the beauty of the writing itself.  The story and imagery are fascinating…you need to go buy NETHERWOOD.” – The Good, the Bad, and the Unread   

 “Ms. Lang’s writing has always been superb, yet the complexity of this plot and the relationships she has made integral to its furtherance shows that she is light years ahead of the game. Though there are elements of Robin Hood, the Matrix, Braveheart, and the Prisoner, just to name a few things implied in the text, they are freshly blended into something new that will challenge your mind and keep you hooked.” —Eternal Night

“Netherwood is an action romance with many surprises along the way.  Ms. Lang packs this tale with futuristic action, an intriguing storyline and characters that have you cheering on their fight for survival. Netherwood is an entertaining escape into a fascinating future world.”–Darque Reviews

“This book was a great book. How do I measure that, simple I started off reading it last Wednesday and finished it by Wednesday night. This is the kind of book you tell the hubby to pick up Chinese because you’re not going to cook tonight.” –SaraiJ

 “Can I tell you this book totally and completely ROCKS? I mean, from page one, rocks. . . . it’s got this WHOLE other level going on, discussions of the soul, of what makes us human, a love story, all wrapped up in a sci fi book with avatars and “Netherwood.” The book is AWESOME!”   –author Erica Orloff 

Thanks so much to the folks who visited at the Romance Junkies blog the other day.  We had fun talking about books we love…it got me thinking about so many things.  Watch out when I start thinking too much — it’s dangerous! LOL

Here is a great quote from one of my favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle, about how important readers are to the creative process:  “The reader, viewer, listener, usually grossly underestimates his importance.  If a reader cannot create a book along with the writer, the book will never come to life.”  I always say that a book isn’t finished until someone reads it, completes that connection. 

Thank you for reading…I always thought a writer’s job was isolated and lonely, but in reality it is anything but.  Even when I’m curled up on my favorite old sofa, reading a big fat fantasy or a frothy romantic comedy, I am in the company of other readers and the writer.  We meet in the rich, alternate world we create together with the power of our imaginations.  Don’t you love that magic, that word alchemy?  I”m addicted to it.

What are you all reading these days?  I’m reading Truman, a presidential biography by David McCullough.  He’s the guy who wrote John Adams — HBO’s new miniseries is based on it.  

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  If you haven’t yet signed up for my Sightings contest, please enter now!  I’ll be picking a winner by the end of the week.

 Michele

Please stop by at the Romance Junkies blog today if you get a chance — we’re talking Madeleine L’Engle and what makes a book great.  You could win prizes, too LOL

Michele

Recently got the tentative itinerary for I-Con, and I’m doing the newbie writer happy dance…these panels look fabulous!  If you plan on coming, please find me and say hello — or drop me a line in advance so we can meet up!

For those of you who don’t know about I-Con, it’s one of the largest SF cons in the Northeast, and it’s happening at the State University at Stony Brook, NY April 4-6.  I am really looking forward to it — I went last year, and had a wonderful time.

Are There Alternatives to Mainstream Publishing?            
D’Arc, Lang, Lau, Gorinsky, Williams(M)
Fri, 7 S 309
 

Urban Fantasy: Vampires, Werewolves and Sex, Oh My! An exploration of one of the most popular genres in SF
Harris(M), Lang, D’Arc                                         
Fri, 8  S 302

Gender Bending: SF is the ideal medium for exploring changing ideas about sexuality and challenging accepted gender roles

Calvin(M), Bear, Spinrad, Lang
Sat, 3   S309

I Am Not My Character… or Am I? How much of the writer’s life, experiences and opinions turn up in characters?
Collins(M), Castro, Parris, Freedman, Lang
Sat, 2  S309

Sunday
Noon-1  Sign

For all of you who have been waiting for review copies of NETHERWOOD, or who won copies in contests, I finally wrapped them up and sent them out!  There is a second, smaller batch of them still to go, but the bulk of them are making their way to you.  If you have any questions, please contact me via email.

Christine, if you are reading this, you won The Midnight Hour’s drawing for a copy of my book…please contact me with your mailing information. 

 And for those of you who still have not yet won a copy and would like to try, NETHERWOOD is going to be featured on Alison Kent’s blog this Saturday — visit there and comment to win!

Hope you are having a great week,

Michele

Whew! A lot of running around this weekend!

 I had the pleasure of going to Lunacon this weekend.  The highlight of it for me program-wise was speaking on the Madeleine L’Engle tribute panel — her work is a huge inspiration, and it was such a pleasure to talk about her awesomeness in a room full of other fans.

 I also met wonderful people, like artist and writer Linda Champanier, and the charming and effervescent Sarah Beth Durst, who has a wonderful YA fantasy out from Razor, INTO THE WILD.  I also had the pleasure of talking e-books with Sarah Avery, a new fantasy author with an upcoming release from Drollerie.  It was a joy to meet so many other readers and enthusiasts of all things fantastical — if you ever get the chance, go to Lunacon!

I’m going to be all over the tri-state area this weekend, partying hearty over NETHERWOOD:

 *March 15th at 1 p.m. — As part of my local chapter’s spring book signing, I’ll be talking about technology in storytelling – why people turn to stories to cope with the pace of change in our society, and how writers can use technology to strengthen worldbuilding, conflict, and character.  The talk is being held at Barnes & Noble on Walt Whitman Road/Rte 110, Huntington Station, NY

*FUTURE LOVE — I will be joining fellow Shomi authors MARIANNE MANCUSI and LIZ MAVERICK at their latest fabulous party, Future Love, in NYC. Hopefully I will have some pictures to share…it will be great to party with my Shomi sisters!

 UPDATED to add:  Marianne Mancusi has more about the Future Love party up at her blog:

http://mariannem.blogspot.com/2008/03/future-love-2108.html

*LUNACON — I will be reading, signing and speaking at two panels at Lunacon on Sunday.  I am excited to be part of the Madeleine L’Engle tribute panel, and will also be speaking about e-publishing:  the good, the bad and the ugly;  a topic I am qualified to address…

 Hope to see you out and about!  I will be doing more of this over the next month, and will keep you posted on my appearances…

have a great weekend!

Michele