News and content updates from JVJ.com - the web site of award winning Sci-Fi/Fantasy novelist, J.V. Jones. http://jvj.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Fri, 16 May 2008 08:04:44 +0100 Fri, 16 May 2008 08:04:44 +0100 Venerable text editor Notepad http://jvj.com/images/jvjfeed.jpg http://jvj.com 133 64 It's time for a contest. I have two signed copies of A Sword From Red Ice to give away, one US and one UK edition. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to tell me your home town's claim to fame. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may16 Journal Fri, 16 May 2008 00:04:44 +0100 We may have another book cover mystery on our hands. Those who've visited jvj over the years have heard tell of Melli's mysterious mid-Atlantic disappearance. Ten years ago, while traveling from the US to the UK she went missing, and apart from one unconfirmed sighting in Germany she hasn't been seen since. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may14 Journal Wed, 14 May 2008 19:42:50 +0100 When Biggie attacks she grabs, bites and kicks all at the same time. Strangely, it doesn't hurt. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may13 Journal Tue, 13 May 2008 18:08:28 +0100 Here's the final installment of noteable--and increasinlgy harder to verify--facts about the village where I grew up. Oliver Cromwell, the man who signed a king's death warrant and turned England from a monarchy into a repubic for ten astounding years, is not buried in Rainhill. But his horse is. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may12 Journal Mon, 12 May 2008 21:33:28 +0100 Yesterday I stopped by Mysterious Galaxy to wish them Happy Birthday. They've been selling SF, fantasy, mystery, horror and thrillers in San Diego for fifteen years--no small feat for an independent book seller. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may11 Journal Sun, 11 May 2008 13:10:40 +0100 The story is purely apocryphal, but it was told to me by Mr. Davenport who was our headmaster (school principal) at the time. Mr. Davenport was not a man given to error. So, in addition to being famous for the Rainhill Trials, Rainhill is also the place where modern plate glass was invented. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may10 Journal Sat, 10 May 2008 09:06:41 +0100 If you're in San Diego on Saturday stop by Mysterious Galaxy and wish them Happy Fifteenth Birthday. They're having a bash, with lots of events, book signings, special deals and prizes. The celebration kicks off at 10:30 am and continues to late. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may09 Journal Fri, 09 May 2008 12:48:00 +0100 I grew up in the small village of Rainhill, which is famous in railway history as being the site of the Rainhill Trials. It was here in 1829 where Stephenson's Rocket won the competition for a locomotive to run a 3 mile round trip 10 times carrying a load three times its weight. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may08b Journal Thu, 08 May 2008 13:33:46 +0100 Anyone who reads this journal regularly knows I like Winter. Ice sheets, glaciers, frozen tundra. It's that time of year in the western hemisphere, though: May. Time to give it up. I hereby promise to show no more photos of snowy woods, frozen lakes, mist-shrouded mountains and icy roads. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may08a Journal Thu, 08 May 2008 10:51:24 +0100 I always get a window seat on plane. If you ever sit next to me, it won't take you long to learn why. I like taking aerial photos. Yes, the airplane window is dingy, the field of view restricted, and the subject distorted by the thickness of the glass...but you get to capture a perspective that you can't normally see. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may07 Journal Wed, 07 May 2008 11:12:52 +0100 Paul and I learned today of the death of Ashley Wynn. Ashley was a frequent visitor to this website and posted regularly on the messageboard under the name polijn. She won one of the three galley copies of A Sword From Red Ice and we emailed back and forth. She was a writer herself, a bright, lovely and funny young woman. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may06b Journal Tue, 06 May 2008 18:02:02 +0100 The older the model the more maintenance it needs. This is as true for websites as it is for buying cars. JVJ is fourteen years old now (older than amazon.com) and although it has a shiny new paint job, rust lurks under the hood. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may06a Journal Tue, 06 May 2008 10:42:00 +0100 After our foray into frequency analysis I think we’re ready for some statistics. Currently we average 910 visitors a day at jvj, that’s 27,000 visitors a month, 332,000 a year. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may05 Journal Mon, 05 May 2008 13:25:01 +0100 E is the most frequently used letter in English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Swedish and German. In English, it has an average letter frequency of 12.072% which means that in a random block of text the letter E will constitute twelve percent of its content. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may02 Journal Fri, 02 May 2008 14:50:12 +0100 It’s official, I’m a guilty pleasure in New Orleans. Which is fine by me, as I’ve indulged in several guilty pleasures in that fine city in my time (drinking beer while walking down the street at midday being one of them, half a dozen beignets from Cafe du Monde scarfed in a single sitting being another). http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may01b Journal Thu, 01 May 2008 09:57:52 +0100 This was taken in September in British Columbia. I was camping on the shore of Summit Lake. http://jvj.com/journal0508.html#may01a Journal Thu, 01 May 2008 08:34:26 +0100 After four days of record temperatures the heatwave is finally abating. I was at the beach on Sunday. The air temperature was 86F and the water was 60F: quite a differential. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr30 Journal Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:25:14 +0100 This photo was taken two weeks ago in the woods. It reminds me of the Birchway in A Sword From Red Ice. The trees look like bars...and I might not be able to escape. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr29 Journal Tue, 29 Apr 2008 7:27:31 +0100 We had a heatwave yesterday. It was 95F at 1pm. I finally have my camera lead so I’m posting a photo I took last week as my plane was landing in San Diego. To your right you’ll find a link to an interview with SF agent Simon Kavanagh whose clients include Iain M.Banks and China Mieville. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr28 Journal Mon, 28 Apr 2008 7:30:38 +0100 A few years back I posted an epic fantasy quiz online. It’s been pretty popular so I thought I’d do another one--in two installments this time because I’m slower than I used to be. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr25 Journal Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:15:22 +0100 I’ve been getting quite a bit of email asking about Angus Lok. As a writer, you’re never quite sure which of your characters will capture readers imaginations. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr24 Journal Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:07:04 +0100 The man who had lost his soul approached the house. Timbers framing the doorway were black and shiny. Creosote deposited during the burning gave them the oily iridescence of ravens wings. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr22 Journal Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:18:00 +0100 The UK edition of A Cavern of Black Ice has now gone back to press for the 7th time. This means that previous printing runs of the book have sold out and the publisher needs to print more. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr21 Journal Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:19:13 +0100 If only dogs could vote. I’ve never met a dog I didn’t want my picture taken with. I met these two goofballs while camping last year in East San Diego County, on Mt. Laguna. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr20 Journal Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:54:11 +0100 When Harlan Ellison was asked where he got his ideas from, his answer was Schenectady. He was commenting on the elusiveness of ideas, and the absurdity of trying to pin them down. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr18b Journal Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:00:23 +0100 We never sleep at jvj. Bedtime in California is sunrise in Liverpool: one of the Joneses is always on the job. Which is strange really, as we’re a pretty lazy lot. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr18a Journal Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:03:58 +0100 The French edition of The Barbed Coil is being published this month by Calmann Levy. It’s titled La Ronce d'Or, which translates as The Gold Thorn. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr17 Journal Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:27:11 +0100 Still pretty tired after the flight yesterday. 12 hours on the road, awake at 2:45 am. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr16 Journal Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:11:47 +0100 I’m back in San Diego, following a long and tiring flight. Biggie rode shotgun, if you can call being crammed in the space under the seat in front of me while mildly drugged on kitty-tranquilizers and confined to a small brown bag riding shotgun. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr15 Journal Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:50:05 +0100 Locus is the trade magazine for SF and Fantasy. They are currently running a poll for the best SF and Fantasy published in 2007. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr11 Journal Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:27:50 +0100 SF and fantasy names can be tricky. A writer makes up a world, including all the attending details of history, geography, culture, religion, economics and so on, and designs a nomenclature (naming scheme) around it. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr10 Journal Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:20:14 +0100 It’s turning into animal month at jvj. This is the doggie I took walking on Sunday on the banks of the St. Lawrence. As you can see he was a very bad boy. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr09 Journal Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:18:09 +0100 This weekend I drove up to Canada, to Kingston Ontario, which is located on Lake Ontario where it runs into the St. Lawrence. Kingston was once Canada’s capital and has been settled since 1673. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr08 Journal Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:35:56 +0100 It’s good to see folk are reacting favorably to Book IV’s title, Watcher of the Dead. It took a while percolating. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr04 Journal Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:50:17 +0100 So the derby was played on Sunday. Liverpool vs Everton. Liverpool won, 1-0. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr03 Journal Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:41:55 +0100 The journal in its current form is officially a year old. In a previous form, as JVJ News, it went from 1998-2003, so in another sense it’s ten years old. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr02 Journal Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:20:23 +0100 Sunday was lovely here, sunny and crisp and just above freezing. Fresh snow made the woods sparkle. http://jvj.com/journal0408.html#apr01 Journal Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:15:01 +0100 The Great Gatsby, Scrooge, Heathcliff, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Huckleberry Finn, Gandalf, Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler: these are names that tell us something about their owners. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar27 Journal Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:34:35 +0100 Every tent and studio at Concordia has a guestbook. The eco tent guestbook is a work of art. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar25 Journal Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:51:49 +0100 To mark the knighting of the title for Book IV, Watcher of the Dead, here’s a sneak peak at the book itself. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar22 Journal Sat, 22 Mar 2008 23:15:59 +0100 Book IV now has a title, Watcher of the Dead. This has been one of Raif’s names from the beginning, referring to the raven lore he wears around his neck. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar20 Journal Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:39:50 +0100 Arthur C. Clarke died yesterday. He was one of my favorite SF writers and one of Dad’s favorites too. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar19b Journal Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:28:20 +0100 You can spend a lot of time waiting for the bus on St. John. The ViTran comes once an hour, except when it comes every two hours. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar19a Journal Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:31:02 +0100 Charlotte Amalie is the largest town on St. Thomas. It’s where the big cruise ships come to dock, offloading passengers by the thousand daily. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar18 Journal Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:14:52 +0100 Cruz Bay is the main town on St. John. The beach and ferry dock are right there, only a block from the post office. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar17 Journal Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:45:31 +0100 Your fearless reporter at jvj.com isn't afraid to get her feet wet in search of wildlife. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar16 Journal Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:56:45 +0100 One day I stayed (you can hardly call it camping) at the windiest spot on St. John, Rams Head Point, where the Caribbean and Atlantic meet. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar14 Journal Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:09:19 +0100 Blue skies, turquoise water, sea turtles, two buck Presidentes, shrimp Creole, palm trees and warm tradewinds: these are just part of being in the US Virgin Isles. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar13 Journal Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:24:13 +0100 Tomorrow I head south, to St. John in the US Virgin Islands, for a few days camping. The campground I’m staying at is eco-friendly. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar06 Journal Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:04:12 +0100 You may have noticed that the first update of the month was a little late, that’s because Paul has been working behind the scenes, building a better website. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar04 Journal Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:56:30 +0100 Last month I introduced you to our old cellar, complete with secret tunnels and tombs from the 1600’s. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar03 Journal Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:08:08 +0100 I’m glad you asked: -4F. That’s minus twenty Celsius, a record low here. Just standing outside for a few seconds was enough to make my hands ache. http://jvj.com/journal0308.html#mar01 Journal Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:43:25 +0100 It’s cold so I’m reminiscing about warmer climes. Last Summer I camped at Big Sur. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb28 Journal Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:49:48 +0100 It snowed some more, all day yesterday, tiny damp flecks that stuck to tree branches. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb27 Journal Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:47:17 +0100 So of course it snowed--it always snows. Here I am following fresh deer tracks down toward the creek on Sunday. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb25 Journal Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:49:56 +0100 Paul and I appreciate everyone’s comments. We heard you, and for the most part folk seem to be taking the advertising in their stride. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb23 Journal Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:26:32 +0100 I’m now on the East Coast. It’s twenty degrees out, frosty but not snowy. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb21 Journal Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:39:59 +0100 Tomorrow I fly east to spend some time in Upstate, NY. It’s a good place to work as I’m away from house and friends, and it’s often too cold to go outside. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb19 Journal Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:26:34 +0100 Okay that was a trick. There are no possums in N. America. It’s spot the opossum. It’s really there, honest. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb18 Journal Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:58:26 +0100 In case you don’t generally stop by the message board, here’s a copy of my latest post outlining our current dilemma. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb16 Journal Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:15:24 +0100 And the wildflowers are blooming. For most of the year, the hiking trails in San Diego are brown and dusty, but right now, after long (and much-needed) weeks of rain, plants are flowering. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb15 Journal Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:12:02 +0100 In case you’re wondering about the inscription on the floor of the cellar. It’s a tombstone. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb13 Journal Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:23:29 +0100 Growing up, one of my nicknames was Pothole Jones. Whenever I smiled two big cavities opened up in my cheeks. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb12 Journal Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:27:49 +0100 At last, readers questions answered. We’ve put up a new page containing answers to some of the most popular questions about the books, writing, and other stuff. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb11 Journal Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:46:26 +0100 It was only a matter of time before I started reminiscing. Here is part of the cellar Paul, Mark and I used to rummage around in as kids. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb08 Journal Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:48:21 +0100 One of the best ways to improve your dialog is to read it out loud. We know how normal speech sounds and our ears can pick up a clunker a mile away. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb07 Journal Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:58:30 +0100 Here’s my latest birding dilemma. I was reviewing photos I took in June at Big Sur when I found these. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb06 Journal Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:56:33 +0100 The egrets have returned to my local lagoon. This is the time of year when they pair and mate. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb05 Journal Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:38:38 +0100 San Diego’s starting to look like England. All the years I’ve been here I’ve never known such a rainy season. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb04 Journal Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:30:35 +0100 In 2006 I visited the Everglades. The best birdwatching ever--you could drive down any highway and see the most spectacular displays of plumage. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb01b Journal Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:24:20 +0100 Bald eagles mate for life. So do swans, Canadian geese, barn owls, some waterfowl, and some tropical birds. http://jvj.com/journal0208.html#feb01a Journal Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:07:18 +0100 Here's another photo from my walk yesterday. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan29 Journal Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:57:17 +0100 Yesterday I went for a walk at my local lagoon. After all the rain we've been having, everything is green and lush. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan28 Journal Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:32:26 +0100 There be eels in Blue Dhoone Lake. In Fortress of Grey Ice the Dog Lord eats one, teeth and all. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan26 Journal Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:18:00 +0100 Paul has been busy behind the scenes. His latest project has been revamping The Barbed Coil pages. They’re looking cool, all black and shiny. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan24 Journal Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:22:39 +0100 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." “The sky above the port was the color of television tuned to a dead channel.” http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan23 Journal Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:24:19 +0100 Been a little under the weather since I returned to San Diego, but feeling a bit better today. Tea, honey and toast are my standbys. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan22 Journal Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:56:16 +0100 And now a word from our sponsor...that’s...er...me. My earlier books are now available for download from Mobipocket. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan19 Journal Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:14:05 +0100 I may be back in San Diego but the memories of the northern woods are strong. I think we all have places for which we feel a special affinity, places that touch our soul. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan17b Journal Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:23:45 +0100 Yesterday I headed home from NY to San Diego. Flying west at dawn is a magical experience. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan17a Journal Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:05:20 +0100 Quietly, behind the scenes, we’ve been doing some maintenance at jvj. Well, Paul has. I went for a walk in the woods. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan16 Journal Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:12:11 +0100 I like words, I just do. Coming across a new one pleases me. Especially when it’s as good as hillingar. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan15 Journal Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:27:46 +0100 Robert Thompson over at Fantasy Book Critic has put together a list of writers favorite books from 2007. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan14 Journal Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:32:07 +0100 How does one convey a sense of place in as few words as possible? http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan12 Journal Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:43:45 +0100 About five years ago I wrote a small piece on the foods of my childhood. I posted it in an obscure corner of the website and promptly forgot about it. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan11 Journal Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:33:47 +0100 Taking photographs--snow-laden branches, mountains shrouded in mist, frozen lakes etc--helps with my writing. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan10 Journal Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:55:41 +0100 This time when I visited Lake Placid I went there to ski (badly). Whiteface, the ski hill, is owned and run by the State of New York. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan09 Journal Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:39:57 +0100 I spent Sunday at Lake Placid, a small town in the heart of the Adirondacks. The 1932 and 1980 Winter olympics were held there. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan08 Journal Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:48:32 +0100 Here’s a couple more shots from my trip last week which included a drive through Aamish/windmill country. Windmills are neat. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan03 Journal Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:13:03 +0100 The Mohawk River flows east through Upstate New York. Yesterday I went for a walk along its southern shore. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan02 Journal Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:05:47 +0100 The last day of 2007 was a snowy one here, with a foot of powdery snow falling in the night. I awoke in the morning to a changed world. http://jvj.com/journal0108.html#jan01 Journal Tue, 01 Jan 2008 02:01:37 +0100 Yesterday I drove through Lowville in Upstate New York. It’s an interesting part of the world. One hundred and twenty windmills, each 320 feet high, dominate the landscape. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec28 Journal Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:21:38 +0100 Happy Holidays from me and my brother, Paul. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a fine New Year. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec23 Journal Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:30:56 +0100 I landed in NY state late last night in the snow. Ice crystals were strafing past the plane window, glittering in the wing lights. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec21 Journal Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:28:00 +0100 I’m off to NY state this week for the Holidays. I’ll be taking my laptop and working. Hopefully I’ll be able to get to the mountains. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec18 Journal Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:15:50 +0100 The French fantasy site elbakin.net has translated the interview I did with Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec13 Journal Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:28:42 +0100 People have been commenting that I wear a lot of goofy hats. No way, not me, must be confusing me with someone else. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec11 Journal Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:59:38 +0100 The book signing at Mysterious Galaxy on Friday night was a lot of fun. Even though it was raining we had a good turn out. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec09 Journal Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:30:20 +0100 The highest surf in a year is currently hitting San Diego shores so the fearless reporter at jvj.com decided to head to the beach to check it out. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec07 Journal Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:04:27 +0100 I attend a couple of writers groups, one of which is for aspiring writers. One of the recurring issues is technical stuff: sentence structure, grammar, word usage, punctuation, etc. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec06 Journal Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:03:42 +0100 I was working on my laptop about 4pm when I looked up and noticed that the light in the house had turned a deep, brilliant red. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec04 Journal Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:42:15 +0100 We actually got some rain on Friday. Quite a lot of rain, two inches in all. It helped bring down the fire danger. http://jvj.com/journal1207.html#dec02 Journal Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:53:21 +0100 If you're close to San Diego, stop by and see me next Friday, Dec 7th at 7pm. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov29b Journal Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:05:36 +0100 Fire season continues in San Diego. The conditions for wildfires are just about perfect: low humidity, bush that’s as dry as hay, no significant rain in 9 months and desert winds. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov29a Journal Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:02:50 +0100 Pat over at Fantasy Hotlist has posted an interview about the Sword of Shadows series. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov27 Journal Mon, 27 Nov 2007 20:31:39 +0100 As promised here is the photo of the tiny green bird I spotted while on Catalina Island. I believe this is the erroneously named orange-crested warbler. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov26 Journal Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:18:58 +0100 For Thanksgiving I went to Catalina Island. It’s an hour-and-a-half ferry ride across the Pacific. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov25 Journal Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:06:29 +0100 Readers have been emailing me requesting a place to leave feedback, ask questions, rant, praise, and discuss the books. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov21b Journal Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:42:34 +0100 I live for stuffing--not turkey, just the stuffing. There’s a brand of stuffing in England called Paxo. Comes from a box, the “flavor” is sage and onion. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov29a Journal Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:45:22 +0100 The universe is infinitely big and strange, but don’t take my word for it. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov19 Journal Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:54:00 +0100 When I returned to San Diego I discovered the house was covered with a fine film of black ash. Inside, the skylights had acted like chimneys, drawing the smoke. Perfect squares of ash lay beneath each of them. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov18 Journal Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:58:22 +0100 Last week I attended the World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga. 1,200 writers, publishers, booksellers and editors in one place over four days. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov16 Journal Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:17:19 +0100 While I was in Upstate NY I took a short trip to Lake Placid. Lake Placid is surrounded by the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov13 Journal Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:11:21 +0100 Saratoga Springs is famous for thoroughbred racing, and sculptures of horses line Broadway, its main street. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov08 Journal Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:20:24 +0100 The World Fantasy Convention was held in Saratoga Springs this year. 1,200 writers, booksellers, agents, editors and publishers attended, making it the biggest Fantasy Con ever. http://jvj.com/journal1107.html#nov06 Journal Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:32:06 +0100 Caught in a bind for Halloween? Inflatable tombstone blown away? Squirrel ate your pumpkin? I may have the answer for you. Ghost deer. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct28 Journal Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:19:04 +0100 Be specific. That’s one of the most important pieces of advice writers receive, and one of the easiest ones to accomplish. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct24b Journal Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:03:16 +0100 The local fire threat is receding. The mandatory evacuation of the area adjacent to where I live has now been canceled. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct24a Journal Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:50:15 +0100 The car's packed and I'm ready to go at a moment's notice. According to the official Carlsbad City website the voluntary evacuation is due to the air quality, not imminent fire danger. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct22e Journal Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:57:30 +0100 The police have just driven past with a speakerphone. Voluntary evacuations are now under way in my part of Carlsbad (southeast). http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct22d Journal Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:17:19 +0100 The air is hot and stinking. It's eighty degrees and the wind is gusting up to 50 mph. Part of my fence has blown down. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct22c Journal Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:05:48 +0100 The wildfires are tearing through San Diego. The winds are high and ash is sailing through the air. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct22b Journal Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:20:43 +0100 The Santa Anas are hot seasonal winds that blow in from the desert. They started up yesterday, blowing into bone dry Southern California. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct22a Journal Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:15:32 +0100 Fantasy Book Critic interviewed me at the weekend. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct18 Journal Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:02:15 +0100 Bookplates are self-adhesive. You peel off the backing and stick them on the inside title page of the book. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct17 Journal Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:30:19 +0100 I’m a dog person, I really am. We had a dog growing up, Winston. Mum didn’t like cats. Still doesn’t. So how did I end up with a cat? http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct16 Journal Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:20:54 +0100 I went boating on Sunday, in the Pacific out of San Diego Bay. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct15 Journal Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:03:44 +0100 Bonjour, mes lecteurs francais. Je suis desole que je ne puisse pas comunicate avec vous en votre langue maternelle. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct13 Journal Sat, 13 Oct 2007 20:46:43 +0100 A couple of people have emailed me asking how they can order A Sword From Red Ice online. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct12 Journal Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:39:58 +0100 The post today brought my author’s copies of A Sword From Red Ice. Two boxes of them. The book looks wonderful. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct09 Journal Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:46:00 +0100 I was at the California/Arizona border at the weekend. The Colorado River has been dammed at Picacho Peak to create a series of lakes and washes. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct08 Journal Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:49:50 +0100 For those awaiting the publication of A Sword From Red Ice in the UK here’s a shot of the British cover art. I think it’s pretty cool. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct06 Journal Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:28:10 +0100 Not to be confused with its US namesake, Canadian Glacier National Park is in British Columbia, west of Banff. http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct04 Journal Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:31:50 +0100 October is finally here. A Sword from Red Ice will be out on the 16th in the US, and it's my birthday ten days later. Is this the best month of the year, or what? http://jvj.com/journal1007.html#oct01 Journal Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:01:00 +0100 Here are some more photos of Kootenay. I camped on the edge of the park one night and watched as the Milky Way slowly revealed itself above me. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep26 Journal Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:44:37 +0100 Here I am in Yoho National Park, doing my best impression of Vanna White. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep24 Journal Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:45:30 +0100 The first national park I visited was Kootenay. It was here we saw two bighorn sheep by the road. This one stayed put and inspected us while we took photographs. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep22 Journal Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:51:14 +0100 I had a wonderful time in Alberta and British Columbia. It’s a spectacular part of the world. Soaring limestone peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, dense forest, milky rivers: nine days isn’t nearly enough to take it all in. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep19 Journal Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:37:29 +0100 I got Biggie from the Helen Woodward animal shelter six years ago. Her mother was a feral cat and Biggie's always been a little gun shy. If the doorbell goes you won't see her for hours. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep05 Journal Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:05:05 +0100 Dictionaries define the word edit as "to prepare for publication" and "to cut or eliminate". In order to edit one's own work one must learn to do both. http://jvj.com/journal0907.html#sep01 Journal Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:51:02 +0100 The three fine people who won galley copies of A Sword From Red Ice are: Kevin A of Moses Lake, WA; Ashley W of Hot Springs, AR; and Paul K of Anchorage, AK. Sorry if you entered and didn’t win... http://jvj.com/journal0807.html#aug26 Journal Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:06:31 +0100 I’ve received lots of emails about the galley copy. Thank you. Too many to respond to in person, but I read them all. People have made very good cases for why they should receive a galley. There’s some persuasive readers out there. http://jvj.com/journal0807.html#aug15 Journal Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:31:56 +0100 Galleys are bound promotional copies of books that are produced to enable buyers, reviewers, sales teams and writers to read the book before it’s published. Generally, galleys haven’t been copy-edited so there’ll be typos and other errors. http://jvj.com/journal0807.html#aug10 Journal Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:03:04 +0100 My dad, William Jones, passed away when I was a teenager. He loved Science Fiction. Paperback editions of Heinlein, Clarke, Herbert, Pohl, Bester and others were always lying around the house. http://jvj.com/journal0807.html#aug01 Journal Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:50:12 +0100 Beginning writers often ask me for advice, and the best and most basic advice I can give is: write every day. Even if you’re busy, uninspired, or feeling under-the-weather: write. Do not wait for inspiration. http://jvj.com/journal0707.html#jul25 Journal Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:41:44 +0100 Cover art is commissioned by a publisher’s art department, which works closely with the book’s editor. Often the manuscript hasn’t been finished so the artist must work from a brief description or rough draft. http://jvj.com/journal0707.html#jul09 Journal Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:27:03 +0100 I've been very lucky to have wonderful artists illustrate my books. Both the UK and US editions of Sword From Red Ice have fantastic covers. http://jvj.com/journal0707.html#jul04 Journal Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:22:28 +0100 Some of you may know that my brother Paul helps me out with this website. He’s in Liverpool, England. http://jvj.com/journal0707.html#jul03 Journal Tue, 3 Jul 2007 18:50:05 +0100 Most writers I know are pretty particular about how and where they write. We like our familiar and comfortable surroundings. We also like our familiar, comfortable and usually very ratty reference books. http://jvj.com/journal0607.html#jun27 Journal Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:06:25 +0100 People often ask where my ideas come from. It’s a hard process to pin down, but I believe that spending time outside and experiencing nature contributes in a variety of ways. http://jvj.com/journal0607.html#jun15 Journal Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:23:50 +0100 I've busy working on the new book this week. It doesn't have a title yet, but I'm considering breaking with tradition. 'Something of Something Ice' has been the model for the past three books; it might be time for a change. http://jvj.com/journal0607.html#jun11 Journal Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:17:39 +0100 Last week I went camping in Big Sur. It was beautiful. Redwoods, groves, craggy sea cliffs, windblown hills. Walking amongst the redwoods is like stepping back in time. http://jvj.com/journal0607.html#jun05 Journal Wed, 6 Jun 2007 03:35:39 +0100 Hello everyone. I now have an actual galley copy of Sword From Red Ice in my hot little hands. I'm very excited about the book coming out. http://jvj.com News Sat, 26 May 2007 19:09:14 +0100 I thought I’d begin this online journal with some information. The next book in the series, A Sword From Red Ice, will be out in both the US and UK in October. The book was completed in December 05. October 2007 was the earliest it could be scheduled for release. http://jvj.com/journal0507.html#may23 Journal Wed, 23 May 2007 19:09:15 +0100 Read this exclusive pre-release sample chapter from book III in the Sword of Shadows series. http://jvj.com/sfripro.html Sample Chapters Wed, 23 May 2007 19:09:16 +0100