Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Blogrolling and My Diabolic Plan

Well, I was going to announce a debut tonight, but my debut calender will not load. It's a Google calendar and this has NEVER happened before. Wonder what's up? In the meantime, here's some links.

The most interesting link that's popped up recently is Chip Stone, Mighty Hunter. This is a serialized novel by Jim Collette. I've only read the first few chapters, and they are fairly amusing once you can get around a volcano having a conversation with an aspiring hunter. It's a stone age novel where "funny beats logic and certainly trumps historical reality." The author is an archaeologist. Since I know some of you enjoy free web fiction, I thought I'd pass it on.

La Gringa has a new domain. She's been making up for her lengthly absence by linking every skiffy site I ever heard of, and many that are new to me. She went way back to the beginning of January when she linked Fantasy Debut, thus shaming me into finally putting up this post.

Mervi reviews at Curled Up With a Good Book, but points to her posts from her blog. She's Finnish. I'm thrilled to have a reader from Finland. She also has some rather impressive academic credentials. I had not yet added her blog to my Google Reader, but it's there now.

I felt like I was recognized by one of the demi-gods of fantasy reviewers when OF Blog of the Fallen popped up in my Technorati Authority. I see that they have put up a review of Last Dragon, which was one of the debuts I hoped to announce tonight.

The overly-humble JT runs JT's Booklist. You want to meet a humble lawyer? Check JT out. Unfortunately, JT has not posted in over a month; maybe seeing the link here will inspire him. Hopefully all is well.

Thunderweasel has not actually linked here, but this blog attracted my attention enough for me to bookmark it for this post. She seems to review all sorts of fantasy. We have a lot of blogroll buddies in common.

The Bookling seems to be astonishingly prolific. I wish I could read that fast! And I love the bug! Fantasy Debut is one of just a handful of links, which makes me feel all kinds of special.

Speaking of feeling special, Maria Zannini did a very nice mention of both this blog and my other blog a few weeks ago. Her novel, Touch of Fire, comes out through Samhain Publishing this summer.

Not everything pops up on Technorati or Google Analytics, so if you've blogrolled this site and I missed you, please let me know!

* * *

And now, my plan. My plan isn't really diabolic, but it got you reading didn't it? I know . . . cheap trick. But my plan is this: I'm thinking about starting a newsletter. My husband might very well think of this as a diabolic plan, but I'm going to try not to make it very time-intensive. It would come out roughly the first week of the month and would include:
  • links to all debut announcements,
  • links to all interviews and author guest posts,
  • links to all "final" review posts,
  • exclusive behind-the-blog anecdotes, which won't make it in the blog.
I'm trying to think of a name for this newsletter. I'm also trying to find a decent newsletter host. I'm leaning toward Google Groups. With Google Groups I'd be stuck with plain text, but Zinester will put ads in it. I'm looking around at other places as well.

The only title I thought of so far -- other than Fantasy Debut Newsletter, is Fantasy Debutzine. However, I think that title really sucks, if you'll pardon my French. Let me know if you can think of anything better.

13 comments:

Maria Zannini said...

Blushes...thanks for the mention, Tia.

As for your newsletter, I don't know about this outfit, but there's an author I follow who used them and I thought her newsletter came out quite nicely.

http://www.ezinedirector.com/affiliate_id=250309

Ref: name
For consistency's sake I would keep the same name as the blog so your readers know it's you. Fantasy Debut Newsletter sounds fine to me.

Carole McDonnell said...

Wow, woman! This fantasy-debuting is really branching out. As long as it isn't too overwhelming.

Debutzine doesn't grab me. Makes me think of debutante for some reason. I like the regular plain Fantasy Debut Newsletter. It says what it needs to say.

Good luck! -C

Tia Nevitt said...

Thanks for the referral, Maria. I'll check it out!

Carole, I'm trying not to make it branch out too far! If I didn't think the newsletter would be as useful to me as everyone else (I often forget what I've already announced), I wouldn't do it.

Thanks for the votes!

Angela/SciFiChick said...

You could just call it "The Fantasy Debut."

Tia Nevitt said...

"The Fantasy Debut". That has a certain indescribable ring to it . . . I like!

Anonymous said...

Tia, thanks for the kind words for Chip Stone. My vote would be Fantasy Debut Newsletter--says what it is. Then I wouldn't confuse it with Fantasy Debut, which, in my normally confused state, I surely would. Looking forward to it!--Jim

Anonymous said...

Here's another vote for Fantasy Debut Newsletter. It's short, sweet, and requires no brain cell usage when you see it in your email inbox. :)

Btw, a newsletter is a great idea. Then we could see at a glance what's been covered.

Tia Nevitt said...

Thanks to both of you!

Larry Nolen said...

"Demigod?" Me? Thanks for the compliment! I do read your blog from time to time and oddly enough, this comment appeared on my Technorati page, so I thought I'd drop by now and say that even the "demigods" are peeking over your shoulder from time to time! ;)

P.S. You're doing some excellent things here. Keep it up.

Tia Nevitt said...

Thank you! I'm trying!

Technorati is a great way to figure out who is mentioning Fantasy Debut. However, they are a bit spotty about picking up WordPress blogs. Other than Technorati, I rely on click-throughs that are picked up by Google Analytics.

Robert said...

Well, I have no thoughts on the title, but just wanted to say good luck with the newsletter! I used to run one when I did both Dynamic Rock and Kings of A&R and they're a great tool. But I have to be honest, they took up some time and I hated doing them ;)

Tia Nevitt said...

Time is always an issue. But if it helps me get organized, that will be a benefit.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the mention!

I'll vote also for the Fantasy Debut Newsletter.