…have not been exaggerated. Figuratively speaking.

Apologies for being so silent here, folks. As I mentioned awhile back, I’m a writer, and just recently my first novel came out — a fantasy novel called The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. You can read the first few chapters here at my website, and find the book in most retail stores and online. (Or at the library.) Mandolin at Alas reviewed it awhile back, and it’s gotten a lot of other good reviews, overwhelmingly positive. I’m kind of stunned (but thrilled).

The writer’s life is harder than a lot of people realize. Very little of it consists of sitting around in coffee shops with a beanie on your head, waiting for inspiration to strike. (Like I would wear a beanie anyway.) These days writers have to be PR/business experts too, carefully managing their “brand” and understanding supply chain distribution models and monitoring their sales statistics on a weekly basis. This week, for example, I’ve written about 5000 words on my latest novel, and 6000 words on promotional stuff — guest blogs, interviews, copy for the next book, etc. That’s a lot of words — and between that and the job that keeps me in groceries and health insurance, I’ve got no creative resources left. Which is why I’ve been silent here.

I haven’t given up talking about social justice, though; I’m just doing it for a new audience. At my “srius authar” site, for example, there was a lively discussion about the utility of RaceFail, one year later. I’ve been carefully talking about power and privilege issues over at Orbit’s site, and today put up something about writing a “post-feminist” character. And reviewers are beginning to notice that my work speaks for me; my book explores themes of slavery, colonialism, power, sexism, and so on. So I’m not silenced; I’m just speaking in different ways.

Anyway, just wanted to give ya’ll an update. If you read the book, let me know what you think about its handling of race, gender, etc. I’m looking forward to hearing what folks have to say.