This diary also available in Orange.
Howdy all,
I’ve been around close to a year now as an occasional diarist and regular commentator. As many of you know, I’m also a science fiction and fantasy writer with a first novel out today from Penguin’s Ace division, and I thought that was worth a diary. So, read on if you’re interested. The book, WebMage is a contemporary fantasy/cyberpunk hybrid available pretty much everywhere, and it’s been getting some pretty great reviews:
In a starred review, Publishers Weekly. called it an “original and outstanding debut…” and said “McCullough handles his plot with unfailing invention, orchestrating a mixture of humor, philosophy and programming insights that give new meaning to terms as commonplace as “spell checker” and esoteric as “programming in hex.” And even, “this is the kind of title that could inspire an army of rabid fans…”
Romantic Times gave WebMage 4 stars and said “McCullough has done a fantastic job integrating technology and mythology, and Ravirn is a wonderfully sympathetic protagonist who remains accessible and likable throughout the course of this novel.”
SFRevu., said, “WebMage contains a good deal of humor and a highly inventive new way of looking at the universe which combines the magic of old with the computer structures of today.”
Here are links to a couple of other reviews, Fresh Fiction. Alternative Worlds, and epinions.
If you’re interested in buying the book and supporting the liberal blogosphere at the same time, you can pick up a copy at Powells via the Booman link here.
Another blue option would be Barnes & Noble.
Or, if you’re interested and an Amazon shopper, you can go here.
I’d love to hear comments, answer questions, etc, though it may take a little while for me to respond. I’m away from home and my internet access is a bit spotty today.
Thanks for reading!
Kelly
Congratulations, Kelly! I’ll order a copy from Powells – my husband will love it.
I hope he enjoys reading it at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it.
All the best of luck Kelly.
Oh, Kelly, this is lovely! And that last line of the PW review is enough to launch a best-seller. Wow. Can’t wait to read it!
Thanks Kansas!
Yeah, the PW review was beyond anything I could have asked for. I was totally blown away. Everything will be easier from here on out. And I’m frankly surprised it made it into Romantic Times – that was also a really nice review, it’s on the front page of the F&SF section alone between the two prime picks for the issue. I keep waiting for the bad ones.
I will be getting my copy from barnes and noble and then asking where I can send it for the Author’s signature.
I’m sure we can work something out. Email me when the time comes. Either via the form at my website – my sig should link to that, or kelly at my full name kellymccullough dot com
And I’m completely trusting your promise not to suck me into the vortex of an ongoing series.
No series. Or at least no series without fair warning. This one was intended as a stand alone. There is a sequel, but it too is a stand alone. I much prefer to write a single book and move on. That said, I am shopping a young adult book right now that’s intended to be either a stand alone, or the first of four. And the one I start next week is the first of a trilogy, but when I say trilogy I mean three books and done, no 4, 5, 6, etc.
but I appreciate the extra assurance. 🙂
My new philosophy (thanks to Hodgell and Kirstein) is to wait until a series is finished to read it — that way not only can I be sure I’ll have at least two or three brain cells left to absorb all the details, I never have to read any of the never-ending ones.
This is wonderful!!!
I’m pretty much floating today.
A first novel is a wonderful thing. My wife and I published our first book about 20 years ago. We’ll get around to doing another one someday. We keep telling ourselves . . .
(As an aside, the book was translated into Japanese under an agreement with a specialty publisher over in Japan. We got a few copies of the translation, and immediately sent one to my parents. However, somehow I neglected to let them know what it was, and our names only appeared in English on the title page. So my mother told me that when they got the package, my father opened it, took a look at it, and loudly announced, “What the hell is this??”
May you have similar stories to tell. 🙂
That’s a fabulous story and I appreciate the wishes.
WooHoo Kelly!!!!! Powell’s here I come. A really good scifi book is better than sex!
I won’t comment on the sex comparison, but I will say that if you have even half as much fun reading it as I had writing it, you’ll be in for a good ride.
Way to go Kelly! Glad to hear it has hit the shelves with positive reviews. I will put it on my list for sure.
Yeah, the reviews have been an enormous relief and an unexpected pleasure. You always hope for good ones, but you can’t ever count on them.
I’m looking forward to reading it. My S-F consumption goes in waves and it’s about time for me to catch the next one.
I hope you enjoy it.
Great news Kelly! I’m very happy for you, and especially since you’re getting such good press! That’s got to be a really great feeling, so bask in it all you can and enjoy! I’ll be on the lookout for it next time I go to B&N, so I can take a closer look.
Congrats!
I hope you enjoy it.
Congratulations Kelly, what a great day!! I’m really looking forward to not only meeting you in a couple of weeks, but seeing you “in action” at the book signing. I think for this one time, I’ll wait and buy it there.
I’m quite looking forward to the meetup as well. It’ll be fun to have some faces to go with the names and handles.
I’ll be right behind you in line, Nanc! I am just thrilled for you, Kelly..just thrilled.
Thanks.
“Ravirn is studying systems engineering at the University of Minnesota….Shara: Cerice’s voluptuous, flirtatious purple webgoblin, who sometimes converts seductively into a purple laptop computer….”
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0441014259/ref=sr_11_1/103-7388407-3835004?redirect=true&ie=UTF
8
Kelly, you don’t know what you’ve done. You’re going to be listening to “Darling Nikki” and other Prince-based filk knock-offs at every con you attend from now till doomsday.
The filk must flow.
I hadn’t even thought about it, but you’re absolutely right. But hey, you know you’ve made it when you’ve been slashed and filked (though not necessarily in that order).
I knew a writer named Kelly
I guess you could say he was a text fiend
He worked every day on his novel
Got great reviews from big magazines
He said, “How’d you like to read WebMage?”
And I could not resist
Filking him before the first page…
😉
Best wishes on this exciting venture, my dear Mr. KMc. I will very much enjoy watching you succeed at something you love.
That’s really sweet. I appreciate it, a lot.
WebMage
Direct Action, BostonJoe
and a DVD of Rock and Roll High School
(((hooray KMc)))
I just finally got a chance to start reading the copy of Direct Actions I picked up months ago. I’m a couple fo chapters in, and there’s a lot to like.
Congratulations, Kelly! Now about that signed first edition…
I appreciate it. The first edition part’s easy. The signed presents more challeneges, but something can maybe be worked out. See my note to Refinish above. Of course, you might want to make sure you like it first…
I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy lately, I’m looking forward to the book.
Just ordered my copy from Powell’s, looking forward to it.
I hope you enjoy it!
Wow, Kelly – how wonderful for us that you shared the joy of this fabulous day in your life. I’m so happy for you! (And talk about “wow” – the reviews alone should leave you floating on air for weeks!) As timing would have it, I spent both Saturday and Sunday with various friends who turned out to be huge SciFi fans and all of them look forward to purchasing your book. (Forgive me, but I couldn’t stop myself from a bit of extemporaneous marketing on your behalf :^)
And now …. I certainly have a better understanding of your busy schedule in the near future, and boy do I feel fortunate that I’m going to be there in person to get my first addition signed copy. Way cool! (Could you please number your signings, and make mine a smaller digit than Nancy and Scribe’s – even if they’re both ahead of me in line ;^)
On another note … I need to offer up a bit of (somewhat humorous) candor … in that…. I… um…. misunderstood your original e-mail, and thought you were doing a book signing for a science curriculum book … so, for awhile there, until I knew better – I had been trying to think of a gracious way to avoid the purchase of such a book. Yes, sad but true….and no, it hadn’t made sense to me that you’d have a book signing for curriculum writing. :^)
All my best for great success, Kelly. Make sure to live in the moment and relish every second of it!
It’s been a fabulous ride lately. Crazy busy, but fabulous. The review situation alone feels positively unnatural, but I’ll take it. And, I guess I’ll forgive you for marketing on my behalf…this time. Well, and any time after this. Feel free to push my books as frequently as you like. Thanks for that. The misunderstanding is perfectly natural, as I also do science curriculum stuff as well. I look forward to seeing you and Nancy and Scribe come August.
Congrats!
What’s your first line? Or favorite line?
I have a line I really miss. It’s a parallel worlds story using computer magic to travel between worlds like web pages. In the original short story-which makes up parts of the first and second chapter-there was a moment where the protagonist was getting ready to travel between a side world and the main stream of reality. And the mrl (magical resource locater) identifier for that mainstream included the tag “gorepres2000” because I just couldn’t see another outcome. And yet, here we are, way out of what should have been the primary course of reality with President Al Gore. I miss that line and all it meant.
So, when do you talk to Terry Gross?
The second she asks me on her show?
Wow! Congratulations, Kelly! Future NYT Best Seller;-)
I’m really looking forward to the read.
From your lips to the flying spaghetti monster’s ears.