Wuxia Novelist: A Writer's Blog

Wuxia Novelist: A Writer's Blog looks at the broad range of issues encountered by me as a novelist working in the Chinese wuxia (heroic fiction) genre. I have, however, a very broad background and this blog will not narrowly focus on one genre of literature, rather I will consider books, movies, and ideas that relate to my life as a writer. For more information about my background please visit my author's website: www.thedragongateinn.com or www.facebook.com/WuxiaNovelist

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Check out my author's website: www.thedragongateinn.com for everything you could ever want to know about me.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Pleasant Surprises

Summer is slowly beginning to creep over the mountains here at the Inn. Yet, I went out for bike ride this morning and “froze”! Hope some of you had a chance to catch the Giro d’Italia – 100th anniversary of the classic Italian bicycle race that takes three weeks to cover over 2000 miles of always beautiful Italy! Lance was there getting in shape for the Tour de France – things should be getting very interesting once he’s back up to speed in a couple of months.

I had a pleasant surprise yesterday when I got a Publisher’s Weekly news email. The Book Expo of America has just wound up in New York City and there was actually mention of my publisher, Jack Estes, and his press – it is a very small literary press and to get mentioned among the “big boys” of publishing is great for all of us associated with Pleasure Boat Studio. So here’s the “mention” and please do visit their website at www.pleasureboatstudio.com for some of the very interesting books they publish.

Zaijian!

BookExpo America 2009: Indie Buzz Panel -- Big Range

By Michael Coffey -- Publishers Weekly, 5/30/2009 3:21:00 PM

Pleasure Boat Studio is a press that few have heard of, but Shaw, in her post at Foreword, has been extremely impressed by the list from this “tiny” New York press. Publisher Jack Estes was on hand to pitch a debut mystery, Swan Dive by Michael Burke. The mystery is based on the myth of Leda and the Swan—that is, Zeus transforming himself into a swan in order to seduce the beautiful Leda, generating several children—“loosely based,” Estes hastened to add, in this “extremely intelligent” mystery by the son of famed literary critic and philosopher Kenneth Burke. The detective at the heart of the story is one John “Blue” Heron—none too smart, innocent, naïve, with an eye for women and enough ambition to get the next month’s rent, barely. Estes said the narrative techniques are sophisticated but that he considers Swan Dive a “blue-collar mystery—earthy, thought-provoking and very, very smart.”

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6661805.html?industryid=49050