If you’re going to be at Balticon 57 this Memorial Day weekend, please stop by for the Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading on May 27th!
It’s happening at 5:30pm in room 7029 and includes Randee Dawn (moderator), Morgan Hazelwood, Roberta Rogow, D. H. Timpko, and myself. It’s my first RFR with Broad Universe so I’d love to have friendly faces there!
I’ll be reading an excerpt from Cast a Shadow of Doubt and giving away some books and bookmarks/postcards.
Earlier this year, I blogged a list of things I’d like to achieve in my writing career [which is a little different than goals as a writer, though there’s some overlap] – from small to outrageous.
One of those was to start regularly being a panelist at prominent SFF conventions. And here’s the first on the list!
I’ll be taking part of Flights of Foundry, which is a virtual-only con happening on April 14th – 16th 2023, as both a panelist and reading a selection from Stories of the Eleriannan. *cue biodegradable confetti*
My schedule –
Saturday the 15th, 4pm EDT: Stories of the Fat Body, with Jennifer Spirko and Jennifer Hudak.
“Fat acceptance, body positivity, healthy at any size: fatness and awareness of the issues surrounding it is having a cultural moment. Panelists will discuss our stories about fat bodies, from the cultural touchstones that reinforce, or undermine, fatphobia, to ones with good fat representation. What are the tropes around fatness we’ve seen too much, and what do we want to see more of?”
Sunday the 16th, 6pm EDT: Reading with Christiane Knight
It’s free to attend and if you’re interested in speculative writing, art, comics, media, etc. then you should definitely check it out! You can register here: https://flights-of-foundry.org/
I realized that I haven’t caught up with y’all lately about some of the things that happened since I released Cast a Shadow of Doubt, so what better time to do that than now? I’ve got a few things that will be coming up in the future as well that I’ll drop here. Make sure to put them on your calendar!
In case you missed it when it originally happened, I wanted to link this here! I had a really great talk with Pat 626, the host of Subculture Shock and The Afterparty, both streaming shows that I rebroadcast on my streaming own radio station, Radio Xiane. Pat and I have a lot of history – they took over SubShock when I left Charlottesville, and have kept that show alive in various forms, from FM radio to now livestreaming on Twitch. If you love the music in my book soundtracks, you will adore their shows.
When Pat asked to interview me, I was immensely flattered and immediately agreed. Our chat was everything I expected and then some–we cover topics as diverse as building community, the power of music, and what it means to struggle with impostor syndrome and crushing fear by trying to create works that build hope. There is a TON of emotion in this interview, and we could easily have gone on for hours. Please give it a listen, especially if you are feeling the pressures of everything right now.
I recently joined the wonderful folks at Liminal Fiction! They feature an ever-growing library and collection of spec fic [science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, horror] that is searchable by author, title, genre, and more. If you sign up for the mailing list, you get four free ebooks, plus a really informative newsletter — and the ability to save your Liminal Fiction finds to a TBR list as well as note your favorite authors. I really love the community, and they have a Facebook page as well!
You can find my author page here: https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/christiane-knight/
I’ll be appearing at the Baltimore Faerie Faire on April 9th! This will be super fun, because last year it was all virtual, and this year attendees will get to see all the lovely outfits and experience musicians, stilt walkers, storytellers, mermaids, the drum circle, and more. There’s a Faeries’ Ball the night before, as well. I’ll have a table with my books, and I’ll be doing some live reading from Cast a Shadow of Doubt as well as teaching branch weaving in the crafting area. It will be a great time and if you’re in the Baltimore MD area I’d love to see you! You can get all the details here: https://www.christianeknight.com/events/baltimore-faerie-faire-2022/
I’ll also be kicking around at Balticon 56 this year! It is happening May 27-30 2022. Last year I attended virtually and had a virtual table. This year it will be in person and I won’t be as lucky as to have real estate in the vendor’s room this year, but you’ll still be able to find me around the con. I’ll try to post some updates about where to find me during the event. I may have some opportunities to do live readings, and of course I’ll post about that as soon as anything is conformed. I recommend coming out to the con, it is a lovely event and has been going strong for longer than I have! More info here: https://www.balticon.org/wp56/
Things that have been pretty laid back since launch day for CASOD, let me tell you! And that’s a relief, because the days around the launch are always really busy and a little anxiety-inducing, if I can be honest. But I do have a few nice things to report, including that Cast a Shadow of Doubt is now available through Indie Bound and Bookshop.org — and that means that your local bookstore can order copies to stock, or put in special orders! And for folks who don’t want to spend their cash through A*m*z*n, or buy directly from me, this is a nice workaround. You can find all the links for places to order CASOD on the book’s page: Cast a Shadow of Doubt
I’ve been working on some cute jewelry with Fae-related motifs, like mushrooms and the like. Very simple, cute, and inexpensive adornment is my jam! I’ll have those up on my Ko-fi page soon, and if you’d like to know when they get listed, you can either subscribe to my newsletter or follow me over on Ko-fi. [or even better, support me there!]
I’ve got THREE different WIPs going, y’all. Yes, they’re all set in the Stories of the Eleriannan version of Baltimore, and no, they’re not direct sequels. We’ll be meeting some new characters and exploring some different spaces in the city…but expect to see appearances by some familiar faces, as well. At least one has a queer romance too, my friends! I’m really enjoying writing these stories and taking my time because of that.
I’m sure there’s news that I’m missing, but if you follow me on Ko-fi… ahem. Anyway, where do you want to see me next? Any guesses about new characters? Comment below and throw all your theories out there!
I’m still enjoying a post-launch high! On Sunday I had my official Launch Party live on my Facebook page, which–despite some technical difficulties, thanks FB– went well and was a LOT of fun. The technical difficulties included Facebook glitching and deciding that I was spamming my own broadcast, which led to me being kicked off and having to restart it… so there will be a delay before I have the video stitched together to repost elsewhere.
In the meantime, you can check out the two parts via Facebook: here’s part one and here’s part two.
The next interview that I’ve got coming up is one that I’m really looking forward to — I’ll be on Subculture Talk, the live interview show hosted by DJ Pat 626 of Subculture Shock. Pat and I go waaaayyyy back! Before they were the host of SubShock, back on FM radio in Charlottesville VA, I hosted that show. So we know each other very well and we are both extremely silly with a similar sense of humor. It should prove to be a great time!
From their event page:
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1098977697570944/
After Subculture Talk, I don’t have anything on the schedule until Baltimore Faerie Faire in April. [details are in the sidebar 🔜]
I’ll make sure to keep you updated as things change, however! Or you can sign up for the mailing list, and you’ll always be the first to know where I’ll be and when.
I’ll leave this blog post with a pic of the official proof copy of Cast a Shadow of Doubt! I will have the copies in my hands for signed copy orders in just a few days — yours will look like this without that ugly ribbon across the design. I can’t wait to get them into your hands!
You’d think that December should be a downtime sort of month, what with the holidays and the end of the year quickly approaching. But you’d be wrong! I have been diligently working away in the background on a bunch of different things: events and appearances for 2022, new upcoming projects, goals for the new year, and oh yeah… all of the details surrounding putting together Cast a Shadow of Doubt!
Let me start with CASOD updates first, because they’re exciting! I’ve moved through the editing process and have the finished text. Formatting is almost done, and the next steps are cover, blurb, and technical background details.
All cover images you’ve seen so far have been placeholders, created by me. The central image is a reference to a plot point that is integral to the storyline, and that’s all I’ll say about that. Will the official cover look similar? You will have to wait and see! There will be a cover reveal when I’m ready and I’ll make sure you know all about it.
I feel good about the blurb as it stands, and you’ll see that SOON. And technical background details are things like setting up preorders, ISBNs, registering with the Library of Congress, etc. If you’d like to learn more about what is entailed with these tasks as a self-published author, you can join my Ko-fi as a member of the “A Writer’s Life and Craft” level.
I have started setting up events for 2022, and although it isn’t confirmed yet, I can whisper in your ear that I’ll definitely be at Baltimore Faerie Faire again — and this time, IN PERSON! Yay!
Other places I’ll be, although I’m not sure if it’ll be in an official capacity or just as an attendee, include the 2022 Nebula Conference, Balticon and the Summer Solstice Faerie Festival. I’ll have a section up soon with all of these events listed, and I hope to meet some of you there!
Are there other events where you’d like to see me? Please leave a comment here with suggestions!
Once CASOD launches on Imbolc [which is February 1st] 2022, I will be turning my hand to some related projects. I am currently working on story #3 set in the world of the Eleriannan. It remains to be seen if it will be a novel or something shorter, but it will be my first published story that features an LGBTQ+ main character. Considering how quickly–at least for a newbie author– I put out two novels, I’m taking a little more time with this story. It has characters really close to my heart, and I think you will love it.
Another thing that I have been discussing is starting a podcast that features theatrical readings from my stories. I can’t afford to make audiobooks [yet] so this might be a fun way to create something folks can listen to in the car or at home. I can’t guarantee that this will happen yet! It’ll take some money for equipment upgrades, for one thing. But if this interests you, and you want to help, supporting me on Ko-fi is the best way to do that.
I went the other day to my local library to see one of my books, one that I wrote, with my own two eyes. And there it was, on the shelf with all the new releases, and I may have done a little dance in the aisle when I saw it.
I’ve had a lot of amazing achievements this year as a newly published author, but this one might mean the most to me. Libraries have an important place in my heart. As a young person with a voracious reading appetite and very few friends, libraries were a lifeline for me. They are hallowed ground, in my mind. And now I have a book in one. Actually, more than one, because In Sleep You Know is in three library systems that I’m aware of – maybe more that I’m not!
And that brings up a Big Ask from me.
Folks, did you know that you can request your library to carry specific books? For free! Some library systems require you to log into a library account, but many do not. You’ll have to fill out a form, but that’s easy and the info you’ll need is easy to get from Amazon or Goodreads. And if they approve it, other people will get a chance to read my book. Or other indie authors’ books, because you can do this for any indie or self-published author who has taken the time to make their books available for library systems to purchase!
So if you want to give me or another author a present for the holidays, please take the time to request our books through your library systems. It only takes a moment and will help us so much!
Your support is the best thing in the world, my magic seekers. Expect another blog post before the end of the year, and I appreciate that you took the time to read this one!
Interviews are a LOT of fun to do, let me tell you! I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Wendi Van Camp of No Wasted Ink. I talk about how I became a writer, my writing style and inspirations, and some of the background behind the world of the Eleriannan and In Sleep You Know.
Please click through to read the interview, then stick around to read the rest of the interviews, plus poetry and more!
https://nowastedink.com/2021/09/23/author-interview-christiane-knight/
As I continue to worn on Cast A Shadow Of Doubt, I have decided that now is the time to open up my street team, the Fae Council! What’s a street team? It’s a group of friends and fans who agree to help spread the word about me and my books, in exchange for special access, ARC opportunities, swag, giveaways, and more.
It’s a pretty casual affair that gives you lots of opportunities to get rewarded for telling other people how much you love my writing… aka a win-win! There’s a Facebook group and a private Discord channel, so sign up now!
https://www.christianeknight.com/street-team/
Speaking of writing, I’m actually finished the first draft of CASOD and I’m well into the revision/editing stage! Things start to move faster once I’m in this part of the process, so expect to start seeing excerpt shares and teasers soon. Yay!
I can tell you that if you love Lucee and Vali, you will really love this story. There are new characters and creatures and of course lots of music, food… and bad guys. There are always new bad guys, right?
I post mini-updates a lot on Twitter, for those who like chatty platforms.
Link is at the top of the website 🔝
ps – I’m going to start planning my event schedule for 2022! As it stands now, Cast A Shadow Of Doubt is scheduled for launch in early 2022, and I’ll be looking to make appearances after that. Do you have suggestions? Anywhere you’d LOVE to hear me read, or get a chance to talk about my books or writing in general? Drop suggestions in the comments! 💜
I am participating in not one but two different events happening throughout August! I’m inviting you to sign up and not only discover an amazing amount of talented writers across multiple genres, but also get many opportunities to win some great prizes.
Follow some amazing authors across the web and enter to win Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews,
Zodiac Academy: Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, and Million Dollar Demon by Kim Harrison, and Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore –
plus a Lucifer candle, Buffy spiral notebook, Dean and Castiel Supernatural plushies,
a fated mates magnet, a Harry Dresden pin, and a wolfy bookmark.
Go here to enter: https://clcannon.net/2021/08/05/urbanparanormal/
Discover over 100+ free, discounted, and Kindle Unlimited Fantasy and Sci-fi books
and enter for your chance to win a Kindle Fire, a one-month gift subscription to Owlcrate,
and a $10 Starbucks gift card!
Check it out here: https://clcannon.net/bookfair/
I definitely recommend checking out all the authors that are participating in these events, signing up for their newsletters, and following them on all their social media – and of course, filling up your device with all their books!
It’s happening THIS WEEKEND!
Join us online, May 28-31st (Memorial Day weekend), for the 55th Annual BALTICON.
By fans. For fans.
A Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention featuring:
Science & Literary Panels, Music, a Film Festival, Art Show,
Gaming, Anime, Vendors, and MORE!
Admission to Balticon 55 will be free
Balticon is being run on multiple platforms. I will be in the Dealer Room all weekend at Balticon! You can visit me in either the Gather version of the Dealer Room [pass: BookClub], or you can join the BSFS Discord server and chat with me there, or BOTH!
In Discord, you can find me by chatting in my space in the B55 Dealer Room section. [#christiane-knight-three-ravens-press]
This is a pretty easy interface to use, but I thought I’d give you a few pointers to help you feel comfortable!
When you click the link, the first thing you’ll do is create an avatar. It takes just a moment, and there are plenty of visual choices for you! Once you enter the Con space, take a few moments to wander around and get a feel for movement. Use X to enter spaces, and G will make you into a “ghost” so that you can move around without accidentally starting conversations with other attendees or bumping into them.
You’ll note that as you get near people, you’ll be able to see them on video if they have their cameras on, or hear their conversations if their mics are on.
To find a specific person, click on their name in the participants tab on the left, then click “follow” to have your avatar automatically run up to them. Once you find them, you can unfollow. It’s a great way to locate friends!
I’m going to recommend that you do that to my avatar to find my booth. Just find Christiane Knight in the participants, and click follow, and you’ll travel right to where I am. Easy-peasy!
To come inside the Three Ravens Press booth, just walk up to the table and press X and you’ll enter right in! There, you’ll find my website, and if I’m there you can talk to me. I will be there all weekend except when I am attending panels or doing tech support in a panel.
Any questions, just comment below or shoot me a message via Facebook and I’ll help you out! I hope to see you there.
Today was Launch Day, the day that my book In Sleep You Know became available to purchase in paperback form and downloadable to Kindle and other ebook formats! To celebrate, I held a Facebook Live party where I talked about the book and how it came to be, answered questions about being an author and my processes, and did some live reading from the book as well as some poetry. If you missed that, here’s the recording!
I’m so excited to invite you to the Baltimore Faerie Faire, happening VIRTUALLY this weekend!
It is happening on Gathertown, which is a graphics based, virtual interactive space – it feels a lot like playing an RPG type game! You will be able to make an avatar, then walk around the event virtually to check in on musicians’ performances, do some shopping in the tents of the vendors, and even hang out with some mermaids.
The main faire will be happening between 11am and 5 pm EDT on April 10th, though there are also events happening starting at 7pm on April 9th, including the magickal Faerie Ball – come dressed in your best fae garb!
You can learn more by going to the Facebook event pages:
https://www.facebook.com/events/713128272890567/
https://www.facebook.com/events/128510469211760
And the event will be happening at GatherTown:
https://gather.town/app/FArv3oGRHwjTHtw1/BaltimoreFaerieFaire
This is a pretty easy interface to use, but I thought I’d give you a few pointers to help you feel comfortable!
When you click the link, the first thing you’ll do is create an avatar. It takes just a moment, and there are plenty of visual choices for you! Once you enter the Faerie Faire, take a few moments to wander around and get a feel for movement. Use X to enter tents, and G will make you into a “ghost” so that you can move around without accidentally starting conversations with other Fairegoers or bumping into them.
You’ll note that as you get near people, you’ll be able to see them on video if they have their cameras on, or hear their conversations if their mics are on.
I’m going to recommend that you do that to my avatar to find my tent! Just find Christiane Knight in the participants, and click follow, and you’ll travel right to where I am. Easy-peasy!
To come inside the Three Ravens Press tent, just walk up to the table and press X and you’ll enter right in! There, you’ll find my website, and if I’m there you can talk to me. I should be there all day Saturday except when I am doing live readings. In fact, if you come to my tent, there’s a good chance you might catch me doing random readings there, too! Expect some chapters from In Sleep You Know!
To see ALL the vendors, plus info about the event and photos from previous events, go to: https://baltimorefaeriefaire.weebly.com/
