Tez in the City: Kasabian 2010 Edition

You’re waiting for a gig, and the venue speakers are pumping out hipster rock tracks. But then they play Air Supply’s “All Out of Love”. What does this mean? Kasabian is in the house!

Had it happened only once, you’d brush it off as an odd coincidence. If it happens at two separate gigs, that’s planned. Not sure if this is the song of choice at all their gigs, or just their Australian ones, but you’ve been warned

Thursday 22nd August 2010 at Trak in Toorak. Kasabian were filmed for a [v] live special, due for screening in mid-to-late August. I was lucky enough to win a double pass, thanks to the good people at the Herald Sun. Simple contest: in 10 words or less, what is Kasabian’s best song and why? My answer: “Empire” is the perfect song to invade a country to. Terrible grammar, and the band has so many awesome tracks that I don’t even know if “Empire” is my favourite, but the whole “invade a country” thing occurred to me one day, so I filed it away, and now I’ve used it to my advantage. Yes, my eejit brain sometimes serves me well

Behind an unused bar, I saw the stage really well, though you wouldn’t know that from my phone-photo of the band performing. A fabulous one-hour set, tight with one hit after another. Serge Pizzorno rocked the hipster look, with white jeans, leopard-print top and a fetching hat. There were some extra musos, and the Noel Gallagher look-alike guitarist totally freeze-framed when his services weren’t required for some songs. Seriously, he could’ve stepped off-stage, but instead showed that statues can have street cred. Rock on, Noel Gallagher look-alike!

Earlier in the year when Kasabian’s tour was announced, I couldn’t afford a ticket. Luckily for me, my dear siblings birthday-gifted one, so on Friday 23rd August 2010 I was at Festival Hall in West Melbourne. The wood floor was sticky, beer was spilt on my shoulder, I couldn’t see anyone on stage except for tiny snippets every now and then, and moshers squashed me on occasion…but nonetheless, I had a great time. I didn’t recognise all the songs (I’m a bad fan), I didn’t know some lyrics (terrible hearing), I couldn’t hear my atrocious singing, and I can’t dance for shiz, but I was still enraptured.

This gig also came with a bonus trumpeter. Totally wasn’t expecting that, but he was very welcome. Rock on, trumpeter!

I also learned the error of my ways. I’m list-obsessive, and thus when acquiring an album, I hit up Wikipedia to see if there are extra tracks or B-sides released in other places, such as iTunes bonuses, or in Japan. (Japan’s CDs tend to almost always have bonus tracks, and I’m terribly jealous.) I bought West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum in 2009 when it was originally released, and wrote a list of extras Wikipedia mentioned. However, the album was re-released when Kasabian toured with the Big Day Out festival. (They were supposed to do solo shows later, but I think they acquired swine flu.) This re-release featured a DVD, as well as some remixes on the CD. And a new original song, which I’ve read was an “Underdog” B-side.

The song in question is “Julie & the Moth Man”. The band performed this on Friday, and I rather enjoyed it. Heard it twice later on the car ride home, and loved it more. Borrowed the special edition CD, and acquired the track for myself. It’s done quite a number on me. It’s rather hot, though I’m not sure if it’s meant to be. This may say more about me than it does about the song, but you can hear it here and report back to me.

Yes, you should definitely attend a Kasabian gig whenever possible, and don’t be confused if you hear Air Supply’s “All Out of Love”

Kasabian CD albums
Kasabian Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
Empire Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
Box set of all 3 albums Buy (UK)

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[INTERVIEW] Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer’s debut novel, Nightshade, will be released in October (US/Canada/Australia), with Wolfsbane to come in July 2011, and Bloodrose in 2012. Here’s a few spoiler-free questions I asked her. Enjoy!

Is Lake Superior really superior to other lakes, or is it just up itself?
Obviously I’m biased, but yes, absolutely. It is gorgeous, the largest of the lakes and the most pristine.

Nightshade is set near Vail, but there’s no mention of Colorado in your bio. Did you live there at some stage, or was it just the right location for the world you built?
I’ve visited Colorado, but never lived there. The Keepers reside in places that are luxurious but also somewhat remote; Vail offered the ideal combination of characteristics.

You may be Professor Chaos, but you’re also a history professor. My favourite historical tropes are laudanum, asylums, and the Romanovs. Any chance of you writing about any of these in the near future?
Interesting. I don’t know about laudanum, but I definitely could see asylums and the Romanovs working into future projects!

Andrea Cremer
Nightshade (Witches’ War, Book 1)
Penguin Philomel (US & CA: 19th October 2010); Hachette Atom (UK: 6th January 2011)
Review
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While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack’s world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches’ War that surrounds them all…

Andrea Cremer
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14 New Covers

Holly Black: Red Glove Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Lexxie Couper: Savage Transformation
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Lauren DeStefano: Wither Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
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Brenna Yovanoff: The Replacement Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

[REVIEW] Nightshade – Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer
Nightshade (Witches’ War, Book 1)
Penguin Philomel (US: 19th October 2010); Hachette Atom (AU: 28th October 2010; UK: 6th January 2011)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Werewolf alpha Calla Tor is doing one forbidden thing after another: saving a human from a bear, exploring new territory without any pack members, falling in love with the aforementioned human…plus a milieu of other social faux pas. These may seem minor, but they’re very big issues in a society where Guardians (werewolves) serve their Keepers, and protect against Searchers. Calla’s life isn’t the only one on the line, and trust will be tested to the ultimate limit. This Blood Moon, there really will be blood…

Welcome to your new reading obsession! Nightshade is supreme crack with all the angst, drama, gore, death threats, and weird shiz you could want. Fascinating dynamics, characters in serious need of hugs, and a secret history that changes the game combine for entertainment of the highest order. Watch out for Samhain, a truly memorable event including one of my favourite tropes that I wish more authors would explore. With two other novels due for publication in the next two years, there’s plenty more intrigue to follow, and Nightshade should become an international best-seller.

[REVIEW] Kiss of Death – P. D. Martin

P. D. Martin
Kiss of Death (Sophie Anderson, Book 5)
Harlequin Mira (US: 1st August 2010); Pan Macmillan (AU: 1st October 2010)
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With two puncture wounds in her neck, an exsanguinated corpse was likely the victim of vampires…or people who think they are. FBI profiler Sophie Anderson works with the LAPD to investigate the case, and she’s a little too eager to unofficially go undercover, infiltrating the mysterious After Dark group. She’s been struggling to understand her own psi abilities, so maybe that’s why she wants to spend more time with the leader…

This is the fifth novel in the Sophie Anderson series. I’d already read the first two novels, skipped the third (features one of my most disliked tropes), and haven’t yet got my mitts on the fourth. The original Australian trade paperback edition mistakenly labelled Kiss of Death as a “thriller” on the front cover, but I’d put it under the catch-all genre of crime or, more specifically, procedurals. (The thriller element kicks in at least halfway into the novel.) The Aussie mass market paperback cover has wisely removed the “thriller” label, but I’m including this note in case you acquire the earlier version.

It’s never really concluded whether the vampires really are supernatural, or if they suffer from porphyria and/or Renfield’s syndrome. I’d love to read more about these medical/psychological conditions, so hopefully future authors of vampire fiction will continue to explore the science.

While the research and investigation are fascinating, I can’t connect with the characters. As a psychological expert, you’d expect Sophie to know better, to smell a rat, to not fall for a New Religious Movement leader. She shouldn’t be so easily charmed. As soon as we encounter him, Anton Ward’s a sleaze, and thus I don’t get the attraction. Quite possibly the idea that he could share more details of Sophie’s psi abilities could explain the appeal, but only partially. But generally speaking, in fiction alpha males tend to be douchebags, so I never understand their appeal. But I’m likely in the minority, so my opinion doesn’t count

August 2010 Releases

Done with July 2010 Releases? Here are August 2010 Releases. To see further into the future, check Reading Wishlist.

[REVIEW] Tsunami Blue – Gayle Ann Williams

Gayle Ann Williams
Tsunami Blue
Dorchester Love Spell (US: 30th March 2010)
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Blue was in Thailand when the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami killed her parents and twin brother, and many others. After that, her uncle raised her in the San Juan Islands, teaching her to become a killing machine as that would ensure her survival in a dangerous world where pirate Runners murderously reign over the seas – and any land they come across.

It’s 2023, and Blue has been taking to the airwaves to broadcast when she senses upcoming tsunamis. When a person washes ashore, he’s barely alive. Blue rescues him, before she discovers that Gabriel Black is a Runner. Or “was”. Gabriel claims he wants to save Blue from those who want to hold Blue hostage to keep her psychic gift to themselves, but she doesn’t know if she trusts him.

The story’s a bit episodic at first, but that soon changes. When Blue hits Vancouver, the tension and plot really step up, with high stakes, cage fighting, and plenty more deadly encounters in store. There are numerous opportunities for Blue and/or Gabriel to die, and that they survive it all really tests one’s suspension of disbelief.

The world-building is eerily realistic, though my scant lack of altitude knowledge makes it a little baffling. I would’ve assumed the islands would be underwater, instead of Seattle, but that’s my un-intelligence talking. As well as the San Juan Islands, countless packets of Starbucks Christmas Blend have also survived, and they’re name-checked so often here that the coffee company really should sell this book in their stores. Or at least send the author some free Christmas Blend

Adding “New” to a place name to remind readers that a story is set in the future? Not cool! In real life, there’s a state named New South Wales; it is not near Wales. There’s a country named New Caledonia; it is not near Caledonia (which I’ve heard is another name for Scotland). Get it yet? These places aren’t just the same spots with an added “New” to their names; they’re located elsewhere in the world.

I blame the Futurama effect of adding “New” to the same cities to remind audiences that it’s futuristic. Since then, I’ve seen “New Chicago” in two different book series, and here we have “New Vancouver”. Writers, please don’t do this.

Tsunami Blue is a fun, quick read, and I like it a lot more than this review may suggest. (I’m in a bad mood today.)

[REVIEW] Afterlife – Merrie Destefano

Merrie Destefano
Afterlife (The Resurrection Chronicles, Book 1)
HarperCollins Eos (CA: 8th September 2010; US: 28th September 2010)
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Nine lives aren’t enough for those seeking immortality.

Fresh Start employee Chaz Domingue assists his newly resurrected charges for their first week, and this one’s proving a real challenge. Angelique Baptiste’s previous identity had ties with Chaz’s brother, and was highly involved in some revolutionary research – the results for which some people will kill. With resurrection, that’s not much of a threat, but Chaz is a One-Timer who never signed up for future lives.

Merrie Destefano has crafted a premise that’s powerful in its simplicity. The perfect blend of urban fantasy and science fiction, there are characters to cheer for and settings that spook. From the City of the Dead to the Underground Circus, from gen-spikes to liquid light, from dogs to their human counterparts, Afterlife has so much to love, and the second Resurrection Chronicle can’t come soon enough! (No cliff-hanger ending, though – it’s a gorgeous standalone.)

I Am Citizen Snips

My Reading Wishlist is much slimmer. A lot of readers talk about how they have so much stuff on their Wishlist, but they say it with a giggle. They don’t mean to change their ways.

But I’m list-obsessive, and can be quite stubborn. Especially when it comes to my reading tastes, and not every novel’s summary appeals to me on the same level. So I’ve snipped the ones that didn’t enthuse me at the time of snipping. Nothing against the authors themselves. In some cases, I’ve kept one series by an author, but have cut that author’s other series.

So if you notice that a particular novel isn’t on my Wishlist:

-I may have already read it.
-I haven’t heard of it.
-I tried to read it, but didn’t finish.
-The summary doesn’t enthuse me at this time.

What does this mean for YOU? My monthly release summaries will be a lot shorter, but packed with only the very finest (in my opinion).

Also, some of the books I’ve cut are ones that I bought, so they’ll be needing new homes. No give-away; I’m too poor for that. But if you’re willing to pay postage, then you could become the proud new owner of these fancies.

K. A. Stewart on Outlining

K. A. Stewart’s debut novel, A Devil in the Details, will be released next week (6th July 2010). You can learn about the book at the end of this post. But first up is a guest blog post Kari has written about her outlining process for Devil. Enjoy!

Hi, I’m Kari, and I’m a reformed pantser.

It’s true. I used to just write as things came to me, just spewing words out without a thought to where the story was going, or what I was trying to accomplish. Writing scenes out of order? Sure, why not!

I was hard at work at this EPIC fantasy thing I had going, when I got the idea for this nifty little urban fantasy project. And I thought, “Okay, I gotta finish the one I’m working on, and THEN I can work on the new one.” Only the UF wouldn’t leave me alone. It kept whispering to me, telling me awesome little secrets.

So, to appease the muses, I decided that I’d scribble those little secrets down, just some notes really, then go back to work on my EPIC fantasy. That way, I wouldn’t forget anything, and it would be there waiting for me when its turn came.

Only, my notes kept growing (faster than the EPIC fantasy, I might add) and one day I looked at those UF notes and realised that I had chapters delineated, I had a beginning-middle-end, all in summary form. Holy cow, I had an outline!

And y’know, since I had that outline there, and it seemed so easy to just jump in now and then…Y’know, just to write a little bit when I got stuck on the EPIC…I was amazed how easy the UF was coming, even just in tidbits. I was never stuck! Anytime I couldn’t figure out what had to happen, I just glanced at my outline, and realised, “Oh yeah, I gotta hit this plot point here! Duh.”

Somewhere along the way, the EPIC fantasy was trunked (at 78,000 words), and that cute little UF project I was just toying with became A Devil in the Details.

Devil was the first novel I ever outlined. I’ve written four novels since then, including Devil‘s sequel, and I’ve outlined all of them beforehand. I don’t think I will ever be able to go back to being a pantser.

For me, outlining typically starts with a random word doc full of notes. It’s rather chaotic, totally random. When I first start imagining a book, I often have to jot down the inspiring element, so I don’t lose track of what made me want to write it in the first place. It could be a song lyric, a poem, a random conversation overheard at the bus stop. I get my ideas, literally, from everywhere.

Once I have that inspiring element, that seed, I start scribbling down everything that comes to my mind. Kinda like a one-person brainstorming session. A lot of times, it spills over to a couple of my beta readers, as I try to express in words all the awesomeness that’s rolling around in my brain. Because every time I start a new project, in my brain, it’s the most awesome thing EVER. I’m not the most objective of audiences. My betas tell me what’s working, what might be cool. They let me know if I’ve got something, or if I’ve totally lost my mind.

I jot down character ideas. Snippets of dialogue. Plot points, or even scenes that have come to me so very clearly. Often, I have no idea where those scenes are going to go, but I don’t want to forget them in case I find a place for them!

I see what kind of research might be needed. Setting the book in a new city? Research the city! Need to know police procedures? Research that. Need to know the chemical makeup of lighter fluid? There’s an app for that. Seriously.

Eventually, my random scrawl of notes starts to take some form. My plot points start to drift into a logical order, and eventually even break into what will be chapters. That doesn’t mean I have every single event plotted. Quite often, you’ll see the note “something happens here” on my outlines. But it’s an excellent starting point.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they don’t like to outline, because they feel like it forces them to stick to the outlined points. They feel trapped. But the way I do it, things change as I write! Some of my plot points don’t make it into the chapter they’re assigned to, or even at all. Those points I highlight in blue on my outline, and don’t worry about it anymore. Sometimes, at chapter eleven, I realise that I really should have mentioned event XYZ back in chapter three. Instead of screeching to a halt where I am, I just go add another blue note to my outline for chapter three, and I go on. The same goes for any nifty new points I dream up, partway through the process. “OMG, this guy SO needs to have x-ray vision!” The note goes on the outline, and I keep moving.

The second draft of any book I write is always going back through my outline, reviewing those blue notes and either incorporating them, or marking them off as unnecessary. Once I have that “correction” pass done, I feel confident in sending my creation out to my betas, and the poor little outline generally falls by the wayside after that point. It has done its job valiantly.

I like to imagine (when I’m suffering under delusions of my own grandeur) that someday someone will collect all of those old outlines and the world will get a good laugh at how different the finished books were from those initial notes and scribbles.

But hey, it worked.

K. A. Stewart
A Devil in the Details (Jesse James Dawson, Book 1)
Penguin Roc (US & CA: 6th July 2010)
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Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate) until one day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon. Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death. Jesse lived to free his brother – and became part of a loose organisation of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can’t figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last…

K. A. Stewart
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