Caveat Emptor-- cell phone insurance
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Life

Or, Cell Phone insurance seems to be a waste of money.

Okay, the first thing I'll admit is that I should have read the fine print.
 But judging from the number of other people howling about this in various places on the Internet, lots of us have missed the implications of said fine print.
 Here is my sad story. May all of you cell phone users learn from it!

Our family is with Verizon. The main reason we've stayed with them is that for people at sea, like my spouse, it gives us great coverage up in the Alaska area and off the coast. He can call me from the ship.  When we are sometimes apart for four to nine months of the year, that's a big deal! 

We have four phones on our plan. I use a rather basic one, but those who text, email etc from theirs have chosen more expensive models. So when Verizon offered us the chance to insure the phones with Asurion against all breakage or loss for only about $5 a month each, it sounded like a good deal.

First battle: Last year, my daughter's phone quit working. It still lit up and was charged but she couldn't receive or make calls. So I went to the Asurion website and filed my claim. It asked me a lot of yes/no questions. Did you lose the phone? No. Did you drop the phone? No. Did you get it wet? No. Etc. No abuse,it just quit working.

At the end of the questions, the site responded that I was not covered, as the phone was not 'broken' but only 'malfunctioning.'

What?  If it doesn't work, isn't it broken?

 I called customer service at Asurion, and received the same response. I went into my Verizon store, squawked and flapped a bit, (Not in a mean way! I never blame clerks for corporate abuse!) and they gave me a good deal on replacing the phone.

And I went off thinking, well, I should have read the fine print. Now I know.
 Breakage means smashed,crunched, or drowned.  Not that it just stops working.  Still seems like a pretty good deal. If I lose the phone, I still get a replacement.  Not bad for $5 a month. 

Battle Two: Last week, my daughter dropped her phone just as she was shutting the car door. Cruncho. But, no problems, right? Because this time I'm insured and it's definitely broken.

I go to the Asurion website and answer the questions. YES! I am covered! And as soon as I send them my old crunched phone and the $50 deductible, they will send me a 'refurbished/repaired' Samsung phone that looks nothing like my daughter's orange phone with the flip out qwerty keyboard.

Hm. Why?

Well, because they don't have any of my daughter's phones 'in stock'. And even though I can still find my daughter's phone for sale at Verizon and on the Internet, Asurion cannot seem to get any. So the 'refurbished' Samsung is what I can have for my $50. Take it or leave it.

Gr. Not pleased. I know my kid likes the orange one. But this is real life, and if the Samsung isn't pretty but does the same job as hers, we'll take it. I check out the consumer ratings on the Samsung. I try to compare features.  All the consumer reviews say the keys are too tiny for texting. Various and sundry other complaints about it, and it is missing a lot of the features my duaghter's crunched phone had.

 Then the kicker.  The consumer review site says says the Samsung phone is worth between $1 and $25.

Hm. I've been sending them $5 a month for 7 months. That's $35. Plus $50 deductible. Makes $85. So, for $85 they will send me an ugly, used, 'refurbished' $25 phone that doesn't do all things the old phone did.  

Somehow, that wasn't how I thought my insurance would work. The word 'replacement' didn't convey that to me. The math looks all wrong to me, too.

So, I dig around a bit. A couple of years ago there was a class action suit in Florida against Asurion for this very same sort of deal.  Article here. Asurion  settled with the angry consumers and promised to do better at telling people exactly how the insurance would work. The court found that for the $50 deductible, some people were getting  repaired phones worth between $44 and $47. There was a court settlement, and Asurion promised to explain more clearly to people how the 'insurance' would work.

But I still found myself with exactly the same complaint that the previous consumers had. And apparently others are also still having that same experience, because I found lots and lots of current consumer complaints on the Internet from people being treated exactly as I am being treated. Many complain that the 'replacement' phones they got for $50 stopped working or never worked at all, but Asurion would not replace the replacement phones they sent. 

I decide to cut my losses.  I won't send Asurion $50 for a repaired phone that I wouldn't have bought new.  I especially won't send them $50 for a phone that I can buy elsewhere for less than $25. 

So, I went back to the Verizon store. I had in my hand the print-out about the class action suit, and another about the relative values of my phone versus the Samsung. And when I start to explain my grievance, the clerk at the counter gets that hang-dog 'Go ahead and abuse me, because it happens all the time' look. And the lady at the counter next to mine is also saying, "Well, what good is this insurance, then?"

I really felt sorry for the Verizon employees. And I assured the lady at my counter that I knew that she, personally, was not responsible for what had befallen me, but could she please do what she could to help me?

And she did. They made me a deal on a new replacement phone, for the $50 I would have had to pay for the deductible (and I have to mail the broken phone back.) I'm supposed to get the replacement by Wednesday or Thursday.

I cancelled the insurance on the phones. If one gets broken or lost, I can buy my own used, ugly phone from e-bay for $50 or less. I now know that the concensus is that this type of cell phone insurance is a waste of money.   

So, that is my sad story. Yes, I should have read the fine print that said that the 'may' 'replace' my broken or lost phone with a 'refurbished' one. I should not have assumed a 'like for like' replacement in terms of features and appearance. But, now I know. And so do you. And I will start saving 5 or 10 bucks on mycell phone bill by dropping the 'insurance.'

And next time I buy any sort of insurance or coverage, I will remember to read all the fine print and ask my questions not of the salesman, but of the company itself.  Because when you come down to it, it's all in what the contract says, not what you think the salesperson told you at the time of purchse.

Hm.  Why is it that I seem to have to learn that lesson again every ten years or so?

Robin

3:51 PM - 5 Comments - 7 Kudos - Add Comment

Farseer Art
Category: Art and Photography

One of the great pleasures of writing a story and having it published is discovering how the cover artist interpreted my words.  Over the years, I've had cover art by a number of different professional artists.  And I believe that I've been exceptionally blessed with some very perspicacious artists.

For a glimpse of a few of the artists that have 'covered' my work, please visit my website.  Once you've entered my virtual home on the web, duck down to the cellar.  A quick click on the painting of the Gyrfalcon by Matthew Dick will take you (well, the tail of the bird is at least visible) will take you to a page where work from six of the artists and links to their sites are available.  This is but a sampler, of course.  If you make a visit to The Plenty Gallery, you will find it showcases covers from all over the world (http://theplenty.net/wiki/index.php/Book_Cover_Gallery)

Those are the professional illustrators, of course.  A separate joy for me is when artists offer me copies or links to works that have been inspired by my writing.  These are often labors of love.  Some are, to be honest, very amateur work but the passion that often shows through is what matters to me.  (And I should note that even the most 'amateur' work surpasses what I could create!)

Robin

9:24 PM - 3 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

Paris and Epinal
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Writing and Poetry

After many delays and interruptions, a brief report on Imaginales:

Paris. Versailles.  Nancy.  Epinal.

And Imaginales, which should qualify as a separate city, at least for one weekend a year!

It has been a wonderful journey.  I think I could write a whole book about just the last ten days in my life. But if I did, then I'd take a year to do it, and Dragon Keeper would not be finished on time. So I'll have to content myself with just giving a few highlights of my journey.

I think the best way to see a city is when one is accompanied by inhabitants of that city who love it and are well informed about it.  So I was extremely blessed to see quite a bit of Paris in the company of Charles Dupechez and Sylvie Goguel, both of Pygmalion, the French publishing house for the Farseer books.  By boat and on foot, we had a leisurely look around this wonderful old city.  They are both very knowledgeable about the history of the city, and full of the wonderful little stories that make history a magnificent tale rather than a series of dates and events.  They are walkers. I profoundly enjoy taking the time to stroll around a city, and they were both very pleasant about me simply pausing to gawk for long minutes at the incredible architecture.  Charles treated me to a day at Versailles, and again I had the pleasure of his scholarly knowledge.  We explored the grounds first.  I think my favorite locations were Marie Antoinette's hobby farm, and the exquisite small theater that she had built so that she might put on performances for her closest friends.  The tour of the palace that followed was well worth the queue to enter.  The studied magnificence, the deliberate opulence remains breath-taking.  It was hard to leave.

On Monday, May 19^th, I went to the Saint-Lazare FNAC bookstore in Paris, to meet both press and readers, and to sign books.  Bernard Visse & Stéphanie Nicot were on hand to announce Imaginales.  There was a good contingent of folk from Les Rivages Maudit, friends both new and old for me.  The bookstore folk made us all very welcome.

On Wednesday, May 21^st I reluctantly parted company with Sylvie and Charles as I left Paris and journeyed on to Nancy.  But if one has to leave good friends behind in one city, it's always pleasant to discover old friends for the train ride.  I joined Lionel Davoust, translator and friend, and found Stéphane Manfrédoon board as well.  So we had a very pleasant reunion and a lively journey to Nancy.  As we arrived early, I had the opportunity to explore Nancy a bit.  Although my time there was very limited, I was able to make a brief visit to Place Stanislas and also stroll through a museum for a glimpse of some magnificent glass work.  As glass is also a very popular art medium in my town of Tacoma, this was especially fascinating to me.

The reading at the FNAC in Nancy went very well, though I was a bit surprised at the cameras and to know that some of it would be taped for television.  I see that a few of those clips have made it up on YouTube, so I'll leave you to discover it there.

And then it was on to Epinal and Imaginales!

Ever since I first visited there, I've felt that Epinal is the perfect site for this sort of gathering.  It's on the River Moselle, with a lovely gathering space in a park that is always supplemented by the Magic Mirrors.  If you visit the Robin Hobb Hobb photobucket you will see a few images taken inside the Magic Mirrors. Both inside and out, it's charming.

In addition to the Magic Mirrors, there is a large tent on the riverbank.  Inside, the walls of the tent are lined with booths for books and art and related items. The center of the tent if filled with a huge rectangle of tables, all piled high with books.  Inside the rectangle of tables there are helpful people for the sales of the books, and authors eager to sign their work and meet their readers. 

In a separate building, there was more seating for forums, and a large airy space for the art show.  It was my great pleasure to meet several of the artists, and to have my Imaginales poster signed by Michel Borderie.

Art and writing were not the only aspects of the fantastic presented at Imaginales.  I very much enjoyed an evening of music by Gilles Servat.  Roving entertainers were a real source of joy for me, especially the Witch and the Faun.  

Tad Williamsand Sean Russellwere on hand, new friends for me, as well as Jean-Claude Dunyach, Sylvie Miller, Philippe Ward, Lionel Davoust,  Annaïg Houesnard, Stephanie Nicot, Elizabeth Vonarburgand, well, if I keep going, I think I'll fill up Myspace.  All sorts of amazing, wonderful and talented people were there.

Lucie Chenu was there, with the freshly printed French anthology De Brocéliande en Avalon (which includes my story 'Silver Lady and the Fortyish Man') and it was great fun to meet her and some of the other authors in the anthology.

Imaginales is wonderfully casual.  For the guest authors, the day begins at a leisurely 9 or 10 in the morning.  One has plenty of time for breakfast, coffee or tea and a chat with fellow writers or artists before settling in to sign a few books. This is often followed by a forum or panel discussion, another signing session, and then a leisurely lunch with readers or new found friends.  Imaginales is only festival of this sort that I know of that is sponsored by an entire town.  All of Epinal supports the festival; the restaurants extend special hospitality, in some years the museums have special exhibits, the schools participate and the library offers special programs.  It all adds up to a city wide excitement.

Meals were some of the best times at Imaginales, not only because of the quality of French food, but also because of the company.  There was one Imaginales sponsored lunch where I was joined by 15 readers for conversation and questions.  But I also enjoyed several less organized meals, often with members of Les Rivages Maudit.  In particular it was fun to see (and tease!) Serpent Blanc again, and to have some time to get to know Crooty a bit better.

The only marring of my time there was a nasty headache toward the end of the festival.  I felt a bit odd wearing my sunglasses inside to cut down on the light getting into my eyes, but it helped a lot and everyone was very understanding.

One of the new events of this year's Imaginales was a concert that featured music related to all sorts of fantastic themes. It was very enjoyable, and I hope it is something that will become a tradition there.

So, there it is.  My very belated report on Imaginales!  I have now settled back into my home routine and am trying to be very faithful about getting at least 1000 words a day.  My deadline is less than 6 months away now, so it's time to get this book rolling.

Thanks so much to everyone who made this festival possible.  It was, as every Imaginales has been, a wonderful visit that I will remember for a long time.

Robin Hobb

2:38 PM - 6 Comments - 11 Kudos - Add Comment

Dorkness Rising
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Several years back, when Comic Book Ink was situated only a few blocks from my home, I wandered in one day in search of a gift for a friend who was a Wonder Woman fan.  I found exactly what I needed.  But in the course of that shopping trip, I also discovered a DVD, locally produced by a company called The Dead Gentlemen.  The title of the movie was The Gamers.

If you are of the dice-rolling persuasion, or have friends of the dice-rolling persuasion, you may have encountered it.  (I believe it's available through a Creative Commons license on You Tube.)  Created by a handful of friends, some of them local  PLU students, the movie featured familiar Northwest backdrops and a lively tale of a role-playing game gone awry.  It was long on story and character, and despite a tight budget, it was captivating good fun.  I ended up buying six copies, two or three at a time.  It's the sort of movie that begs to be shared with friends.  If you haven't seen it yet, I urge you to locate a copy and watch it.

That way, you'll be primed for what might be called its sequel.  Last night, I attended a screening of the soon to be released Dorkness Rising.  (You can view the trailer here:  http://www.the-gamers.com/ ) The gathering for this informal and entirely enjoyable event was Comic Books Ink, this time at its present location on 72^nd  in Tacoma.  The venue was absolutely perfect, as was the high definition projector and the make shift screen over the comic book shelves.  Before the movie, there was time to browse the store and it's excellent selection of comic books and graphic novels. When all was ready, we set up our chairs, dimmed the lights, and really enjoyed ourselves.  Nothing quite like watching a movie with an involved, responsive audience.  It was a great mix of people and a fun movie.

I am not going to do any spoilers. Suffice it to say that I was very entertained and also impressed. The Dead Gentlemen have gained a lot of experience points since they created The Gamers, while not losing any of their charisma.   Dorkness Rising is a full length movie, scheduled for release this coming summer. The story is solid, as is the character building.  There were a lot of moments for this writer to identify with, as well as a sense that these are players we all know and have gamed with. The audience response was genuine, and there was a lot of laughter.  If you are into gaming at all, this is the most fun you can have without rolling dice.  If you're not into gaming, but enjoy a good story, then this movie is definitely for you, too.

And on a related note, I scored one of the very first editions of Demon Hunters Role Playing Game. This is a very handsome hardback game manual, complete with a DVD orientation movie in the back. It, too, is a Dead Gentlemen Production, published by Margaret Weiss Productions.  This is a game manual that makes enjoyable reading, with such nuggets of wisdom as 'Everything looks better when you set it on fire.'  Each chapter opens with a lively scenario from the game.  Obviously, the creators didn't take themselves too seriously, but this game could be serious fun.

It was wonderful to meet the people behind a small film that I've enjoyed for years.  It feels really good to know that imagination and talent will eventually triumph when enough sheer determination motivates them.  I wish them well on Dorkness Rising, and urge everyone to take a look at it.

postscript

I just realized I hadn't included a direct link to

The Dead Gentlemen

on Myspace. 

You can view a bit of The Gamers there!

As for myself, I am off to France tomorrow.  As many of you know, I do not travel with a laptop, and am usually 'off line' while I'm traveling. So I may or may not drop in for a visit here over the next ten days or so.  I'm looking forward to having a good look around Paris, seeing Nancy for the first time, and enjoying Imaginales at Epinal for the third time. I have high hopes of encountering friends both old and new, and hope to find time for a meal or at least coffee with some of the good people from Les Rivages Maudit.

My schedule is up at my website . If you are attending Imaginales and see me wandering around the lovely riverbank site, please don't hesitate to stop and say hello . . . or bon jour!

See you there! 

3:43 PM - 6 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

My Schedule for France this May
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Writing and Poetry

So, here it is!  The schedule for my upcoming visit to France this May.

I hope to have the opportunity to meet many French readers!

Imaginales 2008, schedule

Monday, May 19^th

3 pm: Press conference in Paris

With Didier Daeninckx, Robin Hobb, Henri Lœvenbruck, Bernard Werber

Festival representatives: elected representatives Bernard Visse & Stéphanie Nicot

In Paris, Fnac Saint-Lazare

5.30 pm: Signing session and panel

Moderator: Jacques Baudou

Wednesday, May 21^th

5.30 pm: Panel in Nancy

With la Fnac / Forum de la Fnac

With Robin Hobb

Moderator: Stéphanie Nicot

Translator: Lionel Davoust

Thursday, May 22^nd

11 am: Imaginales 2008 opening

With Michel Borderie, Johan Heliot, Robin Hobb, Sean Russel, Tad Williams

Moderator: Stéphanie Nicot

Translators: Lionel Davoust  and (TBA)

Espace Cours

7 pm: To write « lofty » literature… Do SF&F writers lack ambition?

With Ange, Francis Berthelot, Élise Fischer, Robin Hobb

Moderator: Christophe De Jerphanion

Translator: Lionel Davoust

Magic Mirror

Friday, May 23^rd

5 pm: From Broceliande to Avalon… The fascination of Celtic fantasy

With Lucie Chenu, Nathalie Dau, Lionel Davoust, Robin Hobb, Élisabeth Vonarburg

Moderator: Stéphanie Nicot

Translator: Sylvie Miller

Magic Mirror

Saturday, May 24^th

12.30 pm: Lunch with Robin Hobb

Festival representatives: Lionel Davoust & Stéphane Manfrédo

5 pm: A talk with Robin Hobb

Moderator: Stéphanie Nicot

Translator: Lionel Davoust

Readings: Claude Ecken

Magic Mirror

Sunday, May 25^th

4 pm : Sword wielders and spell casters: the archetypes of fantasy

With Ange, David Camus, Robin Hobb, Claire Panier-Alix

Moderator: Stéphane Manfrédo

Translator: Lionel Davoust

Magic Mirror

11:24 AM - 9 Comments - 7 Kudos - Add Comment

New free e-books from Eos
Category: Writing and Poetry

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=117776317&blogID=390674886

I forgot to post a reminder here for the February/March ebooks.  So I'll make up for it by reminding everyone that this year, to celebrate 15 years of publishing, Eos is giving away free ebooks, with a new one every couple of months.

This time the book is by Sara Douglas and the title is The Serpent Bride.  It just doesn't get much better than free books.  And even if you are not an e-book reader, you can still follow the link above to sample the first chapter.  Not a bad way to investigate a book.

If you've enjoyed my work, I think it's very likely you'll enjoy Sara's.

Best wishes,

Robin

12:30 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Farseer Graphic Novel
Current mood: excited
Category: Writing and Poetry

For some time now, a French graphic novel version of The Farseer has been in the works.  Pat's Fantasy Hotlist has put up a link to a small sample of it.  I have to say I'm elated and excited.  The scene depicted if Burrich's first meeting with Fitz. The artist behind this adaptation is Laurent Sieurac.  I'm very much hoping to meet him when I go to Epinal, France later this month for Imaginales. I do not, at this time, have a release date for it.  Perhaps when I come back from Epinal, I will know more.  For now, I hope you enjoy this small piece as much as I have!

The first question that everyone asks me when I mention this graphic novel is, "Are there any plans for an English translation?"  Sad to say, at this time, there are not.  But even with my very limited French, I could stumble through the few pages that were put up.  The pictures carry the story very well.

I've been told that graphic novels in foreign languages are actually a great way to improve one's ability in that language.  To my surprise, this has proved true for me.  While I was in the Netherlands, I was presented with a copy of Agent 327, Hotel New York. It's a wonderful 'secret agent' romp that takes place in the hotel in Rotterdam where I stayed. The illustrations are absolutely true to the Hotel, including the barbershop in the basement.  Agent 327 has more than a little bit of Maxwell Smart to him. I can't claim to have understood every single word, but the illustrations carried me when the words failed. The brilliance behind this book is Dutch cartoonist Martin Lodewijk

The other graphic novels I've greatly enjoyed lately came from the Dabel brothers.  If you enjoy George Martin's work at all, (and of course I enjoy it a great deal! ) then I commend the graphic novel The Hedge Knight to your attention.  It continues the saga of Egg and Dunk, a tale worth following in any format.  Also recommended is the two in one volume, The Wood Boy by Raymond Feist and The Burning Man by Tad Williams.  You may already know these stories from the Legends anthology.  I always enjoy seeing an illustrator's take on characters I already know, and these are no exceptions.

Best wishes,

Robin

8:16 PM - 16 Comments - 19 Kudos - Add Comment

Returned from Netherlands and Elf Fantasy Fair
Category: Writing and Poetry

Well, I think I'm finally over my jet lag!

And although I'm very glad to be home again, my thoughts keep returning to the Netherlands and Elf Fantasy Fair.

My visit was like seven wonderful days of someone else's life.  Everything went perfectly.  And here I should give great thanks to Gemma from Luitingh for keeping me organized and on track for my entire visit.  From the moment she met me at the airport until the time she dropped me off for my flight home, she always had our schedule at hand and the latest information about every stop.  I only wish my real life at home were so effortless for me!

My first stop in Rotterdam was Donner Bookshop.  It is huge!  Floor after floor of books, ten floors to be exact.  The area for the talk and signing was well thought out; so often the acoustics in bookstores make it difficult to hear, but this was not a problem at Donner Bookshop.  There was a good audience with lively questions afterwards. And as I was leaving, I was presented with a gift of chocolates and wine. What could be better, I thought.  It wasn't until I opened them that I realized how how far beyond 'better' a gift it was.  The chocolates were hand-packed and very unusual, with some shaped as tulips and roses. And the wine!  So I was very spoiled there.

On Saturday morning, it was off to Elf Fantasy Fair at Haarzuilens. The Fair is held each year in the Castle de Haar.  It is very difficult to descibe this setting in words and do it justice.  The castle was rebuilt in the late 1890's. The reconstruction actually involved moving a substantial part of the surrounding village to regain the grounds necessary for so ambitious an undertaking.  The castle itself is an imposing structure and the park-like setting frames it perfectly.  There was plenty of room for tents for speakers, vendors, and demonstrations, as well as a whole village of tents for the LARP folk.   As a setting for a gathering like Elf Fantasy Fair it is ideal!  The fair itself is like stepping into a crossroads market of every fantasy one can imagine. With the very kind permission of Si2Au, an old e-friend of mine, I will defer to these photos of the events.  As you can see, even I was persuaded to don appropriate garb for at least the first day of the Fair. 

I think it would have been impossible to see all of the Fair, even if one stayed for the full two days, but I did my best to see as much of it as I could in between my events.  The signings gave me a chance to meet many readers, new and old, and to renew, at least briefly, some wonderful acquaintances.  I shared a signing tent with an up and coming young Dutch fantasy-horror author, Thomas Olde Heuvelt  He was promoting his third book Leerling Tovenaar Vader and Zoon .  I'll be looking forward to the English language version, which I understand is in production. 

I attended both days of the Fair. The weather improved from good to fantastic on Sunday, and we saw a corresponding jump in attendance.  The parade of costumes was dazzling.  Many families were there, and one of the most delightful booths offered little ones a chance to try their hand at tilting.  To see a child, 'mounted' on a pretend horse and galloping across a field to catch a ring on his lance was delightful. Some of the children were grinning, and others were quite solemn about it all.  I strolled past a unicorn, a herd of deer, a group of people learning a martial art that involved the use of fans, Gothic Lolita clothing stalls, trolls, wizards, fortune tellers, a dice stall, a mead stall---There truly was something for every fantasy enthusiast there.

On Monday, I returned to Amsterdam.  It is one of my favorite cities for walking.  I remain impressed with the number of birds that live in the city.  I think it is the abundance of water in all the canals.  One pair of ducks was energetically building a nest on a boat in the canal. I leaned on the bridge and watched them for some time.  I also walked through the flower market near my hotel.  Alas, tulip bulbs inspected for export were not available this month, so all I could do was admire all the color and variety there.

Tuesday saw us on our way home, and I've spent the few days since then getting back into harness. After the fine weather in the Netherlands, Tacoma's grey skies were a bit disappointing, but today we finally got a bit of sun.  I took advantage of that to go outside and pull at least a few weeds, all the while pondering how to deal with Regulus, my unruly character.  You see, just because I am not 'writing' doesn't mean I am 'not writing.'  If that makes any sense at all.

Many, many thanks to everyone who came to say hello to me at the Fair.  I have returned home refresh and inspired and ready to plunge back into my writing schedule again.

Robin 

9:03 PM - 5 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Updated schedule
Current mood: groggy
Category: Writing and Poetry

Hello, all!

This is a short blog today, just to let everyone know that I’ve updated the schedule at my website.  If you go to www.robinhobb.com, you can find my schedule easily by clicking on the button on the bottom of the first page.  You will find dates and times for my visits to Elf Fantasy Fair in the Netherlands, and both Imaginales and Utopiales in France.  My next scheduled trip in the US is not until 2009.  Then I will be a guest at Conestogacon in Tulsa.  Make a note that this convention is changing its dates!

I do hope I’ll have the chance to meet and share coffee with readers at these gatherings.

When you visit my webstie, please take some time to explore the rest of my virtual house as well. 

I want to mention that I try to read all the comments and notes sent to me.  I sincerely wish I had more time to do individual responses.  But often I find I have to make a choice between getting new pages of the book written, or replying to email and posts.  Quite simply, I always have to choose working on the book.  Over the years, my fingers and knuckles have taken quite a beating from repeatedly pressing letters on the keyboard. I can only type so long each day before they get sore. I don’t like pain, so I try to stop each day before I’ve made them hurt. That lets me put in a full day the next day, rather than disabling myself by typing too long at a stretch. 

I wish I had the hours and the fingers to keep this blog up to date, and be active on my newsgroup and reply to all email and messages.  But that’s only a wish, rather than the reality. 

So, the book or the story always wins out over the blog or the email.  I hope my readers will agree that’s a sensible choice.

With best wishes,

Robin

11:13 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

A few photos to share
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Writing and Poetry

http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh271/RobinHobb/

Hello! 

I thought I'd put up a few photographs to share. The link above goes to my PhotoBucket.  I bungled it a bit, of course, during my first attempt.

The album that is simply 'Robin Hobb' contains photos taken at Imaginales in Epinal, France in 2005.  There is also an album with some photos from my visit to Taipei for the Book Exposition there, and another album with a few photos from Tacoma.

I'll try to add to these as time goes by.

I had a wonderful time in Beaverton at the 'new' Powell Book store. They are now at 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.  They've been in their new location for almost a year now, but it was my first visit there.  The bookstore has a very spacious feel to it.  I love that they kept the same sort of tall wooden shelves that they had in the old store. And there is now an excellent coffee shop adjacent to Powells.  What could be better?

Peter made me very welcome there, as did a number of readers who turned out for the reading, Questions and Answers, and book signing.  Afterwards, Lea, Dusti, Peter, Fred and I went out for pasta and conversation.  It was a very nice evening, and made up a great deal for my disastrous drive down. 

It should have taken me 2 1/2 hours to drive from Tacoma to Portland.  I left Tacoma a 1 PM, and arrived in Portland at 6:30 PM.  The traffic was completely stopped on I-5 South by a terrible accident that involved a number of semis as well as passenger vehicles.  Our Snoqualmie Pass being closed by an avalanche had increased the big truck traffic on that section of I-5.  The wreckage looked terrible when we finally passed it.  I haven't heard, so I can only hope no one was injured.

On Wednesday, I'll be heading for Austin, Texas.  I always enjoy visiting there.  I'll be doing a signing on February 7 at 7 PM at the Borders Books at 4477 S. Lamar.  I'm hoping for a good turn out!  That will be my final stop for the book tour for Renegade's Magic.  I'm hoping some readers will join me for coffee or a light snack after the reading.  Visit my newsgroup at sff.net to let me know if you'd like to join us.

After that, I'll be staying at home and pounding the keyboard to make up for my lost writing time, until April and Elf Fantasy Fair in the Netherlands.  And then in May, I'll visit France and Epinal for yet another Imaginales.  But I have a lot of pages to write between now and then.

I'll add details of those trips as I know them.  Please visit Robinhobb.com and check my schedule if you'd like to know what else I might be up to.

Best wishes!

Robin

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