More Maps

One of the things I love so much about these early maps is that they weren't just directions from Point A to Point B. The maps themselves were intricately illustrated and often reflected the worldview of the time. I love this Ebstorf map.

This kind of map is called a mappa mundi, which is a medieval map of the world. This one was made on a number of stitched together goatskins. I am especially fond of the detail at the top and bottom of the map, (warning: large image!) as well as the left and right sides. You can see the head and feet and hands of God as he holds up the world--a reflection of the science of the time.

For Budding Cartographers!

One the things I thought would be fun here is to occasionally post pictures of the various elements that inspired me in the writing of my books. As I researched the Nathaniel Fludd books, I became fascinated with all the different maps that man has made over the years. Here is a picture of the world's oldest map:

It is Babylonian, and you can read more about it HERE on Wikipedia.

Official Release Day x 2!

Ta da! It is the official release of BOTH Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh AND Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, The Unicorn's Tale. 
  
Phew. And I have to tell you, it's true what they say about twins! It's twice the work. But worth it.





I'm also thinking we should have a giveaway. So...if you'd like to put your name in the hat to win a signed copy of both books, just say so in the comments to this post!

Also, if you'd like to read the first chapters of each, they can be found here and here.




*The contest will run for a week so I'll close comments at midnight on Tuesday, April 12.

Announcing the Nathaniel Fludd Website

I'm so thrilled to finally be able to announce this news I've been sitting on for a couple of weeks. We have a brand, spanking new Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist website!

Thanks to the brilliance of illustrator Kelly Murphy and her equally brilliant and talented husband, Antoine Revoy, Nate now has a home on the web! Please check it out when you get a chance. There is a bunch of cool extra content such as Nate's 'sketchbook' and a copy of the actual Book of Beasts, as well as the Fludd Family Tree, which shares some of the unique Fludd history.

It is meant to be explored by kids, and we will be adding new content regularly for their reading pleasure. Plus! There is a gallery of kid's fan art, so if your child is an artist, we'd be happy to feature their art.

World Premier--Nathaniel Fludd Four Cover! (Unicorns!)

My editor sent me this yesterday afternoon and it promptly chased all other thoughts from my mind and I just had to share. Isn't it beautimous?? ::very happy sigh::

I truly am the luckiest of authors...Once again, Kelly Murphy is a GeNiUs!

Plus I figured all of those suffering from way too much heat would enjoy looking at all that cool green forest...

It's a Fludd!

Although not one of the water variety. :-)

UPS delivered a box today and I was surprised to find in it my author’s copies for Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: THE BASILISK’S LAIR. A full six weeks early! I usually receive them right on the pub date. Hm. I wonder if that means they’ll ship to stores early? I'll keep you posted. I guess that also means I ought to have another contest.

Either way, I cannot even say how much I love the design aesthetic Houghton Mifflin and Kelly Murphy have brought to this project. It has exceeded my wildest dreams.

And also, here is the cover for Book Four Three*, THE WYVERN’S TREASURE.


I love, love, love the ominous dragon overhead and the warm toned sky. Kelly Murphy is a freaking geNiUS!! ::ahem:: Excuse me. I get a tad carried away.


* I am starting to get slightly disoriented with having one coming out, one in production, and one I just turned in. Pretty much a Who's On First moment.

Hooo-RAY!!!

Yes, that joyous shouting heard round the world today at 3:00 p.m. pst was ME! I finished the fourth Nathaniel Fludd book. Hoo-rah! I have now put it aside where it will stew and simmer for five whole days, then I'll pull it back out for a quick polish on Sunday and Monday. Then I will email it to the Best Editor EVER.

I gave myself a whole two hour break this afternoon, then began fiddling with Theodosia Four while dinner was cooking. :-) No rest for the wicked. But it feels awfully good to have one down and only one to go.

AND, we have a winner for last week's drawing! The lucky number was 2:

So Karen, email me with your snail mail address and I'll get your copy of THE LOST CONSPIRACY out to you. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Fludded With Good News*

So, you know how I mentioned I was holed up in my writing cave for the next few weeks? Well, it's about to get even worse . . . but for very good reasons.

The Publisher's Lunch announcement:

R.L. LaFevers's fourth book in the NATHANIEL FLUDD: BEASTOLOGIST series, set in France, in which Nate, gremlin Greasle, and Aunt Phil close in on adversary Obediah Fludd, news of Nate's parents, and the fate of the last unicorns, again to be illustrated by Kelly Murphy, again to Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, by Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency (World).

Yeah, how thrilling is THAT?? (Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my publisher?)

The only problem is, it's due about three weeks after Theo Four is due, and no, that's not hyperbole. Really. Three weeks. The good news is, I do have a fairly substantial outline and a couple of chapters. Even so, I think I am going to need to move the Theo Four finish date up a week, just to be sure.

So yeah, I will totally be doubling down in that writing cave for a bit. May be very scarce here for the next few weeks.

And. AND! That's not all. We just found out that Nathaniel Fludd, Book Two, THE BASILISK'S LAIR has also been selected as a Junior Library Guild Selection. I cannot even begin to tell you how thrilled I am about this.

So, in honor of all this good news, I thought I would give away a couple of ARC's of THE BASILISK'S LAIR. If you're interested in putting your name in the hat, simply leave a comment in this thread. (Be sure I have some way of contacting you if your name is drawn!) I'll leave the contest open for a full week because I know some readers stop by weekly rather than daily.


*Okay, I 'fess up. I stole that headline from my agent. Mostly because it was perfect.(And if you haven't checked out her awesome new website, you should!)

Quick Monday Fly-By

With some books, you fumble and struggle until you hit the Mother Lode of story, then everything begins to flow with ease. Other books, not so much. Alas, this book is one of the no-so-much variety. What that means is that every scene, every story nugget must be painstakingly researched, located, then clumsily excavated, only to have to go through the exact same process five pages later. If you listen closely, you can hear my daily scream of ARGH!!! all the way from where you are.

So after today's hacking and prodding and coaxing, I have promised myself a trip to the movies to see AVATAR with the family.

In other news, I rarely link to reviews here, but this one thrilled me so much I can't resist. It's from Colleen Mondor over at Bookslut, and she so thoroughly got Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, that I have been glowing ever since. In fact, it's been my security blanket in the last few days as I've wrestled and fought with the current WIP. My favorite part?

"There’s no Oliver Twist here, or even Harry Potter, but rather an original blend of fantastic and fun that is far more about the boy than the magic."

Love that a lot. It's what I always aim for--character driven fantasy--but never know if it actually ends up that way on the page.

Now off to see if I can do it again!