Changeless Special Extras

Changeless released in April of 2010 and was the very first of my books to make the New York Times Bestseller list, which pretty much changed the course of my career and eventually my life.

Here are some fun blog posts and resources that tie to this book. Research I did, chattering and amusement on the subject of hitting the New York Times for the first time, and having a cliff hanger ending.

Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, Alexia is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only a soulless can.

Changeless was my first book to hit the New York Times. Soulless eventually would during a sale years later, but Changeless was first.

Hitting the Times

I was living with my popster at the time (in between stints of advanced education, as you do) and had recently started dating the AB. My agent and editor surprise called me to let me know (we found out the Weds following the release). I really did not expect it, I didn’t even know there was the possibility that my weird silly books would ever make the NYT. I didn’t even know there was a Mass Market Listing, frankly. So far as I knew it was for hard cover literary types.

But I always pick up a 212 number (New York).

So I picked it up, and they told me what had happened. I don’t recall directly after in detail. Shock, I suppose. I remember hanging up and slightly hyperventilating. I ran around and found the Popster who gave me a big hug. I remember the first person I called was my BFF, Phrannish, because she’s been with me from the get go, she’s in the industry so she gets how hard it is, and she’s my Phran. Then I called my mum (left a message). Then I called the AB. Mum called me back later that night, she cried.

My agent sent me flowers.

My publisher sent me champagne.

I drank the champagne that weekend with the AB sitting on the porch at sunset wondering how my life would change.

I had no idea.

Incidentally, the manga adaptation of Changeless (AKA Soulless Vol. II) was my only book to ever make #1 on an NYT List.  December of 2012, in the manga category.

And I got to meet the standee at San Diego Comic Con in 2012.

Author Thoughts On This Book

Changeless is a parody of a gothic novel. I tend to refer to it as my Red Headed Step Child because while I love it (tight, clean, killer concept) many readers (particularly out of romance) do not like it at all.

The ending really upsets them.

The Plague of Mortality

The God Breaker Plague (and its repercussions), which during this read along you first encounter in The Curious Case, make its first appearance in print in this book. Now I had it in mind, and I always knew what caused it (although not exactly who).

I’ve always been obsessed with the old saying,

“There are no snakes in Ireland.”

Ever since I listened to the collection of short stories, No Comebacks by Frederick Forsyth, when I was a wee lass.

(If you know this classic pulp suspense collection, you’ll know it’s not normally something I’d read. But back in those days there was a paucity of choice for books on tape. I got a rather good education in genre styles because I was basically listening to everything I could get hold of from Isaac Asimov to Rosamunde Pilcher.)

Anywho, this gave me the saying…

There are no supernaturals in Egypt.

I’ve also always been obsessed with Ancient Egypt. And I knew I wanted the Parasolverse history to include various ancient cultures where shifters ruled, and others where vampires ruled. It makes prefect sense to me (given their xenophobic tendencies) that the Greeks would be human ONLY (all their mythological monsters being deformed shifters and capricious immortals – and yes, I model my vampire attitude on Greek gods, what you take me for?). Also it seems logical that the Romans are ruled by vampires. With their worship of Animal headed gods, the Egyptians were obviously all about shifters.

And our Ancient Egypt had one of the most stable cultures we know of, for a very long time, so I guess they were pretty good rulers. But something went wrong after 2000 years, and under those circumstances any rebellion, particularly a religious one, would need to weaponize against shifters. I imagine they figure out the preternatural thing with mummies but that, like in present day Changeless, they just didn’t have many of them. So they used what the could to get rid of their shifter overlords, but it wasn’t until much much later that Alessandro came along and, with Floote’s help, figured out (essentially) how to globalize collection of preternatural bodies, and spread the God Breaker plague within Egypt.

So there you have it, my thought process on the Plague.

Things Pertaining To this Book: Visuals!

• Changeless Floating Dresses in Detail
• How Does the Peerage Work in the Parasolverse?
• The Range of Cover Art ~ Gail Carriger’s Changeless
• Angelique character design board
• Sidheag Maccon character design board
• The Maccon Plaid or the Colors of Kingair
• Kingair Pack character design board

 

Things Pertaining To this Book: Extras!

• Vampires & Werewolf Types in Changeless
• On the Satisfaction of Victorian Profanity
• 2 Deleted Scenes from Changeless
• Going Regimental ~ The Military In Victorian Times With Werewolves
• In Which Gail Subjects Changeless to the Page 69 Test
• All Gail’s articles, thoughts, and tidbits for Changeless

Spot that Dress in Changeless?

On Felicity:

On Mrs Loontwill:

On Ivy:

Praise for Changeless:

Lost in a Good Book says:

“I am fascinated by Carriger’s creativity, but more so I love how complicated yet simple and well-functioning this society is. This alternate reality, steam punk world sounds marvellous and it is a joy to read about a new interpretation of the werewolves/vampire myth as well as a new history of our own time.”

Yours in forever cliffhangers,

Miss Gail

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OUT MAY 18, 2019!

The 5th Gender (a Tinkered Stars sci-fi as G. L. Carriger).

PREORDER on Amazon | Other | Direct from Gail

Sci-fi queer romance meets cozy mystery featuring a hot cop, the most adorable purple alien ever (lavender, pulease!), and a race with 5 genders.

Print & Audio are not available for preorder.

GAIL’S DAILY DOSE

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Your Tisane of Smart . . .

FoodStuff: Tea: A Real Brouhaha

Your Writerly Tinctures . . .  

The Different Types of Editing Explained

Book News:

Steampunk, Stuff and Nonsense

Quote of the Day:

Sophril says of Changeless:

“Some of my favorite characters in this series begin to appear in this book. I love watching them grow throughout the series and I can’t wait to begin the next book.”

 

Tags: CHANGELESS