Today Soulless turns 13!
A teenager at last. She came out October 1, 2009. Erm would we say came out? Debuted perhaps? Made her entree into society?
Not every author writes their own book cover copy (also call book descriptions or blurbs), Gentle Reader. I happen to be one of those who often does (all the time now when I self publish, of course).
I wrote all of the Parasol Protectorate copy (funny story about how the came about, talk to me in person some time and I will tell you all about it, it has to do with Live Journal – of all things). I wrote none of the Finishing School. I co-wrote all the Custard Protocol ones. And I write all of the Delightfully Deadly and San Andreas and Tinkered Stars ones.
So yeah, Soulless‘s blurb is by me. But this was actually what that blurb looked like before it went to my agent, before it went to my edition way back in 2009. Things were different back then.
Here it is:
Alexia Tarabotti has problems. She’s been placed on the shelf by London high society. Her father is both Italian and, most inconveniently, dead. She likes to read and is fascinated by the latest inventions. She also just happens to be soulless.
In a world where having excess soul can mean entrée into immortality (and the most fashionable parties), this last could prove to be Alexia’s biggest problem of all. Especially when she finds herself accidentally killing a vampire (how embarrassing!) and facing off against Queen Victoria’s best werewolf investigator.
It’s interesting to compare that to the description it had when it first launched into the world, to the one it has now of various vendors like Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. And to the one that I personally like best and have settles on that sits on this website.
Anyway I thought on this, the occasion of Soulless’s 13th birthday you might like to see what she first looked like when I wrote it way back in 2008!
Yours,
Miss Gail
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BOOK DE JOUR!
Soulless – The Parasol Protectorate Book One
PICK YOUR VENDOR!
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations.
- First, she has no soul.
- Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead.
- Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced!
Where to go from there?
From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.
Gail’s Daily Tea Party
Tisane of Nifty
- Blanket octopus spotted for only fourth time off Lady Elliot Island on Great Barrier Reef
- How Octopuses Got So Smart? “Junk DNA”
Writerly Tincture
The 1863 novel that predicted the Internet, cars, skyscrapers, and electronic dance music.
Book Nibble
Jack Murray’s paper on Gail Carriger and queerness, “You telling me my ass isn’t a werewolf”: Science fiction ontology and representing queerness in Gail Carriger’s Parasolverse is available to read online.
Quote to Sip
“In college my boyfriend destroyed my electric kettle by trying to use it to distill alcohol from fermented apple cider. I think the trauma of that experience has turned me into the person I am today.”
~ Gail Carriger
Tags: Beginning Writers, SOULLESS