BBKristopher.com

I signed my first autograph today. A member of my critique group bought a copy of The Best of Jim Baen's Universe and I signed it above my story. It was kind of amusing. We meet in a Barnes & Nobles, and while she was up and the register, I opened my notebook and practiced signing B. B. Kristopher a few times, because it's not how I usually sign my name (what with being a pseudonym and all). Then, I signed the book.

The whole thing was both very cool and kind of a shock. I mean, seeing the book in print was cool. Seeing it on the story shelf was a whole other level of "wow". Scrawling my name in it kind of drove home the fact that yes, I actually did that. My work, right there, in print.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go live off that high for the next couple of weeks.

My copies of The Best of Jim Baen's Universe came in the mail today. It's hard to describe just how cool it is to have a book you can open up and see something you've written.

"The Girl With The Killer Eyes" got a 4 out of 5 rating over at Super Reader

First, I just got a very nice review for "The Girl With The Killer Eyes" over at Tangent Online.

Second, I just got a request for a full on Meredith MacKenzie and the Uruk Empire from the agent who requested a partial a while back.

One agent. Two requests for more material. I think this is a good sign.

Webscriptions has put up the samples for The Best of Jim Baen's Universe. Since I've got the second spot in the collection, my story is one of the samples. (If you want to read it, click here, then click the link for Chapter 3 in the upper left).

I had a bit of a long day today, but I found this waiting for me when I got home.

Geoffrey Kidd sent a message using the contact form at
http://www.bbkristopher.com/contact.

Thank you for the story. I got to read a treeware ARC of "Best of JBU" and
enjoyed the hell out of it. It stands up well amongst its neighbors in the
volume, and that's a major compliment!

All I can say is wow. I've been writing for a while now, and this is the first time I've ever gotten feedback out of the blue on my work. It's a good feeling. A darn good feeling in fact. First, someone not only enjoyed my work, but enjoyed it enough to seek me out and tell me so.

Then there's that last part. If you haven't seen the table of contents for The Best of Jim Baen's Universe, you don't know just how much of a complement that is. Some of the names on the list are Mike Resnick, who has 5 Hugos and a Nebula; Elizabeth Bear, who has a Campbell award; Gregory Benford who has a couple of Nebulas; David Drake; L. E. Modesitt, JR.; David Freer and a lot of others. Seriously, having someone tell me my work compares favorably to these people is the highest of complements.

I officially declare today a good day.

The idea here is to post the first line of five works in progress. I'm kind of fudging a bit.

President Charles King was a man with problems. - Homefront. I'm counting as a WIP because it's undergoing a massive trim for length.

I tend to work out naked. - Meredith MacKenzie and the Uruk Empire. It doesn't go out to the agent until Monday, so it counts.

I just sent 'The Girl With The Killer Eyes' off to escape pod. After all, I don't see why I shouldn't be paid a second time for that story if I can manage it.

Okay, so I'm not the sole author, but I do have a story in there, which is why I'm pleased to announce that The Best of Jim Baen's Universe, which contains my story "The Girl With The Killer Eyes", is now available for preorder from Amazon.com.

Jim Baen's Universe issue #4 is live at http://www.baens-universe.com/. My first story, The Girl With The Killer Eyes is in the 'Introducing' section.