So you are going to sign
on with your own living and

you're listening to what you're saying
very little bit more about the books that

you're selling books you
want everyone to get

drawn regarding OK we will be announcing

the winner and
you should contact information

so that we can get back
before I pass through to me.

However I want you to shoot one
of our librarians who deals

with our science fiction
collection here and

he's going to tell you just a few minutes
about fact he's got a fire in the back of

our science fiction collection yet
from the same table dork and

see them after the remark that
we have probably at least books.

All right everybody

just briefly a little bit about the
Georgia Tech science fiction collection

library slugger science fiction books and
academic books about science fiction.

Lisa's Professor voted for it sort of
teaching the topic in the in the one nine

hundred seventy in the late ninety's
after his retirement from tech but

they are first of all science fiction
collection to the library the but for

the collection which contains more than my
thousand books magazines actually legacy

really more science fiction
than donations to the point

where you know Nations outnumbered
the items in the system but

the collection because of the growing size
and complexity of the collection we have

recently renamed the Georgia Tech
science fiction you know holds more than

ten thousand books and complete or nearly
gone away runs of important matters.

Including the analog galaxy and

we also have grown collections of dancing
instrumentation France and Europe and

along most of these items can be used
in the reading room for tech archives.

We are actually darker an increasing
number of these books are Check out

the new circulating science fiction
which is located on my pretties.

And we also have our current descriptions
to do academic science fiction and

trade and titles my love is yours and
your science fiction.

Those are also real.

So overall the science fiction will
actually supports recreational reading

coursework and go research on campus and

beyond but also probably others
to give us a regular basis and

I'm happier too I really can offer another
doc today so I'll be happy with your

thanks acted like I should like to love
everyone I've enjoyed these talking.

Thanks for coming out today.

Thank you.

Everybody to both of the guys
have the mike still working.

So it's great to be back at the Tour
tech I spent a very long time here and

got my doctorate and
everything part of that at Tech so

I'm very familiar with all the buildings
on the campus as you may know from looking

at the books if you've read the books I
like to but before I talk about the books.

Bud put was a great guy and his science
fiction course that I took here was

a privilege to be able
to get his perspective

on a field that that you know who just
you know change the course of my life.

But I don't write science fiction right
now I'm so I have some science fiction

coming out next year but everything that I
have published recently is urban fantasy

and I like to describe it as urban fantasy
for techno geeks because it fills in

real locations real science
made up science and

a whole bunch of other things in them and

rather then describing
the series in detail.

I thought I would just dive in to
a reading of the first couple chapters

their short so
it should go reasonably quickly

just to set the stage it's set in
an alternate land that you may recognize

Dakota Frost is a magical tattoo
artist and the first book she appears

in is called Frost moon and
I'll start reading from frustum right now.

Frustum and Dakota Frost skin answer novel
by Anthony Francis Chapter One Dakota

from last when we first
started wearing a mohawk

to riposte lowlifes barflies
vampires Republicans and so on.

But when I found my true profession
my hairstyle turned into an ad

people's eyes are drawn by
it no longer a true Mohawk.

But a big unruly Deathlok a stripe of
feathered black purple and white streaks

climbing down the center of my head but
their gazes linger on the tattoos which

start as tribal violence in the shape
spaces on either side of the hawk and

then cascade down my throat to my
shoulders flowering into roses and

jewels and butterflies their colors are so
gifted their details so sharp

many people mistake them for body paint or
Soon they can't been done in the States.

Yes they're real.

No they're not Japanese They're all with
a few exceptions done in my own hand

right here in Atlanta at the rogue
unicorn Little Five Points drop by

Inc You asked for Dakota frost.

To attract more perceptive I started
wearing a sleepless ankle length leather

coat vest that shows off the intricate
designs on my arms and a cut off top and

low rider Jean to show off a tribal
Union symbol of my midriff tying it all

together as the black tail something
big curling up the left side of my neck

looping around the union and an arc in
through the leaves on my right shoulder.

Most people think it's the tail of the
dragon and they wouldn't be wrong in case

anyone misses the point I even have the
designs on the back of a few of my vests.

Those who live on the edge might
notice a little more detail.

Magical rooms woven into
the trouble designs

working charms woven into the flowers and
if you look real close of

the tail the dragon the slow
movement of symbolic familiar.

Yes it did move and yes that's real
magic drum part of the rogue unicorn.

You're still asking for

the one only Dakota Frost the best
magical tech to assist in SE.

The downside to being a walking out
of course is that some of the folks

you want to attract start to
see you as a scary lowlife.

We all know that vampires can turn
out to be quite decent folk but so

can clean cut young
Republicans looking for

their first tattoo to impress
their tree hugger girlfriends.

As for
barflies world they're still barflies but

unfortunately I find the more tats
I show the greater the chance.

The cops will throw me into the back of
the band if a bar fight breaks out so

I couldn't help being nervous as two
officers marched me into city hall east.

City Hall East is in the old
Sears building on Ponce de Leon

a great brick fortress squeezed between
the empty parking lot used to serve

the masquerade dance club and
the full when the service the Borders

bookstore want to pose with activity but
now in two thousand and six.

It's like a tomb.

Soon to be demolished and turned to yet

another mixed use development as
part of the new belt line project.

Even the snack shop has closed.

This is the last year of the Grandall
building spooky incarnation as a kind

of global link government
outpost all that's

left here are a few Atlanta Police
Department offices more offices for

the Fed feds and some for
permits and land planning.

And lots of police officers more
than expected for that Tom night.

Most of them scowling.

Lots of them muttering look at her
what she and for if she a stripper.

If she's under arrest twice and she
coughed the two officers are scorning me

one black one white both wearing identical
buzzcut had no answers for them or for

me just the police need to see unanimous
for must know you're not under arrest.

But it is urgent.

Please come with us our footsteps.

Echoed hollowly as we walked through
a canyon of white tile and glass walls

towards metal detectors there briefly
been a gallery and shops on the floor.

But now empty offices surrounded us
like cages only a few secure and

signs of life we paused
before the metal detectors

were effect female officer sat
right hand pumping on her mouth so

what can only be minesweeper
anything to declare a Miss Frost.

She asked for

must be on the barrier Tripoli dressed
Kojak bald black plain clothes officer

perked up at the sound of my name on
my dad's best friend Dakota Frost know

of nothing to declare I said trying to
ignore him as he saw briskly towards me.

The woman waved me in and I swept through
the metal detector just in time for

him to corner me I sighed
folded my arms and

stared down at the black man he was
tall but I was taller wonderful he'd

known I was coming and
had probably engineer at this whole thing.

Dakota.

He said Boys forced cheeriness
sparkling eyes genuine

he was twice my age I bounced
on his knee when he and

my father had been partners and he was
still a fashion plate if you go in for

the whole G G Q Look your dad will
be glad to hear you're doing well.

Hey Randi.

I said smiling shaking my head half
of his infectious screen and half and

whatever he was planning.

Let's get this over with.

Where is he.

And when did he get in you know I do
have a cell phone he could call me.

There's no need for
the goon squad rants face fell.

Your debts not your Dakota.

We needed to see you.

We.

I asked.

Rance face went steady like homicide
Dakota homicide needs to see you.

We got.

Elevator and ran punch the sixth floor
motioning to me to join in the back

officers big man almost my
height stepped in front of me

making feel even more like a prisoner or
perhaps someone being guarded.

But the guard theory evaporated
want to send it here and

older man slipped past the officer and

joined us in the back of the elevator
leering at me and not into ran a year old

cockroach he said after a moment as I
slid to me to my tattooed arms in my bare

midriff then forward to the officers
forgot to pay your fees leered what.

Fork.

I asked Miss Frost isn't here for four or
five Jack Rand said she's working with me.

Well.
Lucky you.

The man said slapping shoulder.

He caught my tech Doc puzzled look
in truck with a conspiratorial leer

suppressed.

But still trying to pick out four or
five is where you get stripper license and

for Q two.

I said we don't license for
that rancid deadpan.

I'm just saying girl you could
do the job if you want it.

Which one one of the officer said and the
other one chuckle floor five is also where

you get your license to do magical tattoos
I snapped which probably sounds funny

until you wake up with a working anus
tattooed on your forehead suddenly the cab

got quiet and
the two officers stiffened up and

ran jammed hands into his pockets and
leaned against the back wall the cab.

He was trying to look ticked.

But he looks so hot it came off more as
a brooding G.Q. model but the sandy haired

Jack was staring at the officers suddenly
serious cut the boy's a little slack.

He warned me things are crazy you know
want to go to jail tonight do you

kind of feels like it I said nobody's
going to jail to you tonight.

Melissa's you Jack.

Granton already been Jack
replied Not the least

bit perturbed the second time this week.

No right answer.

Don't tell me your boys messed up bookings
No Jack said grinning one of your

boys trip the power cord again.

G.'s.

I said abruptly hot in the collar one of
the only college shops I'd enjoyed had

been lab tech and I couldn't stand
people who forked up my computers.

You should set up a Web cam
to find out who's doing it.

Jack going to.

He then smiled and said Not a bad idea.

Poor girl and just when I was
starting to warm up to him gloomy old

cockroach the doors opened and
Jack just grinned not a bad idea either.

Jack strolled out to the right and
began peeping at doors keypad.

And we followed.

Once again our footsteps echoed
hollowly down a long narrow corridor.

On the left for conference rooms and
a pedia offices but

on the right was a long wall of
tinted glass with a Fed smelling

seal engraved on it behind one window
I saw a figure standing and so

if you close your eyes saw dark sunglasses
and a devilish goatee sunglasses at night.

Come on we paused before
another key coated door and

I became acutely aware the man behind the
glass was checking me out staring at me.

Sipping his government coffee.

Finally I looked over and

saw trim Portman tied a crisp black
suit he was looking straight back at me

raising his trip up towards me in salute
a smile not a leader but appreciation.

Jack open the door with a beat
beat beat strolled in and

disappeared into a worn
of ready old cubicles.

We followed them through the door closed
behind us a look back at the big knot play

like I was sure you could get out without
the code but it still slowly swung shut

with us all to click and I felt trapped
a moment I was in a plain white evidence

room looking down on a salt pepper hair
looking off certain probably named Winston

about to see seated at a large table
in front of a large no a folder.

There was a side door to the right and
huge mirror dominate the rest as well.

If you squinted you could just see
the blinking light of a camera or

maybe a video recorder and

I felt the invisible presence of a dark
figure somewhere behind the glass.

Maybe I was imagining it.

But come on I've seen this movie
before taller than I expected.

Miss Frost she said not moving to greet me
as I sat down my long leather vest coach

against the tiles I settled into the chair
but after that the only noise with us

home was the hum of the air conditioning
run with seed at the edge of the table.

Naturally easily like an Armani model
dressed in a police officer salary

losing them to the class.

Finally he seemed to lose patience
with all due she and said show work.

This is pointless.

She said she can't tell us anything but

chickening out abruptly Rand
flipped the manila folder open and

turned it towards me and
stood and stared at the glass.

What can you tell us about this
curious I stared at the picture.

It was a bad photocopy
of a circular design

some kind of braided wreath with
a chain snaking its own tail.

Big black blotches covered
the upper quarter of the design but

after a moment I puzzled
out what I was looking at

this is flash I said at
Bell do she's puzzled look.

I explained a tattoo design or

part of one bell duty not to
dismissively told you he said where.

And ran down asked.

And you need to tone down the contrast
on your copier I said it was

half blood out but I realized it wasn't
a photocopy but some kind of printout of

an image posterized to the point it
was almost illegible with large block.

Large brush black blotches of a digital
pen redacting some of the details but

it still had that distinctive natural
look at a minute started life

as a photograph not a drawing.

This isn't flash I said it's
an actual tattoo told you.

Rand said as my studied it became
suspicious reproduction was terrible but

something about the recent change
the flavor of a magical clip.

What if it was magical these mandates
would have no way of knowing but

how could I tell from this printout.

Do you have a better picture now
a different picture but did you side and

slipped another piece of paper
out of the folder a similar shot.

Similarly degraded.

But I put the two next to each other and

planted my hands on the table
staring down on them.

After a moment I saw it the head of
a snake in the design was three links

past of the belt of the chain in one and
five in the next.

It was moving this is magical.

I said this tattoo is moving.

It's a magical Mark told you ran

to triumphantly holy bell do
cheaper he's a looked up and

I saw him not looking at the flash but
my hands hers are doing it too.

I swear the forking butterfly flapped
What do you think the only moved after.

And asked What do you mean after I asked.

No one said anything in my
stomach suddenly clenched up.

What do you mean after you
mean like after death.

I can't discuss the details
of an ongoing investigation.

Don't do it yourself why did we
bring her here if not to discuss it.

Francis it was your idea about to be said
she's your old partner's daughter the side

door opened the dark Sudafed I'd seen
in the Hall walked out as Chris Go T.

In short wavy hair made him look
more like an evil Johnny Depp than

a laid back age an older
one hand was in his pocket.

The other still holding
the cup of coffee and

his dexterous fingers the star
from cups looked like alabaster

Sjoerd he said with unassuming authority
or quit wasting our time they'll do it.

You looked up at a loss.

You've you've got it he said the head just
looked at me mouth corking into a smile

which felt duty touch its head in a senior
moment gesture and then hit the intercom.

Rogers he said You got it.

Yeah.

Bring it after a moment a tall
drawn man stepped out of

a back door I hadn't noticed generally
holding a large white plastic on full of

the same food logo on it.

We could ever see a man paused in
the white light of the doorway for

a moment ice twitching as
he saw me not unfriendly.

But in pity.

Then I noticed a long plastic
tray in the man's other hand and

saw the padded envelope was bulging with
was bulging with something I suddenly

didn't want to see it if it touches left
here for a moment then turned to go.

Aren't you going to stay.

I asked nervously.

I wasn't quite sure why I was
asking him for reassurance.

But there it was he paused.

I've seen it.

He said and stepped into the blackness
the tray cluttered against the table.

Shockingly close to my hand about two
she and I both lean back a little.

The evidence technician.

If that's what could ever man was put
on a pair of blue gloves before opening

the envelope and withdrawing a smaller
plastic wrapped object even though it is

wrapped he said putting it in the tree.

It would help if you do not touch it.

My skin grew cold.

It was a rip current.

It was a ripped piece of human skin
pinned to a stained wood board.

Chapter two God's finest canvas.

I stared in horror at the scrap of
human skin structure propped cross

the board like someone's canvas the
braided wreath curved across the flesh.

Marred by a few small cuts.

I did blacked out in the print copy and

most cite the skin curved over the board
but the upper left the skin was

torn away revealing both the Bloods
blood stained wood and a set of torn

holes in the skin indicated it been stable
underneath like a leather seat cushion

without another nod to Bell do she
ran took over channeling Joe Friday.

Do you know what this is it's a tattoo.

I said unable to take my eyes off it.

Do you know what it means it's a magical
ward to protect against evil spirits.

Now it's like a capacitor it collects or
to flex a magical power set

which depends on the intent of
the WHERE DO YOU KNOW WHO ink this

I'd have to look closer at the design to
tell that I really didn't want to do that.

And look at the Grand Ice pleading

My Space is gone cold a bit
stony not unfriendly.

But all cop I lean forward.

Look through the clear plastic bag at
the wreath at the inking the port exposed

through the rip with smoothly polishing
finally worked dislike the blood stains.

Suddenly I knew.

Yes I know the artists I said not.

I mean personally it's
Richard something or

do you know where he is
buried in Cincinnati.

I said Summer was famous when he died
in two thousand and five I think.

Hell I'll do she said
that rules out a suspect.

Do you know who this was and on ran gas.

No I said closing my eyes at last to piece
of skin had come from a living human

person I'd really not been trying to
think of that my mind cast around for

anything else some hundred thousands
of people you could email.

Lancing dragon in Cincinnati go
somewhere to get sense of pictures

they're stored there rants
mom will do that smile faded.

Do you know anyone who had
a grudge against Sumner or

against any of his subjects.

No I said I mean I don't know anyone who
has a grudge against anyone really and

said What about against other tattoo
artists especially magical and

according to our newsletter
I said sarcastically.

There are over two hundred licens magical
tattoo artists in the United States.

So that's a pretty big list.

Could we get a copy of that
newsletter Rand asked.

I thought about it for a moment.

Yes.

Is there anything you'd
like to add Grant said.

Yes I said nothing.

This can't cover board.

I would like to add up what
the work is that thing.

Tell her about the box about
to be said what about the box.

I said I was drawn back to
the thing in the table.

We had a witness that ever meant it.

He didn't live long enough to tell
us much but he mention a box.

A box cupboard and
scraps of tattooed skin.

Don't tell me more about
the box I said getting up.

God it's a forking lid Dakota
ranted motion to get after man

you don't need to stay any longer to
kowtow there are from the Fed And

they they're fed there may have
more questions for you later.

Why did you bring me here.

I said what you could have a man slipped
it back into it's open opaque on Hello

this is some kind of cool
joke some kind of arrangement

with my dad to get me to come home.

The Coda and said I didn't lie.

We did need to see you and
not just for your expertise.

She's.

Rand.

She's just a city and
she just she's just a kid.

She's got to know Grant said staring
up at me with those same sad

eyes I remembered looking up to as a child
the code of this just fell in our lap but

our friends tell us they've had a dozen
killings over the past five years from

medical to TOS were taken
almost always on or

near the full minute moving
from state to state each time.

This last one was in Birmingham and

our friends tell us all the signs
point to attack here in Georgia soon.

On the full moon is next weekend.

I said just after Halloween.

So you see Dakota I needed to talk to you.

Rand said we don't think you're
a specific target but Cody stay safe.

Your dad and I are very worried about you.

My childhood nickname rang in my
years as I watch cadaver man carry it

back through the door quite
like that makes three of us.

I said I said my goodbye story and then
got the heck out scored by the black and

white twin officers who picked
me up to the white Tweedle black

turn out to be Horst and Gibbs all
buddies of Rand's were doing me for

doing him a favor by scooping me up.

Gibbs was a sexy beast like
a younger version of random self but

after staying for the show with the lid
horseshit turned from Stony early

in Nazi to protective Denmark.

After some arguing they agreed to take
me back to Mary's to pick up my vest but

as we started to pull out of city hall
east garage the colorful lights across

the street gave me a better idea.

Wait I said to the borders are you sure or
said it's a long way to east Atlanta.

It's nine fifty five.

I said I can take care of myself in
a brightly lit commercial fortress and

call it a fair slate to carry
back to Mary's for my best.

I never did never leave
before midnight anyway.

But after seeing that the full
moon is like ten days away.

I said with false bravado.

I'm not worried.

The lady can take care of herself to
upset smiling anything else we can do.

Sure thing I said next
time you give me a ride.

I want to do it in cuffs horsed
was befuddled but Gibbs was a low.

Sure thing go.

But if she hasn't done anything wrong.

Dang horse you never got a Sunday morning
call Gibbs said punching my racist gently.

I'll explain it to you later.

Girl.

Later I started sniffing
around the bookstore for

something on Richard Somers
it was hopeless.

I hate bookstores and
this one was a brightly lit war.

I feared around their computer kiosk for
a minute browsing for any of the books I

knew the craft of NK No flashing flash
out of print anything by Richard Somers.

Yes one title.

Richard.

Summer's three in store shelf and probably
an art in architecture photography for

talk a few monographs where
I had absolutely no luck.

Finally I call it a pimply faced teen
manning the customer service kiosk

whose end of date funk brightens
considerably as soon as he saw my breasts.

Yes that he said staring
straight at the bulge in my top

in fairness my breasts were
about level with his head and

he seems scared to make eye contact
right over here in bargain books.

Richard Somers by Tashan seven
ninety nine right between Cicely and

pictures and more amazing kittens.

I wanted to pop a blood vessel.

But just stood there saying summer's
life work and the pain of bargain rack.

Finally I picked it up thick little
brick thumbing its But thin but

curiously heavy pages at least
it's telling I said anything else.

Yes I my breast scan.

You got nominate for
two thousand and five I asked but

he shook his head as I turned to go.

Finally as I started up word that
he said is one cool ass shirt.

I look down at Ground post it upside
down at me between that label's

lapels of my coat vests a took
a glittering sequence into the church

adjusted up in a sparkling eyes had
written up over the ridge of my breasts.

Thanks I said but
by that point the kid had fled.

I grabbed the maple Mocha and camped out
in the café there in the Get a library as

we affectionately called it started
flipping through this glossy tombstone to

richer Summers work looking for
clues to who might have worn the tattoo

Richard's magical inking began before
I was born back in the sixties.

But the recent review snake had
a modern flair to its design.

I start to see some of the distinctive
elements of end of the tattoo crop

up in the early ninety's section but
it wasn't until eve of the millennium

that hit paydirt At first I
thought I had a man covering his

eyes with a tattooed hand bearing a mark
nearly identical to the one in the lid.

But it was too small.

I remember the summer didn't design its
own flesh grapheme answers do that for

him just like I did which meant he.

Added up reusing the same design and

sure enough there were three other people
with similar tattoos and then with a full

page shot of a young woman with a mark
just above her breasts the test was close

really close the same size on a flat
piece of skin since belly button or

the curve of the shoulders that would
have shown up as a wrinkle on the lip.

I stared at her she had short
puckish here like I did and

I Sexy come hither smile
automatically I checked up the curves

of her breasts pressed it beneath one
delicate hand they were full luscious and

look quite workable in my
script up to I felt queasy.

And I just seen this woman in the flesh
of flesh torn from her chest and

stable to a board like a seat cushion.

There was no way to know I'd give the book
to Rand at the first opportunity and hope

he could find out but I started thinking
Somers was touching himself so sick

tattooed himself and some of those tats
had to be marks of great magical power

a flip to the PIO trying to find out a
clue about how he died but it was no help.

It had been printed in two thousand and
three and

the most interesting piece of information
was that Somerset recently had his hands

insured with Lloyd's of London for over a
million dollars useless at originally got

in the book to try to find out did warn
the tattoo but now he was a new question

did Summers die near a full moon and
then a creepy voice breathed in my ear.

Give me some skin to cover it up and
chapter two.

Thank you.

I think my throat was
about to give out there.

So there are a lot of things
that you could say about

frost and the world the frost man but
at Georgia Tech where

you know we have a long history of
Sciences and applying the sciences.

I think part of the theory of magic in
the theory of this world are important.

You'll know that this.

The book was set in a very specific
time and place it in two thousand and

six I forget the exact date
that this event happens but

I think it's like nine P.M. on October
like twenty six two thousand and six.

So there are things like you know Borders
is still in business city hall east.

There was a I don't know if it's still
there or not but there was a rumor at

the time that they were going to pull
all the offices out of there and

the rumor that the Masquerade
was going to close.

I think the masquerade is as reopened or

didn't manage to close but
all these things were happening they

were in the air the beltline project all
these things were in the air at the time.

So why did I do that I could just
as easily have written the book and

a generic time in place so
which they'll get you about twenty or

thirty years if you were to read the and

need a Blake series by
Laurel HAMILTON It really

sounds very contemporary until some point
need to get a piece of information and

she has to go find a pay phone
because she doesn't have a cell phone.

Because it was written.

You know on you know one nine
hundred eighty something or or what.

So it's it will it can get you a certain
amount of time but I didn't do that.

I specifically wanted to
make it realistic and

I wanted to make it a period piece set
in two thousand and six where I tried

to make it as accurate as possible and
the reason that I'm doing it is that it's

filled full of fantastic things there
are vampires there are werewolves

there are magical tattoos of great
power that can do all sorts of things.

And one of the things that annoys me
about certain fantasy series is that.

They're not very well integrated with with
the real world where you have magic but

if it's only shows up when it's convenient
for the plot or the characters or

once you go to Narnia or whatever it's
very separate but the philosophy I have

is that if magic was real then magic would
be real and there would be consequences.

So if someone had a moving to two.

And you took pictures of it.

Two different periods of time you would
have two different photographs and that's

why the coda looking at this is like well
they meant not notice that it's moving.

That's one of the things that one of
the shtick is that the part of the human

eye to pick out the movement as it's
happening but you know it's not going to

fool a camera and that's how she she
realizes I can tell what even though I may

not see it that this tattoo had to be
magical if it's if it's moving and

then there's other subtle details that
I threw in there that you know you

have a tattoo can be used
to store magic they can act

like capacitors are sort of kind of
a magical circuit thing and I hinted

at the idea that there's a graph Metzer
sis and there's a elaborate structure.

None of which you need to know to enjoy
the plot of a serial killer striking

people who have tattoos but
it helps me to tell the story and

understand what I can tell and
not have it be unrealistic and

not have it be a deuce that
was a deus ex Maka not where

you know suddenly someone pull something
out of their their rear end and

they they're able to save
themselves at the last minute and

instead I have rules on how that works and
sometimes are you know painful to try

to write around but
the the thing that myth that makes it work

is that by having those rules then you
feel the same thing we feel in our world.

If you have two different cameras
recording me and we don't have

a preexisting sound system set up I end
up with two different microphones and

a third one for you guys in the room.

Even though that's inconvenient
that's part of our reality

is that we have to deal with
certain things as they happen.

One of the other things I've done
with the series is not just set it to

specific time but at a specific place the.

Over the course of the first two books
we go to Emory University Georgia Tech.

We go to the vortex and
Little Five Points we go.

Road to downtown Buckhead and the Atlanta
fish market on caffeine or meth so

and some very real locations near the
crime tunnel and down your Grant Park so.

By making it concrete if you're reading
the book then you're like I know where

that is and then when a vampire shows up
you're you've got this picture in the back

of your head of this place that you've
been and then the vampires in that instead

of having you know like the movie
series underworld which I love but

it's set in sort of like random city and
if you think over the course

of those especially the first two movies
about where they go from place to place.

The geography doesn't work.

Is that they are at one point they're
in a sort of American like city

then they're in a train where something
people coming from some European city and

then they're in a place where they
can go across into some border where

people are speaking a different language
and it's not at any specific location and

I and it works for that series but

they're having to fight this this
thing all fiction is telling

stories about unreal people or
an unreal situations or

unreal locations or some combination of
their own otherwise we call it history.

And the more that you
can eliminate elements

that knock people out of the story
the more you can people get people engaged

with the lives of your characters and
have something that people can enjoy and

that's what I'm trying to do
with the Dakota Frost series and

in each book I try to have to go to have
some idea that she's encountering and

the idea is wrong and
she's forced to face the evidence and

revise your perspective in a world
that's not very unlike her so.

That's basically the series and I thought

in the remaining time I could take up some
time for some questions from you guys.

If if you guys have
anything you want to ask.

But I have so I participated some yes.

And I participate in National Novel
Writing Month with which is a challenge

every November to write fifty
thousand words of a new novel.

And I've done that I think five times now.

This will be my sixth time.

Frost moon blood rock the third
book liquid fire are all.

Nano.

Efforts.

I don't follow the rules one hundred
percent strictly because if you know

planning on doing book four and
you know next year's Nano and

I think of a scene right now I just go
ahead and write it down and then say so

if I end up with you know five or
ten thousand words.

Of a book that I'm supposed to start and

I just say All right well that means I
have to write fifty five thousand words or

five ten thousand words at sixty thousand
words that I'm writing fifty thousand new

words in the course of the month so Xcode.

I'm going to be starting
this this November and

it will feature cinnamon back at
the Claremont Academy from from book two.

And it will deal with.

Cinnamon and graffiti and
computer viruses and

a bunch of people from the extraordinary
needs department and Claremont Academy.

So they'll be dumb peers and
werewolves and changelings and

other other children who have him
an enormous challenges and growing up.

I think your hand was first in the.

Then you were like a quarter second later.

There is a down side and so the central
banking it to a specific place is OK.

There are a lot of stories that can be
told without reference to a particular

place.

Other times so so for
the under world series.

It's about vampires and cities and
werewolves and policemen and cops and

and doctors and
doesn't need to be in a specific place but

in the Blood Blood Rock series the you
know there are specific elements about

the city that informant like the it didn't
make it into the final draft of frost

mage but the beltline project actually
affects the plot of frost moon and

and the villain has a whole
side thing going on.

So when someone had tripped the webcam.

Don't tell anyone but
the villain in Frost and his actual It is

actually done that and he's actually
messing with the police's computers but

the editors didn't let me keep that in
there because then it would have been

one hundred ten thousand word book and
it was they they wanted it to be shorter.

So places OK.

Time is a little more difficult
because a lot of people don't.

They don't like to read something that's
tied to specific time ya you mention

borders you know Borders is gone now and
you know and and and to me.

I don't think you can escape that because
if you even if you remove something like

specific like borders.

You still have some something
more generic like cell phones.

So if I have a twenty thirty five.

If I have a character go
to a big box bookstore.

I don't think that's going to happen.

There may be bookstores
in twenty thirty five.

I think there may be bookstores and
thirty thirty five but probably almost

everything is going to be on you know
some form of either reader or you'll die.

The book to your brain or
whatever but but it.

The situation's going to change in
the same way if I have something

written twenty's and I don't mention
that it's in the twenty's but

a character goes to a speakeasy.

Well you know they get set to a time.

So rather than trying to sort
of like weave the fine line.

I went for a specific thing but

almost every other person I've ever
talked to about frost and has said gee

you ought to just make it you know generic
don't tie it down to the specific time and

I empathize with that that isn't
the choice that I made but.

Thank you.
OK.

And I did too and I loved it.

A lot so I think you were next.

Right.

Yes to both of them.

So.

The very first novel I wrote extensively
outlined using a process I called like

hierarchical recursive outlining where
I took a sentence that was the story.

I turned it into a paragraph one it took
each sentence of the paragraph and turn it

into a paragraph and so I expanded it out
until I had something that was roughly

chapter like and I don't I don't generally
feel the need to do that anymore.

So what usually happens is get
a piece of something like usually

within the Dakota Frost serious Dakota
is talking to someone you know like

when she comes in and
you find out what it tree hugger.

She is and by by she decides to
snark about Republicans I was

a college Republican so you know it's
not I as far east as that goes but

she comes in she comes with this very
brash voice and then the book starts with

something like that and
then as you as I write I start.

Imagining what how would it.

What would happen if the character
did this and at that.

So I start filling in more and

more of the story until I get
a really good grip of the conflict.

You know what is the the central thing

that the character matters
to the character and and

what's the theme of the story and how
those going to collide and at that point.

Usually I have to write an outline and
and just go through.

OK This happens this
happened this happened.

For the course of the whole series when
I was planning out for Austin and.

I hit very early on about
the idea of having each book

feature feature monster feature a magical

version of an alternative culture
practice and feature a disability.

So in frost moon that it's magic that saw.

Werewolves.

Yeah werewolves.

Magical tattooing and blindness.

So there's a blind character.

There's a werewolf character
there's obviously Dakota book two.

It's the first one was where
the second one fan part but

they're kind of very well when they
gather and it's magical graffiti and

deafness and the Tourette's and
the third one is magical fire spinning.

Dragons and deafness and so
early on I had this idea and

it's like the story doesn't really have to
revolve around any one of those things.

This is like an idea mill of like what
kinds of thing can I how can I put

the the pull a theme out from
just having this is a prompt and

I came up with a list of of twenty
one monsters that I wanted to do so.

I have this out lying
that if I'm you know.

You know managed to survive and
keep going.

I can write you know twenty
one books in the series and

I've plotted out in and know what I
would do over that course in the.

A series will go over
the course of seven years and

there would be no way whatsoever
to keep that organized.

If I didn't have an outline because
it's you just right over yourself

even in the course of frost and
Blood Rock.

There are things where it's like I read
the beginning of frost moon again and

it's like I'm not quite consistent with
something like two thirds of the way

through with Blood Rock no
one will notice but me but.

So yes I love.

It.
I'm sorry but

you're going to

go about the whole world are.

Right.
See is so

that's a really interesting point and not.

I think.

I've said I've seen the same thing myself
sometimes I've read another series that's

very specifically set in a location I
felt like like the Mersey Thompson series

with a need to Blake series I've
got a very clear sense of place and

there's others where it's like I just
stuff I'm I wasn't quite getting that.

And so I've.

You're the first person I've heard
that's been found that uncomfortable but

I could certainly see that you could be
uncomfortable if you go to the vortex.

And you look in the direction of where the
unicorn tattooing shop is it's different.

I try to change that building and you know
turn it into a two story building put one

store in the bottom one store on the other
and I could see that could be jarring.

So but the further the series

goes the more it's going to range
out over the earth then and beyond.

So.

We'll be hopefully you won't
be too pummeled by that.

Yes.

But.

Yeah and and so there's two ways two or
three ways around that one.

What.
Well one way is you just kind of ignore it

and as she put her the rug and
the the big thing is that

the theory of frost moon was
that magic was suppressed for

centuries either because the people who
were practicing it were trying to hide it

because they were had been persecuted or
because they got power from it and

that they would infiltrate scientific
communities to try to mess up

the experiment so
that people couldn't detect it.

And and the counterculture of the sixties
and seventies people kind of stopped.

You know they they started you know.

Practicing magic it got out into the open.

So there's a lot that sort of
known about magic and the.

You know journalist starts the book by
saying all this is impossible and then you

know seven chapters later the impossible
thing is happening she has to figure out

how and sometimes it's very well
planned and sometimes I'm like dang it.

That really messes up with
what I wanted to do here.

So.

Sometimes I had to change the plot.

To make that consistent.

I've been managed and I'm writing
like say two or three books out so

if I see something in book four that's
going to contradict something in

book two and it's not gonna press.

You know I can try to fix that and
then I do a lot of reading so

for the arc of the entire series.

You know the I'm I'm reading up on some

some fairly old books on Caltech meth and
designing out the plot.

So that I'm going to be dropping
cards that that sort of

hopefully are going to be
consistent with each other.

So planning ahead really helps and but
sometimes you just can't avoid it and

there are other means
are things you can't do.

Or you have to really think hard
about what the right explanation is.