Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Russell
Saturday, August 9, 2008 at 11:38 AM
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In Over Her Head by Elsie Russell
Hey Guys! In Over Her Head, a cyber-thriller/romance is now available for free download. Seven years in the making, Elsie Russell, my spouse, started writing the book right after 9/11 and is her first novel. It's gotten great reviews from Publisher's Weekly and was a Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finalist, but we've gotten frustrated getting it published. It's just damn near impossible for first novel's to be published now and when it is - they receive no promotion. Then when they are published if they don't sell like crazy, they're taken off the market and the author loses rights to have them re-published. It's just crazy. We decided to go DIY.
If you like the book, you can buy it at Lulu.com and in about 6 weeks at Amazon. After reading several articles about this new download literature environment, and one in particular by Neil Gaiman we decided to give it away for free, with the front cover and hope people like it enough to buy it. I've read it 10 times now and I couldn't put it down every time I read it. Which is pretty weird. But of course, I'm biased. But not really that much...haha!
Synopsis:
The debut of Penny Bell's's groundbreaking musical composition—featuring the use of mysterious extremely low frequency waves—takes a startling and tragic turn when several concert-goers die in their seats during the performance. The once-bright horizons of Penny's career collapse, and she retreats to a dank Soho basement apartment lit only by the glow of computer monitors and electronic synthesizer displays. There, using herself as a guinea pig, she sets out to unlock the secrets of her beautiful and deadly symphonies. But a series of strange coincidences intrude upon her solitary quest. Her apartment is ransacked. Her neighbor, the ethereal erotic performance artist Ulla Nova, disappears after her studio is broken into. And then Ulla's charming and damaged young choreographer appears, and sweeps Penny off to Europe to search for the diva, plunging Penny into a seedy and unfamiliar world of jet set artists and international intrigue.
And I designed the cover. I'm sure some of you guys recognized my crazy graphics!
Here's a brief bio of the author:
Elsie Russell's bohemian upbringing with artist parents in Europe and the states provided much of the material for this novel. Her mother Andrée, a Beaux Arts Graduate, frequented the postwar Paris avant-garde art scene with her photographer brother Robert Déscharnes where she met Alfred Russell, then a rising star abstract expressionist painter, soon married him and had Elsie. Robert Déscharnes went on to become famous for his art books and life-long friendship and collaboration with Salvador Dalí. From the start she was dragged around with the rolled up canvases until deposited for high school in Rome at St. Stephen's, a prep school warehouse for jet set kids where she got a great education with her disaffected aristocratic classmates. Summers were often in Cadaquès, Spain, with her cousins and Dalí and his colorful entourage. Later, while struggling in New York as a painter, she met her spouse Jeff Harrington, Juilliard trained composer and software architect, exposing her to yet another world of dazzling misfits. For more information about Elsie Russell please visit her websites:
Short Stories of Elsie Russell
Paintings of Elsie Russell
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LoveCraft's Adjectives
Joined: 08/14/01
Posts: 247
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RE: In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Rus
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 4:56 AM
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Downloadin'
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 12:08 PM
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I can't wait to buy it! I'm a fan of Lulu.com and I'll purchase it there. I love the idea of scoring a cool read and supporting an artist at the same time. I'm very proud that she finished it and I can't wait to read it. 
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 12:16 PM
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Yea! I just bought it! It should be here in 3-5 days!!!
Tell Elsie I send my congratulations to her! 
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Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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RE: In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Rus
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 4:46 PM
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Wow Lou! You just made our evening. Elsie says THANK YOU!  We've been getting a few downloads, but it's been a bit slow. Got it linked at a few ebook places. Have to figure out how to promote books and I'm not that good at promoting music!
We hope you love it!
Oh and BTW, the ArtistServer crowd had a bit to do with the making of this book! Elsie's IM conversations with Sendy contributed a critical part to the characterization of the trannie hair dresser, Madame D'oc, and the tragic brother of the lead male character. Thanks Alex! 
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 9:35 AM
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Ooooooooh.....I can't wait!!!!
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 9:38 AM
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Yea! It arrived! I'm holding it in my hot little hands right now!!!
And you know what? The cover looks even cooler in person. I shall begin reading it today at lunch, and I really can't wait. I have been trying to slog through a history of London and it just hasn't been working. This should be a very nice treat!
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Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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RE: In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Rus
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 1:55 PM
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Fantastic! That was fast. We both hope you love it.
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 9:28 AM
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I had enough free time this Labor Day weekend to just lounge around and read, read, read! So...I finished Elsie's book! Yea!
The first thing I want to say is that I enjoyed it. Secondly, there were many times when I felt that I was 'In over MY head'. I had to mark sections and go back and look things up just to make sure I even remotely understood what she was describing. Thirdly, I knew there was no way she could have described all of those lovely places in Europe with so much vivid detail without some personal knowledge, so reading her bio-info made me smile...what a woman! Lastly, I fear I am now scared to death to ever have a conversation with Elsie, as she is waaaaaay out of my league! 
The story line, as well as the characters was very original. I hope you get more positive feedback from this book...and I hope you write more, too!
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Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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RE: In Over Her Head
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:27 PM
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Wow that made Elsie's evening! We're so glad you got into it. Yeah, like I always say, Elsie's the talented part of this duo. I'm just a slacker. And she did all this as the poor little artist kid. Never had any money.  Thanks Lou!! (Her new book is about a teenage girl on a runaway road trip discovering that her lost father is still alive and might be Maitreya).
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Rus
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 7:34 PM
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It's nice to know she's already working on something else. But you see...now I have to look up where Maitreya is.
My Great Grandmother's name was Elsie, and I learned a lot from her over the years. I guess I am just destined to continue to learn from 'Elsies'. Please give her a congratulatory hug from me.
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Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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Re: In Over Her Head
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 4:10 PM
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Hug accomplished! The Elsie thing is a curse though... man she hates her name. Since high school, 'Give us some milk!' She was named after her great-grandmother. Pretty rare name now... everybody always thinks it's 'Elise'.
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louwhoz
Joined: 03/13/05
Posts: 429
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RE: In Over Her Head
Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 9:24 AM
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My great-grandmother was German, and her full name was Elsie Rose. There is a strange 'rule' in our family that no girls may be named 'Elsie' after her...I think she was very superstitious and believed her name was cursed. However, if I ever have a daughter, I would use the 'Rose' part of her name in honor of her...she was an AMAZING woman, much as I believe your Elsie is, too.
Funny, I never once thought of the 'Elsie the Cow' connection.  I guess that falls under the "Kids can be so cruel" catagory.
Of course, tell her to let me know when the next book is finished!
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P9FM
Joined: 03/29/02
Posts: 198
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RE: In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk by Elsie Rus
Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 7:51 AM
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I downloaded the book right after you posted and just now started to read it. Looks promising.
we have a friend who also published a book on lulu.com
side question - what software did you use for the cover. Do you know about the program ArtMatic?
not an Obliminal thought in his head
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Jeff Harrington
Joined: 05/26/02
Posts: 69
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In Over Her Head - Free Cyberpunk
Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 11:20 AM
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I just used Photoshop Liquify. The latest Photoshop, but the images were from an original process I use layered over a picture of the Memling Madonna that plays a role in the book. (Sandro gives it to Penny because it looks like her).
We both hope you love it!
I'll have to check out ArtMatic!
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