Monday, April 27, 2009
Kindling!
Article yesterday in the NYT about the Kindle...while there may be some legitimate debates about how Kindle will change publishing--and some of those changes maybe not so much the better for authors--the NYT hand-wringing seemed to be mostly over the fact that books on Kindle can't be used as status signifiers (tho' the Kindle itself, of course, it somewhat a status signifier since it ain't cheap)...after all, how will people know you are so cool and read Melville or Sartre if there's no book cover to inform them of such? It's true that as far as being used as a wing-book, the Kindle is useless...but...full disclosure:
Devilman got me a Kindle and it's pretty cool. Actually, Devilman got US a Kindle, and although I was skeptical at first, he's now not been able to pry it out of my hot little hands. I'm pretty smitten. Now, I wouldn't want to read every book on the Kindle, and I wouldn't buy a book on the Kindle that I had any expectation of wanting to add to my library, but for a swift read it's pretty sweet how you can download a book in seconds from wherever you are and begin reading instantly. This has caused me to buy books that I might not have otherwise, based on the instant gratification principle. If I had to write the title down and go to the bookstore I might have lost interest in the book before I even got out the front door.
I particularly like reading the newspapers on the Kindle. We used to take the NYT, the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, but we only ever read the FT weekend edition, and the newsprint did add up. It seemed as though I was always carrying scads of paper to the recycling, or stumbling over pilesin the living room. Now, we are paper free, and don't have to deal with spreading out huge pages on the breakfast table or the living room. Plus, I tend to do most of my reading now whilst satisfying the voracious appetite of the Captain and his grabby hands make books and newspapers problematic. But I can easily hold the Kindle out of his reach and turn the page with one hand, and that works great. You don't get the easy browsing function you do with the physical paper, and the Kindle editions don't have the entire content of the paper edition but it's good enough for casual reading.
A couple of drawbacks: firstly, the Kindle ain't cheap, as mentioned before. I'm sure the price will come down and by the time Captain Jenks is old enough to read Gogol he'll probably wonder why anyone would read books printed on paper, oh those silly old folks. By then, maybe they'll be giving Kindles out in cereal boxes. (I am ancient enough to remember when digital watches cost over $100 bucks and were giant clunky things; you could order them out of the Sears catalog--if you were rich!). But right now it's an investment.
Another drawback: you lose the lovely physical quality of a book. No graphics, and if the book had pictures in it, usually they are ommited from the Kindle edition. I just finished GO DOWN TOGETHER, a bio of Bonnie and Clyde (what absolute pathetic losers--so sad), and I would have liked pictures to go with my text. Luckily, google pics provided illustrations but that's not the same as flipping to the middle of the book. Plus, no cover art, or interesting fonts, etc. Just stripped down utilitarian text. For those of us who like books as objects, that's a drag. But as I said, if I really want to keep a book, then I'll buy it for real.
Last drawback--which could be a MAJOR one for those of us with no self-control. To buy books you set up an automatic account. This means when you click buy on the Kindle, the credit card information is already in the system--which makes book buying SEEM easy and almost FREE. If you aren't careful, you can rack up some serious charges quickly just by hitting BUY BUY BUY. This may be great for the publishers and impulse buying but can get you into fiscal hot water rather quickly. Like with donuts, one must learn to exercise restraint.
However, over-all I am pretty happy to be Kindling...
Devilman got me a Kindle and it's pretty cool. Actually, Devilman got US a Kindle, and although I was skeptical at first, he's now not been able to pry it out of my hot little hands. I'm pretty smitten. Now, I wouldn't want to read every book on the Kindle, and I wouldn't buy a book on the Kindle that I had any expectation of wanting to add to my library, but for a swift read it's pretty sweet how you can download a book in seconds from wherever you are and begin reading instantly. This has caused me to buy books that I might not have otherwise, based on the instant gratification principle. If I had to write the title down and go to the bookstore I might have lost interest in the book before I even got out the front door.
I particularly like reading the newspapers on the Kindle. We used to take the NYT, the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, but we only ever read the FT weekend edition, and the newsprint did add up. It seemed as though I was always carrying scads of paper to the recycling, or stumbling over pilesin the living room. Now, we are paper free, and don't have to deal with spreading out huge pages on the breakfast table or the living room. Plus, I tend to do most of my reading now whilst satisfying the voracious appetite of the Captain and his grabby hands make books and newspapers problematic. But I can easily hold the Kindle out of his reach and turn the page with one hand, and that works great. You don't get the easy browsing function you do with the physical paper, and the Kindle editions don't have the entire content of the paper edition but it's good enough for casual reading.
A couple of drawbacks: firstly, the Kindle ain't cheap, as mentioned before. I'm sure the price will come down and by the time Captain Jenks is old enough to read Gogol he'll probably wonder why anyone would read books printed on paper, oh those silly old folks. By then, maybe they'll be giving Kindles out in cereal boxes. (I am ancient enough to remember when digital watches cost over $100 bucks and were giant clunky things; you could order them out of the Sears catalog--if you were rich!). But right now it's an investment.
Another drawback: you lose the lovely physical quality of a book. No graphics, and if the book had pictures in it, usually they are ommited from the Kindle edition. I just finished GO DOWN TOGETHER, a bio of Bonnie and Clyde (what absolute pathetic losers--so sad), and I would have liked pictures to go with my text. Luckily, google pics provided illustrations but that's not the same as flipping to the middle of the book. Plus, no cover art, or interesting fonts, etc. Just stripped down utilitarian text. For those of us who like books as objects, that's a drag. But as I said, if I really want to keep a book, then I'll buy it for real.
Last drawback--which could be a MAJOR one for those of us with no self-control. To buy books you set up an automatic account. This means when you click buy on the Kindle, the credit card information is already in the system--which makes book buying SEEM easy and almost FREE. If you aren't careful, you can rack up some serious charges quickly just by hitting BUY BUY BUY. This may be great for the publishers and impulse buying but can get you into fiscal hot water rather quickly. Like with donuts, one must learn to exercise restraint.
However, over-all I am pretty happy to be Kindling...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Andre Norton Award!
Woo! Last night, FLORA'S DARE won the Andre Norton Award...
Thrilled, excited, stunned, amazed, wah-wah, all of those things. Sad that I wasn't there to woo in person, but the Amazing Dave Schwartz did the honours for me, and even sent me a text pic of the thing itself. It was hard to see details on the small screen, but still it looked grand!
But I am sad that Dave's SUPERPOWERS did not win the Nebula for Best Novel. It's a great novel, and he's a great writer, and I am very very sure that this Nebula nomination will be the first of many nominations for many different awards.
I was in bed when the news came through; the Captain has been restless at night recently and as soon as he hits the rack I do too, as I know I might be up again soon enough. Of course, I am delighted to win, but I'd also like to exert my new found award winning power (yah right!) to remind everyone of the other Norton nominees, worthy books all.Viz.,
I am also super happy that John Kessel's "Pride and Prometheus" won the Nebula for Best Novelette. I read this story in draft form the year I went to Sycamore Hill; to describe it as a mash up of FRANKENSTEIN and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (what if Victor Frankensteins had been a pal of Mr. Darcy?) is accurate, but the story is oh so much more. It is worth seeking out.
It's unspeakably gratifying to be honoured by one's peers in this fashion, of course, and hopefully the unspeakable gratification will give my current writing a bit of a boost. I'm still hacking away at FLORA'S FURY. I had to ditch the first 35K words that I spent three months working on and start over again--off to the wrong start--and now feel back into the scheme of things, but juggling a baby and a book ain't no joke, as I have discovered.
But that's tomorrow. Today is woot!
Thrilled, excited, stunned, amazed, wah-wah, all of those things. Sad that I wasn't there to woo in person, but the Amazing Dave Schwartz did the honours for me, and even sent me a text pic of the thing itself. It was hard to see details on the small screen, but still it looked grand!
But I am sad that Dave's SUPERPOWERS did not win the Nebula for Best Novel. It's a great novel, and he's a great writer, and I am very very sure that this Nebula nomination will be the first of many nominations for many different awards.
I was in bed when the news came through; the Captain has been restless at night recently and as soon as he hits the rack I do too, as I know I might be up again soon enough. Of course, I am delighted to win, but I'd also like to exert my new found award winning power (yah right!) to remind everyone of the other Norton nominees, worthy books all.Viz.,
- GRACELING by Kristen Cashore.
- LAMPLIGHTER, by D.M. Cornish.
- SAVVY by Ingrid Law.
- THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary Pearson.
I am also super happy that John Kessel's "Pride and Prometheus" won the Nebula for Best Novelette. I read this story in draft form the year I went to Sycamore Hill; to describe it as a mash up of FRANKENSTEIN and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (what if Victor Frankensteins had been a pal of Mr. Darcy?) is accurate, but the story is oh so much more. It is worth seeking out.
It's unspeakably gratifying to be honoured by one's peers in this fashion, of course, and hopefully the unspeakable gratification will give my current writing a bit of a boost. I'm still hacking away at FLORA'S FURY. I had to ditch the first 35K words that I spent three months working on and start over again--off to the wrong start--and now feel back into the scheme of things, but juggling a baby and a book ain't no joke, as I have discovered.
But that's tomorrow. Today is woot!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Flora takes the Omnibus
I have heard that FLORA'S DARE and FLORA SEGUNDA is going to be published in an omnibus edition by Science Fiction Book Club. I am a huge fan of omnibus editions. When you are reading a series, and really enjoy book 1 it is oh so nice to have book 2 between the same boards, ready and waiting to keep you going. I am always looking for omnibuses (omnibii?) but they are, for rather obvious reasons, confined to book clubs usually, and I'm not currently a member of any book club. I know from a collectible stand-point book club editions are valueless, but I've always liked them. They often have cool cover art, and many times are the only way to get books otherwise published as mass markets in hard back form. I have many Tanith Lee books from the 80s and early 90s in book club editions, and I treasure my book club edition of Gene Wolfe's SHADOW OF THE TORTURER and the other volumes in that series. And great cover art, too. I have seen a prelim of the cover art for FLORA FYRDRAACA (as the omni will be called) and it's pretty nifty. When I get the okay, I will post.
The only sad thing is that FLORA'S FURY will then be a little stand-alone, or no edition at all. Unless, she says, laughing diabolically, there is a fourth book...hmm...there's an idea...
The only sad thing is that FLORA'S FURY will then be a little stand-alone, or no edition at all. Unless, she says, laughing diabolically, there is a fourth book...hmm...there's an idea...
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Excuses
Is it April already? How did that happen? The long long winter is suddenly over, and now, from this side, it don't seem so long. Although, I have to admit that the Captain and I spent six weeks of it in warmer climes (Arizona and Tejas), so we can hardly complain about the winter being so darn long.
And now the little spring buds are budding, and the flowers are flowering, and all will be green again soon.
In other news, once again I am honoured to be on the ballot for the Andre Norton Award, this time for FLORA'S DARE. I guess that's the good thing about publishing a book a year, three years running. If you lose one year, there's always next year. As always, the rest of the ballot is mighty tasty so who knows what my chances are, but at least I ain't up against the JK Rowling juggernaut this time. So there's hope.
Which reminds me, if you haven't read D.M. Cornish's books, you should. LAMPLIGHTER is up for the Norton too, and while I haven't read it, MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO was delicious and contained some of the best world building I've come across in a mule's age. (That's longer than a donkey's age, twice as mean and will wait for years for the chance to kill you.) Also, I'm jealous of the website. It's full of super cool flash, and D.M. Cornish can actually draw so he can do his VERY OWN COVERS. She sighs with jealousy.
In yet other news, I am pleased to say that FLORA'S FURY is finally moving at a steady clip. Now that I've said that no doubt I'll get stymied again, just for spite, but for the moment I am making progress. I had to cut almost 30K words--OUCH--but I have managed to replace almost all of them with better longer and more descriptive words, so it's all copacetic now. I might be over 1/3 of the way done. Woo!
King Baby continues to hold the entire household in thrall. Only Bothwell is immune to his charms. Bothwell knows full well that *he* is the cutest thing in the house. The Captain is merely an upstart.
But I haven't gotten around to watching the final season of BSG. I think I am afraid.
Oh, and The Science Fiction Bookclub is publishing an omnibus edition of FLORA SEGUNDA AND FLORA'S DARE. I love omnibus editions, so I'm super pleased about this. You only seem to get them through book clubs but they are a great way to get a nice hardback chock-a-block with good stuff, to make the reading pleasure last a little longer. Since I can burn through a book very quickly, I am always pleased to have another one waiting in the wings.
And now the little spring buds are budding, and the flowers are flowering, and all will be green again soon.
In other news, once again I am honoured to be on the ballot for the Andre Norton Award, this time for FLORA'S DARE. I guess that's the good thing about publishing a book a year, three years running. If you lose one year, there's always next year. As always, the rest of the ballot is mighty tasty so who knows what my chances are, but at least I ain't up against the JK Rowling juggernaut this time. So there's hope.
Which reminds me, if you haven't read D.M. Cornish's books, you should. LAMPLIGHTER is up for the Norton too, and while I haven't read it, MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO was delicious and contained some of the best world building I've come across in a mule's age. (That's longer than a donkey's age, twice as mean and will wait for years for the chance to kill you.) Also, I'm jealous of the website. It's full of super cool flash, and D.M. Cornish can actually draw so he can do his VERY OWN COVERS. She sighs with jealousy.
In yet other news, I am pleased to say that FLORA'S FURY is finally moving at a steady clip. Now that I've said that no doubt I'll get stymied again, just for spite, but for the moment I am making progress. I had to cut almost 30K words--OUCH--but I have managed to replace almost all of them with better longer and more descriptive words, so it's all copacetic now. I might be over 1/3 of the way done. Woo!
King Baby continues to hold the entire household in thrall. Only Bothwell is immune to his charms. Bothwell knows full well that *he* is the cutest thing in the house. The Captain is merely an upstart.
But I haven't gotten around to watching the final season of BSG. I think I am afraid.
Oh, and The Science Fiction Bookclub is publishing an omnibus edition of FLORA SEGUNDA AND FLORA'S DARE. I love omnibus editions, so I'm super pleased about this. You only seem to get them through book clubs but they are a great way to get a nice hardback chock-a-block with good stuff, to make the reading pleasure last a little longer. Since I can burn through a book very quickly, I am always pleased to have another one waiting in the wings.
Steampunk Jewelry
My super cool ancient friend Lisby (ancient in the sense that we have known each other for a mule's age, not in the sense that we are both ancient although we might be that too--happy to be crone-like and wise) has been making jewelry for also a mule's age, and very pretty lovely jewelry it is.
Now she and her jewelry making cohorts have branched out and are making pretty lovely super fantastically cool steampunk jewelry which you can drool over at her etsy shop Big Circle Designs and Steampunk Emporium.
I quoth from her own words, for she has said it better than I can: "Big Circle designs are diverse, encompassing the funky, the tribal, the mystical, the spiritual, the powerful, the serene, and the steampunk. Perfect for both the Venus of Willendorf and Romanadvratrelundar--and everyone in between!"
The pieces are lovely meldings of delicate chains and jewels with bits of the mechanical past. They would be sure to make any member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen drool. Also, each piece has a very cool name, such as Chrononaut Badge of Meritorius Service; Time Machine Key; and Weeping Angels.
Who doesn't want a time machine key?
Now she and her jewelry making cohorts have branched out and are making pretty lovely super fantastically cool steampunk jewelry which you can drool over at her etsy shop Big Circle Designs and Steampunk Emporium.
I quoth from her own words, for she has said it better than I can: "Big Circle designs are diverse, encompassing the funky, the tribal, the mystical, the spiritual, the powerful, the serene, and the steampunk. Perfect for both the Venus of Willendorf and Romanadvratrelundar--and everyone in between!"
The pieces are lovely meldings of delicate chains and jewels with bits of the mechanical past. They would be sure to make any member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen drool. Also, each piece has a very cool name, such as Chrononaut Badge of Meritorius Service; Time Machine Key; and Weeping Angels.
Who doesn't want a time machine key?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Thanks to the Wall Street Journal (of all venues), I have discovered Amanda Palmer, one half of the Dresden Dolls,* who has just struck out on her own with a solo effort. Somehow I had not really noticed the Dresden Dolls before, tho', of course, any band that bills itself as "Brechtian Punk Cabaret" seems exactly up my alley.** So I'm not sure how they remained off my radar for so long. I guess I've been too immersed in sea shanties and the 97th Regimental String Band these last few years.
Anyway, so I've been listening to Madama Palmer's album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, and enjoying it tremendously. She has a very large range--both in vocal quality, subject matter, and tone. But I haven't listened much recently to contemporary music, and so I'm really enjoying it. Several of the songs have operatic qualities to them that are quite appealing. There were videos, but they got caught in the Warner's youtube malarky and are no longer available. However, here's a video of her song "What's the Use of Wondering."
What's the Use of Won'drin'? -Amanda Palmer & Vermilion Lies- from Amanda Palmer on Vimeo.
You can see why I like her! Apparently, Madama Palmer's label has not been particularly supportive of her album--something I can quite relate to--so I urge you to check it out. She's also working on a book in conjunction with Neil Gaiman, also called "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" which consists of photographs of Madama Palmer posing as a glamourous corpse. I wish I had Madama Palmer's fashion sense.
In other news, my lovely and talented agent sent me a box of Rivera pears for the holiday. At first I was slightly skeptical, as pears can be so hard and grainy...but these pears are soft and delicious and I have gobbled my way through almost the entire box already. In fact, I ordered another box.
In other other news, Devilman, Captain Jenks and I just finished watching "The Golden Compass" on telly. I hated hated hated HATED the books (don't get me started!), and while the movie looked stunning, we were underwhelmed at the plot. At least they managed to cut out most of the stuff I hated about the book, so that was a positive.
And it rained here today.
Anyway, so I've been listening to Madama Palmer's album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, and enjoying it tremendously. She has a very large range--both in vocal quality, subject matter, and tone. But I haven't listened much recently to contemporary music, and so I'm really enjoying it. Several of the songs have operatic qualities to them that are quite appealing. There were videos, but they got caught in the Warner's youtube malarky and are no longer available. However, here's a video of her song "What's the Use of Wondering."
What's the Use of Won'drin'? -Amanda Palmer & Vermilion Lies- from Amanda Palmer on Vimeo.
You can see why I like her! Apparently, Madama Palmer's label has not been particularly supportive of her album--something I can quite relate to--so I urge you to check it out. She's also working on a book in conjunction with Neil Gaiman, also called "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" which consists of photographs of Madama Palmer posing as a glamourous corpse. I wish I had Madama Palmer's fashion sense.
In other news, my lovely and talented agent sent me a box of Rivera pears for the holiday. At first I was slightly skeptical, as pears can be so hard and grainy...but these pears are soft and delicious and I have gobbled my way through almost the entire box already. In fact, I ordered another box.
In other other news, Devilman, Captain Jenks and I just finished watching "The Golden Compass" on telly. I hated hated hated HATED the books (don't get me started!), and while the movie looked stunning, we were underwhelmed at the plot. At least they managed to cut out most of the stuff I hated about the book, so that was a positive.
And it rained here today.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Goodbye, Richard Stark
Alas, Donald E. Westlake has died. I just read the first Parker book, The Hunter, (which was published under the name Richard Stark), over the summer and it was terrific. Hard boiled enough to make egg salad with, but with that wonderful noir style--terse, tense and utterly stripped to the bone. The main character, Parker, is a true anti-hero, tough and unsympathetic, but the people in his sights are so much worse than he is that its easy to cheer him on. Plus, there is something intriguing about such single-mindedness. Parker has been wronged--he's going to set that wrong right and nothing will stop him. There is a bit of a cultural artifact about The Hunter, because it so clearly takes place in the early 1960s, but that context only makes the book more intriguing, I think. It's always interesting to read books that were contemporary when they came out, but today are pretty much historical. There is a lack of artifice in such books that you just don't find in historical novels.
Of course Mr. Westlake wrote many many other mysteries, under his own name and others. He was the kind of writer the market just doesn't support anymore, and he was prolific without being a hack. We should all be so lucky.
Of course Mr. Westlake wrote many many other mysteries, under his own name and others. He was the kind of writer the market just doesn't support anymore, and he was prolific without being a hack. We should all be so lucky.
Happy New Year!
So once again it is that time to consider old bad habits and try to discard them for new (good) habits. Resolutions rarely end up lasting much past February, but still, if you don't resolve to do anything then you'll do nothing.
Hence, my resolutions for this year:
Of such small steps are mighty journeys made.
What about you?
Hence, my resolutions for this year:
- Get back into the bloggy habit--at least twice a week
- Learn military time
- Finish Flora's Fury
- Write at least two short stories
- Clean out my closet
- Go to Sweden to visit my darling friend Lilla My
- Take my vitamins every day
- Get my website cleaned up
Of such small steps are mighty journeys made.
What about you?
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Flora and Paimon
The fabulous graphic artist Madama Lea Hernandez has turned her pen to the illustrating of Flora Segunda and Paimon...and kindly allowed me to post said portrait here.
Since I was purposely vague in my description about Paimon (focusing on parts instead of a whole) it is always interesting to see how other see him...And I love Flora's furious fan!
Madama Hernandez writes graphic novels. More of her work can be found here. (How can you not like texas steampunk?) And she has a few other sketches of Flora et al. here. (I like that we are sharing a page with Iggy Pop!).
Many thanks to Madama Hernandez for taking the time to illustrate Flora and her friends, and to allowing me to post the fruits of her labour!
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