Anyone Can Become a Reader...

I had a fascinating encounter with a fellow in the neighborhood park last week.

Like me, he came to kill time, though I'd brought my mini computer with the intention of getting some novel critting done. He had nothing but a basic cell phone (his contact point with his employer). He looked to the gathering of baseball players in the hopes of something to entertain him, but instead, we got talking about books.

It started with my new mini as I explained what I use it for, but when he asked me what I wrote, after I told him, he said he wasn't much of a reader. He mentioned a foray into fiction (he does read non-fiction) and why it didn't work for him.

I talked to him about some of the novels that had captured my attention in my childhood, and about Lion's Blood which I'm reading now. I talked about my difficulties getting into it until I realized what type of book it was--an epic rather than plot-driven story where the focus is absorbing the reader in the society and relationships so that when the cracks appear in the social structure the reader understands the significance more completely. I compared it to Clan of the Cave Bear, mentioned Tale of Two Cities (and noted that I'd read it as a tragic romance so didn't have the problems other readers seemed to), and both how I had read romance novels since high school and how they'd changed from simple candy to books with more depth. For his part, he talked about how a coworker encouraged him to read Animal Farm and how he'd been given Steinbeck in high school.

I can't remember the last time I had such an open discussion with a non-reader. He never let the conversation fall flat just because he hadn't found much of value in the fiction world. We talked a bit about his venture into beer-making and finally whiskey because he found a how-to book at a yard sale, but mostly we talked about fiction.

So on a whim, using the example of my childhood library exploration that ranged from romances, to literary fiction, to philosophy, to anthropology, to whatever, I suggested he give himself the chance to find something he wants to read. I suggested he go to the library and choose five books from different sections. Take those home and try them out. If they don't appeal, he didn't have to read them, but if he did this enough times, likely he'd find something to enjoy. I also suggested Cyberpunk when he said Louis Lamour wasn't gritty enough for him.

These are random conversations. I don't expect people to break through their habits. I certainly don't make life changes every time I meet someone who thinks differently than I do.

But here's the thing. His employer called to be picked up, and as we said our goodbyes, he asked for my website so he could check out my writing. I gave him a business card, but still without much expectation. Then as he was walking away, he turned back and said that he planned to give fiction another try, that I had made it sound so interesting just talking about my favorite books that he wanted to see what he was missing.

Wow! That's so cool. And it says something. It says that it's never too late to catch the fiction bug as long as you're open to it.

People talk about meeting someone at a convention and just talking to them as people, at which point they can become interested in reading what you write, not because you "pitched" it, but because they can see from your enthusiasm that you really believe in it. I guess I just did that with the whole of fiction reading, and I hope he does find something to appeal.

So many potential readers are lost because they never see the whole of what's out there, and it's wonderful that I may have helped some stranger discover the world of reading. When I was a kid, I got it into my head that what I'd been doing before first grade wasn't reading (the teacher didn't believe I could read), and so the world of reading was contained within Dick and Jane. That was such a horrifying thought that I stopped reading all together. My report cards are full of worries about my lack of reading.

My sister broke me of that by forcing Narnia, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Anne McCaffrey on me. I've never looked back.

It seems somehow poetic that I might have had a chance to pass that favor along to someone who had given up on fiction for many more years than my sister would have tolerated. Though I have no expectation of such, I think it would be wonderful if, presuming he does find something interesting to read and checks out my site, he leaves me a note to tell me the end of this part of his story :).

Friday Interesting Links

Science

Will our hearts require us to invent artificial gravity before expanding much further?
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/10jul_cardio.htm?list868465

My cats aren't this subtle. They cry when they want attention, but then they have an always-filled bowl too. Still, it just proves what cat owners have always known...and hey, multilevel vocalization. That's cool :D.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8147566.stm

A little bit of space history and a reminder of where we've been:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/16jul_wideawake.htm?list868465

Writing/Society

The comments make it into a divisive issue, but at the heart, I think this suggestion has a point. Writers of all genres don't do it for the money. Unless I become the next J.K. Rowling, I'd have made more sticking with computers. What is the financial incentive for the small-time writers, those still scrambling for a foothold? And would that picture change if the publishers had an incentive to invest in the new ones. Maybe limited to a number of books and royalty amount, or something, but a tax incentive to support young (in terms of reputation) writers so they have the chance to establish themselves seems a big improvement on this "you better make big or we drop you like a hot potato" approach we've got going now.
http://ideas.theatlantic.com/2009/07/bet_on_books.php

I really like this analogy for writers on the Internet:
http://carolrhoda.blogspot.com/2009/07/cocktail-party.html

I always knew writers were a bit off, myself included, but now it's been nailed down :D. A percentage of creative folks have the same genetic mutation as schizophrenics. So when asked if you hear voices, do you answer yes?
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17474-artistic-tendencies-linked-to-schizophrenia-gene.html

Writing

Words added to Merriam-Webster in 2009. It's an interesting list. Some I can't believe weren't there, others... Well, just see for yourself.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/info/newwords09.htm

A good breakdown of the different types of editors who will work on your manuscript.
http://lesbianauthors.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/hey-kids-lets-talk-about-editing/

A solid take on the problems with using rhetorical questions in your query letter.
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2009/07/rhetorical-questions.html

Why agents might reject a good book by Anne Hawkins of John Hawkins & Associates with the wonderful ending line: "If a book is truly outstanding, it’s only a matter of time until the right agent steps up to the plate and offers to represent it. Don’t give up too soon!" It's worth reading whether you're just starting out or have a book or two doing the submission round.
http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-do-good-agents-turn-down-good-books.html

Apparently I am potentially part of the Google Settlement for my works appearing in anthologies. This is a solid breakdown of some of the issues with the settlement and it explains who is affected and how:
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/07/12/google-book-settlement-part-i-how-disputes-are-resolved/

This is a great post about Angela James of Samhain in specific, and editing tips in general:
http://nicemommy-evileditor.com/blog/?p=2559&cpage=1

Promoting

This article offers a roundup of sites where you can find photographs free for use on commercial sites so websites and book trailers and the like. Do read the rules for each because you may or may not have to attribute.
http://www.authortechtips.com/2009/07/where-to-find-free-legal-photos-online/

Book people are nice people, according to this article, and respond to nice authors. Tips on what not to do in a public appearance:
http://editorialass.blogspot.com/

Freelancing

I have a basic contract set out for my programming freelancing and it was a real pain to get it together. We ended up going the email route, but it's worth having expectations established. This article lists useful resources for those who do freelance writing or programming.
http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/07/why-arent-you-requesting-a-freelance-writer-contract-or-independent-contractor-agreement/

Society

I generally avoid politics and religion on my blog for anything beyond a personal level just because there's nothing more divisive, but as a woman in computers who was actively discriminated against with the support of upper management, I can't help but say Huzzah! to Jimmy Carter for this clear and simple statement:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/12/jimmy-carter-womens-rights-equality

Quick request for your opinion

I did a complete redo of my website, and I'm still playing around with the header image. I have two options currently on the table and would be interested in your opinion. The full post is on Live Journal, on my Novel Blog, but feel free to put your comment here or there.

Thanks for looking it over.

Friday's Interesting Links

In contrast to last week, this week was full of interesting things that came my way. Hope you all find something to enjoy.

Social

A moment of cute. Baby hedgehog pictures:
http://www.itsanimals.com/flashnews/?news=4049

A nice summation on how to be human on Twitter and the like:
http://ktliterary.com/2009/07/ask-daphne-when-is-it-too-much/

Writing

Jessica Faust of BookEnds talks about what "different" means to an agent and why so many times the author and agent miss on the definition:
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2009/07/meaning-of-different.html

An article on the point of killing off characters. I feel for this commentary because I had a story surprise me with a death and it almost killed me to write it. But ultimately, the death was necessary for a host of good reasons, if nothing else to reveal that no one was invulnerable. That doesn't make it any easier to take, or to do.
http://www.deadlinedames.com/?p=1304

A solid look at the costs of returnability versus the benefits with an example of how the reverse can work:
http://theharperstudio.com/2009/07/kristin-mclean-on-the-merits-of-non-returnable/

Reading this kind of article makes me even more grateful for finding Forward Motion and the dares it offers. Though I've been having a rough two years and haven't been keeping up on the deadlines stuff as much as I have in the past, I still know that I could push myself to do it. Now, with examples like this published author, it makes me even more determined to get back on track.
http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2009/06/living-and-dying-by-deadlines.html

A step-by-step presentation of what happens from the offer through to the bookshelf for novels based on Shannon Hale's own experiences.
http://www.squeetus.com/stage/mince_offer.html

The author/editor relationship from the perspective of several published authors:
http://wow-womenonwriting.com/31-20questions-AuthorEditorRelationships.html

Tips on following up with agents after a query is sent:
http://www.johnsonliterary.com/blog/2009/7/9/following-up-with-an-agent.html

Unconscious plagiarism is not an excuse according to these studies:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/205560/page/1

What hooks a reader from the perspective of agent Nephele Tempest:
http://nephele.livejournal.com/105587.html

Reading

A wonderful take on romance novels and the growing respectability of same. I've had a romance novel habit since I was 12 or so and went through all the appropriate phases of hiding the covers, reading late at night, etc. Now, I review them on my blog, I talk about them openly, and heck, I've even written one or two. Times have changed :).
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-07-06-romance-novels_N.htm

Science

I find this article on birth order interesting, but perhaps for different reasons than most. I read research on issues like how siblings are different and part of me (okay, a lot of me) is screaming, "Can't you see the social aspects of this? Can't you see how your research is relevant only to the group of people who grew up in the social conditions where the aspects you're touting exist?" Simple example: firstborns are supposed to be more intelligent, high-achievers who are out to take risks. Later children are supposed to be less intelligent and less likely to take risks. But if you go back in time a bit and hop over to merry England, you had the firstborns constrained to a rigid order of inheritance, the secondborns were the priests, those highly educated influencers of both social and spiritual life, and the thirdborns were soldiers who went out to conquer the world. Seems to me it's a nurture argument, not a nature one, which they make stabs at, but with the assumption that everyone is nurtured the same.
http://jezebel.com/5309200/does-birth-order-really-matter

Interesting look at the origins of suffixes and prefixes by seeing how monkeys respond to grammar patterns:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8139322.stm

Another reason to have coffee every day:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090705_alzheimers

Promotion

Of course I run across these articles after I just redesigned my site, but they have good tips on what to include...and what not to...on your author website. Some of them I'm not far enough along to manage, but others I'm going to have to schedule time to add.

Include:
http://yodiwan.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/what-to-include-on-author-websites/

Avoid:
http://yodiwan.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/what-not-to-have-on-your-book-website/

The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle

I know it's been a while since I posted anything besides Interesting Links, but summer up ends my busy life and puts the kids at the top of the scale (or rather, no school time to free up my writing time). That doesn't mean I'm not thinking about things to talk about :). So I hope you enjoy this bit in my words rather than having other people speaking through the links.

---

I blush to say that I've been planning to read The Ruby Key for quite some time, but just haven't been reading much at all. I read everything by Holly, and I can't remember a single time she's disappointed. However, this is a young adult book, on the young end of the YA scale, so I'm not really the audience, right? Well, now, having enjoyed it, I laugh at my delaying tactics.

The Ruby Key starts a new series and a new genre for Holly. It opens us to a new world where magic is commonplace, humans are not the dominant species, and the balance between day and night is a shaky one. This novel takes a young human girl and demands great things from her for a simple reason--to save the last parent she has left when her whole village is slowly falling ill or vanishing.

The story quickly becomes much more complicated than its beginnings, but throughout the theme is to be true to yourself and your goals.

Genna and Dan set out to save their family, and end up entangled in a war between day and night, human goodness, and human greed. They're joined by a nightwing, the dominant species, and a cat who is not a cat in their quest to meet the terms of a deal designed to be almost impossible, but not completely because that would be cheating (yes, interesting rule set :)).

I enjoyed the story as I've said, but then I gave it to my 14-year-old son. He, who has been annoyed by the predominance of female YA fiction, apparently found enough to like in Genna and Dan because he has demanded the second book in the series.

So, we will be getting the second book soon, but I won't get to read it first. Still, it'll be fun to see what happens next especially since I saw some of the behind the scenes info through Holly's How to Think Sideways course so I know it'll be interesting, but not how she'll bring it to life.

Interesting Links

Writing

I'll admit that I'm still on the periphery of the romance industry, so maybe everyone else already knows this, but I found the following blog post an eye opener to how Romance Writers of America runs their conference and the potential issues/gains of a larger electronic publishing presence:
http://www.courtneymilan.com/ramblings/2009/06/28/breaking-down-rwa-eligibility/

A description of how not to respond to a review, and a reminder that the Internet is a public space:
http://www.switched.com/2009/06/30/author-snipes-critic-on-twitter-over-negative-review/
http://gawker.com/5304168/alice-hoffmans-non+apology-apology-for-her-bout-of-twitter-rage
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/author-apologizes-for-twitter-outburst-about-a-bad-review/

And for those who might not know about it, I work on a free ezine for writers that has a lot of useful articles. Even more, Zette is doing a series on how writers thing about various things that has garnered responses from an interesting mix of authors:
http://lazette.net/vision/

A little writing fun with an edge:
http://www.willwriteforchocolate.com/2006/09/13/mimi-finishes-her-book/

And another that should resonate...at least with me.
http://www.inkygirl.com/wp-content/themes/thesis_151/rotator/AutumnProcrastination_002.jpg

For those still under the delusion that writing is all about a wooden desk and a sniffer full of brandy...
http://www.deadlinedames.com/?p=1261

Another round of publishing definitions. Each one seems to bring another word to the table or slightly different definitions. I find the variations interestings, but this is aimed at beginning writers who may not know the basic terms:
http://chipmacgregor.typepad.com/main/2009/07/basic-basic-basic-questions.html


Social

I'm not a Californian anymore, but I have friends and family down here. That's not why I'm linking to the following video though. I think there's a bigger implication here, and it's a wonderful one. Maybe through tools like YouTube, Twitter, etc., the American public will start to wake up more to what it means to be in a democracy (okay a republic :p), and step up in the political arena so that we/they are less stepped on. Our representatives can only represent what they know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjmgk1xQmPQ

Fun coupon offers for those who live in big cities:
http://groupon.thepoint.com/

Science

What happened to familiarity breeds contempt? Or is that only in the human animal? Ants, it seems, think in different ways.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8127000/8127519.stm

Interesting Links...to come

I'm on the wrong computer and besides it's after midnight. I spent the day enjoying a county fair, not on the computer, so I'll be late. That said, here's a link for you that seems appropriate :).

http://www.willwriteforchocolate.com/2008/11/30/11302008/

And you thought I'd forgotten. I don't know whether I'll be posting one this upcoming Friday as I'll be away and may not be doing much online reading, but we'll see.

Science

This article has particular meaning to me because, as a young girl, I roamed the actual Acropolis before it was closed. I share the memories of that section of Greece with the international dog star Benji, and I intend to go back and re-experience the modern face some day.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/17/international/i135805D59.DTL&tsp=1

Writing

While I haven't quite made up my mind on the whole digital vs. print publishing for my own books, reading breakdowns like this one definitely make a person think:
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/06/21/digital-publishing-and-the-alternative-economic-model/

Query tip from Daphne Unfeasible:
http://ktliterary.com/2009/06/are-you-sure-you-want-to-say-that/

And as a follow-up, we all need reminders that pros didn't start out that way:
http://teresamedeiros.blogspot.com/2006/03/teresa-shares-her-secret-to-success.html

Indie Bookstores: a good breakdown of why supporting them is a good thing, along with some ways to do so.
http://youngbooksellers.blogspot.com/2009/06/be-friend-to-indies.html

Reading

An interesting analysis of the urban fantasy genre in terms of its social implications and explorations.
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2009/06/23/vampire_fiction/index1.html

Friday's Interesting Links

I'm afraid I don't have much to offer in the way of interesting links this week. It's been a short week for me and then I was condemned to watch TV for a whole day and a half without my laptop by my youngest (who determined brain melt as the perfect cure for a cold ;)). Oddly enough, I did improve significantly, so maybe he's right.

Science

One of the things I like the most about scientific fact is that it isn't. There is no more adamant an evangelist than a scientist who has bought into a particular line of scientific thought as Truth with a capital T. That's why an article like this one is going to catch my eye where the scientific community has ignored obvious problems in favor of what they've chosen as fact. The difference between faith and science though, is that eventually the evidence catches up on the evangelical scientists :).
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090610_dinosaur

Social

Now this is scary. I wouldn't want my employment eligibility to be held against my password protection, but no way would I fill in the form explained below. Just what purpose does it serve for the City of Bozeman, Montana to have the ability to post on my sites? The article is shocking for two reasons: 1) apparently the policy was not known by leading officials and 2) there's no distinction between being able to view the information and revealing the password which would allow posting and modification of the information. Personally, viewing is bad enough, but the password is insane.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/JobClub/story?id=7879939&page=1

Writing

Breakdown on types of heros for the various Harlequin and Mills & Boon lines:
http://www.iheartpresents.com/2009/06/mills-boon-editors-hero-checklist/

Friday's Interesting Links

It's still Friday, so I made it. This has been a crazy week with a major software release as my highest priority. Everything else fell by the wayside. Not sure where the time to find links came from, but they're in my file, so I guess I did:).

Writing

A wonderful summation of the writer life. Be sure to read the linked posts as well as they are also illuminating.
http://www.deadlinedames.com/?p=1118

A Publishing Dictionary that highlights common terms and offers clear definitions.
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2009/06/publishing-dictionary-expanded.html

Holly Lisle has put out a new non-fiction series on dialogue that has a lot of useful tips. Check it out here:
Holly Lisle's The Writing Craft: Dialogue and Subtext

Top 10 querying mistakes. These probably aren't all new, and some are a matter of opinion, but it's a nice summation. It hurts that I'm already violating the one on length, but sometimes the book requires. And yes, it is edited down as low as I can go, even with help :D.
http://www.wsherman.com/blog/2009/06/top-ten-querying-mistakes.html

Advice about agents from a RWA panel:
http://www.johnsonliterary.com/blog/2009/6/9/advice-for-writers-from-the-nyc-rwa-panel.html

Stephen King's suggestions on how to be a published writer. Two interesting things came out of this essay. First of all, the site where I discovered it (creative commons license so available for reprint) is not the site I'm linking below. Why? Because the background color was too dark and too little contrast with the text color so I had to highlight to read it. But the content was good enough to search out another posting. And a word of warning about essays like these: times change. In 1988, his comment about when to get an agent was spot on. Now, the waters are much more muddied. Several agents have recently commented about preferring manuscripts that have not been shopped around to publishers because then the field is wide open, and more publishers are closed to non-agented submissions than in 1988.
http://mikeshea.net/Everything_You_Need_to_Kn.html

Science

I have an odd feeling a rammed earth structure might show up in a story of mine some day. Who knew all those years spent kneeling on the beach were actually research :D.
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090604-sandcastle

Twistable memory chips. Fascinating. We're not so far from the SF concept of monitoring people in the field so we know when the aliens have eaten them!
http://www.livescience.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=LS_090603_bendable-memory

Is this science, social, or what? Not sure, but a fascinating case. Spain is making a historical artifact argument against a shipwreck recovered in international waters, claiming prior ownership. This opens a huge kettle of worms and takes the financial incentive out of both treasure hunting and archeological exploration, something that has (despite controversies) often replaced limited funding for such expeditions. Who took all the risks, both physical and financial, to recover these historical artifacts? Hmm, I guess I'm starting to come down on a side :D. Whoever you think has the claim though, for certain finds to be exempt from long-standing salvage precedents is going to shake things up for sure.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=treasure-hunter-odyssey-ordered-to-2009-06-08

Social

Why yes, I am a Trekkie. How did you guess? Oh, I can't say that until AFTER you read the link ;).
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/06/passing-the-phaser-10-tips-for-turning-your-kids-into-trekkies/

Friday's Interesting Links

Would you look at that? Friday links posted on...FRIDAY???? ;)

Social

I'm with Michelle Obama on the local foods front, but sadly it seems we share something else in common...a dislike of cooking. This is a good article about the social impact of that fact, along with some strong suggestions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/opinion/31hesser.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

I haven't finished reading through this site, but travelling in just a backpack used to be a skill of mine, one I've apparently lost. So you bet I'll be reading this carefully :).
http://www.onebag.com/

I'm a firm believer in helping where you can, but I have mixed feelings about people having to dress up to enable helping. I adored that movie about passing along help if someone helps you and getting the whole community caught up in a working together mentality. Whether superheroes help or harm that level of "anyone can be a hero" I don't know. I do know that I lived on superhero comics as a kid and that, along with Arthurian tales and Robin Hood, informed my outlook toward helping people.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/04/real.life.superheroes/index.html

Writing

For those writing YA novels, some tips from teen bloggers:
http://community.livejournal.com/10_ers/153021.html

I started reading this essay because of the concept that stories have genders. Neil Gaiman doesn't so much explain what he means by that as state that they do. However, it evolved (devolved?) into an interesting glimpse into his process while writing American Gods.
http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_By_Neil/All_Books_Have_Genders

Just a reminder for all us blog writers. And no, I didn't see the referenced meltdown either. I'm hideously behind in my blog reading :p.
http://varkat.livejournal.com/95521.html

BTW, this isn't a specific link but rather a project by Holly Lisle. She's taking small samples offered by volunteers in her Thinking Sideways class and critiquing them live. The videos are short and creative in format, and the information is solid. Even when I might not agree with the specific choices, I've agreed with the problems and the suggestions on how to target them. They also make good content to exercise to at the end of the day :).
http://writercrashtest.com/

Tongue in cheek guidelines for how to get by in conversations about SF/Fantasy classics you haven't read. This is especially amusing for me coming from having a literature degree that focused on minority and women's lit so I haven't read most of the dead white guys either.
http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=30351

Janet Reid gives a good baseline for deciding when to start querying your novel here:
http://jetreidliterary2.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-soon-is-too-soon.html

A wonderful breakdown of how to analyze your novel to find its weaknesses. The premise was after a reject, but I see no reason not to take advantage of this advice before you send it out.
http://fivescribes.blogspot.com/2009/06/can-this-manuscript-be-saved.html

Marketing

This is a cautionary post on book promotion services with suggestions for doing some things yourself:
http://acrossthepond-storyheart.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-promote-your-book-on-budget-part.html

Interesting discussion on the impact of distribution on a novel's success. Read the comments as well to get multiple perspectives:
http://allisonwinnscotch.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-all-about-distribution.html

Science

Rhino baby at play. Just so cute and adorable with none of the strike terror in the hearts of men that an adult in full charge inspires :).
http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2009/06/tokyos-ueno-zoo-boisterous-rhino-baby.html

A promise for the future. I sure hope the kids today get the promised space advances because I still feel gypped.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-537--RJb80

Friday's Interesting Links (on Saturday)

What? You mean it isn't Friday? Maybe I need to rename this :D.

Puzzling

Picked up this tip from http://www.puzzlewrightpress.com/. A series of web tools for helping with things, including providing a list of words that fit with your partial on a crossword puzzle:
http://www58.wolframalpha.com/

Writing

A breakdown of the advance/royalties/foreign rights earnings that will make it all too clear why most writers cannot support themselves:
http://editorialass.blogspot.com/2009/05/and-you-thought-royalty-involved-crown.html

I may not agree with every one of these steps, but here are some solid suggestions for making progress even on non-deadlined projects:
http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/05/08/staying-on-track-for-non-deadlined-projects/

I just started reading Jim Baen's Universe and clicked on the below Mike Resnick editorial. He says so eloquently (and with examples) what I believe to be absolute truth about the submission process: never give up.
http://baens-universe.com/articles/Last_Impressions

For those of us looking to Twitter to see the human faces of agents, Agent Query has provided an exhaustive list. I only follow a portion because too many and I'd be unable to keep up.
http://agentquery.leveragesoftware.com/group_discussion.aspx?DiscussionID=d696c822a8e24febb2b621e8974219df

Reading

Angela James, who is an avid e-book reader as well as the Executive Editor for Samhain Publishing, discusses her recent experience with buying a group of e-books. It's an interesting look into what's important in the production and sale of e-books.
http://nicemommy-evileditor.com/blog/?p=2415

Science

I showed this article to my older son, and his comment was that designer babies are just around the corner. Me, I just thought it was cool.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/05/glowing-monkeys-make-more-glowing-monkeys-the-old-fashioned-way/

Ida made such a big splash that some scientists are questioning not only her connection to human evolution, but the media circus which hailed her announcement:
http://www.livescience.com/animals/090520-fossil-reactions.html

Marketing

I'm in the process of redoing my bipolar (literally) website into a more traditional writing one with the programming side of Left Brain/Right Brain just linked. Therefore, I've been reading website building tips and this one makes a lot of sense.
http://writetodone.com/2009/05/18/five-tips-and-a-bonus-on-how-to-write-a-fantastic-about-page/

BayCon Report and Friday's Interesting Links (on Tuesday????)

I know, I know, Friday used to mean a particular day, but... I left for BayCon (an annual Bay Area science fiction convention) on Thursday and I ran out of time to prepare things. There aren't as many links as there have been because I didn't spend much time reading as I scrambled to get everything set.

The convention was wonderful as usual.

I presented on a panel about future laws and was surprised to discover that I'd thought about this topic quite a bit in my writing :). I do have a question to ponder and/or research if I have a moment though: Have I ever written anything from the position of the law keeper? I have characters who become law abiding citizens, or who aid the law in their own, off-the-wall ways, and even a few who become law keepers by the end, but I cannot think of a single one who starts out that way. Maybe as I edit some of the myriad short stories and novels that have yet to see a red pen, I'll find buried in there a law keeper or two. This is very odd considering I grew up always taking the role of the knight and as a firm believer in chivalric code.

My other two panels were a source of some terror for me as it was the first time ever that I was selected to moderate in real life. I have two teenagers, I've been in management--even of teams composed of strong individuals--I've herded the two-legged cats more often than I can count, and I moderate on line, but in person? Yes, I was quaking in my boots. I went to the "How to Moderate a Panel" discussion to prepare, and I would really recommend it to anyone with the slightest interest in maybe, possibly, doing so in the future, as well as us already under a ticking clock. The presenters were funny, entertaining, and had a lot of good tips that could help in much broader circumstances than just at a convention.

My second panel was on world building, and specifically when and what to research. It ended up rather balanced between those who work ahead and those, like me, who start out with a framework and identify research points as they go. The audience seemed to enjoy what we had to offer, and some discussions continued out the door, which as far as I'm concerned is the best sign.

My third was on rejection letters, though we segued a bit into submission methodology in general. Once again no awkward silences (my greatest fear especially since on that one I actually used all of the 5 questions I'd prepared to keep the discussion rolling ;)), and I know at least one audience member found it helpful.

BTW, if you did go (to any convention) and enjoyed specific panels, drop a note to programming so they can add your feedback to the available information when considering what to offer next year. Deciding the programming for the next con is a huge job and I can only imagine a vacuum would make it even more difficult. At the con, you can always drop by and say that you really appreciated X topic, too, even if it won't be helpful for you next year. There are always new people coming on board.

Besides my panels, I went to quite a few others, probably too many to mention. The Birds of Prey panel (though I missed the beginning) was very interesting and I got to see another raptor with the white at the base of its body whereas before I'd thought only harriers had that. Though I'm still pretty sure the birds by my house are harriers, now I have to wonder :). I also went to my first Birds of a Feather (connection a coincidence) meeting only to discover it's a casual chat where we did manage to discuss a little Joss Whedon, some programming/electronics, and Wicked of all things.

Which brings me to the most successful part of the con for me. I talked to strangers :). Now that may sound strange all things considered, but however I appear online, in person I need a framework on which to cling before I'm comfortable. Speaking on a panel is okay because there are rules of engagement. Hall chatting, on the other hand, is a dark, complex world of rules in smoke that blow away just when you think you've got them down. But maybe I now know enough people thanks to panels leaking out the door when we ran past time to escape that next year. I look forward to crossing paths again with all of them and seeing what changed in that year. I also hope to cross paths with the folks I already knew a bit more.

I managed to miss out on all but a glimpse of filking this year, only got to the regency dancing once instead of twice, and didn't touch base with some people I had been hoping to see. That said, though I regret the missed opportunities, I can't regret a moment of the con I did have, though I swear I won't go into it exhausted next time. I did, however, get the opportunity to prove beyond a doubt that caffeine is useless in keeping me up ;). Three to four cups of I-hop drip coffee, and I barely made it into bed before I was dead to the world :D.

And now for the links I failed to post:

Writing/Creativity

On evaluating your Internet promotion efforts and whether they're meeting your goals:
http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2009/05/19/taming-the-internet-promotion-monster/

Eight tips for restarting your creativity. It's for photographers, but the concepts are sound for everyone.
http://kkhphotos.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/8-ways-to-crank-up-your-creativity/

Social

This is just funny, but if you like my blog, you'll probably get it real quick ;):
http://comics.com/off_the_mark/2009-05-19/

Scroll down and then read for a heartwarming, tear-causing narrative of parenthood:
http://meanderingsandmuses.blogspot.com/2009/05/toni-mcgee-causey-dear-god-stick-turned.html

Science

Discovery of an incredibly well-preserved early primate skeleton raises compelling questions about evolution:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8057465.stm

The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila

(Crossposted on LibraryThing)

In a quote on the back of the book, The Gnostic Mystery is put in the same category as The Da Vinci Code so it's no wonder that I was expecting a fast-paced mystery thriller. I find what I consider false advertising a sad thing because it could turn away people who would find this book fascinating, while making those who do stop to pick it up feel mislead.

Luckily, I read with a very broad mind so when the book turned out to be much different than my expectations, I accepted what had come into my hands as a mystery of a different sort, a book whose purpose and focus remained to be discovered.

Randy Davila does offer a story in this novel, though to call that tale a mystery is a bit of a stretch to my mind. The true mystery has nothing to do with the story itself, but rather is a voyage in which two characters explore what religion in general and Christianity in specific means to them personally and how that meaning is strengthened or changed by new understandings that unfold as they interact with a religious scholar and her colleague. These characters are brought together by a chance purchase of an ancient Gnostic scroll that opens new vistas for the main character and his friend.

The book itself is a thinly disguised thesis on the history of early Christianity and the Gnostic movement. The material is presented by Chloe, a professor of philosophy and religion in Jerusalem, who is asked to translate the scroll initially as a first move in the dating ritual. But soon this quest for answers becomes so much more than that as the foundation of Jack's and Punjeeh's understanding of Christianity is undermined.

Jack goes to Israel to visit his friend and come to terms with the emptiness he's found in his life. He expects to find the answers in the historical roots of the religion he was brought up in but which never quite captured his imagination. His friend and former college roommate has always been a devout Christian and so seems a reasonable guide. However, Jack soon learns Punjeeh has set aside the trappings of Christianity if not the teachings because he is horrified about what is being done in religion's name in the conflict between Arabs and Jews. As an Emergency Room doctor, he gets to see first hand the damage done to uphold different religious views.

The scroll and Chloe's explanations of both the Gnostic beliefs and what little is known about their historical presence challenge Jack and Punjeeh to question what they've always been told. They explore a different conceptualization of Jesus' life and the historical events accepted as true in the Bible, guided by Chloe's spoon feeding so that their worlds are not shaken so much all at once that they respond emotionally as opposed to considering the information for its value.

Rather than a quest for external treasure, this novel explores the religious beliefs and philosophies of the characters, offering information rarely considered outside of a scholarly environment and adamantly opposed by some Christian leaders, in a fiction framework that allows the reader to consider not only the revelations, but also the characters' reactions. I think Davila did a good job of making the characters likable and revealing the information in small enough doses that though I could see the thesis aspect, the characters kept me wanting to see their journey through in a way no academic text could have, even if I read it for the information alone.

In case you doubt my interpretation, at the end of the book are discussion questions worthy of any advanced literature or philosophy course concerning both symbolism within the text and your own positions regarding the information presented to the characters. The marketing may attempt to disguise its scholarly nature, but the study guide supports the author's apparent intent to educate.

Overall, I found The Gnostic Mystery fascinating. I'm a bit of an amateur philosopher and now I have to wonder where, in my rather unorthodox Catholic upbringing, I was exposed to Gnostic principles. The thoughts attributed to them here match rather well with my own religious ponderings, which seems an unlikely coincidence.

As a novelist, I feel Davila still has some growth to do. The balance between the thesis material and the tale that provided a vehicle was a little off, the resolutions too easy. Israel and Palestine provide a rich backdrop for these types of questions. I think the novel could have taken advantage of that fact more to build the narrative, and make the story as rich as the Gnostic discussions. However, this is his first novel-length work. Should he spend more time on the story in the future, and learn how to develop the complexity necessary for a novel plot, I think he will be able to offer many interesting works that explore philosophy and religion through the eyes of characters rich enough to avoid the lectures but reveal the same content.

Friday's Interesting Links (on Saturday)

Sorry for the late post. My neck seized on Friday and I couldn't stay at the computer any longer.

Science

People-like robots in need expose a surprising aspect of New York life:
http://www.tweenbots.com/

Forensic science elective - taking education back from the tests and into what makes it fascinating:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/12angi.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th

Dinosaur research has had my attention since I was tiny, an affliction I passed to both my kids for a while at least. Luckily, there's always something new and interesting to find out. The last explanation for large pterosaur flight was that Earth's gravity might not have been as strong, but here's another theory:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-pterosaurs-first-took-flight

Writing

Reasoning and suggestions for a pre-release author website:
http://yodiwan.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/why-a-pre-publication-web-presence-is-important/

Plausibility is a big thing for me. When I critique something, that's the first aspect I look at because everything else is window dressing. This article does a decent job of laying out the big aspects of plausibility, while also showing they are not hammers to slam down on everything:
http://writersdigest.com/article/put-your-fiction-to-the-plausibility-test/

Two solid examples of how to make your villain well rounded. I love the second one:
http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/2009/05/writing-good-villain.html

Social

Now if this weren't my husband's favorite cereal, I would have put this in science, but it has a social impact on me. I find it interesting that Cheerios is being targeted when many cereals make health claims and an odd choice when the impact on the economy and jobs to hit General Mills that hard could be significant:
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Popular_cereal_is_a_drug_US_food_wa_05122009.html

I happen to be a musical buff, but in this you get a two-fer-one. West Side Story redone as the current financial crisis. Good for a laugh or two, especially if you know West Side Story:
http://www.newsday.com/media/flash/2009-04/46217527.swf

And in case one isn't enough, you can find a bunch of Walt Handelsman's musical editorial cartoons here:
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/opinion/walthandelsman/blog/2009/01/walt_handelsmans_animations_20_2.html

Sun Protective Clothing. I sent my parents off around the world with a couple boxes of Rit sun protectant. They never said how well it worked, but neither did they come home with peeling noses or complain about their sunburns that I remember in their travel blog (http://demcgaffey.com/sship/). Here's an article about non-sunscreen options:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=sun-protective-clothing

Programming

I don't often find articles on programming that click with my philosophy. (Go to Left Brain/Right Brain in the left sidebar and read my rules of thumb for a glimpse of how I approach programming.) This article does a good job of it while providing some useful tips.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/programming-and-development/?p=1139&tag=nl.e055

Touch of Fire by Maria Zannini

When I pick up Touch of Fire and look at the cover, it gives me certain preconceptions. As I open the book, those thoughts seem to hold true with a mage watching the end of a tavern brawl. We quickly learn of an uneasy truce between those who wield the power of the elements and those who are just trying to get by. That's enough to draw me in because I love watching cultures in conflict, and seeing how attitudes and alliances shift the social landscape.

But Maria Zannini doesn't stop there. From almost the first moment, there is a tension between the two main characters, Leda and Grayhawke Tams, that has little to do with the slave collar she secured around his neck. Leda can't help but be drawn to Gray nor can she easily explain away her interest as a method to extract the information she needs from him. On Gray's part, he has reason enough to hate the fae-kind, having lost his little brother to their initiation trials and having fought against them in a recent war...that the plainfolk won...and yet his instincts offer other feelings that lead the book to its careful labeling on the publisher's site which states: Warning: Sex, sin and sauciness abound.

Then we learn the world is even more complicated when Gray fingers his little god statue from ancient times, a mouse standing on hind legs. This is only the first of the clues that we are not in a more primitive past.

Gray and Leda bicker and fight and love their way across an apocalyptic Earth in search of an ancient book full of deadly secrets. Danger appears on all sides and nothing quite turns out the way they'd expected.

This book has numerous layers that offer things to enjoy, its initial simplicity a mask for depths demanding to be explored, puzzle pieces to put together into a wonderful tale that pulled me in and kept me reading.

In the interests of full disclosure, I am one of Maria's critique partners. I was interested in reading the final product, as the version I had critiqued was obviously less polished. It has been a while since Maria asked us to crit the novel so she could meet a call for submissions deadline, so I can't say what changes she made, but I can state that the final version holds together well and showcases her talent for conflict and complications. I only stumbled on one minor plot point rather late in the book, possibly because I had read it before, for all that I don't remember, and soon was drawn back in. I don't know exactly how she's going to manage the sequel with where this one ends (yes, it's a complete and satisfying ending but with threads to explore), but I can't wait to find out. Leda and Gray have a ways to go before Maria lets them sleep.

To find out more about Touch of Fire, check out the Samhain Publishing site here: http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/touch-of-fire

Friday's Interesting Links

Science

Homo floresiensis editorial (because I'm fascinated. I used to study everything there was to know about Lucy.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/opinion/02sat4.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Science? Maybe, but it reminds me strongly of my first novel, especially the top picture. Beautiful cave:
http://www.goodnewsdaily.com/show_story.php?ID=9431

Writing

An interview with Donald Maass about what he sees as important to build a writing career:
http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/2009/05/novel-journeys-interview-with-donald.html

A very nice breakdown of what works and what doesn't for one line pitches:
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/04/dreaded-pitch-what-to-include-in-that.html

Melinda Goodin has updated her spreadsheet that compiles all the Locus sales announcements. It is very useful for agent searches:
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~mgoodin68/locus.htm

It's time to consider whether you can participate in an awesome writing conference that is 100% online. No hotels, no airplanes, just you and around 2000 others enjoying workshops, chats, and even pitch sessions. This will be my fourth year at the Muse Conference, and my third year offering a workshop (the first year became the seed for the first ever FM Workshop). This is a celebration of every aspect of writing, with enough going on that there will be at least one if not ten or twenty things you're interested in on each day. Check it out here:
http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-muse-online-writers-conference.html

For those of you who follow my writing blog, you know that I have issues with the heavy application of "rules" that aren't actually fixed in stone. However, this summary, along with specific examples, is a solid explanation of why it's important to make conscious decisions about how you use the language.
http://www.holtuncensored.com/hu/the-ten-mistakes/

Rachelle Gardner on what happens after "The Call":
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/05/now-that-you-have-agent.html

Solid advice on writers' etiquette from an editor (Miss Manners for the Publishing Industry):
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/05/simple-trick-to-help-you-get-published.html

And something for writers to check in to. Some cities are requiring business licenses for freelance writers, etc.
http://writersweekly.com/this_weeks_article/005353_05062009.html

Simple, step-by-step videos that offer marketing tips for authors and demystify the technological aspects. I'm in it for the tips, being a techie myself, but the example one had no critical errors and was rather straightforward for those less technological.
http://marketingtipsforauthors.com/videotips.html

A breakdown of common myths about editors:
http://www.jeremiahtolbert.com/2009/5-lies-writers-believe-about-editors/

Social

I didn't know how to categorize this, but it's just incredible art done solely with letters in different typefaces:
http://abduzeedo.com/45-amazing-type-faces-typographic-portraits

Ah, one of the reasons to live in a big city. Viral delicacies on the hoof:
http://www.chow.com/san_francisco_bay_area_digest/7534

A little food fun for those with a hand at baking, or just looking for a shocking laugh.
http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/08/hope-these-put-smile-on-your-face.html

I've been to several bed-and-breakfasts that had a guestbook for guests to sign with notes for later guests, but I never really connected those to Facebook until this article:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/the-face-book-fad-is-more-than-a-century-old/?hp

For all procrastinators out there:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/comics/king.html?name=6Chix&date=20090503

This is part of Valerie Comer's excellent workshop on getting in touch with your muse (Me, My Muse, & I) at Forward Motion, but it also is a fascinating test of left and right brain focus. My question is did it make your head feel funny? It did mine :).
http://www.squidoo.com/braintest (Do the spinning dancer one.)

You might have noticed I have a wee bit of a smilie addiction, though I try to control it for the blog. This article is then, of course, fascinating [deleted smilie]:
http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/05/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-emoticons/

Readers

A friend pointed to this link where you can read classical short stories. Though you can do this at the Gutenberg Project, this site will email you a story a day :).
http://www.americanliterature.com/sstitleindex.html

Umm, okay, reading is stretching it, but an interesting surrealistic tale in short film form:
http://www.bigtimeattic.com/blog/2009/05/chris-ware-andrew-bird-awesome-short.html

Ins and Outs of Concentration

As I sit here at my desk, bouncing up and down on my new exercise ball desk chair, talking with a friend in IM, reading email, reading online articles, and commenting on Twitter, I run across this article in the New York Times about how the brain is incapable of concentrating on more than one thing at once: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/science/05tier.html?th&emc=th

Umm...

So I start to wonder just how different people like me are.

Last night, my husband was borrowing my Rebounder (an enhanced exercise trampoline) and watching TV. I came up to ask him a question, and he stopped bouncing. I said he didn't have to, and he said if he didn't stop, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on what I was saying.

A friend on Twitter mentioned how his wife has learned she has to make him stop everything if she wants to be heard.

And then there's me.

Why am I doing all the above instead of working on my next short story like I wanted to? I have it open.

The answer, I've learned, is that I forgot to turn on my music. My brain needs at least two complex things to concentrate on at once or else it scatters and doesn't focus on anything.

I can keep track of dinnertime conversation better if I'm also doing a word search. If I just try to listen, at some point my attention will drift and I won't realize it until too late.

But when I play music, my mind hooks into that, and my focus improves significantly. Now I did grow up with music around me at all times, and I had my own tape recorder on which I played radio programs and audio books until I could recite the whole thing...special voices included...but there have been times when silence won the day and hyper-focused me.

Now I keep reading down to find that they have considered people with attention-deficit problems. They are beaming pulses of light directing into the brain to calm and focus them.

What's odd to me is that the article is about avoiding distractions and the negative aspects of distraction. But isn't this therapy a contradiction? I'd think light pulses into the brain would be the quintessential distraction. I see that as equivalent to my need for music, and start to wonder if I should keep a colored strobe light on my desk?

I also wonder how they would work on people like my husband and friend who can only focus on one thing at a time. Sure, they'd be focused, but exploring a flashing laser beam isn't exactly the definition of success in relaxation or work ;).

I remember this time when I wrenched my neck so severely that I had to be driven to the mass transit because I couldn't turn my head to check for traffic. They put me on two Vicodin and told me it would knock me out.

It didn't.

So I went to work. (I am a card-carrying workaholic after all.)

Those two days were the worst ever. I felt like I was slogging through molasses, like someone had replaced the air with thick honey that clung to me and impeded my every thought.

For all of that, I was productive in a limited way. I could only work on one thing at a time. It felt so ridiculously slow, and I wasn't prepping for the next in the back of my mind either.

My co-workers' reaction?

Relief :p. Apparently they found me easier to track/handle when I was drugged out of my gourd.

So...multitasker or singletasker? And do you have to distract yourself to concentrate, or plug in earplugs and block out the world?

Friday's Interesting Links

Grammar?

From my friend Val who has determined I must share this punctuation torture with you :D.
http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/

Writing

An editor's perspective on how she approaches the submission pile:
http://bluerosegirls.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-i-read-submissions.html

QueryDay summary for those of us who couldn't follow all of it:
http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/queryday-questions-and-answers/

About local authors and indie bookstores:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/660000266/post/1970043797.html

Justice Department Interested in Google Settlement:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/technology/internet/29google.html?_r=2

A free workshop to get in touch with your muse. You do need to be a member of Forward Motion (FM) and logged in to follow the link. (If not, go here first: http://fmwriters.com and click "join." The account is free.):
http://fmwriters.com/community/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=13&topic_id=1012&mesg_id=1012&page=

For years, one of the FM mods, Justin, with the occasional help of others, has put together a daily prompt. I have converted these into a random prompt generator that snags those efforts and gives you one or more depending on your request. Go check them out (Note: this is open to everyone, not just FM members):
http://www.fmwriters.com/community/dc/Random_Zettercise.php

Social

A list of ad campaigns that went South quick for your amusement?
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/25060

Here I thought friendliness in email was all about the smilie ;), but apparently I need to throw in one or two of these: !!!!! Or maybe five :D.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/29/exclamation-mark-punctuation

And how sometimes the most delectable victims...are not:
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/44044432.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvDE7aL_V_BD77:DiiUiacyKU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUX

Reading

I've known about the Espresso Book Machine for a while, but this article has actual pictures:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1173013/A-novel-idea-The-machine-print-book-minutes.html

Interesting comic (literally) take on books and publishing:
http://www.unshelved.com/publisherconfidential.pdf

Friday's Interesting Links

Writing

Breakdown of a real royalty statements by Lynn Viehl, and followup comments by Jenny Rae Rappaport (not Viehl's agent):
http://www.genreality.net/the-reality-of-a-times-bestseller
http://litsoup.blogspot.com/2009/04/royalty-statement-anatomy.html

Deciding when a glorp really is a chicken in disguise is difficult, but this laugh makes it worth it.
http://xkcd.com/483/

A good breakdown of how to add meat to a novel without padding:
http://e-moon60.livejournal.com/169460.html

A dictionary of publishing terms that might prove helpful. Tongue in cheek, but meaning is there:
http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/search/label/publishing%20dictionary

An interesting, and workable, answer to the question of how long to query a book. It does leave folks like me who wrote many before they focused on editing and subbing out in the cold, but with a little tweaking the lesson holds.
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-long-to-query.html

A clear answer to the "money or love" question for writers...it must be for love:
http://www.brendahiatt.com/id2.html

And odd to be calling out a link to...well...me, but I posted this article on my writing blog and it's thought provoking so belongs here:
http://marfisk.livejournal.com/41141.html

Reading

This article just scares me. It's about how Kindle and the like will change how we read and write. If the author is correct, storytelling may be dead for the future, and that hurts:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123980920727621353.html

Publishers reach out to bloggers (Though it's interesting, I think the article fails to account for Early Reader programs like EOS who made the transition from returned reviews to returned and posted a while back):
http://followthereader.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/publisher-outreach-to-bloggers-new-models/

Science

The road to Jurrasic Park is a slippy one...that we've apparently started down. But still fascinating:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29537188/

Video of the archeologist who believes he has found Mark Antony and Cleopatra's tomb:
http://www.sciam.com/video.cfm?id=20168976001

Has grammar gone to the dogs? Looking at how the brain forms sentences:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=memory-for-grammar

Pickled baby mammoth:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-04-20-baby-mammoth_N.htm?csp=DailyBriefing

Could cooking, not fire, be the root of human evolution?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21conv.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

And you thought all that coffee was only good for waking you up. Scientists find answers to the universe in a coffee cup:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090416_coffee

Social

Funny 50s video about Facebook ettiquite:
http://theharperstudio.com/2009/04/facebook-manners-and-you/

Twitter may bring communication to physically paralyzed people with active brains:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/22/twitter.locked.in/index.html

Okay, social may be stretching it for this one, but it's the social folks who keep asking so... For those of you who'd prefer to choose your own colors and maybe use a heavier fleece, here is a relatively simple pattern to make a Snuglet (as they call it) blanket with arms. I made one for a friend, doing two for my family first as test versions. My oldest son lives in his, my husband watches TV with his, and when the days turned cold again, I finally got my own made and I have used it both on the couch and at the computer. My friend's cats even take advantage of hers.
http://www.sissonfamily.com/Sewingroom/images/2006projects/thesnuglet.pdf

Windfall by Rachel Caine

Windfall is the fourth book in the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine, and not surprisingly, the fourth book of hers I've read. She has other series, but I'm planning to finish this one first, especially since she just started into a companion one.

Now you might remember that I found Rachel Caine because she was recommended to me. I find her writing voice compelling and the main character, Joanne, sucks me into the story like a gale-force wind, to go with the book's theme :). This series doesn't follow the patterns of traditional fantasy, is on the outskirts of most urban fantasy I've read, and certainly isn't a romance for all that there is an incredible, epic even, love story that spans the four books.

I'm trying to come up with something to say that isn't all adjectives and doesn't give anything away, but it's hard. You've got a flippant, speed-car loving, master of the weather, who, when you really think she just wants to get on with her life, will chance everything to help someone she doesn't even like...because it's the right thing to do.

In the first book, Joanne picks up David, a hitchhiker, because he's cute and in need. That act has set her on a path so far out of her comfortable little life that with each book I wonder how this can be unique what with all that has happened before. People she'd trusted in a kind of distant, "the top dogs know what they're doing" way, prove to be much more complex than she could have imagined in both good and bad ways, and yet she keeps true to herself. Faced with unimaginable situations, where her integrity, her very self is on the line, she bullies her way through to the good side every time.

But here's the trick. These are not detective novels where the main character skates through events without being touched by them. Each new novel shows how what happened in the previous has changed, scarred, and impacted on Joanne. Her core stays solid because she's strong in that way, but everything around that core is torn to shreds, rebuilt, and torn again.

Windfall is no different than the ones that came before. Once again, there's a new aspect to her love life, a new intrusion on her efforts to do well in the fate she's chosen, and a family complication tossed in. If you were to lay these books side by side and try to explain them, it would be clear from the start that each is a separate, stand-alone book. Though I read them in order, I can see coming into this series at any point. The back story clues are enough to ground a reader, and create a voracious appetite for more.

Sorry for the rambling comments, but what Rachel Caine does is suck me in until I don't want to put the book down. Prior to Windfall, I chose a Harlequin from my to-be-read shelf because I didn't have the mentals for a story that would make me work for it. That story, due to an odd choice in thriller topics (sorry, a serial rapist does not belong in any form of romance in my opinion), proved to be a hard read. I don't know what made me pull Windfall out of my stack, but it was exactly what I needed, something to suck me in and captivate me so that my mind wanted to stir itself until I could follow this fast-paced, multi-layered thrill-ride.

Friday's Interesting Links

I've collected quite a grouping this week, on a variety of subjects. I hope you find them interesting. If you'd like, please drop a note in the comments to tell me if this has proved useful, or what might help make it so. I've tried to add a bit more commentary on some of the links this time.

Writing

Why Good Writers Fail
http://www.topicturtle.com/five-reasons-good-writers-fail/

Confessions of a Contest Judge Part 1 (there are five but this is the start)
http://toniandrews.bravejournal.com/entry/31619

Technique for crafting a query hook/logline
http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-put-it-together-into-one-neat.html

Proof it isn't about you...agent form letters
http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2009/04/shoe-is-on-other-foot-and-it-pinches.html

Solid advice for beginning writers:
http://toniandrews.bravejournal.com/archive/12/27/2008

For writers...and old-style gamers...an amusing look at the creative process:
http://magicdistrict.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/text-adventure/

Readers

How technology is undermining the tension that literature has thrived on for centuries (Had a hard time classifying this one. I'm putting it here in case readers skip over the writing links, if only to show the writing links can be darn fun and relevant even if you don't write.):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/weekinreview/12richtel.html?_r=1

Someone else must have read the same story :D. (Thanks to jjmcgaffey.)
http://www.gocomics.com/outofthegenepool/2009/04/19/

Contests for cool books (yeah, you'll reduce my chances, but...)
Touch of Fire by Maria Zannini
http://www.mariazannini.com/

Not My Father's Horseman and Dark Moon Seasons by Valerie Griswold-Ford
http://vg-ford.livejournal.com/485217.html?view=1697377#t1697377

Not quite reading, but a source of free classical audiobooks:
http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/

Society

There are a lot of articles/commentary about the sales ranking fiasco on Amazon.com, but this one stands out as looking at the socio-cultural side:
http://www.afterellen.com/TV/2009/4/glitch?page=0%2C0

Now that there's some answers out there, this post deserves serious consideration:
http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/04/the-failure-of-amazonfail/

Wolves in Montana and Idaho (yes, this could have gone under science, but society is more appropriate.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opinion/13mon4.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

A reminder that prejudgment can be so far off it's funny. (Also a note to my body language class that the body language in this YouTube video is wonderful.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

And a followup to the above that's spot on:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/theconstantvalentine/archives/166554.asp?from=blog_last3

Analysis of Twitter as a social tool and social concept:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/technology/internet/14twitter.html?pagewanted=2&th&emc=th

J.K. Rowling's Harvard Commencement speech:
http://vimeo.com/1711302

Science

First scuba dives occurring in reverse?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090413-first-tool-users.html

For those of us who appreciate camels, now they can be made to order? (just kidding.):
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/genetics/2009-04-15-cloned-camel_N.htm?csp=

Friday's Interesting Links

For those that are curious, my links come from a variety of sources. I get some on Twitter, others from the various forums and listservs I belong to, still more from emails and newsletters, not to mention the ones pointed out by friends and family, as well as those discovered in my own meandering through the web. These are only an excerpt of the volume I read and assess, but these are the ones I thought others might find interesting. By the way, though I categorize, just because you might not be a writer, for example, doesn't mean the things I am bringing to your attention are without interest to a broader population. Give it a try, then tell me what you thought in the comments.

Science

What does Alaska and the Moon have in common?
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/03apr_lunarlifestyle.htm?list868465

Writing

Client perspective on agents
http://kellygay.blogspot.com/2009/04/agent-win-agent-fail-clients.html

Positive fallout from queryfail/agentfail
http://litsoup.blogspot.com/2009/04/nameless-faceless.html

http://gretchenmcneil.blogspot.com/2009/04/agentfail-response-from-non-failing.html

A look at how a publicist works
http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/2009/04/whats-a-publicist-worth.html

Laura Anne Gilman on outlining for editors
http://community.livejournal.com/fangs_fur_fey/471769.html

What Dollhouse can teach
http://theswivet.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-joss-whedons-dollhouse-can-teach.html

Insight into editors' interest
http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2009/04/2009040601c.htm?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Agent's thoughts on book doctors (mixed into the post)
http://queryshark.blogspot.com/2009/04/108.html

Unpublished romance novel contest
http://www.charteroakromancewriters.org/contests.html

What an agent's job actually is
http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/06/agents-and-rejection/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2009/apr/08/literary-agents-use

First Novels
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/first_novels_belong_in_the_basement_against_self_publishing/C39/L39/

Social Networking

Thoughts on blog audience
http://acewriters.com/?p=122

Twittered out?
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2009-04-08-sociability-fatigue_N.htm?csp=DailyBriefing

Reading

Article about the impact of fiction in life
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123880307592488761.html

Thoughts on eReaders and the future
http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/22/kindle-oreilly-ebooks-technology-breakthroughs_oreilly.html

General
A blast from the past
http://www.timeagan.com/MT/Subconscious%20Comics/

Sharing Chores?
http://necktiesandtattoos.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-june-and-ward-cleaver-might-have.html

Deadly Pancakes?
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp

Whether you agree with the political bit at the end, I think the overall social message here is a critical one:
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/04/harness-the-power-of-apology.html?cm_re=homepage-031909-_-body-middle-tert-_-voices

The Not To Do List
http://michaelhyatt.com/2007/01/the-not-to-do-list.html

YouTube Education
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-04-09-college-youtube_N.htm?csp=Tech

Friday's Interesting Links

Writing

The Terrible Truth about Secondary Characters:
http://paranormalromanceblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/the-terrible-truth-about-secondary-characters/

On finding an agent based on the book on offer:
http://community.livejournal.com/fangs_fur_fey/459934.html

And a sort of rebuttal to the above, but not really if you read carefully (both provide good advice):
http://community.livejournal.com/fangs_fur_fey/460100.html

Authors Behaving Badly
http://www.redroom.com/blog/kris-neri/authors-behaving-badly

Rachelle Gardner on what to expect from an agent:
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/04/10-things-to-expect-from-agent.html


Science

Just when you started planning that maggot farm:
http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=maggots-theyll-make-your-skin-crawl-2009-03-20

Plasma Crystals
http://science.howstuffworks.com/weird-life.htm

The Bugs Bugging You?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/3335131/Insect-spies-fitted-with-video-camera-implants.html


General

Cautionary tales about social networking:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29796962/

And for you Twitterites:
http://snipr.com/egize (Warning: Starts with loud noise.)
and
http://www.itproportal.com/portal/news/article/2009/4/2/surfing-facebook-and-twitter-work-good-productivity-says-boffins/

Just for fun (note the similarity :)):
http://www.byseanferrell.com/2009/04/pants_1_sean_0.html

Tricky Technology

Note: Sorry for the silence. I took my son on a wonderful school trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and between that and the school career fair, both last week, I didn't have time to come up with something for my blog. So you get a two for one this week, with a sneaky relationship between this and the links post :).

My friends generally think of me as a technology-enabled, computer literate person. What only a few realize is that my literacy is confined to databases and programming. Simple things just do not make sense to my brain. I need front-end program aspects explained to me...like a couple years back when tasked with integrating an affiliate program when I didn't even know what it was...and sometimes it takes me forever to figure out tools I use every day.


Well, when we decided to get each of the boys a cell phone (they had been sharing for emergencies only), I asked if I could give my oldest my cell and get a new one. The bizarre reason was that the Chocolate by LG is designed for front pockets. It's slim and without anything to snag (though I've noticed the new design isn't so much). When I tucked it into the cell pocket on the side of my purse, it delighted in slipping out at inopportune moments, and was even dropkicked once...and kept on ticking.


So anyway, I wanted a phone that would stay put, and found one in an upgraded LG after testing quite a few at the store :D. The salesman did mention that this was the strangest request for a phone feature he'd ever had.

It wasn't until I got home that I realized the one feature I used on my Chocolate all the time, a one-button access to the music, had been replaced by one-button access to picture taking. Sigh.
I even went back to the manual and tried to figure out how to reprogram the button but to no avail.


The consequences were simple. I often went out on my walk with my cell in my pocket, but no music going at all because it was just too much of a pain. (Yes, I am inherently lazy. My first programming was batch files to avoid repetitive tasks.)

Then one day, I'm walking through the dead silent house, and I can hear music. I search everywhere for a radio left on, a TV, a computer...nothing. And the music isn't any louder or softer at any point.


Just when I was about to curse some person parked outside with the radio blasting, I hear something rare that is on my cell play list. Sure enough, when I pull it out, the speakerphone is blasting out a part of the Buffy Musical.

On the front of my LG are three buttons: Rewind, Play/Pause, and Fast Forward. I'm not stupid. I pressed Play before, but it just turns on the phone. It took my genius pocket to figure out that you have to press and hold the Play button as a shortcut to turning on the music.
So there you have it. I can create applications from whole cloth based on requests, but I cannot program the video recorder, I can't remember how to set the sounds on my phone (I have to re-figure it out each time), and I can't handle a button that you have to hold down :).