Michèle Laframboise's Blog
December 23, 2011
As a SF writer, research is an essential part of my works. I sometimes do too much research!
But if the finished product is burdened with heavy expositions, the ship would sink!
Even for fantasy world-builders, the internal logic of the magic-or-supernatural workings required a minimal amount of thinking. And, as magical as the world is, the story must be well grounded in reality. How many fantasy novels, for instance, demonstrate a total lack of knowledge about equine biology and maintenance? One of my friends, who raises horses and loves fantasy, is appalled by what she reads.
And some SF or fantasy authors, too proud of their word-building, dump large exposition blocks on the unsuspecting reader! "I suffered for my art, and so must you!"
Research is like an iceberg.
There is the emerged part, the novel that you enjoy. But whatever the number of pages, there is a larger, hidden part underwater.
Not enough research, and your story collapses under the contradictions, impossibilities, logical errors and paper-thin characters.
But when the universes and societies are lovingly built, it even allows other writers to participate in it! Two examples: The Darkover series and Honor Harrington series have spawned many paper children.
According to the readers' ages or familiarity with the concepts, the submerged part of the iceberg is around 90%. For a simpler story, you may choose to tone down the emerged part.
In my latest SF novel, la spirale de Lar Jubal, aimed at YA, I set aside about 99% of my painstaking research and physics calculations of the space station, to concentrate on the visuals.
In my upcoming SF novel, I aimed it at "I don't like science fiction" adolescents, so there is very few numbers in that one, and more action.
In my next post, I will explain how science-fiction is like chocolate...
But if the finished product is burdened with heavy expositions, the ship would sink!
Even for fantasy world-builders, the internal logic of the magic-or-supernatural workings required a minimal amount of thinking. And, as magical as the world is, the story must be well grounded in reality. How many fantasy novels, for instance, demonstrate a total lack of knowledge about equine biology and maintenance? One of my friends, who raises horses and loves fantasy, is appalled by what she reads.
And some SF or fantasy authors, too proud of their word-building, dump large exposition blocks on the unsuspecting reader! "I suffered for my art, and so must you!"
Research is like an iceberg.
There is the emerged part, the novel that you enjoy. But whatever the number of pages, there is a larger, hidden part underwater.
Not enough research, and your story collapses under the contradictions, impossibilities, logical errors and paper-thin characters.
But when the universes and societies are lovingly built, it even allows other writers to participate in it! Two examples: The Darkover series and Honor Harrington series have spawned many paper children.
According to the readers' ages or familiarity with the concepts, the submerged part of the iceberg is around 90%. For a simpler story, you may choose to tone down the emerged part.
In my latest SF novel, la spirale de Lar Jubal, aimed at YA, I set aside about 99% of my painstaking research and physics calculations of the space station, to concentrate on the visuals.
In my upcoming SF novel, I aimed it at "I don't like science fiction" adolescents, so there is very few numbers in that one, and more action.
In my next post, I will explain how science-fiction is like chocolate...
September 20, 2011
For those of you in the Mississauga, West of Toronto area, I will be signing books and meeting my adoring public at the Book Fest.
Date: October 1, 2011
Where: the Mississauga Central Library & Mississauga Celebration Square
301 Burnhamthorpe Rd W.
Hours: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Signings:
my latest graphic novels
plus a few others in English and French
Of course, my YA Novels will be available:
This will be a chance to meet many local authors and discuss the challenges or writing and publishing stories.
See you there!
Date: October 1, 2011
Where: the Mississauga Central Library & Mississauga Celebration Square
301 Burnhamthorpe Rd W.
Hours: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Signings:
my latest graphic novels
plus a few others in English and French
Of course, my YA Novels will be available:
This will be a chance to meet many local authors and discuss the challenges or writing and publishing stories.
See you there!
August 23, 2011
The 2011 Whittaker Competition is over! It was educating to look at the fiction and poetry judge's notes, and sometimes my points were very low, an humbling experience, but we must not let other's vision cloud our own judgement. I was proud to participate, and it proved a great motivation to write.
Since the Clarion overlapped the end of the Whittaker contest, I worked harder and produced more new texts… and some new poetry!
I reached a modest tally on the Whittaker final tally (310 points) but was gratified by the production boost.
Here is my short fiction production during the 18 weeks Whittaker contest overlapping 6-weeks Clarion (not counting two weeks of family vacation!):
Eight SF&F short-stories in English
Nine poems
And here are my current works in progress:
- about 10 000 words on the last novel in the Chaaas series
- near 5000 words on my next SF YA novel (around 52 000 words) to be published next February if all goes well. I am in the final revision stage.
And did I mention my graphic novels projects?
Wind Mistress is currently published by parts, in a comic zine, Nexuz3.
Since the Clarion overlapped the end of the Whittaker contest, I worked harder and produced more new texts… and some new poetry!
I reached a modest tally on the Whittaker final tally (310 points) but was gratified by the production boost.
Here is my short fiction production during the 18 weeks Whittaker contest overlapping 6-weeks Clarion (not counting two weeks of family vacation!):
Eight SF&F short-stories in English
Nine poems
And here are my current works in progress:
- about 10 000 words on the last novel in the Chaaas series
- near 5000 words on my next SF YA novel (around 52 000 words) to be published next February if all goes well. I am in the final revision stage.
And did I mention my graphic novels projects?
Wind Mistress is currently published by parts, in a comic zine, Nexuz3.
January 27, 2011
My new SF novel, La spirale de Lar Jubal, will be out in one month. (It will hit the book shops on February, just before the Outaouais Book Fair
On Lapsilis, a cylindrical habitat orbiting a devastated planet, young and old work hard to build a spiraling grain crop for their future world. If questor Sirius approves of this zeal which reduces the crime to almost nothing, Chaaas notices many people burning themselves out.
Then a strange disease is decimating the harvest. Who would benefit from destroying the dream of Lar Jubal, the brilliant visionary lost too soon?
Corom, a charismatic artist, tipped to succeed the debonair Ludrinn as the colony leader? Noalli, the embittered wife of Corom, overlooking the floating garden ? Or Eimer, a haughty scientific who doubts the merits of the project?
Chaaas must investigate without being distracted by the amber eyes of Lali kha Nakarli … and his warming friendship towards Corom. With the help of Kiumi, a girl acrobat, Chaaas will discover secrets that endanger more than a dream…
The novel is in French, and as it is coming soon. If you can read a little French, the book will be available from Prologue or Amazon websites. If you have read and liked the other novels of the Chaaas series, you may let it know, either by typing a review or rate it on Goodreads.com. If you hated it: do the same thing. There is no bad publicity… :^)
The full coordinates of the novel:
Michèle Laframboise, La spirale de Lar Jubal, Médiaspaul, (coll. Jeunesse-Plus no 16), 208 p.
ISBN 978-89420-852-6.
The cover art is from artist Sybiline. For once, you get to see the protagonist close, and Chaaas is quite handsome!
On Lapsilis, a cylindrical habitat orbiting a devastated planet, young and old work hard to build a spiraling grain crop for their future world. If questor Sirius approves of this zeal which reduces the crime to almost nothing, Chaaas notices many people burning themselves out.
Then a strange disease is decimating the harvest. Who would benefit from destroying the dream of Lar Jubal, the brilliant visionary lost too soon?
Corom, a charismatic artist, tipped to succeed the debonair Ludrinn as the colony leader? Noalli, the embittered wife of Corom, overlooking the floating garden ? Or Eimer, a haughty scientific who doubts the merits of the project?
Chaaas must investigate without being distracted by the amber eyes of Lali kha Nakarli … and his warming friendship towards Corom. With the help of Kiumi, a girl acrobat, Chaaas will discover secrets that endanger more than a dream…
The novel is in French, and as it is coming soon. If you can read a little French, the book will be available from Prologue or Amazon websites. If you have read and liked the other novels of the Chaaas series, you may let it know, either by typing a review or rate it on Goodreads.com. If you hated it: do the same thing. There is no bad publicity… :^)
The full coordinates of the novel:
Michèle Laframboise, La spirale de Lar Jubal, Médiaspaul, (coll. Jeunesse-Plus no 16), 208 p.
ISBN 978-89420-852-6.
The cover art is from artist Sybiline. For once, you get to see the protagonist close, and Chaaas is quite handsome!
August 23, 2010
la pensée unique
résoud-elle
les divergences?
Rumeurs
peur à large spectre
infestation mémétique
réalité filtrée
liberté oubliée
imagination en fuite
paradigme dogme
uniforme lisse dedans
effroi piquant dehors
effacer
les différences
pour quoi pour qui
vengeance
erre d'aller
droit au néant
******
Pour lire mon compte-rendu
Pour lire le photo-roman le petit Suprématie illustré : (attention quelques spoilers mais rires garantis!)
résoud-elle
les divergences?
Rumeurs
peur à large spectre
infestation mémétique
réalité filtrée
liberté oubliée
imagination en fuite
paradigme dogme
uniforme lisse dedans
effroi piquant dehors
effacer
les différences
pour quoi pour qui
vengeance
erre d'aller
droit au néant
******
Pour lire mon compte-rendu
Pour lire le photo-roman le petit Suprématie illustré : (attention quelques spoilers mais rires garantis!)
July 27, 2010
Author Alison Sinclair kindly gave me her permission to reprint a part of an interview, regarding her SF book Legacies (see my review of the book) because I think the advice she gives there is valid for many writers.
I keep struggling with the character's POV in my own novels, so talking about her work process is really interesting.
The "dumb" thing she refers, for the past-present interweaved, has been used by others, but it distracted me in Legacies, even if it is a good way to stretch the suspense!
The "good" thing, keeping to one POV, I concur with, even if I find it difficult.
****extract**** Alison Sinclair speaking!***********
In retrospect, I did two dumb things and two smart thing in my first novel.
Dumb things (ie, things I wasn't developed enough to do): writing a quest novel, and using that past-present interleaved; structure that Ursula Le Guin made work so beautifully in The Dispossessed. (which was her, what, sixth? seventh? novel. See what I mean about inadvertently overambitious). I didn't realize until a year or so after Legacies came out where I'd got it from, and why I was so wedded to it.
Smart things I did: keeping to a single viewpoint, and having a character I had deliberately written as attentive and highly perceptive. Sometimes, wrestling with the need to convey something essential via a viewpoint character for whom it's not in character to NOTICE that, I miss Lian.
Quest plots - frequently the first plot an SF&F writer tries - are not as easy as they look: certain choices have to be made to ensure the quest plot gets and keeps its narrative drive and doesn't become picaresque (an editorial comment about an early draft of Legacies) or degenerate into a travelogue.
I were writing a quest, even now, I'd make sure that what was being sought and who was seeking it were established in the first chapter, and not lose sight of that for a moment. I'm still not sure enough in my plotting to do the man/woman goes off all unknowing and finds his/her destiny on the way.
I was unwittingly smart enough to establish the quest in the beginning of Legacies' frontstory, interspersing it with the interleaved backstory in which Lian had to find his mission. Erien in Throne Price may have been lacking certain crucial information, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do when he arrived on Gelion. Which put him on a collision course with other peoples' agendas.
(...)
Again, writers have pulled off the reluctant, foot-dragging protagonist wonderfully, but I find life much easier if a character wants something and goes after it (even if it's the wrong thing for them - or maybe especially if so).
Lian climbing over the wall in Legacies, throwing himself into the path of the story, was a wonderfully liberating moment. Once he'd fallen in with the modern Burdanians, he was committed to deception, decision, and action. (...)
****************end of extract****************
Another interesting blog post from Alison about plot and editors can be followed here
I keep struggling with the character's POV in my own novels, so talking about her work process is really interesting.
The "dumb" thing she refers, for the past-present interweaved, has been used by others, but it distracted me in Legacies, even if it is a good way to stretch the suspense!
The "good" thing, keeping to one POV, I concur with, even if I find it difficult.
****extract**** Alison Sinclair speaking!***********
In retrospect, I did two dumb things and two smart thing in my first novel.
Dumb things (ie, things I wasn't developed enough to do): writing a quest novel, and using that past-present interleaved; structure that Ursula Le Guin made work so beautifully in The Dispossessed. (which was her, what, sixth? seventh? novel. See what I mean about inadvertently overambitious). I didn't realize until a year or so after Legacies came out where I'd got it from, and why I was so wedded to it.
Smart things I did: keeping to a single viewpoint, and having a character I had deliberately written as attentive and highly perceptive. Sometimes, wrestling with the need to convey something essential via a viewpoint character for whom it's not in character to NOTICE that, I miss Lian.
Quest plots - frequently the first plot an SF&F writer tries - are not as easy as they look: certain choices have to be made to ensure the quest plot gets and keeps its narrative drive and doesn't become picaresque (an editorial comment about an early draft of Legacies) or degenerate into a travelogue.
I were writing a quest, even now, I'd make sure that what was being sought and who was seeking it were established in the first chapter, and not lose sight of that for a moment. I'm still not sure enough in my plotting to do the man/woman goes off all unknowing and finds his/her destiny on the way.
I was unwittingly smart enough to establish the quest in the beginning of Legacies' frontstory, interspersing it with the interleaved backstory in which Lian had to find his mission. Erien in Throne Price may have been lacking certain crucial information, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do when he arrived on Gelion. Which put him on a collision course with other peoples' agendas.
(...)
Again, writers have pulled off the reluctant, foot-dragging protagonist wonderfully, but I find life much easier if a character wants something and goes after it (even if it's the wrong thing for them - or maybe especially if so).
Lian climbing over the wall in Legacies, throwing himself into the path of the story, was a wonderfully liberating moment. Once he'd fallen in with the modern Burdanians, he was committed to deception, decision, and action. (...)
****************end of extract****************
Another interesting blog post from Alison about plot and editors can be followed here
June 1, 2010
(English short resumé:
The new Canada Periodical Fund (replacing the Publications Assistance Program/Canada Magazine Fund) will exclude any Canadian print magazines without 5000 copies sold per year. That excludes most of the magazines that published my first literary efforts!
I take the occasion of thanking Solaris and Ciel Variable.)
****
Le Programme d'aide aux magazines artistiques et littéraires de Patrimoine Canada ne subventionnera que les publications qui se vendent à plus de 5000 exemplaires par année. Cela exclut la plupart des revues culturelles... Dont Solaris, et aussi Ciel Variable !
Or ce chiffre est d'autant plus injuste pour le côté francophone, que ce plafond minimum est le même que pour les revues anglophones, alors que le ratio anglo/franco est de 3 pour 1. Ce qui veut dire que, si on avait été juste, le plafond pour les francophones aurait dû être de 1250 copies. (Merci à Jean Pettigrew, éditeur de Alire, publiant les revues Alibis et Solaris, pour cette info).
Cet article sur le site du Devoir par Jean Larose exprime très bien la situation.
Après la disparition des émissions littéraires et les coupures à Radio-Canada, accusées d'"élitisme", ce péché impardonnable, les magazines culturels à tirage vont y passer.
À trop vouloir centraliser, privatiser et uniformiser la culture, on prive la prochaine génération de l’immense potentiel de créativité, celle qui permet de faire face aux problèmes et de trouver des solutions. Et c'est encore plus vrai pour la science-fiction, qui n'est pas une littérature qui ronronne doucement, mais qui fait réfléchir et débarre l'imagination.
Comme l'écrivain plus connu Yann Martel l'a mentionné, lui-même a publié ses premiers textes dans un petit fanzine de Vancouver géré par des bénévoles. Cette modeste publication l'a encouragé à continuer d'écrire. Il a aussi apprécié sa première subvention d'écrivain.
...1991, année où je reçus une bourse B du Conseil qui me permit d’écrire mon premier roman. J’avais 27 ans et cet argent me semblait une manne qui me tombait du ciel. Ces 18,000$ me durèrent un an et demi (au regard des impôts que j’ai versés depuis, ce fut un rendement exponentiel de l’investissement, je vous en assure
Et de même, c'est la revue Solaris qui a publié mes nouvelles de science-fiction et une bande dessinée.
Avant, j'avais publié une nouvelle et un poème dans les premiers numéros (2 et 5) de la revue Ciel Variable, en 1987 !! Une autre revue menacée. J'y ai fait la connaissance d'Hélène Monette, une jeune poétesse qui y avait publié ses premiers poèmes. Depuis, elle a fait du chemin et nous a apporté des livres audacieux plein de dynamite intellectuelle. Mais je me souviens de son poème La colonie: où est passée l'autruche?
En dix ans, je suis passée par le processus, récoltant d'abord des refus. Mais ces refus venaient avec des commentaires éclairés, à la lumière desquels j'ai fini par améliorer mon écriture. Ces commentaires de Yves Meynard puis de Joël Champetier, avaient été rédigés de façon purement bénévole. Solaris ne tirait pas à 5000 exemplaires par année, et les subventions complétaient les abonnements et revenus de publicité. Mais leurs conseils m'ont orientée vers la publication de mes nouvelles, puis mes romans.
Les petits éditeurs (merci en passant à René Beaulieu qui me publia en 1999 dans son recueil Transes Lucides) sont des ressources aussi précieuses. Ils sont de patients jardiniers, cultivant des talents sans récompense autre que la satisfaction de voir poindre le fruit de leurs efforts.
Dans mon cas, cela a donné une dizaine de romans jeunesse, dont Les voyages du Jules-Verne, qui descendent directement d'une nouvelle... refusée trois fois! Et cela a apporté une floraison de de prix littéraires.
J'aimerais pouvoir vous annoncer que je suis devenue très riche avec des millions de lecteurs, la seule forme de succès que le gouvernement actuel respecte. Or je suis fière d'écrire, de publier, et de donner des ateliers aux jeunes, des travaux dont les résultats sont moins tangibles. Comme des plantes, ils poussent en silence.
The new Canada Periodical Fund (replacing the Publications Assistance Program/Canada Magazine Fund) will exclude any Canadian print magazines without 5000 copies sold per year. That excludes most of the magazines that published my first literary efforts!
I take the occasion of thanking Solaris and Ciel Variable.)
****
Le Programme d'aide aux magazines artistiques et littéraires de Patrimoine Canada ne subventionnera que les publications qui se vendent à plus de 5000 exemplaires par année. Cela exclut la plupart des revues culturelles... Dont Solaris, et aussi Ciel Variable !
Or ce chiffre est d'autant plus injuste pour le côté francophone, que ce plafond minimum est le même que pour les revues anglophones, alors que le ratio anglo/franco est de 3 pour 1. Ce qui veut dire que, si on avait été juste, le plafond pour les francophones aurait dû être de 1250 copies. (Merci à Jean Pettigrew, éditeur de Alire, publiant les revues Alibis et Solaris, pour cette info).
Cet article sur le site du Devoir par Jean Larose exprime très bien la situation.
Après la disparition des émissions littéraires et les coupures à Radio-Canada, accusées d'"élitisme", ce péché impardonnable, les magazines culturels à tirage vont y passer.
À trop vouloir centraliser, privatiser et uniformiser la culture, on prive la prochaine génération de l’immense potentiel de créativité, celle qui permet de faire face aux problèmes et de trouver des solutions. Et c'est encore plus vrai pour la science-fiction, qui n'est pas une littérature qui ronronne doucement, mais qui fait réfléchir et débarre l'imagination.
Comme l'écrivain plus connu Yann Martel l'a mentionné, lui-même a publié ses premiers textes dans un petit fanzine de Vancouver géré par des bénévoles. Cette modeste publication l'a encouragé à continuer d'écrire. Il a aussi apprécié sa première subvention d'écrivain.
...1991, année où je reçus une bourse B du Conseil qui me permit d’écrire mon premier roman. J’avais 27 ans et cet argent me semblait une manne qui me tombait du ciel. Ces 18,000$ me durèrent un an et demi (au regard des impôts que j’ai versés depuis, ce fut un rendement exponentiel de l’investissement, je vous en assure
Et de même, c'est la revue Solaris qui a publié mes nouvelles de science-fiction et une bande dessinée.
Avant, j'avais publié une nouvelle et un poème dans les premiers numéros (2 et 5) de la revue Ciel Variable, en 1987 !! Une autre revue menacée. J'y ai fait la connaissance d'Hélène Monette, une jeune poétesse qui y avait publié ses premiers poèmes. Depuis, elle a fait du chemin et nous a apporté des livres audacieux plein de dynamite intellectuelle. Mais je me souviens de son poème La colonie: où est passée l'autruche?
En dix ans, je suis passée par le processus, récoltant d'abord des refus. Mais ces refus venaient avec des commentaires éclairés, à la lumière desquels j'ai fini par améliorer mon écriture. Ces commentaires de Yves Meynard puis de Joël Champetier, avaient été rédigés de façon purement bénévole. Solaris ne tirait pas à 5000 exemplaires par année, et les subventions complétaient les abonnements et revenus de publicité. Mais leurs conseils m'ont orientée vers la publication de mes nouvelles, puis mes romans.
Les petits éditeurs (merci en passant à René Beaulieu qui me publia en 1999 dans son recueil Transes Lucides) sont des ressources aussi précieuses. Ils sont de patients jardiniers, cultivant des talents sans récompense autre que la satisfaction de voir poindre le fruit de leurs efforts.
Dans mon cas, cela a donné une dizaine de romans jeunesse, dont Les voyages du Jules-Verne, qui descendent directement d'une nouvelle... refusée trois fois! Et cela a apporté une floraison de de prix littéraires.
J'aimerais pouvoir vous annoncer que je suis devenue très riche avec des millions de lecteurs, la seule forme de succès que le gouvernement actuel respecte. Or je suis fière d'écrire, de publier, et de donner des ateliers aux jeunes, des travaux dont les résultats sont moins tangibles. Comme des plantes, ils poussent en silence.
May 21, 2010
Cette année, c'est peut-être la dernière occasion de voter pour les catégories francophones professionnelles des Prix Auror.
Selon Jean-Louis Trudel (son blog ici) une réforme d'envergure s'annonce, qui pourrait entraîner une fusion, un jumelage ou une association de ces catégories francophones et des Prix Boréal.
Ceux qui ne sont pas sur place au congrès Keycon à Winnipeg peuvent néanmoins encore voter en-ligne jusqu'à midi (heure manitobaine) le samedi 22 mai.
Dans la catégorie du meilleur roman en français, les finalistes sont :
Le protocole Reston, Mathieu Fortin (Coups de tête)
La Quête de Chaaas (3. L'axe de Koudriss), Michèle Laframboise (Médiaspaul)
Suprématie, Laurent McAllister (Bragelonne)
Un tour en Arkadie, Francine Pelletier (Alire)
Filles de lune (3. Le talisman de Maxandre), Élisabeth Tremblay (De Mortagne)
Dans la catégorie de la meilleure nouvelle en français, les finalistes sont :
« Ors blancs », Alain Bergeron (Solaris 171)
« De l'amour dans l'air », Claude Bolduc (Solaris 172)
« La vie des douze Jésus », Luc Dagenais (Solaris 172)
« Billet de faveur », Michèle Laframboise (Galaxies 41)
« Grains de silice », Mario Tessier (Solaris 170)
« La mort aux dés », Élisabeth Vonarburg (Solaris 171)
Dans la catégorie du meilleur autre travail en français, les finalistes sont :
Critiques : Jérôme-Olivier Allard (Solaris 169-172)
Revue : Solaris, Joël Champetier, éditeur (P.b.i.q.)
Manga : Le jardin du général, Michèle Laframboise (Montréal, Fichtre)
Article : "Rien à voir avec la fantasy", Thibaud Sallé (Solaris 169)
Chronique : « Les Carnets du Futurible », Mario Tessier (Solaris 169-171)
Donc, dernière chance pour mes fans fidèles!
Selon Jean-Louis Trudel (son blog ici) une réforme d'envergure s'annonce, qui pourrait entraîner une fusion, un jumelage ou une association de ces catégories francophones et des Prix Boréal.
Ceux qui ne sont pas sur place au congrès Keycon à Winnipeg peuvent néanmoins encore voter en-ligne jusqu'à midi (heure manitobaine) le samedi 22 mai.
Dans la catégorie du meilleur roman en français, les finalistes sont :
Le protocole Reston, Mathieu Fortin (Coups de tête)
La Quête de Chaaas (3. L'axe de Koudriss), Michèle Laframboise (Médiaspaul)
Suprématie, Laurent McAllister (Bragelonne)
Un tour en Arkadie, Francine Pelletier (Alire)
Filles de lune (3. Le talisman de Maxandre), Élisabeth Tremblay (De Mortagne)
Dans la catégorie de la meilleure nouvelle en français, les finalistes sont :
« Ors blancs », Alain Bergeron (Solaris 171)
« De l'amour dans l'air », Claude Bolduc (Solaris 172)
« La vie des douze Jésus », Luc Dagenais (Solaris 172)
« Billet de faveur », Michèle Laframboise (Galaxies 41)
« Grains de silice », Mario Tessier (Solaris 170)
« La mort aux dés », Élisabeth Vonarburg (Solaris 171)
Dans la catégorie du meilleur autre travail en français, les finalistes sont :
Critiques : Jérôme-Olivier Allard (Solaris 169-172)
Revue : Solaris, Joël Champetier, éditeur (P.b.i.q.)
Manga : Le jardin du général, Michèle Laframboise (Montréal, Fichtre)
Article : "Rien à voir avec la fantasy", Thibaud Sallé (Solaris 169)
Chronique : « Les Carnets du Futurible », Mario Tessier (Solaris 169-171)
Donc, dernière chance pour mes fans fidèles!
May 2, 2010
About one year ago, a Britannic webzine asked for short texts, one or three hundred words max, describing the future in one hundred years, and in the spirit of "mundane" SF.
I jotted a few ideas of a bleak future from which grew an embryo of text. I reworked it... and exceeded the word limit. So I left the text alone for a while.
One or tho months later, I took the text back and managed to fold it into a story, with a bird-eye point of view by an unlikely character.
As the Solaris Prize deadline approached, I decided to work on it again, and polish it. The story finally grew strong, and mature enough.
So, like a child that I am proud of, I let it go...
And received the good news last week. I'm a proud mother!
The official communiqué (in French) is there
The Prize includes a generous sum, plus the publication in the Solaris magazine.
******************************
J'ai gagné le prix Solaris 2010 !
L'année dernière, un webzine britannique avait fait une appel de textes illustrant le futur dans cent ans, dans un esprit de SF "mundane".
J'ai tout de suite noté des idées sur un futur écologiquement triste, desquelles J'ai tiré un embryon de texte. Hélas, j'avais dépassé la limite (très courte) de mots. J'ai laissé le texte en jachère et j'ai travaillé sur autre chose.
Un ou deux mois plus tard, j'ai repris le texte, et trouvé un point de vue spécial par un narrateur particulier.
Quand la tombée du concours pour le Prix Solaris approchait, j'ai retravaillé le texte, affiné le personnage et son environnement, ajusté le ton de l'histoire... et de la fin.
Le texte avait gagné en maturité,et comme un enfant dont on est fier, je l'ai laissé partir.
J'ai reçu la bonne nouvelle la semaine dernière. Ca me remplit de fierté toute maternelle!
On trouve le communiqué officiel
ici
La récompense, généreuse, inclut la publication du texte dans le prochain numéro de la revue.
I jotted a few ideas of a bleak future from which grew an embryo of text. I reworked it... and exceeded the word limit. So I left the text alone for a while.
One or tho months later, I took the text back and managed to fold it into a story, with a bird-eye point of view by an unlikely character.
As the Solaris Prize deadline approached, I decided to work on it again, and polish it. The story finally grew strong, and mature enough.
So, like a child that I am proud of, I let it go...
And received the good news last week. I'm a proud mother!
The official communiqué (in French) is there
The Prize includes a generous sum, plus the publication in the Solaris magazine.
******************************
J'ai gagné le prix Solaris 2010 !
L'année dernière, un webzine britannique avait fait une appel de textes illustrant le futur dans cent ans, dans un esprit de SF "mundane".
J'ai tout de suite noté des idées sur un futur écologiquement triste, desquelles J'ai tiré un embryon de texte. Hélas, j'avais dépassé la limite (très courte) de mots. J'ai laissé le texte en jachère et j'ai travaillé sur autre chose.
Un ou deux mois plus tard, j'ai repris le texte, et trouvé un point de vue spécial par un narrateur particulier.
Quand la tombée du concours pour le Prix Solaris approchait, j'ai retravaillé le texte, affiné le personnage et son environnement, ajusté le ton de l'histoire... et de la fin.
Le texte avait gagné en maturité,et comme un enfant dont on est fier, je l'ai laissé partir.
J'ai reçu la bonne nouvelle la semaine dernière. Ca me remplit de fierté toute maternelle!
On trouve le communiqué officiel
ici
La récompense, généreuse, inclut la publication du texte dans le prochain numéro de la revue.
April 23, 2010
Just finished and mailed the manuscript of a new novel. En route to my publisher...
Whew! That book gave me a lot oftrouble challenges!
First, a comic book project (La plume japonaise, now published) pushed back the manuscript completion by two months, adding more stress.
Then, I encountered difficulties on the science front, plus all the work on how to dispense the relevant information- minimising exposition. I passed tens of hours on the net, for factual research on science info sites. But I ended up making cuts for the good of my public.
Last, and the worst hurdle, I agonized over one character's development impacting the plot.
The first version had this character way too over-the-board evil, which would be fine for some audience or Saturday cartoons ("Bwa-ha-ha-ha!") and spectacular action scenes, but would not respect the cultural aspects of the society I'm carefully constructing.
So I decided to give this character "a running chance".
It took three agonising weeks to rebuild or retouch the whole plot, I proof-read two times, modifying, finding and correcting science flaws here and there...
I found myself more depressed, thinking: what the heck, all this work and nobody read my YA novels anyway (especially since I do SF without cute vampires)
From this tenuous work, a more nuanced character emerged, and it actually brought a new development concerning another pivotal character. And some spectacular action scenes!
Now, awaiting the word of my editor....
Whew! That book gave me a lot of
First, a comic book project (La plume japonaise, now published) pushed back the manuscript completion by two months, adding more stress.
Then, I encountered difficulties on the science front, plus all the work on how to dispense the relevant information- minimising exposition. I passed tens of hours on the net, for factual research on science info sites. But I ended up making cuts for the good of my public.
Last, and the worst hurdle, I agonized over one character's development impacting the plot.
The first version had this character way too over-the-board evil, which would be fine for some audience or Saturday cartoons ("Bwa-ha-ha-ha!") and spectacular action scenes, but would not respect the cultural aspects of the society I'm carefully constructing.
So I decided to give this character "a running chance".
It took three agonising weeks to rebuild or retouch the whole plot, I proof-read two times, modifying, finding and correcting science flaws here and there...
I found myself more depressed, thinking: what the heck, all this work and nobody read my YA novels anyway (especially since I do SF without cute vampires)
From this tenuous work, a more nuanced character emerged, and it actually brought a new development concerning another pivotal character. And some spectacular action scenes!
Now, awaiting the word of my editor....
