Marie Brennan's Blog, page 174

Jim Hines on Correia and MacFarlane

So, there’s this.

As I said in the comments on Jim’s LJ, it took me a while to read the post, not because it’s long (though it is) but because my AAAAAAAAAAAAUGH meter kept maxing out and I would have to go away and breathe for a while before I could read any more.

I just . . . ye gods and little fishies. If you’re trying to respond to a piece on gender, and right up front you tell everybody that you’re assuming the person you’re responding to is a man and you can’t be bothered to check and see whether you’re right — even though the bio is right there at the bottom of the page, waiting to answer your question — then that’s pretty much a red flag of “Nobody should bother to listen to me on this topic.”

Because you just reinforced MacFarlane’s point. Yes, sure, she’s talking about the default of non-binary gender — but sweet baby Jesus, if we can’t even get past the default of male gender, then the problem you’re trying to dismiss is even bigger than she’s saying. Correia makes it clear, over and over again, that he is uninterested in putting anything other than the straight white male default into his stories unless there’s a “reason” for it. And apparently, “people like that exist and would like to read stories in which they exist” is not a reason. Their identities have to be plot-relevant, yo, or it’s back to the straight white men (because that isn’t a political act at all, natch). Doing anything else will make science fiction BORING and then people will STOP READING IT and that’s why the genre is DYING. Because the way to make it thrive is to cater to the comfort zone of straight white male gun-loving conservatives: only non-binary people want to read about non-binary people, and presumably only black people want to read about black people, etc, so let’s stick with what’s safe, shall we?

I mean, sure, there’s money to be had in catering to that demographic. Correia is probably not wrong that he makes more money from his writing than MacFarlane does (though I don’t agree with the follow-on implication that this makes him right and him her wrong). But the notion that the future of the genre depends on not rocking the boat? That including the full range of human diversity is automatically a MESSAGE — but restricting that diversity is neutral and value-free?

Bull. Shit.

Take care in reading the comments on Hines’ site. He says they’ve been “civil,” but there are a lot of Correia’s fanboys in there, waving the flag of their ignorance on matters of sex and gender and so forth, and straying very close to the border of getting banned.

Originally published at Swan Tower. You can comment here or there.

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A Year in Pictures – Drum Bridge in Rain

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One advantage of it being rainy the day I first went to the San Francisco Tea Garden was, there was hardly anyone there. Normally this bridge is crawling with people, because the sides of it are like a ladder (therefore entertaining) and it’s a good place to have your picture taken. But in the rain, it becomes more serene.

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A Year in Pictures – Flower-headed Statue

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The entire exterior of Halebidu is covered in carving and sculpture, some of it in better condition than others. Another visitor had placed this flower where the statue’s head ought to be, which made for a rather striking image.

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Write a letter to Lady Trent!

As some of you may recall, for the past two years I’ve participated in Mary Robinett Kowal’s Month of Letters project. But since I’m terrible at writing letters just because (I know, I know; the whole point of the project is to get better at that), I followed her lead in another respect and invited you to send mail to my characters instead.

I’m doing it again this year, of course — and not just because it’s the only thing keeping my ability to write in cursive alive. You are all invited to send mail to Isabella during the month of February, and I will write back in character, using an actual dip pen and sealing the letter with actual wax. Just follow these steps:

1) Write a letter! You may choose to write to Isabella in her youth (when she’s running around studying dragons) or in her old age (when she’s writing the memoirs). If it isn’t clear which version of her you are writing to, I’ll respond as the memoir-writing version. You may adopt a persona within her world if you wish, but it isn’t required. Just don’t ask her about me; she has no idea who I am.

2) Put it in the mail! Like, the actual physical mail, not some electronic device. Letters should be sent to:

Marie Brennan

P.O. Box 991

San Mateo, CA 94403</i>

It is very important that you address the letter to me, not Isabella. The post office wouldn’t let me put her name on the box unless I brought in two forms of photo identification for her. Which, um. Yeah.

3) Profit! Which is to say, receive a letter in reply.

She will be available for correspondence during February, so you have a few days to plan what you want to say. I may even smuggle hints about upcoming books into her replies — you never know . . . .

Originally published at Swan Tower. You can comment here or there.

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A Year in Pictures – Sphinx on the Thames

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Along the Thames Embankment, at the base of the obelisk known as Cleopatra’s Needle, there are two sphinxes. I was pleased by the juxtaposition between the old and the new here, with the London Eye in the background. (This photo was taken during my research trip for With Fate Conspire.)

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A Year in Pictures – Redwoods

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Redwood forests? Are awesome.

That is all.

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94,088 words

And that’s a draft.

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Giveaway winner chosen

‘Twas @AdrianTurtle on Twitter, with Puff the Magic Dragon.

(That sounds like a solution from Clue.)

Thank you to all who responded! It was nifty, seeing the spread of answers.

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A Year in Pictures – Hawaiian Hotel

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My parents should have their fortieth wedding anniversary more often.

In January 2012, to celebrate my parents’ anniversary, my father flew my entire family out to Hawai’i for a long vacation. So while much of the U.S. was mired in snow, and even California was chilly and damp, this garden was just outside my hotel door. I couldn’t really complain . . . .

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Because why not

I’ve decided to give away an ARC of The Tropic of Serpents to one lucky respondent. To enter, all you have to do is name your favorite dragon, either in the comments or @swan_tower on Twitter. You have until I wake up tomorrow, so say roughly 11 a.m. PST.

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