Rachel Neumeier's Blog, page 374

Whew –

Here’s the first review of The Islands of Chaldea that I’ve seen posted by someone I follow. And it’s positive. Good to know. It would be so disappointing if DWJ’s last unfinished book was weak.

Brandy says, “While not as wonderful as my favorite DWJ books, it is still very good. And a not as a good as the best DWJ is still far superior to almost everything else.”

As I said, whew! The book will be hitting shelves on April 22nd. I feel no special need to pick it up immediately, but I’m glad to know it’s waiting for when I have time.

On a completely different note, and more disappointingly, the performance classes at this weekend’s CKCSC show were canceled because too few people entered. That means I get to keep the trophies for another year, but I fully intended to win them back fair and square, so I’m disappointed I won’t have the chance. I wasn’t dead sure Honey could have won the High in Novice Class trophy, but unless I did something stupid like walk past a sign (not without precedent), Pippa was all but a sure thing for the High in Rally Trial trophy. Phooey.

In the breed ring, I was only going to show Pippa one day in Veterans, and it’s not worth going just for that, so I’m staying home. The weather looks like it will be nice, at least, so that’s gardening / hiking / farmer’s market / whatever.

I do expect to show Kenya and Honey in the AKC breed ring in upcoming shows, though. I’ve decided I really do want to finish championships on them both. It would be very nice to just hurry up and finish at least one of them in May. I’m entering at least seven shows (three weekends). Honey needs six singles to finish, Kenya needs five. I would prefer small entries since the girls only need singles. I’m having to remind myself that even if the entry is small, it doesn’t NECESSARILY mean one of my girls will win. Even so, after Honey’s picking up three majors from the puppy classes last year, it’s hard to believe she won’t be able to pick up some points at these shows, too.

It’s pretty traditional to have to really work to get that one last point, though.

A geologic history of Westeros –

No, really.

Start with a supercontinent and off you go:

Geologic events occurring XX million years ago (Mya) on Westeros:

(today) The size of the Game of Thrones planet

(25 Mya) The Earth split Westeros from Essos

(30-40 Mya) When Dorne boiled

(40 Mya) Land of ice

(60-80 Mya) The rise of the Black Mountains

(80-100 Mya) As the Moon rose, so did the Lannisters

(300 Mya) Diving the tropical reefs of Winterfell

(450 Mya) The sand ran red

(500 Mya) The first mountains

I quit reading GAME OF THRONES several books ago and I’m not very interested in Westeros as such. I may never read the rest of the series, though I would appreciate a full summary when it’s finally finished so I can see if I’m right about my predictions about what’s going to happen.

But this geological extrapolation is pretty keen.

“Knowing that the Black Mountains are 60-80 million years old, we therefore surmise that the Mountains of the Moon are 80-100 million years old, comparable to the Canadian Rocky Mountains in North America. The Moon Orogeny is more complex than the Black Orogeny, and we propose that the Mountains of the Moon formed in two stages: 1) early subduction of the microplate beneath southern Westeros, and 2) later continental collision between northern and southern Westeros.”

See? Isn’t that keen?

It reminds me of this, uh, study, of the vampire ecology in Buffy.

“Now that we have a model, we can start trying out some assumptions (or, if we’re lucky, actual measurements) for the various parameters. To start with, we know from the sign in “Lover’s Walk” that the human population of Sunnydale is 38,500. We also know that the town of Berkeley, CA has a population of about 100,000. Since Berkeley is also a town with a UC campus, and is furthermore a town that has been more or less completely urbanized (the population has been stable or dropping slightly for about 25 years), we will take 100,000 as the carrying capacity for a California university town.”

Fun with science! Enjoy.

Recent Reading: Night Broken

Yes, okay, I paused my own work to read NIGHT BROKEN, but a) Wednesday is busy anyway, not a good day to get work done; and b) I always meant to go ahead and read NIGHT BROKEN anyway.

I liked it. It didn’t seem as big and important as some of the other recent Mercy Thompson books — it was basically a monster-shows-up-we-must-kill-the-monster story. But I liked it quite a bit. In some ways I think I liked it because it didn‘t try to do big things.

Big things I would have hated: If Christy had managed to screw up the relationship between Mercy and Adam, I would have been furious. I appreciated Briggs deliberately making it clear this wasn’t a problem whenever the reader might have started to get worried. I did not want a relationship-gets-screwed-up story, even if the relationship got straightened out at the end. So: Briggs made the right call on that one, as far as I’m concerned.

Big things I would have liked: More stuff to advance the fae-at-war-with-US plotline that got started in a previous book. Yes, there was a nudge in this direction, but plainly that was a set up for a future book. The thing with Beauclare (the Gray Lord who got pissed off and declared war, if you don’t remember) is plainly in this book to reassure the reader that Briggs hasn’t just forgotten about that, but nothing about that plotline was actually necessary for this book. I mean, Briggs worked that in so it is connected, but only as a nod to plot coherence, rather than as essential to real plot coherence.

Things I was not happy about: Most authors do not kill dogs. In this one, Briggs kills a lot of dogs. :( Worse, she sets it up so the dogs’ owner is forced to kill his own dogs. Doubleplus :(

Things that compensated for the above: That set-up sure explains why Joel could tear himself free of the monster’s influence given half a chance. Talk about motivation.

Things I don’t understand: I have seen various commenters who declare that all the woman characters in this series are bitchy, mean, petty, etc except for Mercy herself. Fine, but this complaint should not apply to Christy, who has been presented that way from the start — it is important to establishing Jesse’s relationships with her dad and with Mercy and I thought Briggs was actually a bit nicer to Christy than she deserved.

But complaining about all the other female characters is becoming more obviously unfair. Surely no one can miss how Honey is a female character — and a feminine woman character too, no grease under her fingernails — who is also being developed into a real character with brains, strength, and complexity. I love the direction Briggs is taking with her. I always thought Honey had it in her! Go, Honey! I am absolutely certain Honey is going to get more and more important to the pack and play a major role in upending certain not-very-nice pack traditions.

Things I do understand: I have seen various commenters who have been left with a very bad taste in their mouths regarding various other members of the Columbia River Pack. Well, no kidding. Bad show by all kinds of people who should darn well know better. If they don’t know better now, there’s just no hope for them.

Final thoughts: A solid and enjoyable story. I’m looking forward very much to seeing where the series goes from here.

This is a . . . banana?

Here’s something you don’t see every day:

Everyone needs a hobby, right? Turning bananas into art is Keisuke Yamada’s hobby, apparently. No word about whether he plans to eventually branch out into less-perishable media.

See what you miss if you don’t follow Twitter?

Janet Reid on agent burnout

Nice post up today over at Janet Reid’s main site,on agent burnout.

A while back I posted a question from a writer who seriously wondered if her agent was dead or abducted by aliens (no contact for months on end.)

In my reply I mentioned that kind of thing has been happening more often. That observation sparked some interest and some requests for elaboration. …

What this is has a name: burnout. Agenting is a job that’s ripe for burnout for two reasons:

1. Almost nothing is under our direct control

2. Almost nothing is ever finished

And she goes into how many younger agents may not have the background and support they need to be able to handle the crazy things that evidently happen. Also, this, about how things are never actually finished:

When I say nothing is ever finished, let me just illustrate that with an example from this weekend: I read a manuscript (which was very good) and sent the author (my client) a series of notes. He’ll make changes, then send the ms to his editor. Done? Not even close. When this goes to edits/copyedits/production/publication there will be lots of things to do and problems to address. The work is never ever done and that can be daunting because it’s really hard to take time off, or even step back sometimes knowing that the work is just going to stack up.

Now, the editing end of things, which Janet is empathizing in the bit I quoted above, is not the part I would actually hate dealing with. I’m no great shakes as an editor, but at least working with the actual ms is something I do not loathe.

Stuff I would totally loathe dealing with:

a) figuring out the contract and what’s normal and what should be argued about etc etc etc. On a scale of one to ten, I would hate dealing with that at about an seven. Or an eight. Eight and a half.

b) calling people at the publishing house every other day for months nagging about things. On a scale of one to ten, I would hate dealing with that at about a hundred and five.

So, yeah, thank heaven for Caitlin. Who I trust will never, ever even flirt with the edges of burnout.

Sherwood Smith: turn offs and turn ons

I like this pair of posts by Sherwood Smith: Top Ten things she is tired of reading about in fantasy novels, and now a new companion post: Top Ten things she likes to see in fantasy novels.

Post The First: I wouldn’t personally pick exactly the same Top Ten Tropes I Hate list. For example, #2. I really liked I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER. Come to think of it, I really liked the first season of CRIMINAL MINDS, too. And right now in between working on This Huge Revision, I am re-reading tiny bits of the Shadow Unit shared world thing by Emma Bull and Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear and everyone else I am temporarily forgetting, which btw if you just bought a Kindle, you should really try the Shadow Unit series (I’m talking to you, Craig).

I agree that it takes a special writer to pull off Magical Animal Companions (#10). Not exactly for the same reason that Smith mentions, though partly that. For me, the biggest problem is that the Magical Animal Companion is like a robot. Perfectly trained. Perfectly reliable. It has no personality because it is a robot, not an animal — and certainly not a companion. But when an author DOES pull off a great animal secondary character, then I LOVE that. (I bet Sherwood Smith does, too.) (Speaking of Book View Cafe, I like Duranna Durgin’s corgi).

Okay, but. HERE are the items in the list I would like to get behind and push. I would be happier if I never again saw:

7. Evial Red Priests. I get it that a lot of writers hate organized religion. But I’ve gotten it for forty years. It’s not news, nor is it shocking or edgy. There are far too many books in which the entire purpose of the church is oppression and nothing else–no liturgy, poetry, music, art, plays, debate, no social services, however rudimentary. No sense that there are good or indifferent priests, creative ones, visionary ones, savvy ones, conflicted ones–they all seem to be child-molesting, racist, sexist, narrow-minded nasties. And our heroes are heroes because they are postmodern determinists. I particularly dislike that trope in historical novels: the heroes are all enlightened postmoderns, and the villains believe in that particular era’s paradigm.

8. Primitive Utopias. ….Primitive life isn’t comfortable, it’s maybe a step above basic survival. Primitive life means it’s hard to keep clean, hard to keep warm, hard to stay fed without something really nasty getting in your innards, and then you really wish the facilities weren’t primitive. A realistic primitive life story might gain more of my respect–but not my interest. I have to admit my interests lie with art and with evolving civilization.

Yeah, what she said. Absolutely.

Okay, now, stuff Sherwood Smith picks out that she likes: disguises, amnesia, intrigues, capers.

For me personally, amnesia is not a Thing. Disguises, though. I like the girl-dressing-as-boy trope. No reason really, I just do. Luckily a lot of other authors like that one, too.

Plus, Sherwood mentions amazing plot twists as a Thing. Yeah, not actually necessary, but if the author really pulls it off, it can be amazing.

And this:

I like my protagonists to have a moral code, maybe even a sense of honor, though it isn’t easy or convenient, and the numinous is going to catch my heart every time.

Yes. This.

I have two more books by Sherwood Smith on my Kindle, btw. Or, I don’t know, maybe three? I know one is A POSSE OF PRINCESSES, but I can’t remember the others. When I eventually read them, I’m sure I’ll be asking all of you where I should go next. Big backlist from Smith, I know.

Things that make me happy

Several things recently that make me happy.

First: A great review by an author I respect, focusing on another author I love. For example, this review by Kate Elliot of Martha Wells’ Ile-Rien trilogy, here. Don’t tell me Kate posted this in February. I know. I only just happened across it today.

“Oh, yes, you may think you are reading a story set in a fantasy version of late 19th century/early 20th century Paris with different names but it is never that simplistic. The setting is shot through with alterations that fit perfectly and then meanwhile so many new vistas are about to open that I can’t even begin to tell you about them for fear of babbling incoherently about the world building things I love and adore in this series.”

Yes, this is *Kate Elliot* impressed by someone else’s worldbuilding. As anyone would be, with Martha Wells. Gosh, now I really want to re-read the Ile-Rien trilogy. Yeah, no, still don’t have time for reading fiction. I mean, re-reading a book I didn’t much like, yes, but not this.

Anyway, I always enjoy very much seeing someone wax enthusiastic about a book I also love.

Second! Even better than that! This. I get to be a Favorite Author. Go, me! I don’t mind sharing with Caroline Stevermer, whose books I like a lot. Now I’m waiting to see who else gets to appear on this list.

Third! I didn’t mention this at the time because it was in the middle of AKH Week, but in case any of you missed it, this review of BLACK DOG at tor.com (yes! tor.com!) made me very happy at the time. In fact, it still makes me happy now. How to make dead sure you are offered an early review copy of the sequel: write this review.

Oh, btw, my Strange Chem editor is just about to get to the sequel, so that’s exciting! And makes me just a bit nervous, but I think she will love it. That would make me happy, too.

I ought to post a short excerpt here at that point, don’t you think? Actually, I guess at some point I ought to post short excerpts of everything I’m working on and you can all see which one(s) you find particularly catchy.

Anyway, have a happy Monday! But next time I say I am about 90% done with a huge revision, just go on and deduct 10 percentage points for over-enthusiasm. Not that I am unhappy with how this revision is going, but that was a bit optimistic. Wow, lots of taking things apart and stitching them back together as I make changes to the middle.

Spring! And mimicry.

Check this out:

This is my Magnolia stellata x loebneri hybrid, a little shrubby magnolia that, like its star magnolia parent, has no aspirations to become a Real Tree. You do see some bigger star magnolias, but basically you can plant one in the secure knowledge that it will not suddenly turn out to take up as much room as a two-car garage. It blooms at the same time as the star magnolia, just a week or so later than a saucer magnolia, but enough to miss the frost that nipped my saucer magnolia this year.

Now, the insect is not a wasp, but a wasp mimic: a syrphid fly, also called hover flies. There are many many many species of syrphids, mostly smaller than this one, which is close to the size of a honeybee. All the syrphids are pleasant little creatures, harmless and in fact beneficial, since their larvae creep around and eat aphids. It’s easy to recognize a syrphid: flies have MUCH BIGGER eyes than wasps, short stubby antennae instead of long graceful antennae, and their wings stick out to the sides more than folding back over the body. I must add that one large syrphid is a bumblebee mimic and I personally would not try to catch one in my bare hand, since they are VERY GOOD mimics. My grad school advisor would do that, though, because he could tell the different even on the wing.

Mary Doria Russell wrote SPARROW and CHILDREN OF GOD around the idea of biological mimics. Very powerful books, or rather, many readers find them powerful, including me. Readers’ responses to them actually fall into a distinctly bimodal pattern. My take: I agree with the readers who find the characters stereotypical and flat. But I believe they are meant to be. They are very effective for Russell’s purpose, which is to put the world and the first-contact situation front and center. Because they suit the books so well, many readers perceive the characters as well-rounded, which they are not. My only personal issue with the characters is that no one can be that witty all the time, but I sure do admire witty dialogue.

What happens to the main character is this duology, or rather the string of things that happen to him, constitutes the second-worse thing I’ve ever seen happen to any character. The thing with the hands is especially appalling. I don’t want to get into it. You can read a lot of Goodreads reviews if you’re interested. I will say: I absolutely do not believe in the biological mimicry situation described. There is absolutely no reason to expect either of those species to evolve intelligence, the herbivorous species because it’s herbivorous and I don’t see why it would tend in that direction, and the predatory species because it’s not social enough (I mean, sure, that species is social now; but it wasn’t very social back in deep time; we get enough of a picture of its early history to be pretty clear about this). That BOTH species would simultaneously evolve intelligence, it is to laugh.

I’m pretty sure that aspect of the duology isn’t one that bothers most readers, however. And it does present an interesting first-contact situation.

The world is in a fantasy novel.

It really is.

Evidence:

You see.

Every now and then I save a picture from my twitter feed. I just wanted to share these.

Spring! Also, writing update. Also, anybody try CRUEL BEAUTY yet?

Spring is springing! The apricots are in bloom; so are the Japanese plums and the one plucot. The peaches are considering opening their buds. The apples and European plums, wiser than the others, are still zipped up tight. Still, though they’re predicting temps of about 35 F for several nights coming up, I think there’s a decent chance the blooming trees won’t get zapped. Apricot blooms are surprisingly hardy.

The star magnolia is just starting to bloom, and its flowers might not survive the week, but you can’t have everything every year, I guess. And maybe it won’t get that cold.

And for something different: check this out:

These are the final apples left from last fall. They lasted in an open ziplock bag in an unheated garage until now. Some in the bag did get bad spots, yes. But still. These apples are fine, and they taste great. They are Pink Ladies, an awesome storage apple that is too hard and sour when first picked, is good a month after being picked, and as you see, retains decent eating quality till spring. Once these are gone, I may not eat another apple until fall, because between apples off the tree and apples from the store, seriously, there is just no comparison.

* * *

People! What was my earlier writer-self doing, putting in 100 pages or so that did plenty of character development but did not advance the plot one single bit? Good Lord above. The things you just don’t see in your first novel.

No, I am not taking out all this material — though I still need to lose about 200 pages eventually. Well, 120 pp at the very least. But later, later, I think nearly all the remaining cutting will come toward the end and right now I’m deep in the middle. Anyway: no, the story needs this character development. It took about five minutes to think about how to fiddle with these scenes so they ALSO wind up advancing the plot. Tonight: mess with the order of the chapters and write a small amount of new material. Poof, problem solved (I’m pretty sure).

You know, not to brag, but some of this is pretty good. Especially some of the description. Very atmospheric.

* * *

Here is a book I haven’t bought yet:

Because I’m scared of it. I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, and everyone loves it, and yet . . . Here’s Brandy at Random Musings of a Bibliophile. Here’s April at Good Books and Good Wine. Here’s Angie at Angieville. Chachic loved it.

Here is why I hesitate: “Nyx is a girl with a heart full of venom and rage. No one in her world is spared from the bitterness she carries around. . . . Nyx is manipulative and not above hurting others to get what she needs, or simply for the satisfaction of seeing them hurt. There is nothing about her that is “likable’.”

See? Scary!

Yet the book impressed all the right people, the descriptive passages are supposed to be super-beautiful, and lots of the comments make the story sound like one I would love after all: “Woven through all of this are themes of pride, forgiveness, sacrifice, and the war in every one of us between light and dark.”

Also this: “Because something remarkable and elusive was happening to them both, even as they threatened each other with all manner of bodily harm and eternal torment. And the fact that Ms. Hodge managed to quietly craft this fragile something inside a fortress of fury, without compromising her characters, well, it impressed me. I love them so very much for all their vengeful hearts and angry, clenching hands. But perhaps most of all for the ultimate mercy they show (not to themselves, but to one another) in spite of the suffering they’ve undergone.”

Nevertheless, it’s not like I desperately need to read a beautiful, compelling book right now, because hello, busy, so this one has just been sitting on my wishlist so I don’t forget about it, but I have never been committed to actually for sure buying it.

But, you know what is out now?

This:

A Cinderella novella by the same author, available for $1.99 via Kindle. Good marketing by the author! This, I picked up this morning, because a novella isn’t much of a commitment. I will read this first (not today! but soon, because, novella) and then I bet I will have a much easier time deciding whether to move CRUEL BEAUTY up to my must-buy-soon list or drop it entirely off my wishlist.