Lois McMaster Bujold's Blog, page 63
May 12, 2014
Overdrive
So...
I have been using my county public library's Overdrive system for e-book loans downloaded direct to my Kindle, and I am liking it very much -- it has actually become my first choice, or at least the first place I check, when exploring a new-to-me book.
I was therefore pleased to discover (when it finally occurred to me to look) that HarperCollins has all seven of my fantasy titles of theirs up in the Overdrive system. Has anyone out there (and where?) borrowed any of my books in this fashion, and how was your e-experience?
I especially like being able to get a book any time, day or night, without having to drive anywhere -- and returns are equally painless.
Ta, L.
I have been using my county public library's Overdrive system for e-book loans downloaded direct to my Kindle, and I am liking it very much -- it has actually become my first choice, or at least the first place I check, when exploring a new-to-me book.
I was therefore pleased to discover (when it finally occurred to me to look) that HarperCollins has all seven of my fantasy titles of theirs up in the Overdrive system. Has anyone out there (and where?) borrowed any of my books in this fashion, and how was your e-experience?
I especially like being able to get a book any time, day or night, without having to drive anywhere -- and returns are equally painless.
Ta, L.
April 25, 2014
Vorkosiverse in e-Russian
Aha --
I knew my Russian publisher had been working on this... they seem to have surfaced at last, at least at B&N's Nook store.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/lois-...
Ta, L.
I knew my Russian publisher had been working on this... they seem to have surfaced at last, at least at B&N's Nook store.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/lois-...
Ta, L.
April 14, 2014
more Japan fun
In celebration of the 15th (!) reprinting of The Warrior's Apprentice, my long-time Japanese publisher, Tokyo Sogensha, devised this cover-strip. (The little Japanese paperbacks normally come with a removable strip of assorted advertising, which I take off before scanning the cover art for your delectation. Most of them are red with white printing.)
In explanation, my Japanese translator writes to me: "It's 15th version of WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE in Japanese, which has an advertising belt with one of the most popular comic writer's illustration. She writes on the belt "Miles! I love you very much. I want to become a cosmic pirate, an agent, and a prisoner with you, helping others, loving somebody, and running around in the star universe." This message excited me awfully. Miles's portrait she drew is quite cute and natty."
Ta, L.
In explanation, my Japanese translator writes to me: "It's 15th version of WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE in Japanese, which has an advertising belt with one of the most popular comic writer's illustration. She writes on the belt "Miles! I love you very much. I want to become a cosmic pirate, an agent, and a prisoner with you, helping others, loving somebody, and running around in the star universe." This message excited me awfully. Miles's portrait she drew is quite cute and natty."
Ta, L.
April 13, 2014
April 11, 2014
old interview resurfaces
A sharp-eyed fan turned up this old, but good, interview we did about a decade ago, which I had thought lost in the mists of time...
https://web.archive.org/web/200407160...
Yay!
Ta, L.
https://web.archive.org/web/200407160...
Yay!
Ta, L.
April 8, 2014
Diplomatic Immunity, Japanese edition; also, modern eyeballs
My mailbox (physical, not electronic) treat this week was an advance copy of Diplomatic Immunity direct from my Japanese translator, Ms. Ayako Ogiso. Nice cover, looks very like the one of the spaceships featured in the action as described:
Also the back, less visually exciting if you don't read Japanese:
Very nifty.
In other life experiences, may I say what amazing new computerized medical diagnostic equipment my local Pearle Vision Center now has, right there in their strip-mall walk-in store. (Well, I did call ahead for an appointment, but got it same-day.) I not only learned a new medical vocabulary term (always a mixed blessing), but had it explained to me by the opthalmologist with a walk-through of the computerized photographic/laser image of my very own eyeball, with pointy cursor and comparisons of my left retina with the reference image, in two light wavelengths.
The new vocabulary term, for those interested, was "cellophane retinopathy", which is when your vitreous humor sticks to your retina and bunches it up like an unmade bed (or crumpled cellophane), giving blurry vision and something that looks like astigmatism but isn't, and therefore will not be corrected by your new lenses, sorry.
But at least I'll understand why, and not blame the optician.
Sometimes, the 21st century is so cool.
Ta, L.
Also the back, less visually exciting if you don't read Japanese:
Very nifty.
In other life experiences, may I say what amazing new computerized medical diagnostic equipment my local Pearle Vision Center now has, right there in their strip-mall walk-in store. (Well, I did call ahead for an appointment, but got it same-day.) I not only learned a new medical vocabulary term (always a mixed blessing), but had it explained to me by the opthalmologist with a walk-through of the computerized photographic/laser image of my very own eyeball, with pointy cursor and comparisons of my left retina with the reference image, in two light wavelengths.
The new vocabulary term, for those interested, was "cellophane retinopathy", which is when your vitreous humor sticks to your retina and bunches it up like an unmade bed (or crumpled cellophane), giving blurry vision and something that looks like astigmatism but isn't, and therefore will not be corrected by your new lenses, sorry.
But at least I'll understand why, and not blame the optician.
Sometimes, the 21st century is so cool.
Ta, L.
April 1, 2014
fan fiction redux
Excellent short post on fan fiction by Pat Wrede on her blog recently....
http://pcwrede.com/originality-fanfic...
I had a posted essay on the topic myself, some years back -- good grief, nearly a decade, I see. It may be due for an update, as the fan fic scene has evolved enormously in that time period due to the internet, but the historical retrospective stands. I see my remark in it about e-books not being a mass market -- yet -- is pre-Kindle. Just 9 years later, the majority of my own book sales are now e-books.
http://www.dendarii.com/fanfic.html
(This, and most of my other essays, are included in _Sidelines_. http://www.amazon.com/Sidelines-Essay... The City Pages interview link mentioned at the end is long dead, I'm afraid, speaking of overdue updates.)
It amused me rather, at a couple of recent cons I attended, that the panels on various issues around fan fiction were by far the most energetic and engaging to their audiences. Food for thought, there. Fan fiction is not just failed or wanna-be profic; it is mostly doing other things altogether, and frequently doing them very well indeed.
Ta, L.
http://pcwrede.com/originality-fanfic...
I had a posted essay on the topic myself, some years back -- good grief, nearly a decade, I see. It may be due for an update, as the fan fic scene has evolved enormously in that time period due to the internet, but the historical retrospective stands. I see my remark in it about e-books not being a mass market -- yet -- is pre-Kindle. Just 9 years later, the majority of my own book sales are now e-books.
http://www.dendarii.com/fanfic.html
(This, and most of my other essays, are included in _Sidelines_. http://www.amazon.com/Sidelines-Essay... The City Pages interview link mentioned at the end is long dead, I'm afraid, speaking of overdue updates.)
It amused me rather, at a couple of recent cons I attended, that the panels on various issues around fan fiction were by far the most energetic and engaging to their audiences. Food for thought, there. Fan fiction is not just failed or wanna-be profic; it is mostly doing other things altogether, and frequently doing them very well indeed.
Ta, L.
March 25, 2014
Vorkosigan playing cards
Ooh. Pretty fanac.
http://jetta-e.diary.ru/p196382127.htm
Some are very obvious; otherwise, someone who reads Russian might supply a guide...
Ta, L. Wandering the Internet at random, again.
http://jetta-e.diary.ru/p196382127.htm
Some are very obvious; otherwise, someone who reads Russian might supply a guide...
Ta, L. Wandering the Internet at random, again.
March 17, 2014
Hugo nomination deadline approaching
A forward, for those who are involved with convention fandom...
"There are just two weeks left in the nomination period for the 2014 Hugo Awards and the 1939 Retro Hugo Awards. Nominations will be accepted through March 31, 2014 at 11:59 pm PDT. Details for the process can be found on the Loncon 3 website at
http://www.loncon3.org/nominations.php
Even if you have already submitted nominations, you may update your selections (either electronically or by mail) as long as the nomination period continues. If youÕre submitting your nominations electronically, we recommend you do so in advance of the deadline to avoid any problems in the final hours when the system will be very busy.
...
The 2014 Hugo Awards and 1939 Retro Hugo Awards are hosted by Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention. Members of Loncon 3 and Sasquan who joined by January 31, 2014, and all members of LoneStarCon 3, the 2013 Worldcon, may submit nomination ballots. Note that only one ballot per person will be counted, even if you are a member of more than one of these conventions.
--
Dave McCarty - Hugo Administrator
Loncon 3 - The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention"
I keep forgetting I did have a book out in 2013 -- Sidelines: Talks and Essays which, if I understand the new rules correctly, actually would be eligible in the "related works" category even though it's a self-published e-book.
http://www.amazon.com/Sidelines-Essay...
Also in the iTunes and Nook stores. The "Look Inside" feature permits a preview.
So what all have you read this year that you think is Hugo-worthy?
Ta, L.
"There are just two weeks left in the nomination period for the 2014 Hugo Awards and the 1939 Retro Hugo Awards. Nominations will be accepted through March 31, 2014 at 11:59 pm PDT. Details for the process can be found on the Loncon 3 website at
http://www.loncon3.org/nominations.php
Even if you have already submitted nominations, you may update your selections (either electronically or by mail) as long as the nomination period continues. If youÕre submitting your nominations electronically, we recommend you do so in advance of the deadline to avoid any problems in the final hours when the system will be very busy.
...
The 2014 Hugo Awards and 1939 Retro Hugo Awards are hosted by Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention. Members of Loncon 3 and Sasquan who joined by January 31, 2014, and all members of LoneStarCon 3, the 2013 Worldcon, may submit nomination ballots. Note that only one ballot per person will be counted, even if you are a member of more than one of these conventions.
--
Dave McCarty - Hugo Administrator
Loncon 3 - The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention"
I keep forgetting I did have a book out in 2013 -- Sidelines: Talks and Essays which, if I understand the new rules correctly, actually would be eligible in the "related works" category even though it's a self-published e-book.
http://www.amazon.com/Sidelines-Essay...
Also in the iTunes and Nook stores. The "Look Inside" feature permits a preview.
So what all have you read this year that you think is Hugo-worthy?
Ta, L.
March 14, 2014
everything old is made new again
Ha! Just ran across, during a random browse, a movie that delighted me back when it first came out. I never thought to see it available again. Oh me of little faith.
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sun-Charles...
Spaghetti Western meets Samurai Flick, to the benefit of both.
(The Amazon reviews alas suggest that this DVD version is not of good picture and sound quality, which is a shame if so.)
Ta, L.
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sun-Charles...
Spaghetti Western meets Samurai Flick, to the benefit of both.
(The Amazon reviews alas suggest that this DVD version is not of good picture and sound quality, which is a shame if so.)
Ta, L.
