Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 68
February 27, 2011
Siegfried Sassoon, "A Letter Home"
A Letter Home
1
Here I'm sitting in the gloom
Of my quiet attic room.
France goes rolling all around,
Fledged with forest May has crowned.
And I puff my pipe, calm-hearted,
Thinking how the fighting started,
Wondering when we'll ever end it,
Back to Hell with Kaiser send it,
Gag the noise, pack up and go,
Clockwork soldiers in a row.
I've got better things to do
Than to waste my time on you.
2
Robert, when I drowse to-night,
Skirting lawns of sleep to chase
Shifting dreams in mazy light,
February 26, 2011
Siegfried Sassoon, "Counter-Attack"
Counter-Attack
We'd gained our first objective hours before
While dawn broke like a face with blinking eyes,
Pallid, unshaved and thirsty, blind with smoke.
Things seemed all right at first. We held their line,
With bombers posted, Lewis guns well placed,
And clink of shovels deepening the shallow trench.
The place was rotten with dead; green clumsy legs
High-booted, sprawled and grovelled along the saps
And trunks, face downward, in the sucking mud,
Wallowed like trodden sand-bags loosely...
February 25, 2011
"Janus: Sonnet," John M. Ford
Janus: Sonnet
Sufficient time for faith and miracles
We find we cannot fit into our days;
And nothing's left at all that joyous dwells
Inside the heart. The spark of spirit stays
Too small for dreamburst, and all earth may prove
Inadequate for art. No human is
This potent all alone, and fear kills love . . .
Love kills fear, and alone; all-potent, this.
No human is inadequate for art,
For dreamburst; and all earth may prove too small.
The spark of spirit stays inside the heart
That joyous dwells, and...
February 24, 2011
Five Thoughts on Historical Worldbuilding
1. I definitely prefer when I can spend a lot of time with the historical background of a story, maybe not overtly by making notes but organically, letting my thoughts come together slowly as I read about different aspects of the time period. Ideally, I could read for several years…but that's never happened.
2. Eventually, you have to stop researching and start writing. You might have to go back to research at some point. You might also have to learn to work around needing more research. ...
February 23, 2011
Women Rule The 2010 Nebula Awards!
Five! Out! Of! Six!
(Yes, the cover illustrating this post is meant to be ironic!)
In the past, the Nebula Awards have been dominated by male authors. However, this year the number of nominations written by woman are astonishing, and I am so happy. It's a start.
The Nebulas are voted on by the membership of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. I am a member, and have been for many years; all that time, I've been watching, and waiting for change, and trying to help that...
February 22, 2011
Vroom!
Since I'm currently working on some erotica set during World War One, I've gone back to my research materials.
The photo above reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in The Moonlight Mistress. It was a scene I didn't realize I was going to have until I got to that point and started writing.
#
Lucilla watched Kauz' housekeeper finish with the laundry, pick up a basket, and go inside by a rear door, letting it slam behind her.
Lucilla stared at the motor, thinking.
Pascal emerged. He did not t...
February 21, 2011
GoodReads, LibraryThing, or Shelfari?
I currently have accounts at GoodReads, LibraryThing, and Shelfari. I can't seem to commit to a single one.
Of the three, Shelfari seems the least complex, which in some ways is an advantage. Also, I like their "bookshelf" widgets, such as the one I use over on the left column of this blog. But I find the interface is somewhat awkward, and I find I use it mainly for the widget and as backup.
GoodReads seems to be the most social. There are all kinds of ways to follow people's reviews...
February 20, 2011
Siegfried Sassoon, "Died of Wounds"
Died of Wounds
His wet white face and miserable eyes
Brought nurses to him more than groans and sighs:
But hoarse and low and rapid rose and fell
His troubled voice: he did the business well.
The ward grew dark; but he was still complaining
And calling out for 'Dickie'. 'Curse the Wood!
'It's time to go. O Christ, and what's the good?
'We'll never take it, and it's always raining.'
I wondered where he'd been; then heard him shout,
'They snipe like hell! O Dickie, don't go out…
I fell asleep ...
February 19, 2011
Siegfried Sassoon, "The Hero"
The Hero
'Jack fell as he'd have wished,' the Mother said,
And folded up the letter that she'd read.
'The Colonel writes so nicely.' Something broke
In the tired voice that quavered to a choke.
She half looked up. 'We mothers are so proud
Of our dead soldiers.' Then her face was bowed.
Quietly the Brother Officer went out.
He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies
That she would nourish all her days, no doubt.
For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes
Had shone with gentle triumph...
February 18, 2011
Guest at NINC Blog
I'm a guest at the Novelists, Inc. blog today, on Moderating Panels at Conventions.
