David Anthony Durham's Blog, page 17
June 11, 2012
Race Roundtable Part Two
Just up at SF Signal, the continuation of the Roundtable Interview with Aliette de Bodard, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Ken Liu... and me! This time, it seems like I'm more optimistic than the group in general. Go figure...
It's HERE.
Thanks to Zachary Jernigan (a stellar writer, by the way) for putting it all together.
It's HERE.
Thanks to Zachary Jernigan (a stellar writer, by the way) for putting it all together.
June 10, 2012
Complete Imaginales Interview
The whole interview from my trip to France is up at Actusf - complete with a guest appearance by my editor!
Check it out HERE.
Check it out HERE.
June 6, 2012
Imaginales 2012... complete
I'm back from France! I had a terrific time, as ever. Imaginales was just as good as last time, better in some ways.
I did quite a few interviews, some audio, some video, some for print. I guess they'll make their way out into the world over the next few weeks. Was on a selection of panels. All went well, I think. I met a terrific group of writers. The international guests included Mercedes Lackey (great fun), Jaye Wells (one of the gang each evening, drinking and smoking like a local), Mary-Janice Davidson (a complete riot - unfiltered), and Naomi Novik (the only one of us that actually spoke decent French). I was also particularly happy to spend time with Kai Meyer, the bestselling German writer. I've been a fan of his middle grade novels for a long time, and we've corresponded in the past. (By the way, he's got a new YA series debuting in the US - Arcadia Awakens
.)
Of course, there were plenty of French writers too! Between the panels and signing sessions and dinner and bar time I hung out with them. Just to name a few: Sire Cédric, Laurent Whale, Carina Rozenfeld, Marie Caillet, Nicolas Cluzeau, Marika Gallman, Lionel Davoust, Cassandra O'Donnell, Christophe Vacher, Sylvie Miller, Adrien Tomas, Anne Fakhouri, Pierre Bordage, Ayerdhal, Samantha Bailly... And there were many more! Good people all of them.
Oh, and I'm pleased to say I even had some fans! Lovely fans. I signed plenty of books, took a few pictures, kissed some cheeks. It was France, after all.
If you want to see how I roll in France, you could take a look at the series of videos from my extended interview section. It's an interesting process considering that the interview is conducted in French. And... ah... I don't speak French. (Not yet, at least. If they keep inviting me back I'm definitely going to learn.)
To get you started, the first part is here:
Anyway, I'm very pleased to have attended for a second time. Much thanks to the town of Epinal, the Imaginales coordinators and to my wonderful, dedicated, tireless publishing team at Le Pré aux clercs . Thank you.
I did quite a few interviews, some audio, some video, some for print. I guess they'll make their way out into the world over the next few weeks. Was on a selection of panels. All went well, I think. I met a terrific group of writers. The international guests included Mercedes Lackey (great fun), Jaye Wells (one of the gang each evening, drinking and smoking like a local), Mary-Janice Davidson (a complete riot - unfiltered), and Naomi Novik (the only one of us that actually spoke decent French). I was also particularly happy to spend time with Kai Meyer, the bestselling German writer. I've been a fan of his middle grade novels for a long time, and we've corresponded in the past. (By the way, he's got a new YA series debuting in the US - Arcadia Awakens.)Of course, there were plenty of French writers too! Between the panels and signing sessions and dinner and bar time I hung out with them. Just to name a few: Sire Cédric, Laurent Whale, Carina Rozenfeld, Marie Caillet, Nicolas Cluzeau, Marika Gallman, Lionel Davoust, Cassandra O'Donnell, Christophe Vacher, Sylvie Miller, Adrien Tomas, Anne Fakhouri, Pierre Bordage, Ayerdhal, Samantha Bailly... And there were many more! Good people all of them.
Oh, and I'm pleased to say I even had some fans! Lovely fans. I signed plenty of books, took a few pictures, kissed some cheeks. It was France, after all.
If you want to see how I roll in France, you could take a look at the series of videos from my extended interview section. It's an interesting process considering that the interview is conducted in French. And... ah... I don't speak French. (Not yet, at least. If they keep inviting me back I'm definitely going to learn.)
To get you started, the first part is here:
Anyway, I'm very pleased to have attended for a second time. Much thanks to the town of Epinal, the Imaginales coordinators and to my wonderful, dedicated, tireless publishing team at Le Pré aux clercs . Thank you.
June 1, 2012
Strange Horizons on The Sacred Band
Matt Hilliard recently published a very insightful review of TSB over at Strange Horizons. He says a lot of terrific stuff, actual analysis of theme and all that! Nice.
He concludes:
"The world's problems may not be solved, but the Acacia series shows us it is a victory just to confront those problems rather than shrinking back in despair at their size. The final political settlement at the end of the story is clearly not even remotely final, but it's a step in the right direction that carries with it hope that the sacrifices made might purchase a slightly better world for the next generation. It may not be possible to fix the world in a day, or even a lifetime, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't begin."
Agreed.
If you want to read more take a look HERE.
He concludes:
"The world's problems may not be solved, but the Acacia series shows us it is a victory just to confront those problems rather than shrinking back in despair at their size. The final political settlement at the end of the story is clearly not even remotely final, but it's a step in the right direction that carries with it hope that the sacrifices made might purchase a slightly better world for the next generation. It may not be possible to fix the world in a day, or even a lifetime, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't begin."
Agreed.
If you want to read more take a look HERE.
May 30, 2012
This is my 1,000 blog post! It's a short one, as I'm trav...
This is my 1,000 blog post! It's a short one, as I'm traveling.
I'm in France as one of the international guest of the Imaginales book festival! Yay!
Very pleased to be back for a second time.
Here's the festival's site if you'd like to know more about it.
I'm in France as one of the international guest of the Imaginales book festival! Yay!
Very pleased to be back for a second time.
Here's the festival's site if you'd like to know more about it.
May 29, 2012
Writing About Race in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Just up at SF Signal, the beginning of a Roundtable Interview with Aliette de Bodard, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Ken Liu... and me! I can't vouch for myself, but I know the others said some insightful stuff.
Take a look HERE.
Take a look HERE.
May 22, 2012
Wild Cards Goes British
Very pleased with an email that just came in from GRRM. Looks like the Wild Cards Series is going to get a major reboot in the UK! I knew that the first three books were going to get pubbed there, but the deal just got a bit larger. To quote George:"We're doing something old and something new. Orion will be reissuing the first three books in the series, WILD CARDS, ACES HIGH, and JOKERS WILD. But they will also be doing five of our new books: INSIDE STRAIGHT, BUSTED FLUSH, SUICIDE KINGS, FORT FREAK, and LOWBALL."
Cool. That means two of my efforts in the series (Fort Freak and Lowball) will be hitting Waterstones. I'm pleased about that.
May 16, 2012
Reiche Ernte
I'm aware that I haven't posted anything since crash landing back in the States. That's partially because there's been so much to do, and partially because my internet access isn't what it used to be. Basically, I'm living in black out spot for the next couple of months. I can only get online by hopping in the car and going out to a local library, or the Montague Book Mill - which is where I am now.
Of course, stuff has been happening. Hopefully, I'll be able to announce some very interesting new developments soon. Before that, though, I'll just offer up a new cover! I just discovered it online. It's for the German edition of The Sacred Band, which is call Reiche Ernte (Rich Harvest?). The book itself isn't out until next March, but here's how it's going to look:
If I'm reading things correctly, that artist is Melanie Wanda Miklitza. Check out her sight for a look at the original artwork.
Whaddya think?
Of course, stuff has been happening. Hopefully, I'll be able to announce some very interesting new developments soon. Before that, though, I'll just offer up a new cover! I just discovered it online. It's for the German edition of The Sacred Band, which is call Reiche Ernte (Rich Harvest?). The book itself isn't out until next March, but here's how it's going to look:
If I'm reading things correctly, that artist is Melanie Wanda Miklitza. Check out her sight for a look at the original artwork.
Whaddya think?
April 27, 2012
Edition du Club France Loisirs
I found something interesting in one of the boxes waiting for me here in MA. It's this:
Wait, how'd that cat get in there? I mean it's this:
It is, apparently, a bookclub edtion of Terres étrangères. I didn't even know there was such a thing. For that matter, I don't recall knowing that there was a bookclub version for La guerre du Mein, but apparently there was! Take a look.
Well... good for me. These sorts of things happen. At least it's good news! As is the fact that I'm off to France for Imaginales in about a month!
Wait, how'd that cat get in there? I mean it's this: 
It is, apparently, a bookclub edtion of Terres étrangères. I didn't even know there was such a thing. For that matter, I don't recall knowing that there was a bookclub version for La guerre du Mein, but apparently there was! Take a look.Well... good for me. These sorts of things happen. At least it's good news! As is the fact that I'm off to France for Imaginales in about a month!
April 26, 2012
Move Completed
It wasn't easy. There were soooooo many things to organize as we moved our family of four (plus cat and dog) across the ocean. Much stress, so many opportunities for things to go wrong. Amazingly, it all went rather smoothly. There was only one mishap...
I won't go into too many details, but it involved a large, upset dog that made an explosive mess in his crate at the airport. For a scary moment, it looked like we wouldn't be able to fly. I volunteered to... ah, clean the crate, though. That's what I did. As the other passengers boarded the plane, I got on my hands and knees, rubber gloves and a roll of paper towels in hand, and went to work. Not fun. I got it done, and we flew. The pup did alright in the end.
All is well now. Well, almost...
We're not actually living in our house yet. We have renters in it that still have a few months on their lease. Instead, we're staying in an uninsulated one-room lakeside shack. No kidding. It's lovely, but it's just a step above camping. It's been pretty cold as well... We're grateful, though, for the loan of the place.
So, that's what I've been up to. Hopefully, I'll be posting here regularly again. And, hopefully, I'll have some actual news soon!
I won't go into too many details, but it involved a large, upset dog that made an explosive mess in his crate at the airport. For a scary moment, it looked like we wouldn't be able to fly. I volunteered to... ah, clean the crate, though. That's what I did. As the other passengers boarded the plane, I got on my hands and knees, rubber gloves and a roll of paper towels in hand, and went to work. Not fun. I got it done, and we flew. The pup did alright in the end.
All is well now. Well, almost...
We're not actually living in our house yet. We have renters in it that still have a few months on their lease. Instead, we're staying in an uninsulated one-room lakeside shack. No kidding. It's lovely, but it's just a step above camping. It's been pretty cold as well... We're grateful, though, for the loan of the place.
So, that's what I've been up to. Hopefully, I'll be posting here regularly again. And, hopefully, I'll have some actual news soon!
