Delia Sherman's Blog, page 5
November 30, 2011
Private Lives & Shoemaker's Holiday
A stranger pairing is probably possible (King Lear & Wicked?) At least they're both comedies, and both funny. And they both have (as comedies tend to do) love as their central plot device. Both are notable for exuberant language and the occasional double-entendre. However, one is a distinctly middle-class play in praise of good cheer and upward mobility written by Thomas Dekker in 1599, while the other is a distinctly upper-middle class play in bemused appreciation of the vagaries of human affection written by Noel Coward in 1930.
Also, one was an expensively staged and costumed Broadway play, and the other was a reading in a smallish off-Broadway theatre in an old church. But (as Dame Margery Eyre often says) let that pass.
Private Lives was great. We'd seen it some years back, with Alan Rickman as Elyot and Lindsay Duncan as his Amanda. I use the possessive advisedly--she was very much (as I remember it) HIS Amanda. This one isn't like that. Elyot is played by Paul Gross, who played Jeffrey on Slings and Arrows. And if you have never seen Slings and Arrows, you must go out and rent it immediately, because it is DIVINE. Then you'll know what I mean when I say that this Elyot is a very male Elyot, with something of the air of a very clever 10 year old and something of the sensual enthusiasm of a 20 year old, and a world of good, old-fashioned SA. Which is a good thing, because if he didn't, Kim Cattrell's Amanda would wipe the stage with him. I'd say she's a force of nature, but that would indicate that there's something natural about Amanda and Cattrell's take on her, which there isn't. Like Elyot, Amanda is a creature of artifice, clever as hell and torn between what she wants and what she thinks she ought to want. Like Elyot, she is self-centered, unreflective, and childish. It's a tribute to the intelligence of Cattrell's performance that she can make me like a character I can't find a good word to say about, and to both actors that they can make me believe in their mutual affection while bickering like a pair of 3rd graders over the last cookie on the plate.
Shoemaker's Holiday was part of the Red Bull Theatre's Revelation Readings of plays that are too obscure, too difficult, and too expensive to mount a full production of. The actors were mostly from last winter's production of The Witch of Edmonton, which I saw and loved. This isn't as fine or nuanced a play--or as easy to follow, the language of comedy dating as it does, even for those of us who have read Shakespeare's Bawdy and know an obsolete double-entendre when we hear one. But the cast did an enthusiastic and intelligent job of it. And the guy playing Firk (who has most of the funniest, as well as the dirtiest bits) could have got the audience to laugh and blush over the phone book. If he wanted to, and if we still had phone books. We had just got back from Darkovercon, and were kind of (OK, very) tired, but I'm very glad we went. It's not like I'm ever going to hear it read again (unless we do it for our annual 12th Night play reading here at Chateau Riverside) and we laughed and laughed.
The set of her Paris apartment was a place I want to live in--all windows and views of Paris and big, squishy sofas.
Also, one was an expensively staged and costumed Broadway play, and the other was a reading in a smallish off-Broadway theatre in an old church. But (as Dame Margery Eyre often says) let that pass.
Private Lives was great. We'd seen it some years back, with Alan Rickman as Elyot and Lindsay Duncan as his Amanda. I use the possessive advisedly--she was very much (as I remember it) HIS Amanda. This one isn't like that. Elyot is played by Paul Gross, who played Jeffrey on Slings and Arrows. And if you have never seen Slings and Arrows, you must go out and rent it immediately, because it is DIVINE. Then you'll know what I mean when I say that this Elyot is a very male Elyot, with something of the air of a very clever 10 year old and something of the sensual enthusiasm of a 20 year old, and a world of good, old-fashioned SA. Which is a good thing, because if he didn't, Kim Cattrell's Amanda would wipe the stage with him. I'd say she's a force of nature, but that would indicate that there's something natural about Amanda and Cattrell's take on her, which there isn't. Like Elyot, Amanda is a creature of artifice, clever as hell and torn between what she wants and what she thinks she ought to want. Like Elyot, she is self-centered, unreflective, and childish. It's a tribute to the intelligence of Cattrell's performance that she can make me like a character I can't find a good word to say about, and to both actors that they can make me believe in their mutual affection while bickering like a pair of 3rd graders over the last cookie on the plate.
Shoemaker's Holiday was part of the Red Bull Theatre's Revelation Readings of plays that are too obscure, too difficult, and too expensive to mount a full production of. The actors were mostly from last winter's production of The Witch of Edmonton, which I saw and loved. This isn't as fine or nuanced a play--or as easy to follow, the language of comedy dating as it does, even for those of us who have read Shakespeare's Bawdy and know an obsolete double-entendre when we hear one. But the cast did an enthusiastic and intelligent job of it. And the guy playing Firk (who has most of the funniest, as well as the dirtiest bits) could have got the audience to laugh and blush over the phone book. If he wanted to, and if we still had phone books. We had just got back from Darkovercon, and were kind of (OK, very) tired, but I'm very glad we went. It's not like I'm ever going to hear it read again (unless we do it for our annual 12th Night play reading here at Chateau Riverside) and we laughed and laughed.
The set of her Paris apartment was a place I want to live in--all windows and views of Paris and big, squishy sofas.
November 29, 2011
Knitting Quandry
I'm making a couple of tea cozys for the Magick 4 Terri auction, one for a 2-cup pot, and one for a 6-cup pot. The little one is done, and came out really nice and, well, cozy. The bigger one, however, is giving me hives. I just can't make the pattern make sense. I should probably just give up and make another, Delia-friendlier pattern, but I LIKE this one, dammit. It's "Double Diamonds" out of the Guild of Master Craftsman book Cozies 2, and it looks like it should be perfectly simple.
Ha.
Here's the problem. I knit along happily, ribbing 6 rows over 41 stitches, increasing to 51. Row 1 of the pattern, no problem. The stitches add up to 51, everything's fine. Row 2, it all falls apart. If any of you can can explain to me how K3, (p1, m1p, k3, p2tog, p7, p2tog tbl, k3, m1p) twice, p1, m1p, k3, p2tog, p2, k3 can be worked over 51 stitches, I'd be grateful. Because I run out of stitches at the last p2tog, leaving the end of the pattern (p.2, k3) hanging in thin air. And when I count out the number of stitches I need, I come out with 55. And I don't know enough about how patterns work to fake it.
All the even rows are similarly loopy.
5 people on Ravelry have made this cozy, and posted pictures of it, so it's not impossible. One person has noted, wistfully, the same problem I'm having, but nobody has answered her.
Help? For a good cause?
If any of you can help me figure this out, I'll make you one of your own. In the color of your choice. Promise.
Ha.
Here's the problem. I knit along happily, ribbing 6 rows over 41 stitches, increasing to 51. Row 1 of the pattern, no problem. The stitches add up to 51, everything's fine. Row 2, it all falls apart. If any of you can can explain to me how K3, (p1, m1p, k3, p2tog, p7, p2tog tbl, k3, m1p) twice, p1, m1p, k3, p2tog, p2, k3 can be worked over 51 stitches, I'd be grateful. Because I run out of stitches at the last p2tog, leaving the end of the pattern (p.2, k3) hanging in thin air. And when I count out the number of stitches I need, I come out with 55. And I don't know enough about how patterns work to fake it.
All the even rows are similarly loopy.
5 people on Ravelry have made this cozy, and posted pictures of it, so it's not impossible. One person has noted, wistfully, the same problem I'm having, but nobody has answered her.
Help? For a good cause?
If any of you can help me figure this out, I'll make you one of your own. In the color of your choice. Promise.
November 15, 2011
PUBLICATION DAY!!!
Yeah, I know. I'm over-excited. But that's how I feel--full of exclamation points and gratitude and relief and JOY!!!!!!!!!
It's been a long haul.
I started The Freedom Maze in 1987, stuck out in the Maine woods for a year while my then-partner taught at Bates, so that I could join a children's book writing group and have someone to talk to at least once every two weeks. It started as a light little time-travel fantasy a la Edward Eager and E. Nesbit, with Adventures and a Magic Creature and Fun Times. But my character and her world and the world she traveled back to gradually led me into, well, a maze, that was more complex and a lot darker and more important than I'd planned. Which is how it always is, right?
This was not an easy book to write. I have a stack of complete drafts that stands as high as the top of my desk, all of them thick with crossings-out and arrows and rewritten sentences and notes to self and marginal questions as I realized I needed to look up One More Thing about plantation kitchens or sewing or sugar manufacture. I cut scenes (I'll post some of them here, over the next few weeks) and moved chapters around and basically learned how to pace and layer a book that had to cover a fair amount of time and move quickly. It was also difficult emotionally. Sophie's a lot more like me as a child than any character I've written about, and her family is close to mine--in spirit if not in fact. The framing story stirred up a lot of old issues for me--and helped resolve them, too, as I had to distance myself from my feelings about my mother's family in order to make art out of them. The central story made me confront my own unconscious racism and sense of privilege and at least make a start on dealing with them.
And yet, there was a lot of joy in writing this book. I got to meet and talk to many fine folks in Louisiana I wouldn't have met if I didn't have to ask them questions. I got to see a lot of beautiful plantations and gardens and eat a lot of very, very good food (especially at Miss Lil's, in Jeanrette). I got to have truly wonderful conversations with many friends of many colors about racism, conscious and unconscious, passing, magic, and respect. I got to spend time with characters I grew to love (and be mad at) just like family.
And now the book's out in the world, dressed to impress in Kathleen Jenning's beautiful cover, its shoes shined and face clean, a new handkerchief in its pocket and a Kirkus star under its belt. I hope it finds happiness and fulfilling work in libraries and in homes--and sends a check home from time to time. Mostly, I hope it gets read.
Now, to the gratitude.
I've written a long and heartfelt Acknowledgments page to the individuals who have helped me with the book. But here, in my community of peeps, I want to thank you, my LJ friends. You've listened to me bitch and moan. You've given me advice and references when I've asked for them. You've given me advice about my computer when I was going spla. You've helped me spread the word. You've been patient when I've disappeared for weeks and months on end. And I thank you.
Coming Soon: A give-away contest (because I just can't let my little book go without another push, you know?) And a review of Private Lives, which we saw last week, and I really liked it and have notes and everything. And the usual carryings-on about my WIP, which I have to get back to as soon as the excitement over FM dies down.
Much love,
Me
ETA the name of the actual book. Which is The Freedom Maze. Thank you, Kate, for catching this.
It's been a long haul.
I started The Freedom Maze in 1987, stuck out in the Maine woods for a year while my then-partner taught at Bates, so that I could join a children's book writing group and have someone to talk to at least once every two weeks. It started as a light little time-travel fantasy a la Edward Eager and E. Nesbit, with Adventures and a Magic Creature and Fun Times. But my character and her world and the world she traveled back to gradually led me into, well, a maze, that was more complex and a lot darker and more important than I'd planned. Which is how it always is, right?
This was not an easy book to write. I have a stack of complete drafts that stands as high as the top of my desk, all of them thick with crossings-out and arrows and rewritten sentences and notes to self and marginal questions as I realized I needed to look up One More Thing about plantation kitchens or sewing or sugar manufacture. I cut scenes (I'll post some of them here, over the next few weeks) and moved chapters around and basically learned how to pace and layer a book that had to cover a fair amount of time and move quickly. It was also difficult emotionally. Sophie's a lot more like me as a child than any character I've written about, and her family is close to mine--in spirit if not in fact. The framing story stirred up a lot of old issues for me--and helped resolve them, too, as I had to distance myself from my feelings about my mother's family in order to make art out of them. The central story made me confront my own unconscious racism and sense of privilege and at least make a start on dealing with them.
And yet, there was a lot of joy in writing this book. I got to meet and talk to many fine folks in Louisiana I wouldn't have met if I didn't have to ask them questions. I got to see a lot of beautiful plantations and gardens and eat a lot of very, very good food (especially at Miss Lil's, in Jeanrette). I got to have truly wonderful conversations with many friends of many colors about racism, conscious and unconscious, passing, magic, and respect. I got to spend time with characters I grew to love (and be mad at) just like family.
And now the book's out in the world, dressed to impress in Kathleen Jenning's beautiful cover, its shoes shined and face clean, a new handkerchief in its pocket and a Kirkus star under its belt. I hope it finds happiness and fulfilling work in libraries and in homes--and sends a check home from time to time. Mostly, I hope it gets read.
Now, to the gratitude.
I've written a long and heartfelt Acknowledgments page to the individuals who have helped me with the book. But here, in my community of peeps, I want to thank you, my LJ friends. You've listened to me bitch and moan. You've given me advice and references when I've asked for them. You've given me advice about my computer when I was going spla. You've helped me spread the word. You've been patient when I've disappeared for weeks and months on end. And I thank you.
Coming Soon: A give-away contest (because I just can't let my little book go without another push, you know?) And a review of Private Lives, which we saw last week, and I really liked it and have notes and everything. And the usual carryings-on about my WIP, which I have to get back to as soon as the excitement over FM dies down.
Much love,
Me
ETA the name of the actual book. Which is The Freedom Maze. Thank you, Kate, for catching this.
November 13, 2011
The Freedom Maze at Books of Wonder
In a little less than two hours, I'll be at the Fantasy for Teens event at Books of Wonder! Come if you can, order a book if you can't, and I'll sign it to you personally.
Tamora Pierce, Rae Carson, Lauren McLaughlin, Matthew Cody, John Connolly, and Leanna Renee Hieber will be there, too.
Books of Wonder
18 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-3270
Tamora Pierce, Rae Carson, Lauren McLaughlin, Matthew Cody, John Connolly, and Leanna Renee Hieber will be there, too.
Books of Wonder
18 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-3270
November 11, 2011
Shrodinger's Jewelry
If I don't look in the suitcase in the top of the closet where I think I may have left my jewelry pouch the last trip but two, then I haven't really lost it, right? Or is it that the jewelry pouch is in a constant state of uncertainty about its existence until I take the suitcase down and look?
November 8, 2011
FaerieCon Report
It was magical. There were satyrs and gnomes and a whole forest full of greenmen. There were flower fairies and ice fairies and queenly fairies and steampunk fairies, fairies with wings and fairies without, baby fairies, ageless fairies, and everything in between. There were racks of faerie garb, wings, headpieces, ears, and sparkly threads to tie in your hair (I have some tied in mine). There was jewelry, art, furniture, hats, and fairy houses carved out of branches and filled with tiny furniture and found treasures. There were old friends (Charles Vess, Charles de Lint, Maryanne Harris, Brian and Wendy Froud), recent friends (Tiffany Trent , Annette Curtis Klause, and Franny Billingsley), and brand spanking-new friends (Melissa Marr, Carolyn Turgeon, Raven Grimmassi, and Mia Nutick) to talk and play with.
What was lovely about it (apart from the conversations and the clothes and the panels), was the general aura of happiness that pervaded the space. Everybody was their best sparkly self in whatever combination of leaves, silk, leather, fishnet, headgear, felt, bells, tinsel, face paint, elf ears, jeans, beads, silver, and synthetic fur made them feel like a million bucks (or currency of their choice). There was lots of spontaneous admiration of costumes, discussion of wing placement, and impromptu processions of pre-adolescent children through the marketplace with wands and flower wreaths. There was dancing on Friday and Saturday (Good and Bad Faerie Balls, respectively). I kept meaning to go in and dance Friday (the music sounded wonderful), but ended up hanging out outside catching up with All and Sundry gathered around Charles Vess and his bottle of Jamison's. Saturday night, we actually made it inside, and danced happily to the wonderfully medievaloid music of Qntal (which I have to download, when I get a minute, because *love*).
The panels were grand. Since the moderator for the Urban Fantasy panel didn't show up, I moderated, abusing my position to dragoon Frannie Billingsley onto it. She made a very good counterpoint to regularly-scheduled panelists Tiffany Trent, Melissa Marr, and Amy Brown. The next day, it was Bordertown all the way, with two panels, one focusing on the creation of Bordertown in particular and one on collaboration and creating shared worlds in general. Robert Gould moderated them both, beautifully, and the audience had a lot of good questions and comments, which is always a sign of a good panel. Sunday, Raven Grimassi, Carolyn Turgeon, Ellen, and I addressed Folklore of Southern and Central Europe, which spread (as these things will) into Folklore of Everywhere Except The British Isles, with excursions into philosophy, social history, anthropology, and general fairytale geekery.
In other news, I bought a dress--a costume--a gown of great glory (which I tried to insert here, but apparently I don't know what I'm doing, even though it looks perfectly simple *grump*). And a pair of wings, which I don't regret, no, not for a nano-second.
And now I must go consult my crystal ball to try and figure out how many people are likely to show up to my launch party (NYC, Nov. 22nd, you're all invited) for The Freedom Maze, so I know how many cheese straws and deviled eggs to make.
What was lovely about it (apart from the conversations and the clothes and the panels), was the general aura of happiness that pervaded the space. Everybody was their best sparkly self in whatever combination of leaves, silk, leather, fishnet, headgear, felt, bells, tinsel, face paint, elf ears, jeans, beads, silver, and synthetic fur made them feel like a million bucks (or currency of their choice). There was lots of spontaneous admiration of costumes, discussion of wing placement, and impromptu processions of pre-adolescent children through the marketplace with wands and flower wreaths. There was dancing on Friday and Saturday (Good and Bad Faerie Balls, respectively). I kept meaning to go in and dance Friday (the music sounded wonderful), but ended up hanging out outside catching up with All and Sundry gathered around Charles Vess and his bottle of Jamison's. Saturday night, we actually made it inside, and danced happily to the wonderfully medievaloid music of Qntal (which I have to download, when I get a minute, because *love*).
The panels were grand. Since the moderator for the Urban Fantasy panel didn't show up, I moderated, abusing my position to dragoon Frannie Billingsley onto it. She made a very good counterpoint to regularly-scheduled panelists Tiffany Trent, Melissa Marr, and Amy Brown. The next day, it was Bordertown all the way, with two panels, one focusing on the creation of Bordertown in particular and one on collaboration and creating shared worlds in general. Robert Gould moderated them both, beautifully, and the audience had a lot of good questions and comments, which is always a sign of a good panel. Sunday, Raven Grimassi, Carolyn Turgeon, Ellen, and I addressed Folklore of Southern and Central Europe, which spread (as these things will) into Folklore of Everywhere Except The British Isles, with excursions into philosophy, social history, anthropology, and general fairytale geekery.
In other news, I bought a dress--a costume--a gown of great glory (which I tried to insert here, but apparently I don't know what I'm doing, even though it looks perfectly simple *grump*). And a pair of wings, which I don't regret, no, not for a nano-second.
And now I must go consult my crystal ball to try and figure out how many people are likely to show up to my launch party (NYC, Nov. 22nd, you're all invited) for The Freedom Maze, so I know how many cheese straws and deviled eggs to make.
First Freedom Maze Event!
ONE WEEK TO PUBLICATION DAY!
I can hardly wait. Luckily I (and any New Yorkers who are interested) don't have to. There's going to be a not-very-sneak Preview and Signing at Books of Wonder, as part of their Fantastic Fiction for Teens event on Sunday, November 13, from 1-3 pm.
It's a great line-up:
TAMORA PIERCE - Mastiff
JOHN CONNOLLY - The Infernals
RAE CARSON - The Girl of Fire and Thorns
MATTHEW CODY - The Dead Gentleman
LAUREN McLAUGHLIN - Scored
DELIA SHERMAN - The Freedom Maze
LEANNA RENEE HIEBER - Darker Still: A Novel Of Magic Most Foul
Expect brief readings and a chance to ask us all questions and get us to sign books.
Y'all come, now.
You're also warmly invited to a launch party at the Center for Fiction on November 22nd, 6:30-9:30. There will be cake. Details To Follow.
* * *
For those not in NYC: I'll be in Philadelphia at Big Blue Marble on November 17th!
I can hardly wait. Luckily I (and any New Yorkers who are interested) don't have to. There's going to be a not-very-sneak Preview and Signing at Books of Wonder, as part of their Fantastic Fiction for Teens event on Sunday, November 13, from 1-3 pm.
It's a great line-up:
TAMORA PIERCE - Mastiff
JOHN CONNOLLY - The Infernals
RAE CARSON - The Girl of Fire and Thorns
MATTHEW CODY - The Dead Gentleman
LAUREN McLAUGHLIN - Scored
DELIA SHERMAN - The Freedom Maze
LEANNA RENEE HIEBER - Darker Still: A Novel Of Magic Most Foul
Expect brief readings and a chance to ask us all questions and get us to sign books.
Y'all come, now.
You're also warmly invited to a launch party at the Center for Fiction on November 22nd, 6:30-9:30. There will be cake. Details To Follow.
* * *
For those not in NYC: I'll be in Philadelphia at Big Blue Marble on November 17th!
October 27, 2011
FREEDOM MAZE Pub Party!
At WFC:
A reading/tea party with Louisiana specialties: sweet ICED tea, Hubig's pies (shipped overnight from New Orleans), and pralines (handmade by Tiffany Trent) . . . and, best of all, the very first, hot-off-the-press advance COPIES OF THE FREEDOM MAZE!
Y'all come, now.
A reading/tea party with Louisiana specialties: sweet ICED tea, Hubig's pies (shipped overnight from New Orleans), and pralines (handmade by Tiffany Trent) . . . and, best of all, the very first, hot-off-the-press advance COPIES OF THE FREEDOM MAZE!
Y'all come, now.
October 23, 2011
Thank You!
Got it. (See Above. I shall use it for preparing to travel-type posts. It's a little fuzzy, but so am I).
And have learned (kind of--we'll see how well I retain the lesson) a new skill.![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380451598i/2033940.gif)
ecmyers
and
lutin
were particularly useful, but I'm taking
paulakate
's advice and checking out Piknik. Not that I do this that often, but when I do, I'd like to do it well.
Now, I am going to get ready to go out with
ellen_kushner
and the fair
![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380468642i/3017852.png)
csecooney
, who is currently singing like a tree-full of nightingales in my guestroom. After which, I may or may not post my 3rd review of Venus in Fur, which has now come to Broadway, with a new second-hand and possibly better costumes and a real set. We'll see, won't we?
And have learned (kind of--we'll see how well I retain the lesson) a new skill.
ecmyers
and
lutin
were particularly useful, but I'm taking
paulakate
's advice and checking out Piknik. Not that I do this that often, but when I do, I'd like to do it well.Now, I am going to get ready to go out with
ellen_kushner
and the fair
csecooney
, who is currently singing like a tree-full of nightingales in my guestroom. After which, I may or may not post my 3rd review of Venus in Fur, which has now come to Broadway, with a new second-hand and possibly better costumes and a real set. We'll see, won't we?Capturing Images
OK, I'm going to try and learn a new and useful skill. If someone out there is willing to teach it me.
I want to capture pictures and use them to make icons, even when the pictures aren't easily captured.
I have a Mac. I know about Grab. I used it to capture a Saturday Evening Post picture I'm particularly fond of. The app behaved like a little lamb, producing a lovely TIFF file. Which won't upload on LJ to make a brand new icon for me. Why not? Did I do something wrong? Are there other ways of saving the image? Am I going at this all wrong? Should I go back to carving icons on primordial slate or leeching off my more up-to-date friends on a regular basis?
For the answer to these questions, stay tuned to this channel. Or wait until I've had time to write one of the posts I've had in mind for when I have time to write it.
I want to capture pictures and use them to make icons, even when the pictures aren't easily captured.
I have a Mac. I know about Grab. I used it to capture a Saturday Evening Post picture I'm particularly fond of. The app behaved like a little lamb, producing a lovely TIFF file. Which won't upload on LJ to make a brand new icon for me. Why not? Did I do something wrong? Are there other ways of saving the image? Am I going at this all wrong? Should I go back to carving icons on primordial slate or leeching off my more up-to-date friends on a regular basis?
For the answer to these questions, stay tuned to this channel. Or wait until I've had time to write one of the posts I've had in mind for when I have time to write it.
