Katherine Nabity's Blog, page 152

What Else 2017, Week 7 (and a bit of Week 6 as well)

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Writing Stuff

I added 4195 words to Wicked Witch, Retired. My current plan is to add 800 words a day, Monday-Friday. If I’ve added 4K by Friday, I’ll work on a different project (or WW,R) on Saturday. Yesterday, I reread a short story I’d drafted in November, made notes, and started a rewrite. It seems that I’m best off if I schedule my time and then go write on the less-connected laptop.

[image error]A Round of Words in 80 Days

Blogging Stuff

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, so I’ve been in a bit of a blogging slump as well. Since my last What Else post, I’ve posted a review of Peter S. Beagle’s In Calabria and thoughts on “Flower Garden” by Shirley Jackson and “The Faithful Soldier, Prompted” by Saladin Ahmed.

Fitness Stuff

I’ve been trying to run enough and play enough ultimate to counteract the new donut shop that opened a couple weeks ago. Actually, that’s not the problem. The problem is that I’ve been overindulging since before Christmas. I currently weight more than I’ve weighed since moving to AZ. On the other hand, I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well. I’m not in bad shape, I just weigh a little more than I’d like right now.

Class Stuff

Eden turned my eye toward Future Learn. They have an interesting selection of courses. Currently, I’m taking a three week survey on Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime.

Other Life Stuff

Had a nice Super Bowl Sunday, a couple weeks back. Dan, a friend from disc, invited us over to watch the game, but we also played kickball with his kids and pinball on his three machines.

Since then, I’ve had one pretty crappy week and one pretty good week. Been playing disc and setting up for spring league and generally working. I kind of needed a reset last weekend, hence no post. Every-so-often I seem to need to forgive myself for all the stuff I haven’t done, find a new task management system, and start over. Right now I’m back to using Habitica with a fresh new character.

Deal Me In, Week 7 ~ “The Faithful Soldier, Prompted”

[image error] (Deal Me In logo above created by Mannomoi at Dilettante Artiste)

Hosted by Jay @ Bibliophilopolis

What’s Deal Me In?

“The Faithful Soldier, Prompted” by Saladin Ahmed

Card picked: Eight of Clubs

From: Engraved on the Eye, also found online

The Story

God willing, Faithful Soldier, you will go to the charity-yard of the Western Mosque in Old Cairo. She will live.

Ali is a veteran of the Global Credit Crusade. Although it’s been years since he’s been a soldier his embedded OS still sends him random reminder messages. Things like “God willing, Faithful Soldier, you will pick up your new field ablution kit after your debriefing today” and “God willing, Faithful Soldier, you will spend your leave-time dinars wisely–at Honest Majoudi’s!” But poor and with a dying wife, one message that repeats nightly seems prescient.

In an effort to do something for his ailing wife, Ali walks from Free Beirut to Old Cairo, facing tigers, toxighuls, and sandstorms along the way. When he reaches the charity-yard of the Western Mosque he receives a new message, one that helps a crime occur. Are the messages just a glitch? A hack? Or something more?

I’m not sure I buy into the Global Credit Crusade as a WWIII situation, but there is a lot of world-building bits in seven pages of story. I’ve had  Engraved on the Eye in my collection for ages. (I believe you can find it perma-free at most of your favorite ebook retailers.) I had read the first story in the collection sometime last year. So far, it’s 2 for 2 on great stories.

The Author

Saladin Ahmed was born in Detroit and raised in a working-class, Arab American enclave in Dearborn, Michigan. His first novel, THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, was a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Crawford, Gemmell, and British Fantasy Awards, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal. He was nominated twice for the Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction/Fantasy Writer for his short stories, which have appeared in YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION and have been translated into a half-dozen languages. He has also written nonfiction for NPR Books, Salon, and The Escapist. He holds an MFA in poetry from Brooklyn College, an MA in English from Rutgers. (via Amazon.com)

It’s Monday, What Am I Reading? 2/13

When in a reading slump, it’s not good to limit books choices. Therefore, I officially jumped ship on #COYER (only ebooks) and the TBR Dare (only books bought before 1/1). Yes, I suddenly wanted to pick up a paperback I started in December and read the only book I’ve acquired this year. *shrug*

  

Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan
Fascist Lizards from Outer Space: The Politics, Literary Influences and Cultural History of Kenneth Johnson’s V by Dan Copp
Short works on tap:

“Homecoming” by Rachel Pollack
“The Faithful Soldier, Prompted” by Saladin Ahmed
“The Adventure of the Vintner’s Codex” by Lyndsay Faye

[image error] It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Date!

Deal Me In, Week 6 ~ “Flower Garden”

[image error] (Deal Me In logo above created by Mannomoi at Dilettante Artiste)

Hosted by Jay @ Bibliophilopolis

What’s Deal Me In?

“Flower Garden” by Shirley Jackson

Card picked: Eight of Hearts

From: The Lottery, and Other Stories

The Story

Mrs. Winnings lives in Winning house at the top of the hill with her husband and two children and her in-laws. She always dreamed of living in the little cottage on the way down the hill, but she is, after all, a Winnings. When Mrs. MacLean moves in to the cottage, Mrs. Winnings thinks that it will be the next best thing: she can be friends with the new resident and often visit the cozy little cottage. Mrs. MacLean, from New York City, is a widower with a son the same age as Mrs. Winnings’ oldest boy. She paints the little cottage in bright colors (so much different than dark, drafty Winnings house) and plants a large, elaborate flower garden.

All is well until the middle of the summer when the garden becomes too much work for Mrs. MacLean. She hires Mr. Jones to help her. Mrs. Winnings tries to tell Mrs. MacLean: Mr. Jones, a black man, was involved with a white woman and they had three children before the woman left. But Mrs. MacLean just doesn’t pick up on the subtleties of the situation. Mrs. Winnings severs her friendship with Mrs. MacLean, almost too late to protect her own reputation.

As the summer grows hotter and longer, Mrs. MacLean’s garden withers and no one is friendly to her anymore. She wonder’s out-loud to Mrs. Winnings about what might have changed.

“Are you sure it isn’t because of Mr. Jones working here?”

…

…and Mrs. Winnings went down the hill thinking, The nerve of her, trying to blame the colored folks.

So, there you go: story about race relations with old New England Shirley Jackson flair.

Review ~ In Calabria

This book was provided to me by Tachyon Publications via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle

From the acclaimed author of The Last Unicorn comes a new, exquisitely-told unicorn fable for the modern age.

Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy’s scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences.

Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle’s continuing legacy as one of fantasy’s most legendary authors. (via Goodreads)

Why was I interested in this book?

The Last Unicorn is one of my favorite books ever, and Peter S. Beagle is pretty much on my auto-read/buy list. (It’s really a very short list.)

As I did in my review of Summerlong, I feel I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some mention of the controversy between Beagle and his former business manager Connor Cochran. Peter S. Beagle filed suit against Cochran back in 2015. There are also ongoing complaints from fans who have purchased items from Conlan Press, but never received products. I would advise that if you’re going to buy any of Peter S. Beagle’s books, do not do so from Conlan Press and avoid ebooks edited by Connor Cochran. In Calabria, as well as some of Beagle’s backlog, is published through Tachyon.

What Worked

A hallmark of Peter S. Beagle’s work is his light touch with weighty subjects. In Calabria is about a man entering the winter of his years. He has regrets and is alone. It’s the quirky details that make Bianchi’s life real. His farm is populated with Cherubino the goat, Garibaldi the dog, and the cats: Sophia, Mezzanotte, and Third Cat. He has a comfortable life, but perhaps a life devoid of poetry. His visitor, a unicorn, changes all that. For better and maybe worse.

The writing is lovely, of course. Lyrical and poetical, though we are rarely treated to Bianchi’s work. ;)

The story winds out to a conclusion that might not be satisfying for some, but I liked it well enough.

What Didn’t Work

I’m not sure Beagle’s forte is ever works set in the “real” world, in the present day. Would an older man manage to survive such violence against him that is presented in the book? Eh… I don’t know.

This is also the second work in a  row for Beagle in which an older male character ends up in a relationship with a much younger woman. At a certain point in my life, I might have found these May to December plot lines to be charming. But now? I guess I’d like to see an older man in a new relationship with an older woman.

Publishing info, my copy: ePub, Tachyon Publications, January 16, 2017

Acquired: 11/15/16, NetGalley

Genre: fantasy, magical realism

Magic Monday & What I’m Reading, 2/6/17

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I like Mondays. I also like magic. I figured I’d combine the two and make a Monday feature that is truly me: a little bit of magic and a look at the week ahead.

Well, congratulations to the Patriots on their come-back Super Bowl win. It was something to see. But did you know that the Patriots have their own magician? John Logan is not only the team’s digital content associate, but resident mystifyer.

(Via iTricks)

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

I’m not off to a good start reading-wise in February. Ever have those moments when you’re just sick of words? No? Maybe just me. I’ll continue on. Here’s what I have on deck for the week:

  

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford
The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes by Lyndsay Faye
Fascist Lizards from Outer Space: The Politics, Literary Influences and Cultural History of Kenneth Johnson’s V by Dan Copp
Lots of Eric’s PHYSICIaN.
Short stories here and there.

[image error] It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Date!

What Else 2017, Week 5

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Writing Stuff

A Round of Words in 80 Days is back on the non-Facebook side of the web. I gave it a go on Facebook, but that’s just not the place for me for this kind of thing. So, a big Thank You! to  Eden Mabee for getting things going again at the blog.

Belatedly, my goal for this quarter is to add 4,000 words/week to my main manuscript.

I did not hit that goal this week, but I did better than last week. I added 2457 words to Wicked Witch, Retired and rewrote 1932 words.

[image error]A Round of Words in 80 Days

The #FictFri prompt was “space/confine.”

Kelvaro was tall. He'd have problems on a regular couch, but on one sized for a giant, he had inches of space at head and feet. #FictFri

— Katherine Nabity (@Katen) February 3, 2017

Blogging Stuff

Only two posts this week:

January Reading Wrap-Up
Review ~ Moby-Dick; or, the Whale by Herman Melville

My Deal Me In story this week didn’t inspire any organized thoughts.

Fitness Stuff

Played B leagues games of ultimate frisbee on Tuesday and Thursday nights and then pickup on Friday at noon. The difference between regular league and B league for me is that in regular league, I might not even touch the disc during an entire game. In B league, I actually have a stat line. I’m averaging a score and a D per game!

I’m debating whether I want to get a run in before enjoying an afternoon/evening of watching other people play sports. Also, a Hurt’s Donuts just opened…on my block.

Other Life Stuff

Speaking of league, spring league registration opened on Friday. Stress! Chaos! Currently, we don’t have a league director, but we needed to get things going. Sifting through registrations and payments has taken a good chunk of my time during the last two days.

Lately, I’ve found that any added stress, good or bad, kind of sinks me. I need to get some resilience. Can you buy that in a can?

Review ~ Moby-Dick

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville

‘Call me Ishmael.’

So begins Herman Melville’s masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. As Ishmael is drawn into Captain Ahab’s obsessive quest to slay the white whale Moby-Dick, he finds himself engaged in a metaphysical struggle between good and evil. More than just a novel of adventure, more than an paean to whaling lore and legend, Moby-Dick is a haunting social commentary, populated by some of the most enduring characters in literature; the crew of the Pequod, from stern, Quaker First Mate Starbuck, to the tattooed Polynesian harpooner Queequeg, are a vision of the world in microcosm, the pinnacle of Melville’s lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humour, Moby-Dick is a profound, poetic inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception. (via Goodreads)

Why was I interested in this book?

I have a degree in literature, yet I had never read Moby-Dick. My reading in college was pointed toward pre-1800 and my reading for fun has been mostly post-1970 with a few exceptions. I have a wonderful huge gap to fill!

What Worked/What Didn’t Work

I decided this year to make an effort to point out what works/what doesn’t work in what I’m reading and, at the second review of the year, I’m stymied.

I didn’t know quite what to expect from Moby-Dick. Obviously, I knew this was a story about ill-fated obsession. I knew many of the names. I knew there were going to be long passages about whales and whaling, circa 1850. What I didn’t expect was just how odd of a tapestry this book is. There are adventure bits. There are poetical, metaphysical digressions. There is bawdy humor and Shakespearean soliloquies. And yes, a lot about whales and whaling.

The summary above kind of makes me roll my eyes because it plays up the “literature” aspects of the book. As a mostly genre reader (despite my degree), I think it’s those other things—all the boring reality, all the dirty adventure—that make Moby-Dick work. This novel is sort of a weird ride. Much like Shakespeare’s plays, especially if you’re reading/watching them for the first time, if you let the text carry you along, you get a sense of the thing. Will I read Mody-Dick again? Maybe. If I do, I’m pretty sure the next time would be a totally different experience.

Observation: The only writer I know of that “tastes” a bit like Moby-Dick (I won’t say Melville since I don’t know him well as an author) is Ray Bradbury.

Observation: Having read War of the Worlds and Moby-Dick nearly back to back, I get this sense that science was folded into literature more often in the past. Maybe this is a reflection of the times, maybe of the authors, maybe of the genres; I don’t know, but it’s something I enjoy.

Publishing info, my copy: Kindle/Pigeonhole, public domain, originally published 1851

Acquired: May 20, 2014

Genre:  According to Wikipedia: Novel, adventure fiction, epic, sea story, encyclopedic novel. I guess I agree.

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More #COYER Reviews

Generator Points Earned: 1

Generator Points Total: 5

January Reading Wrap-Up

Challenges


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COYER: Aside from Deal Me In stories, everything I read in January has been in electronic form. It’s getting rough though. Maybe near the end of February I’ll have accumulated enough “generator” points to have a physical book count for the challenge.

TBR Dare & Mount TBR: I’m staying the course. Everything I’ve read thus far in the year has been from my existing TRB pile. Of course, I’ve acquired only one book since the beginning of the year, so the task has been easy.

Read the Books You Buy: Since COYER is focused on free and >$1 reads, no progress here yet.

Finished in January

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer – REVIEW
“Blackwater Lake” by Maggie James – REVIEW
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November-December 2016 – REVIEW
In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle – Review next week.
Moby-Dick, or the Whale by Herman Melville – Review later in the week.
The Girl Who Tweeted Wolf by Nick Bryan – DNF

Additions to my Library

Fascist Lizards from Outer Space by Dan Copp, ARC, NetGalley, acquired 1/17/17

Notes

My goal was 33 pages a day, 66 during Bout of Books (the steeper slope at the beginning of the month). I decided to include Eric’s manuscripts in my pages read because I’m not a fast reader and there just aren’t enough hours in the day otherwise.

What Else 2017, Week 4

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Good Stuff

My good stuff this week is more on the personal level than usual.

This weekend was the 35th annual New Year Fest ultimate tournament. New Year Fest is run by VOTS, the local ultimate frisbee organization. Teams from all over the country (and occasionally from our border neighbors) come to Arizona to play ultimate frisbee for the weekend.

I attended my first New Year Fest in 2002 (Eric was playing) and played in my first in 2003. In 2008-ish, I switched to playing one day and helping out on the other at “frisbee central” where we sell shirts and discs and have bagels and PB & J for players. The entire event is run by volunteers.

If being involved with VOTS  is like being part of huge extended family (and it is), NYF is a yearly reunion. I’m not a super social person, but it is nice to *see* everyone, to trade hellos and hugs and how’ve-you-beens. Sure, I might see their updates on Facebook, but it’s so much better in person.

It’s also really satisfying to be part of something that people enjoy and appreciate. The college division of the tournament is sanctioned by a national organization, but for everyone else, the stakes are low. Winners get some swag and a discount on next year’s registration. The other 32 teams play ultimate really just for the fun of it. When someone thanks me for being a part of running New Year Fest, “you’re welcome” seems inadequate because it is honestly my pleasure to contribute to someone else’s enjoyment.

Writing Stuff

I had a pretty weak-sauce writing week. I added 1500 words and rewrote a bit.

Shared this week:

Lilah returned with a pen and a pad of paper as well as watch and a large tome that seemed in danger of shedding pages. #1linewed

— Katherine Nabity (@Katen) January 25, 2017

The anger that had been slowly encircling her heart suddenly tightened and firmly took hold. #FictFri

— Katherine Nabity (@Katen) January 27, 2017

Blogging Stuff

My favorite stories from the Nov/Dec issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
Deal Me In, Week 4 ~ “In the House of Gingerbread”

Fitness Stuff

Only played ultimate on Thursday night.

Other Life Stuff

This week, I felt sort of…inert. I lost steam early in the week and never got going again. It’s hard to care about this world right now and not be continuously bruised.