Rachel Hartman's Blog, page 25
October 29, 2012
A little light Halloween music
We just came across this song recently, and I feel compelled to share it with you all.
The scariest part is the way it is now STUCK IN YOUR HEAD. FOREVER.
Tomorrow I’ll play you some of my favourite Halloweeny Blue Oyster Cult. And no, it’s not “Don’t Fear the Reaper”. They sing much creepier songs than that.
October 26, 2012
Another navel-gazing music post
Because you miss these when I’m not writing them, right? You stand around mewling plaintively, “What obscure musical nonsense is Rachel obsessing over now? I must know!”
One of the songs we’re singing in choir right now is a round, written by our director, Earle Peach. It’s super fun to sing, as rounds often are, but it’s a bit tricky as an alto because the melody goes up a bit out of range for most of us. I can do it, because I am technically a mezzo-soprano, but for those of us who can’t, Ea...
October 25, 2012
October 23, 2012
Sunday Shindig, 10/28
Mark your calendars now! The inestimable Christopher Paolini, peerless Stefan Bachmann, and I will be participating in an online Circus of Awesomeness, Cavalcade of Pie, Book Chat at Shindig. Here’s the information. I urge you to look at the main Shindig page to learn more about how this book chat will look from your end. I think it looks pretty nifty.
Anyway, please do spread the word! I’d love to see you there!
(Just to note, they’ve put our pictures in a different order than our names, but y...
October 22, 2012
A couple nice things
I wrote a guest blog post for Indigo about my thoughts on being nominated for the Governor General’s award.
Here’s a nice review at Talespinning.
So there you go: book love and Canada love. That’s a lot of love for a Monday.
October 18, 2012
Last excitement for a while, just as the rain sets in
To the kids at the event today who were wondering about the Estonian bagpipe metal, the band is calledMetsatöll. Here’s one of my favourite of their songs, with plenty of bagpipe and a men’s chorus (special for this song), performed in a somewhat more formal venue than usual:
Yes, I really did mention them at my event today. The kids seemed interested, but then who wouldn’t be? Estonian bagpipes, after all. Supah awesome.
My heartfelt thanks to the organizers of Vancouver Writers Fest, who put...
October 15, 2012
Emotion vs. intellect
Here’s ablog post about emotion vs. intellect in fiction. Specifically YA and MG fiction, in this case.
What interested me most, strangely enough, was the classification of genres as Adrenaline, Emotional, Intellectual, and Landscape. I wonder whether these don’t correspond to the predominance of certain elements of fiction, namely (in the same order) plot, character, theme (or ideas), and setting. Novels should have all of these, of course, but I’m sure readers (and writers too) feel consiste...
October 14, 2012
Sunday updates
Hello, darlings! I had a wonderful time in Calgary. Thank you so much to the organizers of WordFest for inviting me and for running such a well-organized show! I’ve been on the other side of convention organization before, and I know how many unexpected challenges come up. I thought y’all did a particularly nice job with this.
I met many interesting writers and artists at WordFest, but I want to give a special shout-out to Shane Peacock, who did a program with me at the Calgary Public Library....
October 9, 2012
I’m off to Calgary
Goin’ to Alberta soon,
Gonna be a dental floss tycoon!
Ok, maybe not precisely that, but I will be attending Calgary WordFest, giving exciting talks on the 10th and 11th. If you’re in town, come see me!
If you’re nowhere near Calgary, never fear. I will leave you with interesting things to read and think about.
First, at Lady Business, an informative post on Gender Balance and YA Award Winners Since 2000. I notice they did not include the Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award, so I include t...
October 6, 2012
Today’s news
There’s a new interview and Seraphina giveaway up at Mostly Reviewstoday. Thanks, Veronica, for inviting me to do this!
In other news, I am working super hard, writing like a writing fiend, revising the sequel. I think it’s going well. I’m certainly enjoying it more than the first time through.
I will be at Calgary WordFest next week. Expect posting to be light.
