Rachel Hartman's Blog, page 46

An introduction to Epicurus

I am utterly swamped today, friends, so it occurs to me that this would be the perfect opportunity to let someone else do the talking. I've been wanting to talk about Epicureanism — not in the modern sense of gourmet or hedonistic sensualist, but the original meaning, the teachings of Epicurus. He's not a well-known philosopher anymore; of his more than 300 written works, only a handful survive. Most of what is known about him comes from the writings of others, many of them mangy stoics

A word from the not-always wise

Some kind folks have gently expressed concern about the content of that last post. They feared the language and emotional candor might be off-putting to someone encountering my writing for the first time.

That is a very fair criticism, and one I take seriously. Looking back at the post, I have said nothing I feel ashamed of. The words were used in the context of anecdote, not in a contemptuous way. Though I have obliterated most of the story's details, those words – and how I felt about them –...

Seraphina: Origins II

About the time I was starting the first version of this novel, I had a horrifying fight with a very dear friend. I'm not here to air dirty laundry, so I'm going to be a bit coy and just say it ended with her calling me a fucking bitch.

I'd never had such a hateful epithet flung at me before, but then, I'd never made anyone that angry before. Her words were like a physical blow; all the breath was knocked out of me. My husband rushed me out into the cold night air and walked with me until I...

About Amy Unbounded

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I used to write, illustrate, photocopy, and staple a minicomic called Amy Unbounded. It was a pretty good minicomic, as far as these things go. I took it to comic book conventions, made a lot of friends, and had tremendous fun doing it; those were great years, and I wouldn't change a thing even if I could.

But I have something I need to tell Amy fans, something they're not going to want to hear. They've been asking me for almost ten years, and I've been...

Seraphina: Origins I

(I know, I said I was only posting three times a week. Apparently I'm starting that next week.)

It took me eight years to write Seraphina. More accurately, it took me eight years to write four distinct novels, three of which were called Seraphina. The first was called Theodosia. I started writing it when I was pregnant with my son, but I started thinking about it a couple years before that.

When I was a wee lass, just twenty-nine years old, my parents got divorced. It was a shock; I'd sooner...

Limelight

This is the post I had envisioned myself writing first, but it turns out I'm like a whippet: I have to sniff in a circle for a while before I lie down. Once I'm down, of course, I just flop right on top of you and stick my skinny legs in your face and look at you like, What? I'm a whippet. You are my sofa. I'm pretty sure the reverse isn't true.

So. Here's the comfy flop: I'm a big nerd, and I like Rush. I intend to talk about music on this blog, and they've got a song that's been on my mind, ...

A little housekeeping

I'm going to try keeping to a schedule with this blog, since I am the sort to fling myself passionately at a new project and then burn out. I'll be posting on M-W-F for a few weeks and see how that works.

Why yes, I do know it's Tuesday, smarty-pants. I did not write this! I was not here!
I'm slowly but surely putting some delicious links down in the blogroll list, for days when you are sad and miss me. Right now it's mostly book-chat sites, authors I like, and favourite musicians. Soon...

An oldie but goodie

Ask the Authorette.

The origins of my cockroach quote, below. I know you were dying to know when I'd said that. DYING.

The scariest part is: I still kind of look like that.

Here's how it's gonna be

I always like to write myself a little mission statement at the beginning of a new blog, so that I can look back years later and say, "Whaa? I said I would do THAT?" It's like getting a surprise present from myself!

I have a few aspirations for this blog. I often find myself pontificating in my own head whilst walking the dog, explaining to some invisible audience all the myriad odd inspirations for my work – and there are a lot of them. There's music, of course; the book is deeply concerned w...

A beginning is a very delicate time…

That's the obligatory first blog post title of any nerdly being worth the name, is it not? Well then. I had to fly my colours right up front, so you know who you're dealing with.

Of course, now you're going to picture me as the disembodied head of Princess Irulan. I can think of worse things, so that's okay.

My name is Rachel Hartman. I'm a writer and a smart-ass. I'm Canadian and American and generally full of beans. This is a test-post, obviously, so you shouldn't take anything here too much ...