Jane Lindskold's Blog, page 19

On-Going Legacy: John R. Douglas

John’s Handiwork

The day before I learned that editor John R. Douglas had died, I was talking with my husband, Jim, who is busily working on his first novel.  The topic was characterization.  This is pretty much a direct quote of what I said to Jim:

“When he sent me notes on my novel When the Gods Are Silent, John Douglas said, ‘I think you know a lot more about these characters than is making it onto the page.  I’m not telling you what, just go look at the manuscript and see if you agree.’  John went on to explain that a certain amount of judicious repetition was not a bad thing because ‘The reader isn’t necessarily going to be reading the book in one sitting, so a little reminder of who is who is helpful.’”

This was probably in 1996 or so, and I’m still not only quoting it, I remember that bit of advice every time I’m writing.

John Douglas was my first editor, and more or less “discovered” me.  It was purely by chance.  I’d gone to World Fantasy Convention for a face-to-face meeting with Kay McCauley, who would be my agent until her death in 2020.  I was hanging out with Roger Zelazny who, unaware that the Mass Signing was a thing (it hadn’t been put on his schedule), had graciously agreed to sign books after one of his panels.

As would be expected, the line was very long.  I ended up chatting with John Douglas and Jeff Bredenberg, whose novel The Man in the Moon Must Die, was a new release.  Jeff asked if I had a particular reason for being at WFC, and when I explained I had a novel manuscript with my new agent and I was going to meet with her to talk about it, he went on to ask “What’s it about?” 

I fumbled out something about a woman who people thought was crazy, because she only spoke in quotations.  John Douglas’s eyes lit up and he said, “I love stories about ‘crazy’ people.  I’m going to ask Kay if I can see it.”  And eventually he did.  (She had it out to another publisher, who turned it down.)

When he edited this book, Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls, John’s most crucial editorial note was that I expand the ending, saying that “Yes, the story is done, but it needs more closure.”  So I wrote that final bit, inadvertently creating a scene that my buddy David Weber (who also has his own “John Douglas was a wonderful editor” story) still quotes to this day.

John would go on to edit my first several novels.  He was the one who bought Changer, which remains one of my most popular and acclaimed works.  He also encouraged me to think about writing a series.  Therefore, even though he did not buy the Firekeeper Saga, John is definitely responsible for me shifting from standalone works. (Changer’s sequel, published as Legends Walking, now available with my original title Changer’s Daughter, was not planned but requested by the publisher after Changer’s unexpected success.)

John was also Roger Zelazny’s final novel editor, and made certain that Roger’s wish that I finish Roger’s remaining two works-in-progress, Donnerjack and Lord Demon, was honored.  This was a tough task, since at that point John had to go to various committees and explain why Roger’s wish should be granted, since I had only published one novel, although three more had been sold and were in various stages of production.  But John, like Roger, believed I could do it.  Donnerjack was cut from a three book series to one book (which made my job pretty tough), which is evidence of the resistance John met up with.

Oh, and for all of you who love Roger’s A Night in the Lonesome October, toast John with a mug of your favorite pumpkin spice beverage, because he’s the one who took a book that didn’t fit any of the categories into which publishers would have slotted “A Zelazny Novel.”

When John left Avon for Harper, we parted ways professionally but remained in touch.  When John learned we (well, more like Jim) played bridge, he wistfully said he loved bridge and wished he had people he could play with.  So, when he was in New Mexico, we arranged a bridge party.  After that, for several years, Jim and John would meet up to play bridge at World Fantasy Convention, usually with a couple of agents.  Great fun!  Jim got a definite chuckle that he had a seat at the sort of gathering writers dream of.

Okay.  I’ve probably hit the dreaded TLDR level, so I’ll stop.  But, as my chat with Jim just a few days ago shows, John’s legacy as an editor continues, not only in my works, but in the works of every writer he worked with, as well as in advice passed along to writers who will never have the privilege of knowing him.

Next week, I’ll go back to my planned topic, trigged by the arrival of my author’s copies of the forthcoming House of Rough Diamonds.

A Pleasant Surprise

Persephone Grabs the First Copy

On Wednesday I shared the news that my forthcoming novel, House of Rough Diamonds is available as an e-Arc here.  Since the book will not be officially released until September, you can imagine my surprise (and delight) when a box with my author’s copies arrived on Wednesday afternoon.  I couldn’t wait until next week to share!

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.  And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.  I’m always impressed to see that—contrary to what publishers seem to think—the same reader may read a wildly assorted range of material.

Completed:

The Dyson File, by Jacob Holo. Set in the Gordian Division universe in which Jacob Holo has collaborated in with David Weber, but a solo.  A police procedural with very strong SF elements, not just SF window dressing.  Not, as are some of the books in the series, a time travel novel.

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  World of the Five Gods, but not Penric.  As good, or even better, on a second reading since I was worrying less about the characaters and able to enjoy the richness of the setting and plot.

In Progress:

Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  Stand alone sequel to The Curse of Chalion.  Minimal spoilers for the former, since it happens subsequent.

The Crossing by Ken Ikenberry.  Time travel novel set during the American Revolution.  Loosely tied to Eric Flint’s 1623 project, but so far readable by someone with no knowledge of that series.

Also:

American Archeology.  Articles are a mixture of suggestions for tourism and at least one about an influential member of the profession.

Toadmato Update

Winston Toad

Before I get to tomatoes, I should note that the third of my Over Where books, House of Rough Diamonds, is now available as an e-ARC. This sequel to Library of the Sapphire Wind and Aurora Borealis Bridge takes you deeper into the Library and its secrets.  The official release date is September 5.  If you can’t wait, you can find it and other forthcoming releases, including Tim Powers’ My Brother’s Keeper,  here. 

Now, for the really important news.  When I planted seeds back in April, I promised to let you know how this year’s venture into growing tomatoes went.  You’ve journeyed with me through an unusually cool spring that delayed germination, the devastating hail storm that battered young plants, the sudden burgeoning of volunteer tomato plants, then to the transplanting of many of these, and now…

Well, as I have whined most copiously, our cooler than usual spring has become a record-breaking hot summer.  Since June 19th, we’ve been over 100 F every day (with the exception of one day where the high was 99 F).  We’ve had pretty much no rain.  As of this typing, the monsoons have failed to establish.  However, we’ve managed to keep some plants going, although we’ve lost several to disease exacerbated by heat stress.

The tomato plant featured above has become a favorite hangout of one of our resident toads, who can be found there most nights, nestling down in one of several little hollows. 

In case you’re wondering, this plant is a Punta Banda, a variety we purchased from Native Seed Search because it handles extreme heat well.  The tomatoes are robust cherry tomatoes, with a good flavor.  We’ve also gotten some Texas Wild tomatoes, which are tiny but have a nice smokey note.

And there is a mystery tomato out there that I’ll save for later, because I don’t know if it will make it, but which we’re completely fascinated with.

We’ve also had zucchinis, eggplant, beans (four types), Swiss chard, and a variety of herbs.  Whether or not we’ll get any peppers is still uncertain.  Two did not recover from the hail damage and the rest are heat-stressed.  However, if the monsoons establish, I think we’ll have a good chance of at least a few.

Keep cool!

FF: Moving Right Along

Roary Has a Question

I decided to stick with Bujold’s work, but shift to a longer piece.  I’ll definitely go back to Penric, though!  There are a bunch more novellas I haven’t read.

Worth noting that Penric’s Mission and Mira’s Last Dance are really one long novel.  I don’t count an unresolved romantic plotline as leaving anything “hanging.”  In fact, I approve, since for these characters as quick and easy resolution would be less likely.

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.  And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.  I’m always impressed to see that—contrary to what publishers seem to think—the same reader may read a wildly assorted range of material.

Completed:

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix.  Book Two in the series.  I really enjoyed this.  The ending was quite clever and dealt with Susan’s issues very nicely indeed.

Penric’s Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.

Penric’s Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.

Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  Penric novella.

Prisoner of Limnos by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  Penric novella.

In Progress:

The Dyson File by Jacob Holo.  ARC.  Set in the Gordian Division universe Holo has collaborated in with David Weber, but a solo. 

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  World of the Five Gods, but not Penric.

Also:

Archeology, the latest issue.  Sometimes reading about cities that thrived for over a millennia and are now completely lost and forgotten by all but experts can be a bit of a downer.

Cool Events

Trumpeting Trumpet Vines

Yes.  It’s still very hot here, so let’s talk about a few things that are cool, including forthcoming events I’ll be attending.  And, of course, the garden…

The weekend of August 25 through 27 is Bubonicon, New Mexico’s SF/F convention.  I’ll be there all three days.  Programming hasn’t been posted yet, but it should be soon.

Then the weekend of September 15 through 17, I’m the Fantasy Guest of Honor at P-con, a new convention in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  The Science Fiction Guest of Honor is Charles E. (aka Chuck) Gannon.  Chuck and I have known each other since I was an undergrad at Fordham.  We’ve been co-GOHs once before (at Congregate in 2018) and had a wonderful time.  Doubtless we’ll end up talking about a lot of things, including that—for all our official titles—we each have written both Science Fiction and Fantasy.  We might even do a live RPG…

As a bonus, Chuck and I may be doing a book signing on September 14th, as a lead-in to the con.  Details are still being arranged.

In September, I hope to do one or more local to New Mexico book events to celebrate my (then) new release, House of Rough Diamonds, the third book in my new “Over Where” series, which began with Library of the Sapphire Wind and Aurora Borealis Bridge.

As for the garden…  Well, last week temperatures dropped, but I think you can forgive me for not thinking 109 F, as opposed to 111 F, particularly “cool.”  However, we did have a little rain (.06 inch; yes, the decimal point is in the right place).  One little storm is not enough to tell if the monsoons are establishing, but we do hope.

Despite the heat and dryness, our garden has rewarded our meticulous care with the beginnings of a harvest.  We’ve harvested a few eggplant (small varieties), a handful of green beans (most lianas, which handle heat better than do “real” green beans), a very few zucchini, and one cherry tomato (punta banda, a heat tolerant type).  We also have basil, but teeny-tiny beetles ate all the arugula.  Every few days we pick a few leaves of Swiss chard to add to our salads.  The radishes screamed in protest and died.

So, stay cool!

FF: Lest You Think That

For This One, Imagine Flowers Reading

Lest you think that I spend all my time listening to recorded books, I want to note that the Penric and Desdemona books are novellas, not full novels!  Mind you, I enjoy them enough that I would spend all my time listening, but that’s not likely to happen right now.

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.  And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.  I’m always impressed to see that—contrary to what publishers seem to think—the same reader may read a wildly assorted range of material.

Completed:

The Lefthanded Booksellers of London by Garth Nix.  Book One in his Lefthanded Booksellers series.  I read this when it came out from a library copy and liked it enough to buy my own copy.  I’m re-reading mostly because I want to, but also because one of my next reads will be the newer release, The Sinister Bookseller of Bath.  Still in love with it.

Penric’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  Just started.  I’ve read this series before and it’s excellent.

Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook. 

In Progress:

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix.  Book Two in the series.  So far quite good.  I even sympathize with Susan’s attitude.

Penric’s Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.

The Dyson File by Jacob Holo.  ARC.  Set in the Gordian Division universe Holo has collaborated in with David Weber, but a solo. 

Also:

Archeology, the latest issue.  Happily reading about how the Persian Empire dealt with numerous different member groups.

A Related Trait

Ruffles and Grace

“Did you miss those stalks when you were trimming?” asks a helpful friend.  “Or are you letting the keep going because there’s one flower left?”

“Neither,” I reply, looking fondly at the tattered hollyhock stalks.  “We’re letting those go to seed because we’ve never had that variety before.  All our hollyhocks in this bed are the result of seeds I’ve scattered over the last several years.  Most of the hollyhocks we planted originally have larger blossoms, with single petals, and without that ruffle.  You can’t really see it in this blossom, but it’s touched with pale pink, not all white.  So we’ll put up with the raggedy stalks, save the seeds, replant, then see what happens.”

“Oh…”  My friend smiles politely, but is clearly baffled.  Then he smiles.  “You write that way, too, don’t you?  Just save up ideas and let them grow?”

“Sort of,” I admit, not wanting to go into the complexities of making those ideas grow into a coherent story.  “It’s definitely a related trait.”

FF: Toxic Families

Persphone is Among the Even-Pawed

Last week, I started Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold, the second book in her Sharing Knife series.  By this past Tuesday, I realized I was avoiding it.  By Wednesday, I quit.  Why?  It had nothing to do with the writing or, if it did, my reaction should be taken as a compliment to Bujold’s skill.  Simply put, her depiction of toxic families and bigotry in this series is too intense for me.  Even after I found an on-line summary of Legacy that reassured me that Fawn and Dag would not be broken up, I realized I had no desire to spend more time with these people.

Maybe someday I’ll try again, but for now I’m done with this series but definitely not with Bujold.

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.  And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.  I love seeing the tapestry of what people choose.

Completed:

Nothing for reasons mentioned above.

In Progress:

The Lefthanded Booksellers of London by Garth Nix.  Book One in his Lefthanded Booksellers series.  I read this when it came out from a library copy and liked it enough to buy my own copy.  I’m re-reading mostly because I want to, but also because one of my next reads will be the newer release, The Sinister Bookseller of Bath.  Almost done.  Still in love with it.

Penric’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Audiobook.  Just started.  I’ve read this series before and it’s excellent.

 Also:

The most recent Smithsonian.  Still at it.  I got waylaid by an AARP newsletter and a few other more time sensitive publications.

Despite Adversity

Zinnias Reaching Up

Last week, I wandered on about the relationship between cutworm grubs and creativity.  This week, I offer you zinnias as seen from above, looking straight down.  These zinnias were all volunteers that I transplanted, so we had no idea what we were going to end up with.  I must admit, I’m very pleased.

This past week was very hot, with three days in a row of 108 F, before we “cooled” to 106 F and even 103 F.  We’ve only had one day since June 19th where we didn’t hit 100 F, and that day was 99 F.  The flowers on the snapdragons, trumpet vines, and even desert willows are crisping almost as soon as they open, but the zinnias not only keep on flowering, they have fresh buds.  Their tough leaves may wilt by the end of day, but a little water perks them right up.

I have a fondness for the so-called “Language of Flowers” (so-called because there are many variations on which flower means what).  In one list, zinnias are said to symbolize “thoughts of absent friends.”  Another list adds to this “lasting affection; goodness; constancy.”

Someday, I’d like to use the language of flowers in a story, (but I haven’t found the right story yet).   If I did, I think I’d want to add another meaning for zinnia, sort of an expansion on the idea of constancy.  Maybe I’d have it symbolize “perseverance in the face of adversity,” because the zinnia does this so well, without ever losing its beauty.

FF: Upon Reflection

Mei-Ling Considers

A few weeks ago, I asked whether Bujold’s The Sharing Knife was more romance or fantasy, since the publisher’s description called it both.  Upon reflection, my take thus far is that the book is heavier on the romance than the fantasy.  However, since the romance is the portal through which two cultures that exist side by side without really understanding each other are explored, it’s a very anthropological romance.  It helps that both Fawn and Dag are appealing characters.  I’m trying the second one.

For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week.  Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.  The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list.  If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.

Once again, this is not a book review column.  It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.  And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.  I love seeing the tapestry of what people choose.

Completed:

Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Sharing Knife series, Book One.  Audiobook. 

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers.  Book Four in her loosely connected “Wayfarers” not really series as much as shared setting.  I enjoyed, especially for the aliens and their interaction.

In Progress:

Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Sharing Knife series, Book Two.  Audiobook.

The Lefthanded Booksellers of London by Garth Nix.  Book One in his Lefthanded Booksellers series.  I read this when it came out from a library copy and liked it enough to buy my own copy.  I’m re-reading mostly because I want to, but also because one of my next reads will be the newer release, The Sinister Bookseller of Bath.

Also:

The most recent Smithsonian.