Jane Lindskold's Blog, page 66
June 14, 2019
FF: I’m Also Reading
Ziggy Wants To Go On An Adventure With Digger
In addition to what’s below, I’m also reading a couple of GURPS gaming supplements because they make interesting, non-stressful, pre-bedtime reading.
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, 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.
I enjoy hearing what you’re reading. You may see it appearing on my reading list down the road.
Recently Completed:
Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones. Book One of “The Dalemark Quartet.” Very strong. More serious than many of her works, but given that my favorite of hers—Dogsbody—is also serious, I don’t automatically think of her as a “humor” writer.
In Progress:
I Sing the Body Electric by Ray Bradbury. About two-thirds in. Limiting myself to one or two stories a day so I can think about them.
Digger by Ursula Vernon. Graphic novel. Who wouldn’t love a story about a wombat mining engineer caught up in a dark fantasy adventure?
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. We have just finished Plato and are into Aristotle.
Also:
I’m just about done reviewing the copy edited manuscript of Wolf’s Search. The cover for Wolf’s Search is nearly done and lovely. I need to write the dedication, acknowledgements, and decide which of the review quotes to include. More of the little steps that go into a new book…
June 12, 2019
Tales of Indomitable Spirit
My Jim Was The Model For the Fellow On the Right
Last week I read the second issue of DreamForge Magazine. Full disclosure. I’ve been involved with DreamForge since it was but a twinkle in the mind of editor Scot Noel. I’m officially the magazine’s Senior Advisor and Creative Consultant. This is an unpaid position.
Why am I helping with DreamForge, especially at a time in my career when I have very little money or time? Because I believe that even when—maybe especially when—the world around us seems a dark and scary place, there’s room for fiction that advocates hope. Even more than hope, DreamForge seeks stories that advocate striving against the odds, although the dice seem weighted against you.
Issue One (subtitled “Tales of Hope In the Universe”) did an excellent job achieving this goal. Issue Two (subtitled “Tales of Indomitable Spirit”) does even better. As much as I’d like to talk about individual stories, I’m going to let you discover them on your own. Instead, I’m going to touch on a few of the elements that make this issue particularly fascinating.
I’ve been surprised at how many potential readers have missed that DreamForge is a full-color magazine. Every story is illustrated. Even the short-shorts have a small illustration. The lay-out is gorgeous, accented by tiny, loving details like individualized dingbats. (Dingbat is the name for those little doohickeys that signal a pause in the story.) So “Sid” has tiny wheels, while “Haunting the Present” has little dragons. The magazine’s paper is heavy, and the print size (three cheers) is large enough to read comfortably.
A few design elements changed between the first and second issue. Since Scot Noel does a great job of explaining why on page twenty-three, I’m not going to repeat him here. Suffice to say that some elements of Issue Two’s format are different, but I found the magazine in no way inferior.
“Okay, Jane,” you’re saying, “the magazine is pretty. I get that. It’s positive. I get that, too. What will I find if I actually buy and read this magazine?”
You’ll get six good, meaty short stories. You’ll also get eleven shorter stories. These last are the result of a contest Scot ran challenging writers to offer him their “best futures.” Among these seventeen stories are hard SF, soft SF, sword and sorcery, contemporary fantasy, and something that just might be a future fairy tale. One of my personal favorites was told from the point of view of a rhinoceros.
What you won’t get is optimistic fluff or vague utopias. As Scot says in his submission guidelines, he isn’t looking for utopias or Pollyannaish chirpy stories or even “Tomorrow will be a better day.” He’s looking for stories about people who, when confronted with big challenges, don’t fold up and moan, but continue to strive. That striving takes many forms, but what the stories share is someone trying.
You also get a poem. Then there are several non-fiction pieces by Scot. One of his essays poses the question “Can We Be Saved?” then shocks by saying in the third sentence: “I hope not!” Why? Well, I’ll let Scot tell you. The essay is on page three.
Scot’s other non-fiction contribution is “How To Write For DreamForge: Part One.” It’s a fascinating piece, even for non-writers, because it gets into the guts of what Scot’s vision is for good non-dystopian fiction. It starts with a brief discussion of a short story opening that, on the surface, looks great. By the time Scot has dissected it, you really have a better understanding of where the weak points are lurking.
Does the magazine have flaws? Well, of course, but these are mostly because Scot is still learning how to put a magazine together. The print version doesn’t clearly note that David Weber’s contribution, “A Certain Talent” first appeared in The Williamson Effect, a tribute anthology to the late, great Jack Williamson, so that one of the main characters in Weber’s story is actually one of Jack’s. I also would have liked to see short bio sketches of the contributors in the print version because, especially when I like a story, I want to know what else the author has written.
DreamForge is currently only available by subscription. Print, digital, and print/digital combinations are all available. Even better, DreamForge is working on an agreement with Space &Time magazine that will permit subscribers to opt in for a free digital subscription to Space &Time.
If you subscribe now, you’ll also be set to get your copy of the first ever Firekeeper short story. “A Question of Truth” is scheduled for Issue Three, illustrated by Hugo award-winning artist, Elizabeth Leggett. For the foreseeable future, the story will only appear in the magazine!
Imagine. Engage. Inspire. Join us at DreamForge, where we’re connecting Dreamers: Past and Future!
June 7, 2019
FF: Hot Off The Press
Kwahe’e Recognizes Other Indomitable Spirits
A few of you bet that I’d put reading the second issue of DreamForge magazine on the top of my reading list for this week, and you were right! I’ve finished and really enjoyed. The theme for this issue was “Tales of Indomitable Spirit.” I was fascinated by the different ways that them played out.
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, 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.
I also love hearing what you’re reading. You may see it appearing on my reading list down the road.
Recently Completed:
DreamForge magazine, issue two. Fantastic stories. Excellent art. Jim portrayed as a morally conflicted spymaster in a story by David Weber. What more could you want?
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.
In Progress:
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. We’ve finished the Peloponnesian Wars and after a look at the fascinating life of Syracuse, we’re moving into the rise of Philip of Macedon.
I Sing the Body Electric by Ray Bradbury. I honestly can’t remember if I’ve read this collection end to end before, so I figured it was time, especially since my friend Elizabeth Leggett has been inspired by it repeatedly for her art.
Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones. Book One of “The Dalemark Quartet.” Re-read, but it’s been a long while. All I remember is liking it.
Also:
Wolf’s Soul’s first 90,000+ words have been reviewed and edited. However, the copy edited manuscript of Wolf’s Search is awaiting my review, so that comes before I start writing again. The cover for Wolf’s Search is being designed. All the little steps that go into a new book…
June 5, 2019
The Mystery of the Stealth Bean Nipper
Un-nipped, Recovering, Nipped
Our beans have delighted us by sprouting and putting out their first sets of leaves. However, now some mysterious creature has been nipping off the new leaves. I immediately suspected PF, our resident rabbit, but Jim assured me that the fence was intact.
Nonetheless, when the depredations continued, Jim went out and—at great risk of exacerbating his allergies—ventured behind the massive juniper at the southwestern edge of our yard. There he discovered that the wind had knocked several boards just loose enough that an intrepid rabbit could squeeze through.
The fence slats have been nailed back into place. As an added precaution, we’ve covered some of the bean rows with tunnels made from scraps of hardware cloth or chicken wire.
We’re especially protective of a rare variety of tepary bean we were gifted by fellow gardening enthusiast Ursula Vernon. (You may know her by her other identity, that of an award-winner writer and artist). Ursula supports Native Seed Search but, living as she does in the hot, warm, wet South, she could not use the Pima Beige and Brown tepary beans they sent her as a thank you. Being devoted to saving of heirloom varieties, Ursula sent the seeds to us. We’ve been eager to see if we can get this particular variety to thrive in New Mexico.
We’re hoping that the nipped-upon plants make a comeback. The interesting thing we’ve discovered about beans is that some varieties, even when clipped back to little more than where the first leaves formed, are capable of leafing out again. When you think about it, such versatility makes sense, especially for plants like tepary beans, which originated in desert regions where anything green screams “Salad!”
Now that we’ve fixed the fence and given the baby plants armor, we’re eagerly watching to see what happens next.
Next mystery: Figuring out what creature has been making those perfectly round holes along the soaker hose. I suspect Skinny the Thrasher, myself. His long and curving beak would be the ideal tool…
May 31, 2019
The Many Elements of Civilization
Persephone Wonders How Firebirds Taste
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, 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 I love hearing what you’re reading!
Recently Completed:
In the Forests of Serre by Patricia A. McKillip. Re-read. Lovely lush prose.
In Progress:
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. Moving into a focus on arts and letters. Having covered painting, sculpture, architecture, education, philosophy, poetry, we’re now just about done with drama. I’m sure I missed some topics.
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.
Also:
I’ve finished my review of the first 90,000 words of Wolf’s Soul and am making a billion teeny-tiny changes. That which does not kill the writer makes the word stronger!
May 29, 2019
Isn’t Necessarily Right
Mama Gets Ready
Despite the picture, this Wandering isn’t about birds, it’s about writing. Well, it’s about birds, too, because the birds are what started my thoughts wandering down this trail.
When I was a kid, everyone knew that animals—especially “simple” animals like the sparrows featured in these photos—were basically organic computers programmed by that mysterious force called “instinct.” Simple animals didn’t teach their young. At best the young “imprinted” and thus became organic photocopies of their parents.
Turns out, what everyone knows isn’t necessarily right. Even sparrows—like the delightful family Jim photographed on our bird block—teach their children. How well in this case is an interesting question, since bird blocks aren’t exactly natural, but we watched for quite a long while as Mama Sparrow taught her kids to feed themselves.
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Isn’t That Delicious?
I hope those lessons will extend to encouraging them to sample the plants we have growing in the backyard, many of which we let go to seed to provide food for the birds.
It turns out that “bird brained” birds aren’t the only animals who teach or at least learn by example. I’ve seen many guinea pigs teaching their young what is and isn’t safe to eat. Even when they’re not related, younger ones will look to their seniors for guidance. This can cause a few unintentional ripples down the chain. We’ve had a couple very dietarily opinionated guinea pigs convince their associates that something perfectly fine—even beneficial for guinea pigs—is “yucky.” Currently, it’s carrots. Sigh…
Many types of wild canines not only teach their young to hunt, they take advantage of their ability to regurgitate at will to carry back live prey—small rodents are a favorite choice—so the kids can practice in the safely of the home.
Nonetheless, despite ample evidence to the contrary, humans continue to superimpose their preconceived notions on animals, rather than viewing the animals as distinct individuals. Not all cats cold-shoulder their humans when they’ve been away. Mine tend to follow me around, apparently to make sure I won’t do it again. But who knows? Maybe they’re more like teenagers hiding the pizza boxes and beer bottles so their parents won’t know they’ve had a party.
My friend (and fellow writer) Walter Jon Williams once pointed out to me a minor error in one of my novels. I sighed and said, “Well, I guess that makes this an alternate history, then.” He laughed and very kindly replied, “It’s not what you know you don’t know that’ll get you; it’s what you don’t know you don’t know that gets you every time.”
That’s a good piece of advice to remember when writing. Next time you start writing a standoffish cat or an eager-to-please dog or a faithful steed or a stupid cow or… Well, you get the idea. Next time you start to write what everyone knows, take a closer look. It’s highly likely that what everyone knows isn’t actually true.
Now that I think about it, that’s good advice for life as well.
May 24, 2019
FF: Sunrise and Doorways
Kel’s House of Many Ways
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, 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.
I look forward to seeing what you are reading!
Recently Completed:
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones. This is sort of a sequel to her Howl’s Moving Castle, although the main focus is a young woman named Charmaine.
Chasing Sunrise by Emily Mah. My sort of vampire novel. Larissa doesn’t want to be a vampire, and does everything she can to resist. Much more would be a spoiler. I read this as an ARC. The paperback is available, the e-book will be a June release.
In Progress:
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. Finished the tour and looking at major historical events and figures in more detail. Currently just starting Pericles.
In the Forests of Serreby Patricia A. McKillip. Re-read. I haven’t read this one for so long it’s practically a new read!
Also:
Still reviewing the 90,000+ word manuscript of Wolf’s Soul to refresh myself on details before I write the conclusion.
May 22, 2019
Storyteller, Not Only Writer
Past Adventures In The Court Of The Faceless Tyrant
People—especially other writers —often ask me why I run a roleplaying game (and have been for many years) when prep for the game takes up some of my writing time. Last Sunday’s game demonstrated one reason. I’m still grinning at the memory as I type this.
Sunday night I sprang a plot twist on my players. It was terrific watching eyes widen as, one by one, people caught the implications of what was unfolding.
Dominique, the unwitting foil for my revelation, did a brilliant job of playing her part as Persephone who, daring to hope for a very special Midwinter gift from her long-time crush, instead realizes that he’s proposing to her – in the form of inviting her to join a conspiracy.
I had no idea what Dominique/Persephone would do or say. Being ready to react appropriately was definitely an adrenaline high. She gave me a lot to work with. After everyone left, Jim said he half-expected Dominique to really burst into tears. It was improv theater at its best.
My fiction-writing self usually waits years to see how a novel will be received. Often, I never hear. Worse, when I do hear, most responses are not about what I wrote, but about what I didn’t write. By contrast, my game master self gets to see the response in real time.
Running my weekly game jazzes me for my daily writing, maybe because my players are such excellent collaborators. Nonetheless, I have no desire to reveal a novel until it’s done. Why? Different type of storytelling, I guess.
I often define myself as a storyteller, not a writer. I realize that’s not precisely true. I am a writer. I love the process of finding the right words to portray a character or describe a setting. I love refining these elements until they’re as close to perfect as I can get them.
My earliest stories were told aloud, mostly to my two younger sisters. Later, I daydreamed elaborate plots with only me as an audience. My current two favorite forms of storytelling are descendants of those early experiences.
Now I’m off to be my prose writer self, who has been busily scribbling all over the manuscript of Wolf’s Soul in a quest for the perfect words and cadence. Nonetheless, my oral storyteller self is already anticipating next week’s game when… Well, we’ll just need to see!
May 17, 2019
FF: Non-Standard
Keladry On The Alert For Evil
In the last week or so I’ve read a wide variety of types of fiction, confirming my strong preference for character driven plots—as long as those characters are interesting and complex. What’s fascinating is that even a “standard” plot becomes non-standard as soon as the author puts solid thought into how their protagonists will react.
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, 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.
Recently Completed:
A Gathering Evil by Michael A. Stackpole. Dark Conspiracy game setting published by GDW. Uses the amnesiac protagonist very well to introduce a complex setting. Sly situational humor enlivens a serious action/adventure plot.
Evil Ascending by Micheal A. Stackpole. Three different POV’s in this one. I liked each one, but preferred the tighter focus.
Evil Triumphant by Michael A. Stackpole. Even more split POV in this one, and much, much more military hardware lovingly described. Not really as much my thing, but I thought it had a nice twist at the end.
In Progress:
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. Touring the various city states. Just finished Syracuse.
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones. Wanted a complete shift of story…
Also:
I’m re-reading the 90,000+ word manuscript of Wolf’s Soul to refresh myself on details before I write the conclusion.
May 15, 2019
Skinny Has Friends!
Skinny Shares Lunch With A Friend
Our co-resident Skinny the thrasher has been expanding his social circle! As I told you in a Wandering about a month ago, we first met Skinny when he was using our bird block as a source of food during his struggle to survive after being orphaned. He has since claimed our yard as his territory. Until this spring, Skinny didn’t seem to have many friends, but now things are changing.
Last week, we saw Skinny not only sharing “his” bird block with another thrasher, but actively feeding it. We think, but aren’t certain, that Skinny’s friend is a juvenile. However, some courting behaviors mimic parent/child behaviors. Our guess is based on how, in the photos Jim took, the bird being fed seems to have a shorter, less curved beak, which is one of the few ways young thrashers differ from fully mature. If so, then Skinny may have a family. Adult thrashers take turns minding the nest and the young, which might explain why we haven’t seen two adults foraging together the way we did the two thrashers we assume were Skinny’s parents.
Skinny has also come to something of an agreement with P.F., the cottontail who likes to hop up on the bird block and stuff himself. Possibly because an earlier incarnation saved his life, Skinny considers the bird block “his.” Although he has never seemed to mind sharing it with the sparrows, finches, quail, and doves, he was not happy to have this large, furry creature plop himself on top and munch away.
However, last week, Jim got pictures of P.F. and Skinny sharing the bird block. This doesn’t mean they don’t still compete from time to time. We’ve seen Skinny sneak up on P.F. and poke him right on his fuzzy rump. And we’ve seen P.F. launch himself for the top of the block, never mind who else is there. All in all, Skinny seems the more territorial, while P.F. is simply opportunist.
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Skinny and P.F. Have A Lunch Date
Our toads are also back, and our teeny-tiny pond is once again hosting both nightly singalongs and copious quantities of tadpoles. We saw one of last year’s tadpoles perched on the edge of the pond, contemplating whether he could manage to leap down into the water. Hey, four inches is a long way when you’re only about half an inch tall!
Wolf’s Search is now off to the copy editor, and I’m reviewing Wolf’s Soul before moving along to writing the conclusion. Time to curl up with a stack of paper and a red pencil or three. Catch you later!
