Jane Lindskold's Blog, page 75
May 18, 2018
FF: Past and Future Publications
Ziggy Contemplates With Starlight At Her Side
I’ve been meaning to remind you that The Long Sunset by Jack McDevitt, which I was privileged to read in advance of its official release, is now out. It’s a Priscilla Hutchinson’s novel and involves aliens past and present. A griping read, that gets pretty tense at times.
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.
What are you reading?
Recently Completed:
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle. Worth the re-read.
In Progress:
Out of the Deep I Cry by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. This one is turning into one of my favorite sort of mysteries – looking into a long past unsolved mystery, in this case combined with a current incident.
The Sacerdotal Owl and Three Other Long Tales by Michael Bishop. A not-yet released collection of three novellas. I’ve finished two, am into the third, and am greatly enjoying. As a nice tie-in, the one I’m reading now “To the Land of Snows” first appeared in an anthology edited by Jack McDevitt entitled Going Interstellar.
Also:
I was almost caught up with magazines, then new ones started coming in!
May 16, 2018
As You Wish
A Couple Newer Offerings!
This week was filled with all sorts of cool things. I’m going to share a couple of them. Then I’m going to answer a request I’ve had from a bunch of people. So, read on!
To my great pleasure and astonishment, my novel Asphodel received a terrific review from Publisher’s Weekly. Why astonishment? Because it’s never easy to have a book reviewed by PW and it’s even tougher when the book doesn’t have the backing of a major publishing house. So, I’m very excited and because I’m excited, I’m going to share the review.
If you don’t like spoilers, read the first two lines, then the last line. However, the spoilers aren’t the bad sort that give away resolutions, and one of my delights in this review is that the reviewer clearly “got” the book.
Okay… Without further delay:
“Longtime fantasist Lindskold’s beguiling puzzle throws an inventive, amnesiac heroine into a magical world with undercurrents of forgotten trauma. An unnamed narrator awakens in a tower without any sense of her identity. Seven windows looking out on a distinct landscapes provide her only entertainment. She crafts companions by tying a pillow into the shape of a rabbit and drawing a sensible, living paper doll named Muriel. With these two friends, she projects herself in disguise into the scenes outside the tower. The trio stops thieves in an urban setting, hunts for a unicorn, rides giant seahorses, and engages in a dangerous battle with nightmarish, winged cherub heads. The narrator’s lack of hunger, thirst, and fatigue allows for endless exploration and the slow discovery of the rules of her powers. The companions’ excursions increase in daring until a visit to an Egypt full of gods and magic sparks the narrator’s desire to recollect her own identity. Searching for her past, however, exposes the bleak truth of her existence in the tower. This curious blend of fanciful vignettes, real danger, and existential mystery wends a twisting, pleasurable way through the powers of imagination.” (Publisher’s Weekly)
If you’re interested in purchasing Asphodel, you can find a full list of links (as well as some other cool stuff related to the novel) here.
On the writing front, I’m now back into Wolf’s Search, the forthcoming seventh Firekeeper novel. Folks have asked me when it will be released and, for now, my answer is “When it’s ready.” That said, for a variety of reasons – including the excitement about this book and wanting to get new material in your hands sooner, rather than later – I’m likely to make this book shorter than the previous books in the series.
I also have a couple of short projects I really want to work on before the shine fades off the ideas. So there’s likely to be a lot of new Jane Lindskold fiction appearing here and there. Running with the wolves seems to have been good for all aspects of my creative life.
And now for the request… Several people mentioned having trouble finding the new Firekeeper ebooks, so (with the help of my pack member, Julie Bartel) I searched out links for you and am going to include them sorted by title. All except the Amazon link will take you to where you can purchase an epub file. Kindle, of course, requires a mobi file, so that’s what Amazon sells.
Ready?
Through Wolf’s Eyes: Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart: Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
The Dragon of Despair: Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
Wolf Captured: Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
Wolf Hunting:Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
Wolf’s Blood: Amazon/Kindle ; Barnes and Noble/Nook ; Kobo ; iTunes ; Google Play
So, there you are. I hope that you will consider purchasing these e-books and/or encouraging your friends to do so. Please remember that pirated works cost you quite a lot, at least if you enjoy an author’s work. Why? Because authors who cannot earn some or part of their living through their work end up unable to write because they’re busy teaching or selling real estate or whatever it takes to keep home and hearth together.
Also consider posting reviews to the various e-bookseller sites. This encourages the bookseller to promote the work, which in turn brings new readers to the series, which in turn hopefully makes it possible for the author to earn a living.
Now I’m off to see what Blind Seer and Firekeeper have gotten themselves up to… Good reading to you all!
May 11, 2018
Wrinkles and Doors
Cats Know All About Tessering!
Now that the new Firekeeper e-books are uploaded, writing is filling my time, but I hope to have a bit more time to read as well.
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.
What are you reading?
Recently Completed:
A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. So far I’m liking this series enough to keep going.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. This childhood favorite held up well. No. I haven’t seen the movie. I don’t tend to see movies based on books I’ve liked. My quirk!
In Progress:
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle. I remember how confusing I found parts of the final chapter. I wonder how it will re-read.
Out of the Deep I Cry by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. Just started.
Also:
Catching up on magazines. Making good progress!
May 9, 2018
New Firekeeper E-Book Editions!
New Design!
One of the projects I’ve been working on over these past many months is putting together new editions of the Firekeeper e-books. Through Wolf’s Eyes; Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart; The Dragon of Despair; Wolf Captured; Wolf Hunting, and Wolf’s Blood are all now available in new editions for both mobi and epub formats from Amazon/Kindle; Nook; Kobo; i-Tunes, and GooglePlay.
The cover art is based on the classic paintings by Julie Bell, and feature stylish, updated cover design. The interior design is also updated, including classy new chapter headings.
Each volume contains a short essay providing a peek at my behind-the-scenes choices as I wrote the Firekeeper Saga. Otherwise, changes to the text have been restricted to the most minor.
At this point, I don’t plan to produce new print editions, but most of the novels remain available in hardcover through my website bookstore.
An advantage of putting these new e-book editions together was that the task provided me with an opportunity to re-saturate myself in the Firekeeper universe, because I went over each book many times. It was a lot of fun to see how much Firekeeper and her associates changed in the course of the series. What I liked most of all was how those changes made them truer to themselves, rather than strangers to the people I started falling in love with in Through Wolf’s Eyes.
My re-immersion in the Firekeeper universe has, in turn, made me very eager to return to writing Wolf’s Search – the forthcoming seventh Firekeeper novel. I’ll talk more about that novel when I’m closer to being done, since I’ve never been very comfortable talking about a work in process. All I’ll say at this point is that Wolf’s Search takes place within a year of the events in Wolf’s Blood, and that Firekeeper and Blind Seer are two of the main characters. Anything else is between me and the muse.
Finally, for those of you who have been asking for new e-book editions of my other Tor novels, be assured that these will be forthcoming. However, I need a break from being in editorial mode. As I’ve noted elsewhere, it can really get in the way of writing.
May 4, 2018
FF: Vision Challenge!
Persphone Snags My Mag
This week I’ve been immersed in proofreading, so I haven’t had the vision to spare for as much 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.
What are you reading?
Recently Completed:
Beneath a Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire. Audiobook. Good, although setting dominates characterization and plot.
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burns. Middle grade novel. Enjoyable, although Aventurine is very ornery! Don’t expect a “sweet” read.
In Progress:
A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. This book may include an amateur detective, but it is definitely not what I’d call “cozy.” Maybe someone needs to coin a new term?
Also:
Catching up on magazines.
May 2, 2018
Visiting the Wild Spirit Pack
Welcoming Wolf
A while back, our friend Melissa Jackson suggested that we plan a road trip out to Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, New Mexico. Jim and I had been out a couple times before, but we hadn’t visited for several years, so we were eager to go. But one thing led to another, and we never quite got around to making plans.
However, as I started working on the newest Firekeeper novel (working title, Wolf’s Search), the urge to see some wolves up close and personal became very strong. I spoke with Melissa and we firmed up plans. Last weekend – in company with Rowan Derrick and Cale Mims – we made the two-plus-hour drive out from Albuquerque. (For those of you who might want to visit from out-of-town, estimate a drive of two and a half hours from the Albuquerque Airport.)
Wild Spirit has a spiffy new website that explains its mission in detail, but it can be summed up by their slogan: Wild Animals Are Not Pets. This is a message I’ve tried to share via essays prominently displayed on my website. I’m fully aware that lots of us – me included – would love to have the sort of relationship Firekeeper and Blind Seer share, but I’m also very aware that what I’m writing is Fantasy fiction, and that such relationships are more likely to end up in tragedy – and often with the wolf or wolf-dog dead.
That’s what makes going to Wild Spirit so special. The wild canines there are not expected to perform for humans. Even those on the tour trail have places where they can retreat if they don’t feel like company.
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Jessica’s Pal Flicker
The basic tour is very affordable and includes a slow ramble with a knowledgeable guide. On this trip, our guide was a relatively new volunteer named Jessica. Jessica had only been at Wild Spirit for a month and a half, but she knew every one of the many wild canines on the tour trail by name, as well as some tidbit of personal history. It was evident that the wild canines knew her, too, and considered her a friend. Several came over to say “hello” with no other incentive than a chance to greet Jessica.
All the pictures featured here were taken by my husband, Jim. He has a nifty new telephoto lens that enabled him to focus past the chain link fence, so you’re actually seeing the wolves without the impediment of the barrier.
Although every enclosure was a delight, there were a couple encounters that will stick with me for a long time. One was when we stopped to see wolf hybrid, Koda. Koda is a magnificent creature whose great size actually comes from his dog heritage, not his wolf. He was up close to the fence (which is why Jim couldn’t eliminate it from the photo) and seemed to be posing. At one point, he did something incredibly cute that caused all the humans in the group to coo “aww…” Immediately, he snarled. Apparently, Koda doesn’t like “baby talk” one bit.
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Koda: Don’t Babytalk Me!
Another encounter was more personal. Any of you who have gone to my website have seen the picture of me with a very large wolf puppy named Dakota in my lap. I’ve retained a fondness for Dakota all these years. In fact, I’ve been one of his sponsors for most of his life. I didn’t expect Dakota to remember me, but I did hope we could see him, since I hadn’t for a good many years. As Jessica brought us to the enclosure where Dakota lives with two of his childhood buddies, she said, “This is where Dakota lives. He doesn’t usually come down when I do a tour but…”
She trailed off because Dakota was making a beeline for the fence, his nostrils flared, intently sniffing. Maybe I’m just indulging in a sentimental moment, but it seemed to me that he remembered me and Jim perfectly well, and was coming over to say “Hi.” Yeah. Melt…
(I don’t have a picture of Dakota here because he was so close to the fence and so active, we couldn’t get a really good shot, but you can see him on the Wild Spirit website. He’s grown up to be a very good-looking fellow.)
At the end of the tour, as we were viewing the Nola Pack – a group of very wolf-like dogs, Wild Spirit’s director, Leyton Cougar, came wandering out with a tub of a new, very green, health food he’d been making up for some of their residents. He offered me and Jim a taste, and we took the dare. It was actually quite good – like dense scrambled eggs with a dandelion tang.
After our trail tour, we had arranged to have an “extra” – a private educational lecture. This was conducted by the Assistant Director, Crystal Castellanos, and her husband, Research and Development director, Ramon Castellanos. Crystal and Ramon told us they had a new presentation on the Canine Continuum they’d like to try, and asked if we would be their first audience. Needless to say, we were thrilled.
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Me and Leia at the Educational Talk
The focus of this talk was about the connections between different types of wild canines. We began with three of the resident New Guinea Singing Dogs, moved to the wolf/ wolf-dog, then moved to the dingo. For each part of the presentation, Crystal brought out a leashed representative. The educational encounters are “hands off” with the caveat that if the canines are interested in looking at the humans, and the humans welcome the chance connection, then this may happen.
We five humans sat in a row on the bottom of the bleachers, ears, eyes, and hearts open. We were very lucky and had a chance to get closer to our canine hosts than we had dared hope. The most out-going was Leia, the wolf-dog, who at two is still young enough that she is inclined to trust. Ramon and Crystal’s talk was very informative – even for me, who is something of a wild canine junky – which is a high recommendation, indeed. I’d happily listen to the same talk again, just to soak in more.
As you probably can tell, we had a wonderful time. Many thanks to Josh who helped me with reservations; to Tina in the gift shop, who helped us in many ways; as well as to Jessica, Leyton, Crystal, and Ramon. We’ll definitely be coming back, and we hope to encourage many of those who are reading this to visit as well.
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Come and See Us!
April 27, 2018
FF: Lots of Variety
Ziggy Contemplates Chocolate
The last week or so, I’ve been taking up a challenge offered by some fans of cozy mysteries that they as formulaic as I’d come to believe. I certainly liked those I’ve recently completed.
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.
What are you reading?
Recently Completed:
My Wicked Half Sister by E.M. Tippetts. This series is really hard to classify. The first book was more or less romance. The next couple were CSI mysteries. This one is what anime/manga would call “slice of life.” Suffice to say, I’ve enjoyed them all.
The Easter Egg Murders by Patricia Smith Wood. Loosely based on an actual murder here in New Mexico.
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. A WW reader recommendation. Good characterization and setting.
In Progress:
Beneath a Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire. Audiobook. Just started.
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burns. Middle grade novel. A WW reader recommendation!
Also:
After watching the anime of Card Captor Sakura for the first time, I had a desire to re-read the manga. Interesting to see the changes made between the storylines. Unlike most of the time when such happens, I had no clear preference. I’m curious which storyline the new Card Captor Sakura (“Clear Card”) will follow.
April 25, 2018
Zoos: Changing Faces
Tiny Teacher
I’ve almost always lived near a good zoo. I grew up in Washington, D.C. which hosts the National Zoo. My dad took us there frequently when we were small. These were the days when you were still encouraged to feed the elephants peanuts, so my first memories of those magnificent creatures includes looking up into questing trunks while my feet crunched on peanut shells. We also always made a point to go visit Smokey the Bear. My dad would hoot at the howler monkeys and they would hoot back at him.
For the longest time, I treasured a memory of patting a white tiger kitten that had been let run around in an enclosure that was little more than a chain-link fence surrounding a grassy area. I squeezed through the towering adults, hunkered down, and pushed my hand through to pat the big kitten.
As I grew older, I decided that I had probably imagined that incident. Then, when I was a freshman at Fordham University, I went to the Bronx Zoo, which was an easy walk from campus. There, in the building that housed the big cats, I read on a sign how the magnificent white tiger lounging on the other side of the bars had been born at that National Zoo at just the right time to match my memory.
What do you know? I probably did pat that tiger.
As much as I treasure those memories, one of the things I am happiest about zoos is how I’ve seen them change. When I was a child, many animals were kept in iron-barred, concrete-floored cages. The exception to this were hoof stock. They at least had dirt-surfaced or grassy holding areas.
The change started when I was a kid. Signs began to include the little antelope head emblem that indicated an endangered or threatened species. Holding areas began to include toys or play areas. The message that the older style “zoological garden” had sent was “Here are animals for you to look at, just as you might go to a flower garden to look at flowers.” Now the message was, “Here are rare creatures. Treasure them. They might not be around much longer.”
Change was a slow process and one that didn’t happen overnight. My first visit to the Bronx Zoo was definitely a mixed experience. While I delighted in finding my childhood dream had been a childhood reality, I also teared up when I saw that many of the big cats were being held in cages of the sort that had long vanished from the National Zoo. However, during my eight years in the area (I stayed for graduate school), I saw exhibits change. By the time I left, the concrete-floored cages were either empty – their occupants moved to much nicer areas – or the cages were being used to house much smaller creatures. Enclosures had also been adapted so that vertical as well as horizontal space was useable.
Jim tells me that the Rio Grande Zoo – now part of the Albuquerque BioPark – has undergone a similar transformation during the years he’s been going there. I’ve certainly seen changes during my twenty or so years as a visitor. Many of the larger animals are housed in exhibits that are lower than the walkway, giving the animal room and privacy, freeing them from being encased within four walls and a ceiling. Even those animals that live in more traditional “cages” often have access to more than one exhibit area. Best of all, they can take themselves off exhibit if necessary.
I’ve heard some older people complain about how these changes make it harder for “the kids” to see the animals. Funny, but I don’t see “the kids” doing much complaining. In fact, they seem delighted with the need to search for the animals. What used to be a shuffle from cage to cage is now closer to a treasure hunt.
During our visit to the building that housed reptiles and amphibians, we were right behind a trio of energetic kids – probably eight or nine years old. They paused at every exhibit, no matter how small, searching for the snake or lizard or turtle or frog. Every discovery was crowed over, the cleverness of the creature’s natural camouflage a never-ending delight. Often they paused to read the sign, exclaiming over what the creature ate or some other neat fact.
There’s also a greater emphasis on preservation and breeding programs. No longer are we just warned that a creature is endangered, we’re given a chance to be part of saving that species. Recently, the Albuquerque BioPark has hosted events encouraging responsible purchasing, recycling, providing education about renewable resources, and similar topics.
In addition to giving humans a chance to see living representatives of exotic animals (as opposed to the taxidermy displays that were common in museums when I was young), zoos also provide homes for representatives of the local ecosystem. On our last visit, Jim and I had a very nice visit with a Western screech owl who – because of a damaged eye that meant she couldn’t be safely released into the wild – is now a member of the education staff. Several avian exhibits housed injured roadrunners along with the more exotic birds. On another visit, we met the education team’s porcupine.
Zoos are no longer gardens for viewing animals; they’re places that seek to educate humans about the vast biosphere in which we live. It’s a change I really enjoy, and one reason that – even though I usually don’t have time to visit the zoo more than a couple times a year – I have a membership that costs me more than the price of admission would. It’s my way of saying I appreciate what they’re trying to do.
April 20, 2018
FF: Appreciated Your Suggestions
This Looks Interesting…
Thanks for the suggestions last week. I have a list!
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.
What are you reading?
Recently Completed:
Implanted by Lauren Teffeau. ARC of a forthcoming August release. Cyberpunk where the cyber isn’t just window-dressing but it integral to an increasingly complex plot.
The Skyliners by Louis L’amour.
In Progress:
My Wicked Half Sister by E.M. Tippetts. This series is really hard to classify. The first book was more or less romance. The next couple were CSI mysteries. This one is what anime/manga would call “slice of life.” Suffice to say, I’ve enjoyed them all.
The Easter Egg Murders by Patricia Smith Wood. I usually shy from “cozys” with cute titles, but I know the author and she has lots of grit so I’m giving her first a try.
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julie Spencer Fleming. Audiobook. A WW reader recommendation. So far good characterization and setting.
Also:
I’ve been re-reading one of my favorite manga before bed. Gives me really odd dreams.
April 18, 2018
Pruning Your Words
Asphodel Within a Tangle
Imagine me, sitting behind a table with my books spread out before me. A lady with a pleasant smile comes up and starts examining the wide variety of offerings.
NICE LADY: “So when you write a book” – she is holding a copy of Asphodel – “do you plan it all out in advance?”
ME: “Not really. I start with an impulse or idea – in this case, the idea of someone waking up in a tower and not knowing why she is there – and then I go on the adventure with my characters. I’d get bored if I knew everything that was going to happen in advance.”
NICE LADY: “So, that means you don’t really plot?”
ME: “Oh, I definitely plot. I simply plot as I’m writing, and then afterwards.”
NICE LADY: “Afterwards?”
ME: “That’s right. After I’ve finished the story, I know what it’s about, so I can cut away the bits and pieces that don’t serve the story. It’s like pruning a tree or shrub or even a tangle of vines. Getting rid of extra material makes what’s left stronger.”
NICE LADY: “Oh… Don’t you feel that wastes your time?”
ME: “Not at all. Even those writers who outline in advance find that they need to do some shaping and trimming when they’re done. It’s just a question of when you do the pruning. In my case, I do most of it after I’ve written the full piece, not before.”
NICE LADY: “I’d think that plotting as you write would be confusing. How do you keep track of who’s doing what and where?”
ME: “In my case, I do what I call reverse outlining.
“This helps me keep track of who is doing what where and even when. I talk about my technique both on my blog and in one of the essays in my book on writing: Wanderings on Writing.”
NICE LADY: “Thanks! I’ll definitely keep what you’re saying in mind. I thought I had to know everything about my book and characters before I started. This is a relief.”
ME: “Glad to help. Just remember, it’s okay to explore as you write but, at some point, you will need to free your plot from the tangle. Otherwise, the story you’re trying to tell will end up strangled.”
