Jenn Reese's Blog, page 3
March 16, 2015
Los Angeles, Portland, and the Shape of Life
I came to Los Angeles over fifteen years ago, when I was 29. I’d returned home from Clarion, gotten a divorce, and fled west with nothing but my car, my cat, and a desire for change. I certainly found it.
Life in Los Angeles was the opposite of my life in Maryland, where I’d felt stuck and uncertain and kind of empty. I started studying martial arts and one of the first things I learned was the phrase “Ride the wind.” This is the ability to stay open to possibilities and opportunities, so that when something presents itself, you can take advantage of it.
This became my modus operandi in LA: Ride the wind. Stay nimble. Be ready to go anywhere, to do anything. I had the phrase etched on a necklace and wore it all the time.
I changed jobs and moved a lot. I tried new things. I learned. I made friends and jumped for ledges and missed sometimes and climbed back up and jumped again. Oh, I made so many mistakes! At one point they almost overwhelmed me. But my friends were there, in person and online, and I survived.
Los Angeles has been an adventure, an epic quest where instead of searching for a magic sword, I’ve searching for myself.
I recently watched the documentary Objectified about industrial design, a subject I love. At the beginning, they talked about how “form” evolves from “function” – how something’s shape is determined by how it works.
That has been the story of my time here. I’ve jumped at opportunities and shaped my life around them. I’m good at that, and life has been good.
But near the end of Objectified, they bring up an interesting idea: what if “form” could dictate “function.” What does that even mean?
For me, it was the perfect metaphor for this move to Portland. I have been living a form-follows-function life, but now, finally, it was time to do the opposite. It was time to decide the shape of my life first – to really envision how I want to live – and to let function follow.
I’m moving to Portland not because I’m running from something or chasing an opportunity. I am done being reactive. I’m moving to Portland because I finally understand myself and what I want, and for possibly the first time, I want to mindfully shape my life.
Los Angeles: you are a thousand cities in one, a city of passion, a city of so many different people and dreams. I love you to pieces, but it’s time for me to move on.
March 2, 2015
Handmade Book: Matchbook Memories
Back in 1997, my BFF Sally Felt suggested we attend a week-long workshop at the Split Rock summer camp in Duluth: “Cover to Cover” taught by (the now late) Shereen LaPlantz. We were both really into paper arts at the time, and a whole week making handmade books sounded like heaven.
It was not heaven.
Shereen worked us so freakin’ hard! In one short, intense week, we made dozens and dozens of books in a variety of forms and formats, each interior page painstakingly folded, each endpaper carefully glued, each bead of sweat earned a hundred times over in the blistering heat.
One of the books we made was tiny, so tiny that you nestled it inside a matchbook. It remains one of my favorites, and I thought I’d share it with you now.
The interior text reads:
Monday we sat on the shore of Lake Superior and skipped stones as the sun set. Here are some of the survivors.
February 21, 2015
F&SF, Asimov’s, and Milestones
Chris says it best:
Many years ago, when Jenn and I started our writing careers, in different parts of the country and different lifetimes, there were two flagship magazines to which all new science fiction and fantasy writers aspired: Asimov’s Science Fiction and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Our careers took different paths through different cities, different Clarions, with different ups and downs, but recently, just within a few months of each other, we each cracked one of these illustrious markets.
So, you know, we framed it…because SQUEEEEE!
Since we’re moving soon, we’re leaving the protective corners on the frames, but I think you get the gist anyway. Milestones achieved. Now the markers have been moved, new milestones set, and the journey continues.
February 3, 2015
Upon receiving my copy of the HORIZON paperback
Padded envelopes and boxes from one’s publisher are among the best surprises to find in one’s mailbox. Today, I received the gorgeous paperback edition of Above World book 3, Horizon. (My reaction faithfully reproduced in Photobooth triptych, above.)
The front of the book looks just like the hardcover, but the back has the covers of books 1 and 2. It’s so cool to see them together like this.
The paperback will be available on March 10, 2015. W00t!
January 22, 2015
Story on PodCastle: Sea City Six
Last year my flash story “The Sea City Six: Where Are They Now?” was published in that marvelous ‘zine Flytrap. (You can read it there for free right now. ) But if you prefer to listen to your stories, I have good news:
“Sea City Six (Where Are They Now?)” is in the latest episode of PodCastle, Flash Fiction Extravaganza: Great Power, Greater Responsibilities, read by the astounding Mur Lafferty! Listen to it for free on PodCastle.com or download it to your favorite device.
This is a story about superheroes in the aftermath of a tragedy, and the different ways people deal with tragedy in general.
It’s been a really long time since I’ve had a solo work in PodCastle, and I’m so happy to be a part of this episode, one of the editors’ last before they move on to other projects.
December 31, 2014
My 2014 in Pictures
2014 wasn’t a great year for my career, but it was wonderful for everything else. I called it “the year of doing things and going places,” and that’s what I did. Here’s a small sampling of my adventures.
December 26, 2014
Freebies
This is a new addition to the website and will eventually contain free stories, miscellaneous downloadable PDFs, and computer wallpapers. For now, please enjoy this first offering.
Wallpapers
“After midnight, the moon set and I was alone with the stars”
Words spoken by that great adventurer, Amelia Earhart, who certainly understood the magic of the night sky.
Widescreen:
1920 x 1200 – 1920 x 1080 – 1440 x 900 – 1280 x 800
Standard:
1600 x 1200 – 1280 x 1024 – 1024 x 768
October 7, 2014
New T-Shirt Design: Jane Austen’s “My courage always rises”
New T-shirt design! This one is a typographic treatment of a quote from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: “My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”
–> See the “My Courage Always Rises” T-Shirt on Redbubble
I’m thrilled with how it came out. I chose a brown shirt for my sample, but it works on many other colors as well and comes in a number of different shirt styles.
A note on sizing
Redbubble uses American Apparel t-shirts. Check the sizing charts very carefully, especially if you want a “women’s” shirt and not a “unisex” one. Here’s my data:
ME
Normal size: Medium or size 10/12 in t-shirts and tops
Redbubble women’s size: 2XL (Yes, that’s right, 2XL.)
Redbubble unisex size: Small (Medium for a bit loose)
Thanks to all the folks on Facebook who helped me refine this design, and who expressed enthusiasm and support for this project. I’m having so much fun.
October 2, 2014
Story Sale to F&SF!
Guest editor C.C. Finlay has bought my 700-word flash story “How to Masquerade as Human Before the Invasion” for Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine! The story will appear next year in either the March/April or September/October issue. This is my first sale to F&SF.
A bunch of awesome friends read this piece and gave me feedback: Anne, Chris, Haddayr, Heather, Lisa, Jessie, Karen, Samantha, SarahP, and Stephanie. Thank you all — I’m so glad I listened to you!
You guys, F&SF. I can hardly believe it.
