Ann Benjamin's Blog, page 242

Week by numbers.

1, President-elect who I do not recognize.  I have no respect for the misogynist and racist man who won the Electoral College (but not the popular vote).

It is a sad day and I think there are worse times ahead.  The optimist in me is proud Hilary won the popular vote, but the realist in me sees a terribly divided country — one that would diminish the rights of women, minorities, immigrants and the disabled.  Even from thousands of miles away, this is a difficult thing to process.

This morning I’ve started contributing funding to organizations that will fight the good fight and am desperate to see where else I can put my time and money.

He is not my president and I don’t give a fuck about ‘working together’ with people who do not uphold and support the rights of too many US citizens.

Now is the winter of our discontent.

Sunday Sentence.

In the shadows of tall buildings

Of fallen angels on the ceilings

Oily feathers in bronze and concrete

Faded colors, pieces left incomplete

The line moves slowly past the electric fence

Across the borders between continents…

In the cathedrals of New York and Rome

There is a feeling that you should just go home

And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is

In the shadows of tall buildings

The architecture is slowly peeling

Marble statues and glass dividers

Someone is watching all of the outsiders

The line moves slowly through the numbered gate

Past the mosaic of the head of state

In the shadows of tall buildings

Of open arches endlessly kneeling

Sonic landscapes echoing vistas

Someone is listening from a safe distance

The line moves slowly into a fading light

A final moment in the dead of night.

In the cathedrals of New York and Rome

There is a feeling that you should just go home

And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is.”

Jump Little Children – Cathedrals Lyrics 

I hadn’t thought about this song in a very long time and then driving back from Abu Dhabi last week it just sort of popped in my head.  It feels timely again.  I’ve highlighted the lines of the chorus, because I’ve always loved them.  As an expat, for some reason, they are exceptionally poignant.

Dreams do come true: A research trip five years in the making.

It’s been a long time since I discussed the Fates, an untitled and unpublished manuscript I wrote and completed some years ago.  In the book (and the sequel) much of the action takes place on the remote island of Socotra (I promise it makes sense and was the best fit for the novel).  In reality, Yemen is a difficult place to get to.  In fact, it might be one of the most difficult in the world (especially with a US passport).  While I am positioned well from a geographical perspective (Dubai and Socotra are less than two hours apart by plane), it’s nearly impossible to get to individually.  As compared to my current project, The Queen of England, where almost all of the action takes place in Victorian England, there simply isn’t the same amount of research and information available for Socotra.  I’ve never felt that my book was lacking because I hadn’t physically visited this island, but I’d always hoped I could make it happen.

Fortunately, there is a company here who coordinates trips to this amazing island.  While I’ve always had an eye on visiting, trips were far apart or I had to work, or y’know, Yemen is in the middle of a very difficult period in their current history.  Transiting through the main city of Sana’a (or any city on the mainland) is dangerous and irresponsible (and I’m pretty sure impossible for a single American woman).

Thus, when a trip was announced that managed to overcome all of the challenges (and skip over the mainland altogether), I had literally no excuses and could hardly believe my fortune.  So, I booked.  And I asked other friends if they wanted to join, and two friends said yes.  And I’m still not quite sure if I believe that we’re going.

Even as long-time expatriate, I sometimes can’t believe my life.  Not only am I going to one of the most remote places on the planet, I’m doing it with friends.  And it only just occurred to me that I should e-mail a Yemeni friend and ask for any advice he has.  The countdown is on for November 29th!

Next stop…

Good reviews are nice, no matter where they turn up, right?

So, I signed up for a service (Blasty) that looks out for your books and makes sure no one has them listed for free, illegally, or other ways around legitimate channels.  Blasty e-mails me now and then to tell me all the links where my books can be found.  I tend to do a bulk ‘delete’, but in the past week, I started following some of the links.  Of course, one of the links (where my book is clearly pirated) had (mainly) wonderful things to say about Room 702.  If only these were on my Amazon page!  If only hese people had paid for my novel!  Oh well, they probably wouldn’t have paid anyway, so I’ll take this as a win.

Room 702

Heather


This is an interesting book that reveals information about the different people who stay in Room 702 at the Winchester Hotel in Los Angeles Each chapter is labeled with a date and then describes what is happening in the room. One might think there would be very little story arch with these kinds of vignettes strung together, but that isn’t the case. Chalk it up to word of mouth why some of the guests are staying there, coincidence, divine intervention, it’s a small world.













Room 702

Vanessa Hale


I decided to read this book on a whim. It wasn’ t my normal book genre and it wasn’t what I expected. Each chapter added something new to the story and made me want to read.  As the end approached, every story in the book got tied together in a way and made the book enjoyable. If you’re looking for something to read, that’s not a cookie cutter book, I would definitely recommend this book.













Room 702

Carrie


This is a different sort of book as each chapter is dedicated to particular characters staying within Room 702.  You need to read a while to really get into the flow but once stories begin to link together it’s fun to read and see where it may go.













Room 702

Samantha


This book was a nice, easy read It kept my attention and I didn’t get bored. However, the hard part was keeping track of all the characters and remembering how they all connect, especially if you have to stop and start again, day after day. This book is worth the read.













Room 702

Necole Moreau


I really enjoyed this book I loved reading the stories of the different people staying in that room and the changes when they would visit again. I also liked that they all tied together at one point out another. I would love to read another year of this hotel room.













Room 702

Anita Kronowitz


Very creative book — lots of stories.













Room 702

Ana Perez-orta


I wanted to branch out on the genres I read I typically read romance, mystery, and fantasy. I could not stop reading this book once I started. Each chapter event was a story but towards the end they all start to come together. Really enjoyed this book.













Room 702

Jennifer Nelson


Very interesting book. It really makes you think about all of the different kinds of people that use a single hotel room in just one year.

Additionally, if you publish anything on the internets (including music, videos, software), and want to have a (free) service look out for you, I highly recommend Blasty.

Sunday Sentence.

There’s only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not.”

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Happy Sunday — have a great week!

Week by numbers.

While I managed to recover from a cold, I also completed a book!

200, pages that now in front of me (quite literally) that make up the Queen’s Book 2.  I have no idea how long it will take me to get through this, but I’m ready for the challenge.
1, organization I’m going to start volunteering with!  DCU Performance Group — that’s right, drum corps in the UAE.  The woman behind this is amazing and I’m going to do what I can to help form a corps in this country.
1, 3 Michelin star chef I met (and chatted with) this week.  He was very down to earth!  The food was amazing.
1, hot second I considered doing NaNoWriMo… Then realized I need to work on the Queen while the Queen and her story is still fresh in my head.  Sorry, A.U., you’re just going to have to exist in the ether for a bit longer.
November 30, the date I might go to Socotra?  Really hoping I can make this happen.  It’s been a bucket list trip for years.  Fingers crossed.  (Tries to contain excitement).
More than usual, the amount of oatmeal I’ve been eating.  Just so you know.

Gif for the weekend (Happy Halloween!):

 

Understanding My Genre: A Further Look at Gaslamp Fantasy.

The more I got into working on the Queen (and reading Steampunk), the more I realized I wasn’t a true fit for the larger genre.  Not wanting to upset potential readers, I’ve decided to market The Queen more as a gaslamp fantasy and less a steampunk novel.  In reading the definitions below, I knew I had the right genre for my book.  That isn’t to say that fan of steampunk won’t enjoy Queen Juliette’s adventures, it’s more about a correctly defined genre.

So, what is Gaslamp Fantasy? (Source).

Gaslamp Fantasy is a genre-bending sub-genre that belongs to both Fantasy and Historical Fiction and borrows tropes, themes, and even characters from Gothic fiction—the supernatural features heavily in sub-genre. Gaslamp was coined in order to separate works from the ever-growing Steampunk sub-genre because Gaslamp works are not ‘punk.’

The term was first used by Kaja Foglio to describe her comic series, Girl Genius. Sometimes called Gaslight, the term refers to lamps fueled by gas. Gaslamps have a particular ambiance—worthy of literary use and great for creating that atmosphere so important to Gothic fiction.

The first public lighting was in 1807—Gaslamp Fantasy takes place in the Regency, Edwardian, or Victorian era England (or a place with heavy British cultural influences). Gaslamps are a distinctive part of the setting because they were a relatively short-lived technology and provide a sense of nostalgia and historical authenticity. The ambiance of gaslamps is also a big part of the sub-genre’s visual appeal. There is a strong community of visual artists interested in Gaslamp Fantasy. Indeed, comics and graphic novels have a strong and defining presence within the sub-genre.

Gaslamp Fantasy Characteristics



Level of Magic, Moderate. Gaslamp Fantasy has strong associations with the supernatural, none of which are particularly inventive because the sub-genre draws so much from the conventions of other genres. However, magic does have a somewhat unique application, as compared to more traditional fantasy. The magic of the Gaslamp world is often intertwined with technology, or mechanical objects and as such must be a well developed system.
Level of Grand Ideas and Social Implications, Variable. Anytime the setting is an alternate history of some sort there is great potential for social commentary. Alternate histories allow readers to re-examine, not just historical events, but the societal and political structures that surround those events and to see them in a new light—in the case of Gaslamp Fantasy, with a bit of the magical and supernatural woven in.As always, not all authors will take advantage of its potential or, at least, of its furthest potential.
Level of Characterization, Moderate. Gaslamp Fantasy draws on several literary traditions and updates them for a modern audience. In so doing, the sub-genre will often use stock characters to populate its world, but the sub-genre also has the power to reinvent characters.
Level of Plot Complexity, Variable. There isn’t a standard plot for Gaslamp Fantasy and because the sub-genre draws from so many other traditions, the types and complexities of plots varies greatly. A plot may be a tangled web of social interactions, or a twisty-turny, page-turner uncovering clues and solving mysteries, or a historical retelling where the outcome is predetermined (or is it?).
Level of Violence, Variable. Gaslamp Fantasy crosses genre and sub-genre lines, and these other influences define the level of violence better than the term Gaslamp. For example, Gaslamp Fantasy that crosses with the Horror genre have higher levels of violence. Whereas stories in the Fantasy of Manners sub-genre have very little violence, instead focusing on wit and social intrigue.




Gaslamp Fantasy Isn’t For You If…

If you aren’t in the mood for all things British. Gaslamp is particularly associated with British history and culture—so even in an alternate history or setting, British influences are significant. So, if you’re looking for a story with a truly new, creative, and fantastical world, Gaslamp is not for you.

If you want a story about driving someone mad. Gaslighting, very similar in name to Gaslamp (a.k.a. Gaslight), is in fact a different term that means to purposefully alter a person’s environment in order to make a person believe s/he is going crazy, until s/he actually does. If you’re expecting a story about psychological tampering, this is not for you.

See more at: http://bestfantasybooks.com/gaslamp-fantasy.html#sthash.A1ImuqQA.dpuf

On the topic of patience.

So, I currently have the final draft of The Queen of England: Coronation.  And it’s complete.  Finished.  Khalas.  Yesterday, I was feeling weird about it.  After all, the (original) whole point of this year off was to produce something.  Y’know, like a book.  Which I’ve done.  And I’ve been struggling with whether or not it is ‘ready.’  As I’ve written 10+ books, I know there is a specific feeling when a book is done.  For whatever reason, The Queen is not ready to be shared with the world.  Even with lots of wonderful and supportive comments from readers.  Even with a cover.  Even with paying an editor.  I don’t have the feeling.

I was chatting with wonderful Elena, and realized (duh!): I can wait.  There is no publisher demanding the book.  To my knowledge, there is no audience demanding the book.  So, I kind of let all that sink in yesterday and woke up feeling much better about the whole situation.  As I reviewed my notebook (which includes pages of ideas to include in the series), I realized my next step is not publication, but instead editing the second book.  I have a feeling that the changes I make in the next draft of The Queen of England: Grand Tour will have a direct impact on the events of the first book.

Sure, I could make changes after publishing, but that doesn’t seem fair to me or the readers.  I want to get this right the first time.  So, as soon as I can get the 200 pages printed (damn, not having access to printers anymore), I’m going to roll up my sleeves and get to work on making the second manuscript better (believe me, this is going to take some effort).

I know Juliette is waiting, but when it’s time for her debut, I want her to move forward with the strongest possible launch.  While I wait, I may opt the manuscript in to NetGalley, but we’ll see.

For those who know me, patience is one of the adjectives I would least use to describe myself.  It feels strange.  The voice in me that loves to tick things off the to do list is frustrated, but the author voice is louder and it’s saying, clearly, it is not the time.

Here’s to waiting!

 

Sunday Sentence.

Note from the Author   This novel is a work of alternate history. Adding magic to the mix meant that events didn’t play out the way they appear in history books. Some things are entirely different, and some things are happening at different times or in different places. Figuring out where the real history might fit in is part of the fun.

Rebel Magisters (Rebel Mechanics Book 2) by Shanna Swendson

As I close in on finishing the Queen (and still lacking any motivation to actually share it with the rest of the world), I really liked this intro at the beginning of the sequel to Rebel Mechanics.  While I enjoyed the second book, it didn’t reach the highs the original novel did for me.  I’m still invested in the characters, but I thought the story moved a bit too slow.  That being said, I appreciate Ms. Swendson’s world building and would read any future books in the series.

Week by numbers.

It’s been a busy week (when is it not?).  The trip to Nepal was a great one and I would encourage everyone to visit Kathmandu.

73,843, words in the draft of the Queen.
194 (out of 232) that I am currently on in the edit.  On a bit of a side bar, I wish I had more excitement for poor Queen Juliette.  As with any time I write a book, I go from, ‘People will absolutely love this’ to ‘Why am I even bothering?’  Writing isn’t hard, it’s the entire process as a self-published author that you have to take into account.  While getting a final draft on something you’ve been working on for 2 years is an incredible accomplishment, it won’t suddnely market or launch itself, neither will it finish the other two books.
7, kilometers trek we completed in Pokhara (all uphill).  I think it’s good sometimes to push yourself past what you usually do.  Kudos to the 5 year old in our group who did it as well.
22,218, that’s how many steps I did on the same day, according to my trusty FitBit.
First, bags off.  Having never flown into DWC, I was stoked for an early arrival and seeing our bags come off first (something that has only happened to me once in my life, many years ago).  It’s the little things, people.
1, Everest flight we did and saw the tallest mountain in the world.  There’s not really a way to even fathom how tall the Himalayas are, but trust me when I say gynormous.
20, minutes, paragliding over the hills of Pokhara, which was approximately 15 minutes too long.  While doing new things is fun, thinking you’re going to barf while gliding on thermals is perhaps not the best feeling.
1, minor cold I seem to have managed to pick up.  Boo.