R.S.A. Garcia's Blog, page 22
May 6, 2014
Game of Thrones – Via Text
Okay, so seriously, this is the funniest damn Game of Thrones recap ever.
If you haven’t seen last Sunday’s episode, or you aren’t watching the current season…PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TURN BACK NOW!!!!
Excuse me while I go re-read this and laugh my head off again.
Tagged: Game of Thrones, GOT, recaps, The Simpsons
May 5, 2014
Will Self Thinks Novels Are Dead. Do I Disagree? Sort Of.
This is going to be long, but I promise, it’s just the thoughts I had while reading an essay, not a rant against anyone in particular, and no animals have been harmed in the writing of this.
Yes, your vocabulary and patience might be exhausted by the time you get to the end of this lengthy and mournful tome masquerading as an essay that was really a speech. (I warn you, read at your own peril if you’re distracted. I was cooking–it took me half an hour.) And I can’t really say that I’ve read anything of his before this. But he’s clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the death (as he calls it) of the novel as an artform, and he’s done his best to talk about it in an intelligent way.
I even agree with some of his lesser points. There’s no doubt there’s a push-back in American society against the ‘elitism’ of the intelligentsia. It’s a global problem, as far as I’m concerned. The internet has led to people assuming that a passionately held opinion is the same thing as a fact. This disregard for logic and unbiased investigation has led to information chaos. (Just look up all the wackadoo theories on everything from 9/11 to Donald Sterling if you don’t believe me.)
But Self has a personal ax to grind. He believes that a whole host of factors have contributed to the death of the great literary novel a la Hemingway and Faulkner and that those who still pursue this goal probably have nothing to look forward to but a teaching career to birth–as he puts it–’stillborn’ novels. Things that will never sell in the current climate of virginal BDSM and sparkling vampires.
My problem is not that I don’t believe the novel as he characterizes it is dead. By his definition, it probably is–and besides, other worthy individuals have already held forth on that topic. My problem is I think this long speech/essay is completely wrong-headed because Self equates the changing delivery of the real artform–storytelling–with the death of the literary novel.
It’s no surprise to me that Self views the upheavals in publishing and the wider society with a certain amount of resigned trepidation. Most of us are doing the same right now. But the literary novel isn’t some sort of precious baby that cannot become something different and still retain value. (And in any case, the novels he refers to have always been read and appreciated by a select group–no change there.)
No, what surprises me is that he dances around the real problem I suspect he has with the ‘death’ of the novel, and the change in society’s response to the printed word. What is really being mourned for here is the loss of the literary novel’s previous (and wholly self-conferred) status as the standard bearer for all that is good and right in the world of publishing. What gets his goat is that he thinks no one is appreciating all the years of hard work and academic study an author who aspires to write the Great American Novel has put in. That this special, special baby is above and beyond the actual artform–storytelling–that readers have recently begun to devour in unheard of numbers in all formats, film and television included.
He equates this with people not wanting to read ‘difficult’ books. I think modern literary writers should reassess whether we’re lazy, or whether they are simply not meeting the needs of present-day society. Genre has never been a barrier to enjoying a book that is truly great. Genre is in fact an invention of the modern publishing industry. People aren’t opposed to the literary novel because it’s so fancy and literary, or because their political views make them predisposed to ignore the difficult or any of the other straw-men Self comes up with. They are opposed to the over-abundance of boring, utterly self-absorbed novels about disconnected white men/families in a white suburban America. A reality that does not reflect the concerns of the diverse populace caught up in the constant social, political and technological upheavals of modern life.
We get it. Some people think reading about an everyperson’s journey to self-realisation and (often times) spiritual nihilism is the bomb. To each his own. But some readers want actual story. Plot. Characters they connect to and root for. Not just pretty prose full of symbolism and angst and not much else. The truth is, readers can get all that human experience, plus more, in a lot of different genres and formats. And they aren’t interested in settling for less in a world where they can find other distractions easily.
And that is a very good thing. It means that we are changing, evolving, and the artform is evolving with us. It means that the novel as we learned it and appreciated it in the past may not be dead, but like the monks that used to paint parchments for a select few, contemporary writers will either have to get with the times and find a way to connect with their audiences (sometimes through new instruments of creativity), or find another job.
If the post-modern literary novel is dead, it’s because it has run its course. And much like the advent of the printing press, something new, something better, will replace it. The important thing is not to believe that the value of all literary pursuit is inherent in the post-modern novel. The important thing is that It IS in fact the content that matters to the ordinary person. Storytelling–one of the foundations of human expression and exploration–is finding new outlets, and one format may be less popular now than others. But that does not mean it’s gone forever and with it, all quality. And if it does mean that, well, it stands to reason we’ll find a new standard bearer for quality too.
Let us remember that ‘genre’ was here first. That Beowulf was just someone writing down a great story that we’d been telling for eons. That we had the foresight to appreciate Dickens and Shakespeare in their time, even though the intelligentsia of their day told us they were not the best at what they did. In the end, what sticks with the masses IS the best, whatever your opinion of it.
In short? No, the literary novel is not dead. But if it dies, it won’t be because it was a thing of value tossed away. It will be because it deserved to. What matters is that storytelling will never die, and that you can take to the bank.
Tagged: editing, novels, publishing, Will Self, writing
May 1, 2014
Review of LEX TALIONIS at Library Thing Or Happy Birthday To Me
Just saw a new review for my book over at Library Thing.
I had no idea I was up on there until I checked my publisher’s site, so imagine my surprise when I found this great review. What I love about it the most is just that the reviewer really got the book. From the influences to what I wanted people to come away with, she really honed in on it.
It’s the kind of review all writers dream of getting. Down to the request for a sequel.
It’s a little belated, but I’m treating this one like a birthday present for moi. Thanks to the reviewer for brightening an otherwise sucky day!
Tagged: editing, Lex Talionis, Library Thing, publishing, reading, reviews, writing
April 30, 2014
Italy: Summary 2
My friend Marlene is in Italy right now. Can you say, jealous?
I just had to let you guys see the pics too. I hope I can visit these places some day. But in the meantime, my lovely friend can show you around!
Originally posted on Marlene Dotterer, Science Fiction and Fantasy Author:
Now, where were we? Oh yeah, in Florence. You need more pictures:
View of the river in Florence
Typical street in tourist section
Copy of “David”
From Florence, we drove to Siena, where the medieval horse race, Palio, is held twice a year in this plaza:
There’s also a large remnant of the original city walls and castle. Rick and I took a short walk there during a break after we first arrived. They still use it, too. There’s a restaurant/nightclub there, and they also have concerts in the amphitheater. That’s where Rick is sitting.
Siena was one of the prettiest towns we visited. Here’s a view from the castle wall:
The next day we headed to Rome, with a lunch stop in Pienza. It’s also a pretty town, but all we saw was the main tourist street. That was impressive for the fact that it was part of the…
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April 27, 2014
A Book Review!!!! *happy dance*
A new review for LEX TALIONIS! *Does the happy dance*
Originally posted on Twintype Books LLC:
So Twintype Books isn’t a book review blog…we barely keep our heads above water as it is, writing our OWN books, but every once in a while there comes a book that we really do want to share with you. Please find below, word-for-word, Kate’s Goodreads review of
Lex Talionis by R.S.A. Garcia!!!!!
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April 23, 2014
LEX TALIONIS Is Now Available for Pre-Order from Dragonwell Press
You guys! My debut novel, Lex Talionis, is available for pre-order! You can find it here: http://publishing.dragonwell.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=10016
Follow the links in the post below and please feel free to share them with friends who might be interested.
Thanks for all the support.
Originally posted on Dragonwell Publishing Blog:
“A battered young human woman’s return from the dead leads to anguished moral conflict and interplanetary political intrigue in this stunning debut.”
“Garcia’s effective manipulation of the plot shifts into a higher gear when Lex recalls her true name and history. The setting is handled in an effortless way that makes aliens and advanced technology feel commonplace. Artificial breeding, interplanetary settlement, and political rebellion are just a few of the concepts that Garcia infuses with ethical tensions and deep personal emotion in this intense and intriguing work.”
Read the full review at http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-940076-12-6
Pre-order the book at http://publishing.dragonwell.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=10016
The book is on its way to distribution and will be available on Amazon soon!
Tagged: Dragonwell Press, editing, Lex Talionis, publishing, writing
April 22, 2014
Earth Day, Science and Other Fun Things
Happy Earth Day!
And even if you don’t much care about Earth Day, I think there’s a lot to be said for a day that recognizes we don’t have this rock all to ourselves and we should be better custodians, no matter what we believe. Here are some interesting facts about Earth Day you may not have known.
Scientists are working on controlling the weather. Really guys? How about just making a cell phone that doesn’t drop when I walk into a building first? Some reliable, renewable fuel would be nice too. Oh, and a solution to all those bees dropping dead before we all DIE OF STARVATION would be welcome. But, you know. Whatever floats your boat.
If you missed the Blood Moon like I did because it insisted in being more visible somewhere else, here’s a nice time lapse photo of it.
And finally, in honour of Game of Thrones–
yes they screwed up this weekend with not admitting that THAT was a THAT, but seriously, what show are you going to watch that’s better, hmmm? What?
–have fun with a couple of interactive maps from a truly dedicated fan and HBO. Hats off to you guys for coming up with this stuff. I’ve never been interested in reading those pretty maps people put in front of their novels because I figure if I can’t follow the action from the story, the map isn’t going to save me. But these are kind of impressive for the way they capture the depth of Martin’s world.
Truly, the man has mastered the ability to make us suffer for his art.
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: Earth Day, Game of Thrones, George RR Martin, maps, weather laser
April 21, 2014
My Writing Process – Blog Hop!
I was tagged by author C.N. Lesley to partake in the My Writing Process Blog Hop!
What am I working on?
Two WIPs. One is the sequel to my soon to be released debut novel, Lex Talionis. The other is a science fantasy about political shenanigans and mythological beasties in a matriarchal society that is not Earth, tentatively titled ‘The Nightward’.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I hope it’s because I tell a rollicking good story that crosses genres and doesn’t go where you expect it to go. I like strong women, strong men and screwed up societies. I like diversity and unusual worlds. I throw that in a blender with a few other themes and press liquefy.
Why do I write what I write?
To entertain. To heal myself. To examine something that matters to me. To have fun. To grieve. To love. To get it out because I can’t NOT write it.
How does your writing process work?
Inspiration tends to sit for quite some time. Most of the stories I’m working on now started way back in high school when I filled up several notebooks with ideas. I’ve matured and the stories have too, so I take them out one at a time and just start writing. No matter how the story comes out, every one of them was written in a straight line, in the same order as the final draft (so far, at least). It can take a month to a year to get a book done. (A few hours to three days for a short, but I hardly do those.) Then I let it percolate. I take it out and do about a dozen drafts. Then I let beta readers see it. Then I edit again. Then I put it away. In between I work on other stories. Rinse and repeat.
I’m definitely a pantser, but I have made notes and written outlines before. They just go out the window once I start writing. I found them useful for getting the predictable storylines out of the way. Once I clear my mind of the obvious dreck, I can get on to doing something that might turn out to be fresh. I also use them to remember what colour someone’s eyes are, or where they were born. But I’m not much of a note taker. I keep almost all of the story in my head until it’s down on paper and then I refer back to the finished draft when I need to remember something.
Silly, I know. I have to get used to taking more notes. It will be easier lol.
And now I get to tag people! So here we go:
Have fun, guys!
April 16, 2014
Starred Review for Lex Talionis on Publishers Weekly!
This was going to be a post about the best trailers I’d seen recently, I swear.
But then I found out that Publishers Weekly had reviewed Lex Talionis.
So I thought that just might be a tiny bit more interesting that Paul Haggis’ new film.
Now excuse me while I quietly freak out.
Tagged: book reviews, editing, Lex Talionis, novel, Publishers Weekly, publishing, reviews, science fiction, writing
April 15, 2014
Opening Lines
Chuck Wendig frequently posts some of the funniest, most helpful writing blogs on the internet, and he has no problem encouraging writers to come together on his site to trash out common issues either.
Recently, he had a fun challenge about loglines and I posted my own and had loads of fun reading others. After that, he asked everyone to post the opening line of their Work In Progress (WIPs), and help each other critique them, so I jumped in again with both feet.
It got me thinking about how one size does not fit all. The short grabby first line is great, but not all stories need that or should begin that way. There’s a lot to be said for opening lines that gradually draw the reader in. After, nobody picks up a book to read one line, so why act as though that opening line is make or break? It’s the knob on a door, and you have to get people to turn it. Nothing more, nothing less.
So without further ado, and just for fun, I’m posting the opening lines from three of my novels, and you can judge for yourself if I live by my philosophy.
Do me a favour and post your opening lines in the comments too. I’d love to read them. It’s just for fun–no critiquing by anyone unless you ask!
“Death came for Michael while he slept.
He woke, gasping and trembling, from a dream of being pushed out the airlock. His fingers were cold and numb; the weight of his head on his arm had cut off his circulation. Michael sat up, wiping sweaty strands of hair off his forehead. Shifting his feet out from under him, he cursed as pain lanced up his leg.
Shit. I fell asleep. I can’t sleep. How long was I out?”
Excerpt from ‘Lex Talionis’ – Space Opera Mystery
“Princess Viyella of the Court of Hamber, Divine Spirit of the Six Queendoms and future ruler of the High Court of Dun, stuck out her tongue at her exasperated personal bodyguard.
“And if I do not choose to go?” she asked taking another backward step up the crumbling spiral stairs to the tallest, oldest tower of the High Court.
Dagen Kemp only just managed to keep his hands by his sides instead of snatching the precocious six year old over his knee and spanking her.
“Queen Elise has requested that the Princess be taken to the baths in plenty of time for the festivities this eventide. The Dowager House Mother has indicated her readiness to assist you in your preparations, so the Princess must come with me immediately.”
Excerpt from “The Hand of Gaia” – Science Fantasy
The technician screamed, the smoking stump of his hand smearing his lab coat as he held it to his chest. Through watering eyes, he looked up at the two soldiers standing over him, their faces hidden behind the wavering diamond reflection of distortion masks. The ship’s flashing emergency lights limned their black armour, turning the figure-hugging contours scarlet, then black, then scarlet again.
He could smell his own flesh cooking, and vomit scratched at the back of his throat even as pain tore his nerves to shreds. If he turned around, he knew he would see what was left of his hand lying on the floor of the corridor behind him. But there was no point in turning around. His hand was gone for good. And he was a dead man.
The one on his left lowered the massive lasrifle to his waist, still keeping it at the ready. The soldier on the right held his weapon with the business end pointed at the floor. The soldier was silent for a moment longer, apparently studying the tech, though it was hard to tell through the distortion masks.
“Are you ready to speak to me now?” he intoned, his voice flat and expressionless through the mask.”
Excerpt from “Warrior” – Science Fiction
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: Chuck Wendig, editing, first lines, Hand of Gaia, indie publishing, Lex Talionis, loglines, novels, publishing, self-publishing, traditional publishing, WIP, writing
