Kate Elliott's Blog, page 31

Pregnancy & Childbirth in SFF

Over at Tor.com, Kate Nepveu has written an interesting post about depictions of pregnancy and childbirth in sff.

 

I'm not great at coming up with examples on the fly (it takes me a while to sort through the bookshelves of my mind), but if you have examples either from work you've read or work you've yourself written, please go over there (or mention here and I'll post it there) about sff that has non cliched or unusual depictions of pregnancy and/or childbirth and which don't rely on the same few common tropes.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

Cat & Andevai as My Little Pony fictional characters

Over at Cold Moon Violet Books, Cat and Andevai as My Little Pony fictional characters. You know you want to go look.

 

I had not until today realized the great gaping chasm in my life because of the lack of MLPonies versions of all my main characters.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

The Big Idea on John Scalzi's Whatever blog

To read my post on "The Big Idea" that led to Cold Fire, go to John Scalzi's always excellent Whatever blog.

 

A brief excerpt:

You know how teenagers are: Always coming to their mom and saying, "MOM! We're making up a world with our FRIENDS! Want to WORLD BUILD with us?"

 

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

Ask Questions Here

Periodically I like to open up a post specifically to invite people to ask me questions. They can be about anything, really, although I don't guarantee to answer a question if I absolutely don't want to . . .

I tend to answer the questions each in a separate post (as I tend to be long-winded).

Questions about the books, about characters, about writing, about outrigger canoe paddling, and so on are all welcome.

If you ask a question which could be construed to have spoilers, go ahead and ask, just FLAG it please for those readers who might prefer to avoid spoilers, forex (doesn't need to follow this exact pattern):

My question (with SPOILERS) is about something that happens in Cold Fire (etc).

 

Finally, I hope to post a short review of Sherwood Smith's duology Coronets & Steel, and Blood Spirits, this week, as well as an (overdue) installment of my Avatar: The Last Airbender watch. Next up is episode 7, I think. And I am thinking of running a contest as well because I got a box of books in.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

Today's report

Today I wrote about 2700 words on COLD STEEL. Not much detail to report although I'm not quite to the scene I'm desperately scrabbling toward. I hate that bit where you keep writing toward a specific moment and yet can't quite get there, while meanwhile knowing that you'll be cutting and revising most of the words you're slapping down. But I don't mean to complain: It's moving forward.

I also heard last week that the Orbit UK division is reprinting COLD FIRE, so thanks to all you lot in the UK, Australia, NZ, and other points where that edition is sold. You are awesome!

Some people have asked if there will be a fourth Spiritwalker book or other novels set in this universe, but that will naturally depend on sales. Sales depend, of course, on people wanting to read a book and knowing that the book is out there.

Speaking of which, there are a couple of new books out I want to enthusiastically mention.

Michelle Sagara's CAST IN RUIN is out, the next in her Chronicles of Elantra series. I love how these books are both similar to and quite different from her Hunter's Universe books (which is what I call them, since the sequence starts with HUNTER'S OATH).

David Anthony Durham completes his Acacia Trilogy with THE SACRED BAND, released today. This is a fine epic fantasy story with heft, depth, and powerful characterizations.

Not quite out yet but arriving at the end of the month is Madeleine Robins' THE SLEEPING PARTNER, the next in her alternate Regency England mystery series featuring Sarah Tolerance. I gulped this down in three evenings while on the road. A really engaging style, a compelling plot, and I adore Miss Tolerance.

N.K. Jemisin's KINGDOM OF GODS is evidently shipping now although not officially due until later in the month. I read this as a beta reader, and I just want to say that it is a provocative choice of point of view character, which she totally pulls off. Another final volume in a trilogy. I expect this to be on many awards ballots next year.

ETA: Another trilogy finale! On Oct 18, Laura Anne Gilman's THE SHATTERED VINE closes up The Vineart War. I haven't read book 3 yet, but this is an unusual and powerfully drawn world with lots of interest to say about power, faith, and — of course — wine.

It's late, and I'm missing a couple of titles I wanted to mention, but I'll catch up with them later. Or you can tell me about what you're reading right now that's caught your interest.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

News & Appearances (San Diego)

First, a question: How many of you subscribe to author (email or online) newsletters? Do you like them? Think they're useful? Have other thoughts on them? If you're a writer who has one, how is it working for you?

News

1) The bonus chapter for COLD FIRE is available on the Extras page on this site (on my WordPress site, for those reading this on livejournal).

2) I will be attending World Fantasy Convention in San Diego October 27 – 30 this year.

Additionally, I will be part of the Open House (signing) at Mysterious Galaxy Books (San Diego) on Wednesday 26 October from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. You do not have to be a member of the convention to attend. I will have paper-pamphlet copies of the bonus chapter at that event AND at WFC, which I am more than willing to sign and hand over to you.

IF you don't live in the area or can't attend, AND you want a signed copy of COLD FIRE (with the bonus chapter included) OR any of my other books, for that matter, I believe you can preorder such a thing through Mysterious Galaxy and they'll have me sign it there.

Because I'll be at WFC, I can sign books in the dealers' room there as well, so you could theoretically contact Borderlands Books or Larry Smith, Bookseller with the same request. They both do mail order.

3) I am working on COLD STEEL. It's been an extremely difficult book to write, but I am pressing forward in my stubborn way although not without a fair degree of whining to certain of my compatriots who are patient enough to listen.

4) I'm actually fairly close to being done with the Rory short story. Keep bugging me about it. That helps. Or at least it makes me feel even more guilty than I usually do. If I get a reading slot at WFC, I will consider debuting the story there.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

ATLA: S1 Eps 5 & 6: The King of Omashu & Imprisoned

It's late, I have some urgent chores to attend to, and I don't have much to say about these two episodes as I think they are fairly weak.

As I wrote in my ATLA notebook as I watched Ep 5, "This ep is not working as well for me."

As Aang, Katara, and Sokka (and Momo) enter the city of Omashu (where not that much plot-wise actually happens) I reflect on the apparent lack of women in the city, which makes me note that the adult women in Katara and Sokka's home village seemed to have the function of the "mom at home" — that is, her job is to send out the actual active people to have adventures while she remains behind.

Except for Katara's conversation with her grandmother, I don't think this show has passed the Bechdel Test so far.

I know that this is supposed to get better in seasons 2 and 3, but I can't help notice here and in so many other film and tv venues the lack of adult female role models for boys and girls alike. It's as if GIRLS can now have adventures, but older women remain invisible?

In fact, in ep 6, Imprisoned, there is indeed a Mom-at-Home character who implores her rebellious son to "be quiet" and "don't talk like that." Eh. I understand her function in the plot, but, eh.

However, this is a more interesting episode if fairly predictable. It's quite tightly plotted, and works as a standalone episode within the larger plot. The faked earthbending is amusing. Katara gets to make a great speech to the prisoners who have lost hope, and we see played out an interesting expression of resistance versus "you-can't-win-this-fight" endurance. There are a few earthbending women seen in the background.

Best of all, Zuko gets Katara's mother's necklace. Can't wait to see what comes of that!

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

Extras in the Spiritwalker world of Cold Fire

In the USA/North American region, September 26 is the official release day for COLD FIRE, Spiritwalker 2. The print version has been available for about twelve days, but the ebook versions are just being released now as the clock ticks over in the various time zones. (The UK/Aus/NZ version has been out in both print and ebook form since 1 September.)

I have written a bonus chapter for COLD FIRE which takes place during the course of the book but which is not in the published version because the chapter is not written from Cat's point of view (she otherwise narrates the entire story) and because it contains explicit sexual content. In fact, I believe I have never written any sex scene as explicit as this one is. One might go so far as to call it smut in some circles. And I totally own that.

I wrote it for no other reason than that it wanted to be written. Because it belongs in this story and no where else (it is not a standalone short story nor will it have any emotional resonance for a reader who is not familiar with the narrative and characters), I offer it online for those who are interested.

For those who choose to read it: Enjoy!

Updated to add: I do have pamphlet style paper copies of the chapter, some of which I signed and gave to people who bought copies of the book at the Powells signing on Sept 20 (and who preordered the book from Powells before the signing). I still have a number of the paper pamphlets, and I will be signing them in person for people — my next signing will be at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego on Wednesday 26 October during their pre-World Fantasy Convention Open House at the store (open to all!) from 6:30 – 8:30pm. I will also sign some copies for booksellers in the WFC dealers room, and I will post afterward which dealers may have copies of COLD FIRE signed and with the bonus pamphlet.

 

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

The short story featuring Rory: Update

Back when COLD MAGIC was a contestant in DABWAHA, an astonishingly fabulous book tournament held at the same time as March Madness (NCAA basketball tournament), I pledged in the second round (I believe) to write a short story about the character Rory should I win.

I won that round (and one or two others before my inevitable defeat to an opponent with a better inside game and stronger dribbling).

I did begin the story, since I knew when it had to take place. But revisions for COLD FIRE took precedence, and my natural disinclination to write short distracted me away, and then my continuing efforts with COLD STEEL made me feel that I must write COLD STEEL rather than work on anything else even if COLD STEEL was not going well.

I just never seem to learn that if one project is going poorly, it really is okay, and even makes sense, to work on something else just to keep the writing flow going.

Water under the bridge.

Yesterday when I mentioned on Twitter that it would likely be easier for me to finish the story if I had a hard deadline, N.K. Jemisin said she wanted the story tomorrow, which means today. Then my daughter solved the last niggling plot problem that remains.

I wrote 1000 words today to bring it up to 5000 words and have a precise outline of what happens in the rest of the story, which should run perhaps 2500 more words. My goal is to finish the first draft by Monday evening, although since I'm traveling that may be problematic. But that's my goal. And I feel that I'm closing in. So if you actually want the story — which I hasten to assure you has no redeeming social value whatsoever — feel free to encourage me. Because I do not find short story writing easy or natural.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.

ATLA: S1 Ep4: The Warriors of Kyoshi

Last week I meant to discuss Episode 4, The Warriors of Kyoshi, at the same time as Ep3, but I found I had enough to write about Ep3 that I left Ep4 until this week. Which is a good thing, because I really adore this episode for three reasons and so have a lot to say about it.

A quick precis: Our heroes arrive on Kyoshi where Aang shows off for Katara to impress her and almost become a snack for a large sea creature (as yet unseen). They are captured by warriors who are, as it happens, girls–in part, one suspects, because an earlier Avatar came from Kyoshi and she was a woman. Sokka makes an ass of himself by predictably figuring he can beat them just because they are girls. Prince Zuko gets wind of where they are and attacks the village, and Aang has to deal with his guilt about how by sheltering him, the village suffered, just as anyone who aids him in times to come will be vulnerable to attack by the Fire Nation.

"Look what I brought to this place," he says. I predict this thematic material will be delved into further as we move into the series. One might call it, the price of doing the right thing or the price of speaking up or the price of standing up. I need to note that Kyoshi had, before this, stayed out of the war and that, furthermore, no one seems to have any bending power at all, which means they have no special powers to deploy against the Fire Nation.

Rhi commented: "The uncle makes the angsty teen boy much more bearable." There can never be enough Iroh love.

First: I adore the animation in this episode. The unagi (the giant eel) is gorgeous.

I would like to note the classic three part structure of the unagi's plot. In its first appearance it does not appear but menaces from beneath the waves, while all you see is its fin. In its second appearance it rises out of the water quite gloriously, but threatens our hero. In its third appearance, our hero has figured out how to use it to drive away the ships of the Fire Nation.

I also love the look and clothing of the young women. Which brings me to my second point.

Second: Yes, of course, I am a sucker for Suki and the girls in this episode. Not the younger ones who giggle over Aang; that's cute and no doubt germane to the larger plot arc of Aang, but as I have said before, at the moment I'm not hugely invested in Aang's plot arc in a personal way. I don't dislike him–far from it–but he's not the character who interests me most although I'm perfectly happy to see that change in the future.

The message might be said to be a bit heavy handed in this episode–channeled through Sokka–but honestly, I do not think the message that girls can do things is one we need to worry about overemphasizing given that there remains so much sexism in the world and in the USA.

The warriors who ambush Aang, Katara, and Sokka are just, in Sokka's words, "a bunch of girls." To which Katara ably replies, "my brother's just an idiot sometimes."

Sokka is an idiot in this episode, as he has been sporadically in the first three. It seems to be his role, but glimpses of his other side appear at intervals by way of a slow introduction to the ongoing development I expect to see in him.

This episode is full of cheap, predictable humor mostly at Sokka's expense, and I loved it all. Of course he comes to respect the girls (and Suki). Of course Suki says to him, "I am a warrior but I'm a girl too." I might have wished they had used "and" instead of "but" since "but" suggests an opposition or reversal. Still, the important thing is that Sokka despite his stereotypical adolescent male tendencies IN FACT is a person who listens and is willing to change his mind and has a deep-seated sense of fairness and justice. Yes, these will matter later.

Three:

In order to be allowed to practice with the girls, Sokka agrees to dress as a girl. This is an unpredictably subversive message, and the writers give it a final flourish. "Girls, come quickly!" is a line directed at all of Suki's group, which at that moment includes Sokka dressed as a girl. He protests, "I'm not a –" and then he realizes it doesn't matter if he is mistaken for a girl.

It doesn't matter. For this moment alone I love this episode. That it doesn't matter to him goes so against the societal message that the worst thing that can happen to a boy is to be mistaken for or compared to a girl that I love the writers for this so very much I will watch the rest of the show no matter what. Just for that bit. Just for that bit.

Mirrored from I Make Up Worlds.