Martha Wells's Blog, page 161
March 23, 2012
We saw Dralion last night, the touring show of Cirque du ...
We saw Dralion last night, the touring show of Cirque du Soleil! It was incredibly gorgeous, and my favorite parts were the trampoline people who walked up walls, the 18th-century-looking ghost dancers in the back when the rolling ball guy was in the center stage, the center stage aerial acts, and some of the more whack things the clowns did. There is a sequence with one of the clowns being attacked by his stomach, dying, and ascending to heaven. It was simultaneously creepy, hilarious, and WTF all at once. Also, a clown got eaten by a dragon.
The staging was not as elaborate as we'd hoped from seeing clips of the standing shows, plus the tumbling acts would have been more surprising if we hadn't seen the Beijing Acrobats last year, but it was really cool. The live music was incredible.
I got a nice surprise yesterday when someone let me know the SF/F splash page for Audible.com has a highlight on the audiobook version of The Serpent Sea. I'm not sure how long it will be there so I took a screen shot. (I don't see stuff like this with my books very often. Or at all, usually.)
links:
CBS: Rare Color Photos from the 1930s-1940s
The Rejectionist: Dear Superior Person a rant on pretty much everything that's gone on lately.
Every writer I care about, every writer I know, is better and more important and more ambitious than Jonathan Franzen, and we should all be famous, and we should all be earning a living, and we should get to live in a world that doesn't let things like the murder of Trayvon Martin happen, that doesn't let Arizona happen, that doesn't let a lot of things happen.
The staging was not as elaborate as we'd hoped from seeing clips of the standing shows, plus the tumbling acts would have been more surprising if we hadn't seen the Beijing Acrobats last year, but it was really cool. The live music was incredible.
I got a nice surprise yesterday when someone let me know the SF/F splash page for Audible.com has a highlight on the audiobook version of The Serpent Sea. I'm not sure how long it will be there so I took a screen shot. (I don't see stuff like this with my books very often. Or at all, usually.)
links:
CBS: Rare Color Photos from the 1930s-1940s
The Rejectionist: Dear Superior Person a rant on pretty much everything that's gone on lately.
Every writer I care about, every writer I know, is better and more important and more ambitious than Jonathan Franzen, and we should all be famous, and we should all be earning a living, and we should get to live in a world that doesn't let things like the murder of Trayvon Martin happen, that doesn't let Arizona happen, that doesn't let a lot of things happen.
March 22, 2012
Tweets and Links
On Twitter I posted a tweet that went mildly viral last night. It was Next time somebody tells you to "Smile!" widen your eyes, curl your upper lip and bare your front teeth. It'll nip that crap right in the bud (I fixed the typo.)
It was inspired by one of the commenters on John Scalzi's post that I linked to yesterday, who talked about a time when someone else's computer financial error caused her life to suddenly implode leaving her homeless and jobless, and the last straw was a stranger getting into her face to demand she smile. The most memorable time of the many times this happened to me was at my last full-time day job, when a young guy demanded I "Smile!" then when I didn't, he grimaced and mocked me and pointed me out to co-workers for ridicule. I wasn't smiling because my father-in-law had just died, I had been up since 4:00 am, and I was leaving work to drive to Dallas to help my husband with the funeral and other arrangements.
Anyway.
I cleaned half the things yesterday and am going to clean the other half today, so we'll be already for the con and houseguests etc. I also ended up power-washing (our power-washer doesn't actually have power, so this is really more "watering down") the front of the house and the porch, so it's all pretty now and much less covered in mud-dauber nests. The cool thing: We are going to see Cirque du Soleil tonight! I've never seen it and always wanted to and can't wait!
links:
There was a really nice review of The Cloud Roads on Calico Reaction: I haven't actually read a fantasy where the primary focus in on reptilian shape-shifters (which is the easiest way to describe the Raskura), but Wells does a wonderful job painting the picture and giving me a real sense of what it's like to be a Raskura, what it's like to confront one, and what it's like to live in a world where many groundlings fear them. Moon is a rather reluctant hero, but he's honorable as well, despite his misgivings for the story he's been thrust into. As soon as I'm able, I'll be picking up the sequel, The Serpent Seas, to see how Wells continues to develop this world, because it and the characters were just that enjoyable. Wells is an author I'll definitely pay better attention to in the future.
Escapist Magazine: The Big Picture: Not Okay a great audio commentary by Bob Chipman on sexual harassment in the gaming community.
It was inspired by one of the commenters on John Scalzi's post that I linked to yesterday, who talked about a time when someone else's computer financial error caused her life to suddenly implode leaving her homeless and jobless, and the last straw was a stranger getting into her face to demand she smile. The most memorable time of the many times this happened to me was at my last full-time day job, when a young guy demanded I "Smile!" then when I didn't, he grimaced and mocked me and pointed me out to co-workers for ridicule. I wasn't smiling because my father-in-law had just died, I had been up since 4:00 am, and I was leaving work to drive to Dallas to help my husband with the funeral and other arrangements.
Anyway.
I cleaned half the things yesterday and am going to clean the other half today, so we'll be already for the con and houseguests etc. I also ended up power-washing (our power-washer doesn't actually have power, so this is really more "watering down") the front of the house and the porch, so it's all pretty now and much less covered in mud-dauber nests. The cool thing: We are going to see Cirque du Soleil tonight! I've never seen it and always wanted to and can't wait!
links:
There was a really nice review of The Cloud Roads on Calico Reaction: I haven't actually read a fantasy where the primary focus in on reptilian shape-shifters (which is the easiest way to describe the Raskura), but Wells does a wonderful job painting the picture and giving me a real sense of what it's like to be a Raskura, what it's like to confront one, and what it's like to live in a world where many groundlings fear them. Moon is a rather reluctant hero, but he's honorable as well, despite his misgivings for the story he's been thrust into. As soon as I'm able, I'll be picking up the sequel, The Serpent Seas, to see how Wells continues to develop this world, because it and the characters were just that enjoyable. Wells is an author I'll definitely pay better attention to in the future.
Escapist Magazine: The Big Picture: Not Okay a great audio commentary by Bob Chipman on sexual harassment in the gaming community.
March 21, 2012
I feel like I've been effectively brain-dead for the past...
I feel like I've been effectively brain-dead for the past week or so. I don't know whether it's the weather or the insanely high pollen count or the fact that the weather site lists our Air Quality as "not available" (that just can't be good), but...I forgot what point I wanted to make. Anyway, I hope the revision I'm doing on The Siren Depths makes sense and is not pages and pages of "all work and no play makes Martha something something I forget what."
Anyway, we're having guests in for AggieCon this weekend so I'm looking forward to that. Maybe while I'm cleaning the house I'll find the brain-stealing monster that is obviously hiding here somewhere.
links:
Cracked.com The 5 Most Spectacular Landscapes on Earth That Murder You I like the Tsingy Forest of Spiky Death best.
John Scalzi: Reader Request Week 2012 #3: Why I'm Glad I'm Male
NYT: Life on Moors about Haworth, where the Brontes lived.
Anyway, we're having guests in for AggieCon this weekend so I'm looking forward to that. Maybe while I'm cleaning the house I'll find the brain-stealing monster that is obviously hiding here somewhere.
links:
Cracked.com The 5 Most Spectacular Landscapes on Earth That Murder You I like the Tsingy Forest of Spiky Death best.
John Scalzi: Reader Request Week 2012 #3: Why I'm Glad I'm Male
NYT: Life on Moors about Haworth, where the Brontes lived.
March 19, 2012
Kickstarter for Anthology
I have a story in this kickstarter for a fantasy anthology, along with Lynn Flewelling, Harry Connolly, Juliet McKenna, Robert Mancebo, and Julie Czerneda. The way kickstarter works, if the goal doesn't get met, the editor doesn't get the money and the book doesn't get produced. The minimum buy-in is $5.00, which gets you an ebook version of the book if the goal is met. (If the goal isn't met, you don't pay and nobody gets anything.)
Some things!YouTube: Geek and Sundry Trailers includes an...
Some things!
YouTube: Geek and Sundry Trailers includes an SF/F book club show by Sword and Laser.
This is just neat: Tree-hanging tent provides above-ground shelter
***
There is a new missing scene from The Cloud Roads on the Three Worlds Compendium. It's a scene between Jade and Stone, not long after Moon and Stone reach the colony.
***
My cons and appearances for the rest of the year:
March 23-25, 2012. AggieCon 43, in College Station, Texas.
June 9, 2012. A questions and answers talk on publishing and on SF/F at the Larry J. Ringer Public Library, 1:30pm in College Station, Texas.
June 22-24, 2012. ApolloCon, in Houston, Texas.
July 27-29, 2012. ArmadilloCon, in Austin, Texas.
August 30-September 3, 2012. ChiCon 7, the World Science Fiction Convention, in Chicago, Illinois.
YouTube: Geek and Sundry Trailers includes an SF/F book club show by Sword and Laser.
This is just neat: Tree-hanging tent provides above-ground shelter
***
There is a new missing scene from The Cloud Roads on the Three Worlds Compendium. It's a scene between Jade and Stone, not long after Moon and Stone reach the colony.
***
My cons and appearances for the rest of the year:
March 23-25, 2012. AggieCon 43, in College Station, Texas.
June 9, 2012. A questions and answers talk on publishing and on SF/F at the Larry J. Ringer Public Library, 1:30pm in College Station, Texas.
June 22-24, 2012. ApolloCon, in Houston, Texas.
July 27-29, 2012. ArmadilloCon, in Austin, Texas.
August 30-September 3, 2012. ChiCon 7, the World Science Fiction Convention, in Chicago, Illinois.
March 18, 2012
New Missing Scene on the Three Worlds Compendium
Had to go to the grocery store early this morning to get all the things I forgot when I went to the grocery store the last time. It turns out that when you're having an allergy/sinus issue that's making you sleepy and stupid, you go to the grocery store and buy things like organic lettuce and sesame chips, and not things like rice and carrots and cat litter and other things that you actually need. Let this be a lesson to all of you.
There is a new missing scene from The Cloud Roads on the Three Worlds Compendium. It's a scene between Jade and Stone, not long after Moon and Stone reach the colony. It was originally an experiment in doing some scenes from Jade's perspective, but I decided I didn't want the reader to know more about what Jade was thinking than Moon did.
There is a new missing scene from The Cloud Roads on the Three Worlds Compendium. It's a scene between Jade and Stone, not long after Moon and Stone reach the colony. It was originally an experiment in doing some scenes from Jade's perspective, but I decided I didn't want the reader to know more about what Jade was thinking than Moon did.
March 17, 2012
Wow, I haven't posted in a while. Mostly I've been worki...
Wow, I haven't posted in a while. Mostly I've been working on the yard, plus starting to do some revisions on The Siren Depths. Also, the weather has been gray and overcast, and my allergies are making me move slowly. Like a sloth.
Baby Sloth Video.
Anyway, I do have another missing scene for the Three Worlds Compendium, which hopefully I'll be posting tomorrow.
***
Couple of links:
Racialicious: O Captain, My Captain: A Look Back At Deep Space Nine's Ben Sisko Deep Space 9 was my favorite Star Trek.
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: Ryan Matheson's Personal Statement
In a two-year ordeal, a computer programmer is arrested in Ottawa and tormented and abused by Canadian police for having manga comic book images on his laptop.
Baby Sloth Video.
Anyway, I do have another missing scene for the Three Worlds Compendium, which hopefully I'll be posting tomorrow.
***
Couple of links:
Racialicious: O Captain, My Captain: A Look Back At Deep Space Nine's Ben Sisko Deep Space 9 was my favorite Star Trek.
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: Ryan Matheson's Personal Statement
In a two-year ordeal, a computer programmer is arrested in Ottawa and tormented and abused by Canadian police for having manga comic book images on his laptop.
March 13, 2012
Allergies are making me lethargic and headachey and about...
Allergies are making me lethargic and headachey and about the only thing that makes it stop is getting up and moving. So I went to the co-op and got plants. A lot of people in town must like to grow peppers, because the whole vegetable and bedding plant area smelled of jalapeno. I got squash, cilantro, curry, mint, and sage, and got them planted in the garden bed and the patio pots. I already have basil, thyme, and oregano. The patio smells like dinner.
![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380923608i/3292608.gif)
mahoni
asked: Out of curiosity, what kind of non-fiction to you like to watch/read? I am reading a book right now about Mesopotamia, which discusses "The Invention of the City", and some of the descriptions of the structures made me think of The Wheel of the Infinite. And maybe you don't necessarily read history or science books/watch documentaries for inspiration, but it did make me wonder if you're a fan of any particular kind of non-fiction.
For watching, I have a huge addiction to TV True Crime programs, especially 48 Hours which had my favorite interviewer ever Harold Dow, who died in 2010. For reading, I tend to look for ancient history, articles on old buildings, the weird stuff that the Atlas Obscura finds on the web. (They're on Twitter here.) I have a lot of National Geographic books and history books to look through for ideas. I also like "weird travel" type books, like Destination Truth by Josh Gates (modern day monster-hunting), the Ghost Hunters books, and Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps by Adam Selzer, about doing ghost tours in Chicago.
***
Season 5 of The Guild comes out on DVD today, and I wanted to recommend it. You can watch all five seasons free online and it's also available on DVD. It's about the friendships between a group of six very different people who only know each other through their online game, and how they meet in person and become friends in real life, and help each other and support each other and occasionally attack each other and come together to defend themselves from the real-life incursions of other guilds. It's also hilarious. It's written and co-produced by Felicia Day, and it's also not a show you would ever see on regular TV.
***
Also, a tiny (really tiny) library in Shutesbury, MA needs help to expand. You can watch the short YouTube vid here. If you can't contribute, please spread the word.
mahoni
asked: Out of curiosity, what kind of non-fiction to you like to watch/read? I am reading a book right now about Mesopotamia, which discusses "The Invention of the City", and some of the descriptions of the structures made me think of The Wheel of the Infinite. And maybe you don't necessarily read history or science books/watch documentaries for inspiration, but it did make me wonder if you're a fan of any particular kind of non-fiction.For watching, I have a huge addiction to TV True Crime programs, especially 48 Hours which had my favorite interviewer ever Harold Dow, who died in 2010. For reading, I tend to look for ancient history, articles on old buildings, the weird stuff that the Atlas Obscura finds on the web. (They're on Twitter here.) I have a lot of National Geographic books and history books to look through for ideas. I also like "weird travel" type books, like Destination Truth by Josh Gates (modern day monster-hunting), the Ghost Hunters books, and Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps by Adam Selzer, about doing ghost tours in Chicago.
***
Season 5 of The Guild comes out on DVD today, and I wanted to recommend it. You can watch all five seasons free online and it's also available on DVD. It's about the friendships between a group of six very different people who only know each other through their online game, and how they meet in person and become friends in real life, and help each other and support each other and occasionally attack each other and come together to defend themselves from the real-life incursions of other guilds. It's also hilarious. It's written and co-produced by Felicia Day, and it's also not a show you would ever see on regular TV.
***
Also, a tiny (really tiny) library in Shutesbury, MA needs help to expand. You can watch the short YouTube vid here. If you can't contribute, please spread the word.
March 12, 2012
In the "be careful what you wish for" department, it rain...
In the "be careful what you wish for" department, it rained for three days. It was mostly light rain with occasional thunderstorms, which soaked the ground and filled up the lakes a little. It was about this time last year that it stopped raining, so hopefully this is a good sign, and not the last gasp of life.
I need to take the taxes in, and go to the store, and a bunch of other stuff. But I feel like this is going to be one of those days.
***
If you missed it, my post yesterday on on fan art, and the first fan art for The Cloud Roads/The Serpent Sea.
***
elanya
passed along this link how to make a cheap Raksura bed with a recycled garden trampoline
IO9: Incredible movie-inspired artwork from Mondo's first-ever gallery show This is from Mondo in Austin, Texas, which was the boutique part of the Alamo Drafthouse. I really want the poster for La Planete Sauvage.
Kate Elliott: World-building: To start, I ask myself: Who is visible? Which people does the culture or cultures the story will move through consider important enough to be visible? Who is invisible in this culture? And why? Whose voices do these cultures privilege, and whose do they ignore? And why?
Odyssey Workshop: Interview: Jennifer Jackson This is an interview with my awesome agent, Jennifer Jackson.
I need to take the taxes in, and go to the store, and a bunch of other stuff. But I feel like this is going to be one of those days.
***
If you missed it, my post yesterday on on fan art, and the first fan art for The Cloud Roads/The Serpent Sea.
***
elanya
passed along this link how to make a cheap Raksura bed with a recycled garden trampolineIO9: Incredible movie-inspired artwork from Mondo's first-ever gallery show This is from Mondo in Austin, Texas, which was the boutique part of the Alamo Drafthouse. I really want the poster for La Planete Sauvage.
Kate Elliott: World-building: To start, I ask myself: Who is visible? Which people does the culture or cultures the story will move through consider important enough to be visible? Who is invisible in this culture? And why? Whose voices do these cultures privilege, and whose do they ignore? And why?
Odyssey Workshop: Interview: Jennifer Jackson This is an interview with my awesome agent, Jennifer Jackson.
March 11, 2012
Art
Awesome good thing yesterday:
Jessica Peffer sent me this lovely fan art of Moon from The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea:
This absolutely made my weekend! I love his expression, and that he's wearing the consort bracelet Jade gave him. This is part of the Three Worlds Compendium now, and you can see Jessica's other artwork on her web site at http://www.neondragonart.com/.
I posted about this on Twitter first, and N.K. Jemisin linked to some of the fan art she's gotten for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms here (click on the "Fan Fun" tag for more) and Kate Elliott got one of Andevai from Cold Magic and Cold Fire here. (You can see the artist's other work at Spiral Knot.)
***
The artist Moebius (Jean Giraud) passed away yesterday, and John Picacio has a memory of him here. This Tumblr has a collection of his work.
Jessica Peffer sent me this lovely fan art of Moon from The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea:
This absolutely made my weekend! I love his expression, and that he's wearing the consort bracelet Jade gave him. This is part of the Three Worlds Compendium now, and you can see Jessica's other artwork on her web site at http://www.neondragonart.com/.
I posted about this on Twitter first, and N.K. Jemisin linked to some of the fan art she's gotten for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms here (click on the "Fan Fun" tag for more) and Kate Elliott got one of Andevai from Cold Magic and Cold Fire here. (You can see the artist's other work at Spiral Knot.)
***
The artist Moebius (Jean Giraud) passed away yesterday, and John Picacio has a memory of him here. This Tumblr has a collection of his work.
