Martha Wells's Blog, page 165
February 2, 2012
Rambling About Books
We have fog again and I still need to finish the last chapter of this book. Not much has changed from yesterday.
Books I'm reading: Two for Sorrow and Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson. These are mysteries, set in the UK in the mid 1930s, starring mystery author Josephine Tey as the main character. They're...okay. I think part of the problem is that I'm a huge Tey fan and while these books try to imitate her style, the writing is too long-winded (the conversations are often repetitive and go on way too long, to the point where in my head they sound like "blah blah blah we talked about that already" and the characters not nearly as engaging as Tey's characters. Also, she makes Tey kind of a distant jerk, especially in the third book. Which, given the attitudes and prejudices likely to be found in mid-1930s anywhere, she may well have been, but that's just not a characterization that grabs me in a series mystery.
There are some really good things about these books that keep me reading. The actual murder mystery plot is very intriguing and kind of nicely scary, once you get to it. The Scotland Yard detective, Archie, and his two female cousins who are West End theatrical costumers, are very engaging (I wish they were the main characters of the books). And the theatrical bits and the discussion about what being a lesbian in London was like in the 1930s as opposed to the 1920s are interesting.
I just wish she hadn't included Tey, and had dropped the faulty imitation of Tey's style. It's just making me think of books like The Franchise Affair and Miss Pym Disposes (now that's a book about a flawed main character who is still engaging to read about, because her flaws are subtle in that they're flaws most of us share, and so they don't really stand out until the end, when you see what's happened and think "Oh yeah, I would have totally screwed that up, too." It's like a warning against passing judgement on people and trying to affect their lives, and a reminder that no matter what you think is going on, you aren't omniscient, and if you're wrong, people other than you are going to suffer. (Also, there's a sideways slap at Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night, with a similar grumpy-supposedly-spinster professor character, except in Tey the character has a hot famous West End actor following her around trying to marry her, and she just doesn't feel like getting married.)
In some ways, The Franchise Affair has a similar theme, because it's about a situation that some people are 100% convinced happened one way, and it turns out that they are completely 100% wrong. It's practically a textbook example of how someone can use the idea of the Big Lie (one lie so big that everyone assumes it has to be true, garnished with bits of truth and half-truth to add verisimilitude) to totally destroy the lives of random strangers, for no other reason than that it's convenient for her. (You can see this play out in realtime with depressing frequency on the internet.))
Okay, long parenthetical, and I forgot what my point was. Anyway, I'm still reading these books, but I think I'm going to read some real Tey afterward.
Books I'm reading: Two for Sorrow and Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson. These are mysteries, set in the UK in the mid 1930s, starring mystery author Josephine Tey as the main character. They're...okay. I think part of the problem is that I'm a huge Tey fan and while these books try to imitate her style, the writing is too long-winded (the conversations are often repetitive and go on way too long, to the point where in my head they sound like "blah blah blah we talked about that already" and the characters not nearly as engaging as Tey's characters. Also, she makes Tey kind of a distant jerk, especially in the third book. Which, given the attitudes and prejudices likely to be found in mid-1930s anywhere, she may well have been, but that's just not a characterization that grabs me in a series mystery.
There are some really good things about these books that keep me reading. The actual murder mystery plot is very intriguing and kind of nicely scary, once you get to it. The Scotland Yard detective, Archie, and his two female cousins who are West End theatrical costumers, are very engaging (I wish they were the main characters of the books). And the theatrical bits and the discussion about what being a lesbian in London was like in the 1930s as opposed to the 1920s are interesting.
I just wish she hadn't included Tey, and had dropped the faulty imitation of Tey's style. It's just making me think of books like The Franchise Affair and Miss Pym Disposes (now that's a book about a flawed main character who is still engaging to read about, because her flaws are subtle in that they're flaws most of us share, and so they don't really stand out until the end, when you see what's happened and think "Oh yeah, I would have totally screwed that up, too." It's like a warning against passing judgement on people and trying to affect their lives, and a reminder that no matter what you think is going on, you aren't omniscient, and if you're wrong, people other than you are going to suffer. (Also, there's a sideways slap at Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night, with a similar grumpy-supposedly-spinster professor character, except in Tey the character has a hot famous West End actor following her around trying to marry her, and she just doesn't feel like getting married.)
In some ways, The Franchise Affair has a similar theme, because it's about a situation that some people are 100% convinced happened one way, and it turns out that they are completely 100% wrong. It's practically a textbook example of how someone can use the idea of the Big Lie (one lie so big that everyone assumes it has to be true, garnished with bits of truth and half-truth to add verisimilitude) to totally destroy the lives of random strangers, for no other reason than that it's convenient for her. (You can see this play out in realtime with depressing frequency on the internet.))
Okay, long parenthetical, and I forgot what my point was. Anyway, I'm still reading these books, but I think I'm going to read some real Tey afterward.
Published on February 02, 2012 06:33
February 1, 2012
Bad News
Joe Lansdale is reporting that award-winning SF/F author and SFWA Author Emeritus Ardath Mayhar has passed away. She began writing in the 1940s, and also wrote historicals and westerns.
Here's her entry SFE, on Wikipedia, and a bibliography.
Here's her entry SFE, on Wikipedia, and a bibliography.
Published on February 01, 2012 07:53
Fog and Links
We are covered by fog again this morning. It's after 8:00 here now and it still hasn't burned off yet. I'm really glad I don't have to drive in it, as there are some low spots between here and the university, and it seems to collect in those and get even thicker.
Links!
* I can't remember who posted this. It's Retronaut, Photos from the World Fair, Paris 1900.
* Book View Cafe just released: Practical Meerkat's 52 Bits of Useful Info for Young (and Old) Writers by Laura Anne Gilman. Writing is a craft. Publishing is a business. Today's world requires you to understand both. It's $2.99 for the ebook.
* Weird Fiction Review: The Strangest of Neverlands: Ray Caesar's Luminous, Defiant Lost Girls by Nancy Hightower
I was first introduced to Ray Caesar's work when writing the catalogue essay for Carrie Ann Baade's Cute and Creepy show, which was exhibited at Florida State University's Fine Art Museum this past October. I haven't been able to shake the images of his haunting, and haunted, beauties ever since. Trapped forever between woman and girl, human and creature, these lovelies radiate a strength and light amid the perils that threaten their very existence.
* The Book Smugglers: Celebrating 50 Years of A Wrinkle In Time
Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time – rejected by countless publishers before finally finding a home with FSG in 1962, was a formative novel for me as a young girl. With its sympathetic heroine, the socially awkward (but mathematically savvy) Meg, the exceptionally empathetic Charles, the admittedly crushworthy Calvin, and the slew of strange immortals, science fictional dimension-jumping aspects of the novel, and, most importantly, the message of love conquering all won over my twelve-year-old heart.
* Also on Book View Cafe: An Article by Linda Nagata on The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea She says nice things about them, and talks about the way magic is used in the books.
Links!
* I can't remember who posted this. It's Retronaut, Photos from the World Fair, Paris 1900.
* Book View Cafe just released: Practical Meerkat's 52 Bits of Useful Info for Young (and Old) Writers by Laura Anne Gilman. Writing is a craft. Publishing is a business. Today's world requires you to understand both. It's $2.99 for the ebook.
* Weird Fiction Review: The Strangest of Neverlands: Ray Caesar's Luminous, Defiant Lost Girls by Nancy Hightower
I was first introduced to Ray Caesar's work when writing the catalogue essay for Carrie Ann Baade's Cute and Creepy show, which was exhibited at Florida State University's Fine Art Museum this past October. I haven't been able to shake the images of his haunting, and haunted, beauties ever since. Trapped forever between woman and girl, human and creature, these lovelies radiate a strength and light amid the perils that threaten their very existence.
* The Book Smugglers: Celebrating 50 Years of A Wrinkle In Time
Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time – rejected by countless publishers before finally finding a home with FSG in 1962, was a formative novel for me as a young girl. With its sympathetic heroine, the socially awkward (but mathematically savvy) Meg, the exceptionally empathetic Charles, the admittedly crushworthy Calvin, and the slew of strange immortals, science fictional dimension-jumping aspects of the novel, and, most importantly, the message of love conquering all won over my twelve-year-old heart.
* Also on Book View Cafe: An Article by Linda Nagata on The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea She says nice things about them, and talks about the way magic is used in the books.
Published on February 01, 2012 06:19
January 31, 2012
Status Update
I don't want this to turn into the Journal of Martha's Allergies, but I have the sinus headache from Hell. It's one of those that gets worse when you lie down, so that doesn't help any. It's still not quite as bad as it was on Sunday, when I couldn't wear my hair in a ponytail because that hurt too much. In short, ouch.
The GoodReads giveaway for The Serpent Sea ended today, so I'll be mailing those books hopefully today. I mailed the books for the LibraryThing giveaway yesterday. (If you're unfamiliar with LibraryThing, it's a book cataloging site sort of like GoodReads, for keeping track of the books you read and gloating over them like a dragon sitting on a pile of jewels. My library is here.)
I paid the utilities and gas bill today, which always makes me feel relieved. It's like, yay, proof that we can afford electricity and heat for another month!
I am still fighting with the last chapter of the third Books of the Raksura. So far it's winning.
The GoodReads giveaway for The Serpent Sea ended today, so I'll be mailing those books hopefully today. I mailed the books for the LibraryThing giveaway yesterday. (If you're unfamiliar with LibraryThing, it's a book cataloging site sort of like GoodReads, for keeping track of the books you read and gloating over them like a dragon sitting on a pile of jewels. My library is here.)
I paid the utilities and gas bill today, which always makes me feel relieved. It's like, yay, proof that we can afford electricity and heat for another month!
I am still fighting with the last chapter of the third Books of the Raksura. So far it's winning.
Published on January 31, 2012 06:41
January 30, 2012
Lots of Links
Links to things I have been meaning to link to:
* Patrick Rothfuss' Worldbuilders fundraiser for Heifer International ends Feb 7. Donate for a chance to win great prizes.
* The Mogg Pocket Map of London 1806 You can zoom in to see lots of detail.
* YouTube: Every Doctor Who Story 1963 to Now - A Babelcolour Tribute
* Kelly McCullough said nice things about The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea
* WriterBeware: Delmont-Ross Writing Contest: The Saga of a Fake Literary Competition and a longer article on the perpetrator: Marietta author accused of 'circle of lies'. (Remember, sometimes online con artists don't want your money, they want your belief and attention so they can use you to support their story when they go after other people's money.)
* Anthology Unfit for Eden is out, with stories by authors Jessica Reisman, Lavie Tidhar, Michael Bishop, Neal Barrett, Jr., and many others.
* Ecstatic Days: Things I Know? After 25-plus years in the book world, I will admit I don't know as much as I should, I suppose. In a way, I don't want to have Things I Know, because the terrain shifts and you spend some portion of your time adjusting to the current even as you try also think strategically about how you can find the space and opportunity to create what's most personal to you—and make it a success career-wise.
* Patrick Rothfuss' Worldbuilders fundraiser for Heifer International ends Feb 7. Donate for a chance to win great prizes.
* The Mogg Pocket Map of London 1806 You can zoom in to see lots of detail.
* YouTube: Every Doctor Who Story 1963 to Now - A Babelcolour Tribute
* Kelly McCullough said nice things about The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea
* WriterBeware: Delmont-Ross Writing Contest: The Saga of a Fake Literary Competition and a longer article on the perpetrator: Marietta author accused of 'circle of lies'. (Remember, sometimes online con artists don't want your money, they want your belief and attention so they can use you to support their story when they go after other people's money.)
* Anthology Unfit for Eden is out, with stories by authors Jessica Reisman, Lavie Tidhar, Michael Bishop, Neal Barrett, Jr., and many others.
* Ecstatic Days: Things I Know? After 25-plus years in the book world, I will admit I don't know as much as I should, I suppose. In a way, I don't want to have Things I Know, because the terrain shifts and you spend some portion of your time adjusting to the current even as you try also think strategically about how you can find the space and opportunity to create what's most personal to you—and make it a success career-wise.
Published on January 30, 2012 05:58
January 29, 2012
This weekend we went to a wonderful wedding. I won't tel...
This weekend we went to a wonderful wedding. I won't tell you who got married, but here's the cake topper:
We went to the Salt Lick for the rehearsal dinner.
I came back home with a bad cold, so I'm not sure how much I'll get done in the next couple of days.

We went to the Salt Lick for the rehearsal dinner.

I came back home with a bad cold, so I'm not sure how much I'll get done in the next couple of days.
Published on January 29, 2012 09:16
January 25, 2012
We're having a huge thunderstorm now with tornado warning...
We're having a huge thunderstorm now with tornado warnings, sequel to the thunderstorms we had yesterday. Also yesterday we got pea-sized hail, which is probably one of the scariest weather things to be caught out in. Depending on the size (and we've had golfball and softball sized before) it can tear up roofs, break through car windows, etc. While it was going on yesterday, a mail truck whipped down our street, did a confused doughnut in the middle of the cul-de-sac, then pulled up under the branches of one of our pine trees. I realized he had come down here for the neighbor's oak tree, which had big branches overhanging far out into the street. But the city cut it back closer to the curb this summer because it was whacking the crap out of the garbage truck. Fortunately the hail didn't last long.
Anyway, that's about all I've got today. Oh, have an orphaned baby orangutan getting a mom at the Houston zoo.
Anyway, that's about all I've got today. Oh, have an orphaned baby orangutan getting a mom at the Houston zoo.
Published on January 25, 2012 05:35
January 23, 2012
Writing Income Poll Results
I had to go out early this morning and get a blood test, which was less fraught than usual because the tech was able to get my blood on the first try. Apparently I have shy veins that can sink down into my arm out of reach of the needle whenever they want, and sometimes it takes three or four tries on either arm and the little baby needle to get enough.
***
Writing income poll results: 79 people took the poll, and 29 got it right: My writing income for 2011 was Between $5000 and $10,000. This is up from 2010, where my income was below $5000.00 Between $5000 and $10,000 has actually been pretty normal for me since about 2005 or so, so it's nice to see that it's at that point again after last year's dip.
***
Writing income poll results: 79 people took the poll, and 29 got it right: My writing income for 2011 was Between $5000 and $10,000. This is up from 2010, where my income was below $5000.00 Between $5000 and $10,000 has actually been pretty normal for me since about 2005 or so, so it's nice to see that it's at that point again after last year's dip.
Published on January 23, 2012 07:23
January 22, 2012
Writing Income Poll
I did this last year (writing income poll for 2010 and results) and thought I'd do it again this year.
It makes a good reality check on the people who think of writing as a get-rich-quick job, and the people who think all writers are rich.
View Poll: What was Martha's Writing Income in 2011?
It makes a good reality check on the people who think of writing as a get-rich-quick job, and the people who think all writers are rich.
View Poll: What was Martha's Writing Income in 2011?
Published on January 22, 2012 06:07
January 21, 2012
I'm working on the last chapter of the third Raksura book...
I'm working on the last chapter of the third Raksura book, trying to give it a good wrap-up without getting into "They went out to lunch and felt better" territory. That's what I call it when a book or a story goes past its actual end point, where the story is over and there's nothing left to tell, but you're still there, basically just hanging out with the characters. Trying to find a balance between closure for the reader and they went out to lunch and felt better can be tricky sometimes.
(This comes from Mystery Science Theater 3000, from their much-less-sad rewrite of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song, which ends with "They got back to port and everyone was okay, they went out to lunch and felt better.")
I won't get much done today, because we're about to go out and see Red Tails. This morning I went out early to the farmer's market, because the grass-fed beef ranch was there and they were having a 25% off sale. So there is now stir-fry and stew and chili and short ribs in the future.
There are a couple of big conventions this weekend and I am jealous of everyone who is at one.
And yay, there was a great review of The Serpent Sea on RisingShadow.net
(This comes from Mystery Science Theater 3000, from their much-less-sad rewrite of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song, which ends with "They got back to port and everyone was okay, they went out to lunch and felt better.")
I won't get much done today, because we're about to go out and see Red Tails. This morning I went out early to the farmer's market, because the grass-fed beef ranch was there and they were having a 25% off sale. So there is now stir-fry and stew and chili and short ribs in the future.
There are a couple of big conventions this weekend and I am jealous of everyone who is at one.
And yay, there was a great review of The Serpent Sea on RisingShadow.net
Published on January 21, 2012 11:53