Today at the library I got cornered by one of those people who you just know is winding up for a rant about something.
After asking me if I worked there, she launched into a Thing about how dark young adult novels were getting and how we shouldn't be surprised when our children axe-murder us in our sleep after reading things like that. Tisk, tisk and all that.
I mostly nodded politely because I don't believe for a minute that teenagers are any more likely to axe-murder me over something they read or a game they played, than I would have when I was that age and read and played the same sorts of things. (Look, when I was coming of age, it was the horrors of Dungeons & Dragons... there's always something that's going to Ruin the Youth of Today.)
However, what this woman complained about is old news to some extent, and she's certainly not alone in worrying about it. I told her so. I also told her that I felt that some of what she was worrying about is actually a somewhat new (though, again, not really) trend in young adult books towards dystopian futures, which aren't actually about feeling sad and powerless at all, but about the need at a certain age to change the world, a desire to have a clear-cut enemy, and to DO SOMETHING to make things right. This is a Good Thing disguised as a Bad Thing.
I didn't tell her, because I knew she couldn't hear that, that I also believe books about self-harm and other things aren't so much 'how-to' books for self-destruction as novels that help people feel less alone (like I did when I discovered that there were other gay people, thanks in large part to science fiction). Maybe these were never issues written about when we were young, but... I knew people who self-harmed when I was a teen, so you know, writing about it doesn't bring it into existence, it just makes the issues less invisible.
But that was an argument I was sure to lose, so I just nodded politely. And, you know, YA *is* darker now than when I was a teen, but when I was a teen it also wasn't its own section. We didn't really have YA as a separate thing. We had juvenile and we had grown-up books. A lot of people my age had to get our parents' permission to have free range of the library once we'd grown out of Dr. Seuss. So, you know, I tried Lady Chatterly's Lover at sixteen (I missed the sex. Seriously. Completely.) I also read Go Ask Alice and didn't become a drug-addict, funny enough. Thus, I've never worried over much about books corrupting people.
At any rate.
When she really, really wanted to agree with me that it was All Bad, I told her I don't make the buying decisions for the library. If the kids want it, we stock it. What are you going to do?
Ultimately, she thanked me for such an interesting discussion
Have I mentioned I love working at the library? I do, actually. I really do.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Friday, August 22, 2014
UP-Coming Teaching Gigs
It occurs to me that people who read me here may be interested to know that I have several fan fiction writing gigs that I'll be teaching via The Loft Literary Center coming up:
First, for TEENS:
On Monday, October 13 from 6:00-7:30 pm I'll be the Loft's "First Pages" instructor for "Writing Fan Fiction" a program for teens at the Savage Library. The library is located at 13090 Alabama Ave South, Savage, MN.
The program description reads: Do you long to carry on the amazing story lines of your favorite novels, and live with your most treasured characters beyond the final page of the final chapter? That's what fan fiction is for! Learn how to carry on your favorite story lines--and invent your own--in this engaging class on extending the lives of your favorite characters.
On Thursday, October 16 as part of the Teen Writing Converence at the Loft, I'll be teaching a 75-minute workshop called "Capturing Kudos: Pro Tips for Improving Your Fan Fiction
The program description reads: Some people might tell you that writing fan fic is 'easier' because so much has already been established in terms of characterization and world-building. The people who say that, however, probably haven't actually tried it. The truth is, fan fiction requires all the same skills as writing anything, plus the author has to be constantly aware of canon and how it reflects on what they're writing (even AU), as well as readers who might scream OOC! This workshop will give you pro tips on how to improve your writing in general and in specific to fan fic's quirks from the perspective of someone who is not only a professionally published author, but also a prolific fan writer as well. As part of this workshop, we will practice beta reading for each other with an eye on setting, themes, conflict, and sensory details.
Second, for ADULTS:
My friend Rachel Gold and I will be co-teaching: "Using Fan Fiction to Improve Your Writing" on Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. from January 21 to February 25, 2015--which will be part of the Loft's winter course catalogue. Technically, we're waiting for Rachel to confirm, but I wanted to get this info out there so that people can plan ahead. The Loft classes can be pretty pricey, but keep in mind there are always a few, limited number of scholarships available.
I haven;t yet heard from the Loft about whether or not my solo proposal for an in-class winter Science Fiction/Fantasy class is going to go, but I'm excited to be co-teaching with Rachel, if nothing else. Should be a blast. I'll post our course description once everything is 100% confirmed. In fact, you may be hearing about this class a lot, since I really want it to be successful. First of all, I think there's a huge market for it and it would be wonderful for the Loft to recognize that and offer more classes like it. Second, it would just be nifty to have a legit way to get paid to talk about fan fic! :-)
First, for TEENS:
On Monday, October 13 from 6:00-7:30 pm I'll be the Loft's "First Pages" instructor for "Writing Fan Fiction" a program for teens at the Savage Library. The library is located at 13090 Alabama Ave South, Savage, MN.
The program description reads: Do you long to carry on the amazing story lines of your favorite novels, and live with your most treasured characters beyond the final page of the final chapter? That's what fan fiction is for! Learn how to carry on your favorite story lines--and invent your own--in this engaging class on extending the lives of your favorite characters.
On Thursday, October 16 as part of the Teen Writing Converence at the Loft, I'll be teaching a 75-minute workshop called "Capturing Kudos: Pro Tips for Improving Your Fan Fiction
The program description reads: Some people might tell you that writing fan fic is 'easier' because so much has already been established in terms of characterization and world-building. The people who say that, however, probably haven't actually tried it. The truth is, fan fiction requires all the same skills as writing anything, plus the author has to be constantly aware of canon and how it reflects on what they're writing (even AU), as well as readers who might scream OOC! This workshop will give you pro tips on how to improve your writing in general and in specific to fan fic's quirks from the perspective of someone who is not only a professionally published author, but also a prolific fan writer as well. As part of this workshop, we will practice beta reading for each other with an eye on setting, themes, conflict, and sensory details.
Second, for ADULTS:
My friend Rachel Gold and I will be co-teaching: "Using Fan Fiction to Improve Your Writing" on Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. from January 21 to February 25, 2015--which will be part of the Loft's winter course catalogue. Technically, we're waiting for Rachel to confirm, but I wanted to get this info out there so that people can plan ahead. The Loft classes can be pretty pricey, but keep in mind there are always a few, limited number of scholarships available.
I haven;t yet heard from the Loft about whether or not my solo proposal for an in-class winter Science Fiction/Fantasy class is going to go, but I'm excited to be co-teaching with Rachel, if nothing else. Should be a blast. I'll post our course description once everything is 100% confirmed. In fact, you may be hearing about this class a lot, since I really want it to be successful. First of all, I think there's a huge market for it and it would be wonderful for the Loft to recognize that and offer more classes like it. Second, it would just be nifty to have a legit way to get paid to talk about fan fic! :-)
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Textbook Feelings
Every time I pick up a book about drawing, I end up learning more about myself than I do art.
Lowe’s book should have been perfect for me, but after reading through it several times and trying some of the examples, I ended up instead with a visceral emotional response which can be summed up in two words: I suck.
The forward and introduction to Lowe’s book suggest this is the very last feeling that I should’ve come away with. Lowe is very much of the belief (as am I) that art, like any skill, can be learned by anyone regardless of innate talent given enough time and energy.
I’m not sure what it is about this book that left me with that feeling. As I’ve said, this is a textbook aimed at teaching basics. Yet I left it feeling like there was no way I could ever master any of it (despite being far from a novice artist,) and it was all too overwhelming.
I wonder if it wasn’t because all the art shown was so good? This is one of those art textbooks where I’m already green with envy just looking at the instruction images that are supposed to be teaching me to see basic shapes in every day items, and instead of seeing the circles and squares, I’m thinking: damn, look at that cool apple! How come I can’t draw an apple like that??
There are a few playful images in the textbook, but even those examples showcase tremendous skill in background drawing. There were no examples that made me feel: oh, hey, I can do that.
There were no suggestions for work-arounds. Like, for instance, in my own comic book art, I have been known to cheat. I’ll take original photographs and use them as background images:
The other thing that was missing from this book that’s been tremendously helpful for me, as someone who has considered coming into graphic novel writing from the other side is, a script. There’s a very specific kind of writing format that comic book WRITERS use that I’ve been privileged to see thanks to a friend of mine who works for Marvel and DC. What looking at those taught me was how important it is for the writer of comic books (if they’re not the artist) to think visually as well and consider how much text/dialogue can reasonably fit in a panel.
So, while I think this is probably an awesome textbook to go with a class, I’m not entirely sure how well it works for me. There are two huge chapters at the end of this book that are specific to digital programs that I’m not using. I would have preferred that space be used to talk more about the business of comic book writing.
Your mileage may vary.
As I said, my strong emotional reaction to what is essentially a textbook surprised me.
P.S. If you're curious about my initial response, I catalogued it here: http://lydamorehouse.dreamwidth.org/348468.html
I ordered Foundations in Comic Book Art: Fundamental Tools and Techniques for Sequential Artists by John Paul Lowe from Blogging for Books this month because I’m a frustrated artist.
As the title suggests, this is a book aimed at teaching fundamentals to beginners. It is a book chock full of exercises focused on improving basic skills, from learning to draw straight lines to understanding the specialized needs of visual storytelling. The example art throughout is magnificent, and for every lesson there’s a written and visual example. The tone of the book is fairly serious. It is clearly intended for someone like myself, who is desperately looking a way to ‘level up,’ and gain the extra skill sets needed to become a comic book artist/graphic novelist.
Lowe’s book should have been perfect for me, but after reading through it several times and trying some of the examples, I ended up instead with a visceral emotional response which can be summed up in two words: I suck.
The forward and introduction to Lowe’s book suggest this is the very last feeling that I should’ve come away with. Lowe is very much of the belief (as am I) that art, like any skill, can be learned by anyone regardless of innate talent given enough time and energy.
I’m not sure what it is about this book that left me with that feeling. As I’ve said, this is a textbook aimed at teaching basics. Yet I left it feeling like there was no way I could ever master any of it (despite being far from a novice artist,) and it was all too overwhelming.
I wonder if it wasn’t because all the art shown was so good? This is one of those art textbooks where I’m already green with envy just looking at the instruction images that are supposed to be teaching me to see basic shapes in every day items, and instead of seeing the circles and squares, I’m thinking: damn, look at that cool apple! How come I can’t draw an apple like that??
There are a few playful images in the textbook, but even those examples showcase tremendous skill in background drawing. There were no examples that made me feel: oh, hey, I can do that.
There were no suggestions for work-arounds. Like, for instance, in my own comic book art, I have been known to cheat. I’ll take original photographs and use them as background images:
The other thing that was missing from this book that’s been tremendously helpful for me, as someone who has considered coming into graphic novel writing from the other side is, a script. There’s a very specific kind of writing format that comic book WRITERS use that I’ve been privileged to see thanks to a friend of mine who works for Marvel and DC. What looking at those taught me was how important it is for the writer of comic books (if they’re not the artist) to think visually as well and consider how much text/dialogue can reasonably fit in a panel.
So, while I think this is probably an awesome textbook to go with a class, I’m not entirely sure how well it works for me. There are two huge chapters at the end of this book that are specific to digital programs that I’m not using. I would have preferred that space be used to talk more about the business of comic book writing.
Your mileage may vary.
As I said, my strong emotional reaction to what is essentially a textbook surprised me.
P.S. If you're curious about my initial response, I catalogued it here: http://lydamorehouse.dreamwidth.org/348468.html
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Manga Wednesday
Mason and I giggled our way through our podcast this morning: 21: Zombies Lose Their Sh*t. Go listen if you're at all interested in hearing us mutter vaguely incoherently about Bleach, One Piece, and Toriko (with smatterings of squee for Bleach List Girl, and discussions of Fairy Tale, Gekken Shoujo Nozaki-kun [the anime], and Hourou Musuko.)
In other news, our car broke down this morning. It sucked, but there were some good things about it: it wasn't far from home (just up the block), it was early enough that Shawn could easily catch the bus, and it might be something fairly simple like my alternator. The tow truck guy was nice and he was able to take it away and leave us at home. It might be a hassle to go pick it up, but at least we get to wait for news about repair costs in the comfort of our own home. Sucks, but, honestly? I can't complain too much.
In other news, our car broke down this morning. It sucked, but there were some good things about it: it wasn't far from home (just up the block), it was early enough that Shawn could easily catch the bus, and it might be something fairly simple like my alternator. The tow truck guy was nice and he was able to take it away and leave us at home. It might be a hassle to go pick it up, but at least we get to wait for news about repair costs in the comfort of our own home. Sucks, but, honestly? I can't complain too much.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Back from Vacation!
After a short hiatus while my family was on vacation to Washington, DC, I'm back to posting my work-in-progress over at Wattpad. You can read "Part 20: Shatterer of Worlds" here: http://www.wattpad.com/66446311-unjust-cause-part-20-shatterer-of-worlds
My description for this one is: "In which Alex discovers just how much she sucks as a fugitive from the law."
Also, you may see a spike in activity over here. My alter ego's LJ has finally exceeded its free photo storage limit, and since I have a TON of vacation pictures I'd like to share, I may post them here along with a travelogue of our adventures and mis-adventures. I'm still not quite sure if that's the best solution since it's so difficult to tell who uses my LJ and for what. I mean, for the most part, people have been saying Live Journal is dead for years. Yet, I know plenty of people who seem to still follow my alter ego there.
Honestly, there's been a lot of talk on one of my e-mail writers' groups about how blogs are kind of dead, too. Most people are finding out news about their favorite authors through social media like Twitter and Facebook. So... who knows what the smartest thing to do is.
My description for this one is: "In which Alex discovers just how much she sucks as a fugitive from the law."
Also, you may see a spike in activity over here. My alter ego's LJ has finally exceeded its free photo storage limit, and since I have a TON of vacation pictures I'd like to share, I may post them here along with a travelogue of our adventures and mis-adventures. I'm still not quite sure if that's the best solution since it's so difficult to tell who uses my LJ and for what. I mean, for the most part, people have been saying Live Journal is dead for years. Yet, I know plenty of people who seem to still follow my alter ego there.
Honestly, there's been a lot of talk on one of my e-mail writers' groups about how blogs are kind of dead, too. Most people are finding out news about their favorite authors through social media like Twitter and Facebook. So... who knows what the smartest thing to do is.
Saturday, August 09, 2014
Latest chapters of SnK and Ao No Exorcist Reviewed...
Because our podcast will be on hiatus next week, I wrote up my thoughts on the latest chapters of Shingeki no Kyjoin (aka Attack on Titan) #60 and Ao no Exorcist (aka Blue Exorcist) #59 on our MangaKast site: https://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/review-newest-snk-and-ao-no-exorcist/
Friday, August 08, 2014
Will Write for Donation...
In support of the anthology Accessing the Future, my alter ego is offering to write your name into a brand-new AngeLINK story. That bonus is at the $250 level, but, if you buy this, I would also take prompts. Is there something in the books you always wish I'd write? A favorite character you wish I would revisit? Just let me know if you buy this and I'll do my best to fulfill your wishes, PLUS add your name to the story.
You can also donate at a lower level and get e-copies of all my novels, plus a bonus short story "The Case of the Missing Devil Child" which appeared in the first issue of Simulacum back in 2003.
Interested?
You can also donate at a lower level and get e-copies of all my novels, plus a bonus short story "The Case of the Missing Devil Child" which appeared in the first issue of Simulacum back in 2003.
Interested?
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
Updates and Such...
First, since it's Wedsneday, you should check out Mason and I doing our manga thing:http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/20-manga-and-gender-and-more/
In this one we actually almost touch on something deep... well, to some extent, given that I'm talking about all this without a lot of coffee and very off the cuff. I've been on a not-so-very-serious quest to uncover more information about intersexed and transgendered representations in manga after the appearance of Giselle in Bleach. I found an interesting manga at the library called Wandering Son (which is alternately translated as Transient Son) about boy who wants to dress as/be a girl and After School Nightmare about an intersexed character who is forced to chose a gender identity as part of 'graduation' from a very weird (and dreamscape) high school (I did not, for reasons, read much of that one.) At any rate, I can't say that I've anything terribly insightful to say in the podcast, but I may end up doing a manga review of Wandering Son once I read a bit more of it, because... well, it rather combines all my interests: manga and GLBT issues.
The other fun thing that's happened in my life is that I got tapped to write a story for GISHWHES, which I'd never heard of before, but which is, apparently, a world-wide scavenger hunt organized by the actor Misha Collins (of Supernatural and, in my universe, Tumblr ships.) The request was not hard. The requirement was "a previously published science fiction author" writes a story LESS THAN 140 words involving Misha Collins (see above), the Queen of England, and the mascot of this year's scavenger hunt: an eliopus (a half-elephant/half-octopus.) I felt kind of honored to be asked because, well, truthfully, sometimes I don't feel very much like an author of the sort that gets asked to do these kinds of things (when I asked about this on my super-secret pro e-mail list I found out that people of the caliber like Charlie Stross and Garth Nix were getting inundated with requests.) So, you know, that made me feel like one of big league, which I almost never do.
And anyway, once I read the funny little job interview for "El Eliopus" on Craig's List (linked above) the story sort of wrote itself. Plus, the scavenger hunt itself is kind of amusing and cool-sounding if you read about it, so I was happy to help. It took me ten minutes, if that. So, you know, and easy job that made me feel part of something.
Otherwise, I've been working like mad on a project that will be launching in September. I'll have more news about that soon, but Garnet Lacey fans may have something to look forward to....
Tuesday, August 05, 2014
Tuesday Treats (with a bonus question)
I almost wanted to call this one "Dumpster
Divining" because that's such a wonderful idea, but Nana Spider has
already shuffled off with her plastic bag companions. Thus, Alex is left
wondering just what she is and decides to talk to the one person who would
know.... her father, only, he's forgotten his cell at home, so who should pick
up, but Alex's stepmonster....
So, go check that out, if you're so inclined. Once again, it's a bit short. I was going to go on, but then the final line was just TOO GOOD, so I left it there.
The title of this blog hints at a bonus question, so here it is: I'm doing a thing I can't entirely talk about yet (yeah, it's one of those annoying 'seekrit' project type things,) but as part of it I'm going to be resurrecting one of the characters from my novels. I'm wondering how excited people would be to see Daniel Parrish again or has everyone mostly forgotten the Garnet Lacey novels?
Yeah... I think I'll just leave that hanging there too..... *wicked laughter*
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Unjust Tuesdays
Nana Spider speaks in riddles and rhymes, but Alex finally learns something about her true nature: http://www.wattpad.com/62506189-unjust-cause-part-18-said-the-spider-to-the-dragon
That's right... the new installment is up on Wattpad for your enjoyment.
It's a little short this time, and I have to apologize. My morning was eaten up by my son's 5th grade "celebration" (read: faux graduation). He's left behind Elementary School and is now officially a middle grader... it was kind of a big thing, so I couldn't miss it. But, that meant I got going far, far later than normal.
That's right... the new installment is up on Wattpad for your enjoyment.
It's a little short this time, and I have to apologize. My morning was eaten up by my son's 5th grade "celebration" (read: faux graduation). He's left behind Elementary School and is now officially a middle grader... it was kind of a big thing, so I couldn't miss it. But, that meant I got going far, far later than normal.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Comics & The Digital Age
Marvel is giving away some digital comic books for free this week. There are three titles (Deadpool, Iron Man, and Wolverine) and, for each, you get two issues at no cost (if you follow the links I've provided to the series, be sure to scroll down to the listing of the individual books and you'll see the first two offered for free). For me, this is a win-win situation because: free. I have a hard time not enjoying the heck out of anything I don't have to pay for--this was a serious detriment when I used to review movies for a small, local newspaper.
So far I've read Deadpool: Gauntlet Infinite #1 & #2 and Iron Man: The Fatal Frontier Infinite #1 and, guess, what? I enjoyed the heck out of them.
First of all, I haven't had a lot of previous experience with digital comics and I had no idea the extent to which the Marvel Comic Reader app-thingie made the experience far more like watching an animated short than reading a comic book. Panels appear and disappear in a way that give you a sense of movement. This is particularly impressive in the scene in Deadpool: Gauntlet Infinite #1where Deadpool is slashing through some bus exhaust, trying to hit what he thinks is a vampire who has turned invisible (the vampire actually hopped on top of the bus.) Also, the way that the opening "credits" were done in Deadpool was a very obvious James Bond movie nod.
Really well done (plus, I like Reilly Brown's art tremendously.)
So, if you've never read a digital comic book before, I might simply recommend any one of these as a 'just try the experience' kind of recommendation. Because, it really is quite nifty.
As for the stories... one thing I LOVE about comic books is that they tap into my willingness to suspend all disbelief and roll with Soviets on the moon and vampires in London. You know, sometimes as a writer, I get really caught up listening to that internal editor who is always so busy telling me that my ideas are ridiculous and silly. Then, I pick up a published issue of a Marvel comic and I think, "Yeah, no, I'm good."
That's not to say that I thought the stories were stupid. No, just the opposite. The writing entertained a very secret part of me that wants to go back to the Moon, even if it's to fight a disgruntled Soviet machine who feels we stole the moon from them, or that would like to raid Egyptian tombs for living mummy brides for Dracula. I mean, yes! So much yes! These are the stories that, if I think about them too hard I will find problems with, but my inner thirteen year old is like, "Go!" and that ignite and rekindle my sense of wonder.
So far I've read Deadpool: Gauntlet Infinite #1 & #2 and Iron Man: The Fatal Frontier Infinite #1 and, guess, what? I enjoyed the heck out of them.
First of all, I haven't had a lot of previous experience with digital comics and I had no idea the extent to which the Marvel Comic Reader app-thingie made the experience far more like watching an animated short than reading a comic book. Panels appear and disappear in a way that give you a sense of movement. This is particularly impressive in the scene in Deadpool: Gauntlet Infinite #1where Deadpool is slashing through some bus exhaust, trying to hit what he thinks is a vampire who has turned invisible (the vampire actually hopped on top of the bus.) Also, the way that the opening "credits" were done in Deadpool was a very obvious James Bond movie nod.
Really well done (plus, I like Reilly Brown's art tremendously.)
So, if you've never read a digital comic book before, I might simply recommend any one of these as a 'just try the experience' kind of recommendation. Because, it really is quite nifty.
As for the stories... one thing I LOVE about comic books is that they tap into my willingness to suspend all disbelief and roll with Soviets on the moon and vampires in London. You know, sometimes as a writer, I get really caught up listening to that internal editor who is always so busy telling me that my ideas are ridiculous and silly. Then, I pick up a published issue of a Marvel comic and I think, "Yeah, no, I'm good."
That's not to say that I thought the stories were stupid. No, just the opposite. The writing entertained a very secret part of me that wants to go back to the Moon, even if it's to fight a disgruntled Soviet machine who feels we stole the moon from them, or that would like to raid Egyptian tombs for living mummy brides for Dracula. I mean, yes! So much yes! These are the stories that, if I think about them too hard I will find problems with, but my inner thirteen year old is like, "Go!" and that ignite and rekindle my sense of wonder.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
MangaKast 18 (With Bonus Fan Art)
I drew Renji last night because I felt like it. If you're ever curious about my crappy fan /art you can feel free to browse my deviantART account (which is under my secret fan name): http://junko222.deviantart.com.
Here's the link to the MangaKast, if you're interested: https://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/you-are-my-sunshine-eighteen/
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Newest Installment
The newest installment is up on Wattpad. In this exciting episode, tool-welding magpies stage a jail break! Part 17: The Cleverness of Birds
I wrote this latest bit while watching the birds in the feeder just outside my sunroom window. If there's a lot of repetition of the word "fluttering" it because those noisy little so-and-sos were doing just that. We have a lot of trees around our house, so there's a been a plethora a squawking babies demanding beak-feeding at the feeder as well.
I wrote this latest bit while watching the birds in the feeder just outside my sunroom window. If there's a lot of repetition of the word "fluttering" it because those noisy little so-and-sos were doing just that. We have a lot of trees around our house, so there's a been a plethora a squawking babies demanding beak-feeding at the feeder as well.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Manga Madness
Mason and I actually recorded our MangaKast #17 early because a number of the weeklies came out early. There is much silliness, accidental poetry, squee, and spoilers for Bleach, Toriko, and Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist.
https://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/seventeen-came-early/
https://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/seventeen-came-early/
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Tuesday with Tate!
Yep, it's that time again. There's another short adventure for you to enjoy up on Wattpad:
There's a lot of magic happening in this bit, as Alex finds herself arrested for assault and tossed into a holding cell that seems to have been built to hold a very specific thing....
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Hella History
So, I think I posted here that I got an e-mail inviting me to try out "Blogging for Books," which, when I went to check it out, appears to be a Random House thing where you get free books if you post a review about them somewhere. Free books is never a bad deal and they had a graphic novel check-box, so I thought, okay, what the heck, and had them send me "The Harlem Hellfighters" Max Brooks/Caanan White.
So, here are my thoughts:
The Harlem Hellfighters follows an all-black regiment in WWI and showcases the racism they dealt with and their astounding bravery in spite of it. This is typically the kind of tale that I never get tired of, the against-all-odds heroes who go above and beyond duty—all while being spit on (and worse) by their fellow soldiers. This story gets an extra boost because the regiment is real and many of the characters that appear in the pages come straight out of history.
The author, Max Brooks, is best known for his World War Z comic book, which, admittedly, I haven’t read yet. And, while I enjoyed The Harlem Hellfighters, I’m not sure that this book would make me seek out his other work. I feel that maybe because Brooks was trying to hit all the history, he missed out on a stronger narrative opportunity or two. The Harlem Hellfighters would make a great addition to a junior high/high school library because it’s really more a ‘fun’ way to read about history than a graphic novel for comic book fans, you know? I didn’t leave this graphic novel thinking, “Wow, this was a great story! I loved Edge’s character!” so much as, “Wow, I learned a lot.”
Which surprised me, because there are some amazingly moving scenes and we, for the most part, follow a single character. I can’t quite put my finger on why I was never able to sink my teeth into this. It might be the skipping through history; it might also be the art.
Like a lot of graphic novel/comic book fans, I need to have both working for me to get the ultimate experience. I can enjoy a book where the art is better than the story, and visa versa, but it’s a far better ride for me when both are hitting the same notes. I wonder if I’d have felt differently if it were an affordable option to print all the pages in color. Regardless, at this point it comes down to preference and stylistic bents… and, thus, to each their own. My experience with the Caanan White's art might be completely different than yours.
So, I guess, ultimately, I’d give The Harlem Hellfighters a recommendation to anyone interested in World War 1 history, African American experiences, or the history of racism in America (and Europe.) For comic book/graphic novel fans, it could be hit and miss. I would still say check it out if this sounds like your kind of thing. (I should note, the cover price is $16.95, not too steep for a graphic novel, many Marvel collections for instance are much higher, though you do often get full-color pages in those.)
So, here are my thoughts:
The Harlem Hellfighters follows an all-black regiment in WWI and showcases the racism they dealt with and their astounding bravery in spite of it. This is typically the kind of tale that I never get tired of, the against-all-odds heroes who go above and beyond duty—all while being spit on (and worse) by their fellow soldiers. This story gets an extra boost because the regiment is real and many of the characters that appear in the pages come straight out of history.
The author, Max Brooks, is best known for his World War Z comic book, which, admittedly, I haven’t read yet. And, while I enjoyed The Harlem Hellfighters, I’m not sure that this book would make me seek out his other work. I feel that maybe because Brooks was trying to hit all the history, he missed out on a stronger narrative opportunity or two. The Harlem Hellfighters would make a great addition to a junior high/high school library because it’s really more a ‘fun’ way to read about history than a graphic novel for comic book fans, you know? I didn’t leave this graphic novel thinking, “Wow, this was a great story! I loved Edge’s character!” so much as, “Wow, I learned a lot.”
Which surprised me, because there are some amazingly moving scenes and we, for the most part, follow a single character. I can’t quite put my finger on why I was never able to sink my teeth into this. It might be the skipping through history; it might also be the art.
Like a lot of graphic novel/comic book fans, I need to have both working for me to get the ultimate experience. I can enjoy a book where the art is better than the story, and visa versa, but it’s a far better ride for me when both are hitting the same notes. I wonder if I’d have felt differently if it were an affordable option to print all the pages in color. Regardless, at this point it comes down to preference and stylistic bents… and, thus, to each their own. My experience with the Caanan White's art might be completely different than yours.
So, I guess, ultimately, I’d give The Harlem Hellfighters a recommendation to anyone interested in World War 1 history, African American experiences, or the history of racism in America (and Europe.) For comic book/graphic novel fans, it could be hit and miss. I would still say check it out if this sounds like your kind of thing. (I should note, the cover price is $16.95, not too steep for a graphic novel, many Marvel collections for instance are much higher, though you do often get full-color pages in those.)
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
Tuesday with Tate
Yep, so here it is, Tuesday... and yes, a new installment is ready for you at WattPad, which I cleverly named, "Part 15: A Damn Dam" (wait for it, it makes sense. I promise), in which the two demons continue to interrogate Alex:
http://www.wattpad.com/58616453-unjust-cause-part-15-a-damn-dam
Sorry I didn't continue my convention report. I got caught up in some post-con drama (all of which has been not only resolved, but well exceeded my expectations.) I may write about all of it at some point, but suffice to say that there was some panel confusion and Programming is awesome. My take away being, however, that there are some regional conventions that could learn a lot about conflict resolution from the folks at CONvergence.
I will, however, post more about it (including more cool costumes) this week. I do, however, considering that today is more UnJust Cause, show you something AWESOME. A friend of mine cosplayed Alex!
Amazing, right? She even has (thought you can't see it because my camera decided to act up), blue extensions in her hair--because Alex's blue dye-job is growing out, if you remember that detail from the book. The snake tattoo and the coroner shirt, of course, make it.
http://www.wattpad.com/58616453-unjust-cause-part-15-a-damn-dam
Sorry I didn't continue my convention report. I got caught up in some post-con drama (all of which has been not only resolved, but well exceeded my expectations.) I may write about all of it at some point, but suffice to say that there was some panel confusion and Programming is awesome. My take away being, however, that there are some regional conventions that could learn a lot about conflict resolution from the folks at CONvergence.
I will, however, post more about it (including more cool costumes) this week. I do, however, considering that today is more UnJust Cause, show you something AWESOME. A friend of mine cosplayed Alex!
Amazing, right? She even has (thought you can't see it because my camera decided to act up), blue extensions in her hair--because Alex's blue dye-job is growing out, if you remember that detail from the book. The snake tattoo and the coroner shirt, of course, make it.
Saturday, July 05, 2014
There's an App for That: #CVG2014
Seriously, these CONvergence people are good. I really rather adore waking up to have my schedule magically in my in-box. Here's today's:
3:30pm-4:30pm
Plaza 2
Anime Series: Year in Review
A yearly showcase of the past year's best anime series, presented by a group of anime fans who've watched and enjoyed them. Those looking to enter the anime fandom as well as those who've been otaku for years are welcome to attend. Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Jessi Silver, Boris Smelov, Jo Thrace, Heather Deakman
5:00pm-6:00pm
Atrium 2
SF Writing Groups: The 2014 Scene
This annual (since 1986) get together of the Minnesota Imaginative Fiction Writers' Alliance helps science fiction/fantasy writing groups link with writers who are looking for a critique group. Panelists: Eric M. Heideman (mod), Lyda Morehouse, Tyler Tork
10:00pm-11:00pm
Atrium 6
Loki Can Rule Me Any Day
Loki is very popular, even though he wasn't the main character (or even necessarily a "good guy"). An exploration of side characters who have become fan favorites. Wolverine, Agent Coulson, Jayne, Connie Mk II - What makes us like them so much? Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Kamuran Paradis, Damarra Atkins, Todd Murray, Anne Lyle
11:30pm-12:30am
Plaza 2
Which Supers Should Hook Up?
If Thor and Storm got together, they would have cute little thunderbabies. Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Kenneth Konkol, Lathan Murrell, Samma Johnson (mod), Christopher Jones
So, a busy day, but all starting afternoon, which will be a nice thing.
Yesterday, I brought Mason along. He last minute decided to cosplay kid-Luffy, from One Piece. We spent much of the morning in search of the Straw Hat crew. Instead, we found a lot of really great cross/cosplay Marvel characters:
These ladies were really good (also traveling with a Thor and Tony Stark, though I only saw them later at the Marvel panel.) I was particularly enamored of Nicole Fury, as she had the perfect Wolverine claw mark scars visible under her eyepatch.
Lady Deadpool! Every con needs a Deadpool, why not a Lady Deadpool?
Fourth of July is Steve Rogers's birthday, so I wished this Stephanie Rogers a happy one and complimented her amazing 1940s style hair. (She defied my picture skills, though. Blurry here a little, but much worse when I tried to get her to pose with the two Peggys that were also at the Marvel panel.)
Another Cap (though, tbf, she might have been dressing as one of the traveling dance troupe.) Probably my favorite thing about a lot of the Captain American cosplayers is that they can embrace the 1940s aesthetic and be beautifully buxom and curvy.
There might have been a secret organization that was placing people in key positions at con, but I won't say who they were (*whispers*Hail, Hydra!*whispers*)
And, Old School Gambit, who isn't cross playing*, but come on! Look at this! It's perfect:
*today, according to
naomikritzer this guy often cross plays "Slave Girl Leia." Rumor has it he's coming as "Slave Boy Leo" today, so I'll be sure to try to catch a shot of him, if I can, because that sounds phenomenal.
Mason and I spent much of con wandering around looking at all the cool costumers and wandering around the dealer's room. He bought a new Munchkin pack (zombies this time) and I found a cell phone charm of Renji/Hihio Zabimaru chibi, and I can never, ever resist chibi Zabimaru. Sadly, my cell phone does not have the technology to accommodate a charm. Seriously. It's not a smart phone, so I have no case to which I can hook such things. But, it was cheap and will fit my keyring just the same.
The Marvel Roundup panel was phenomenal. I had great fellow panelists and despite my voice, I managed to squee and maybe even make a few points of interest here and there. With any luck, you'll be able to judge for yourself. One of the panelists, Shaun Duke, is (among other things) a podcaster and he recorded us for his Hugo Award-nominated Skiffy and Fanty Show. If our panel gets posted there, I'll send along a direct link. It was probably the most high energy panel I've had so far, so I would think it would make a fantastic podcast.
Then there was more wandering, and Mason finally caught up with some of his crew:
Here's Mason with Zoro (green-hair) and Nami (orange-hair):
And in a time paradox, an older Luffy!
My final panel was "Cyberpunk 101," which went fairly well. Admittedly, my energy was starting to flag. Probably the most interesting part of the panel for me was the fact that one of my fellow panelists was a light side hacker. He was an honest-to-goodness Mouse, a phone freak from the 1980s. (And yes, he let us touch his hem.) I could have listened to his stories for the full hour.
Instead, we talked about a lot of different aspects of cyberpunk and, once again, the audience had some really amazing, mind-blowing questions and thoughts about the future of cyberpunk. Because the question kept coming up, "If we're living in a world already predicted, where we're saturated with technology, how do you write beyond that point? Or, maybe more importantly, is it necessary to?"
And I don't know. People often ask me if I'll ever return to the AngeLINK universe and I'm hesitant. I love the characters, but the world is getting harder and harder to reach back for because it's become a kind of AU where Facebook and Tumblr and Google glasses never happened.
The point was also made that one of the things cyberpunk spoke to was the fears of the day, "What if we become so dependent on our technology that we're no longer human?" That's not really the thing we worry about these days. We worry about the environment. We *do* still worry about corporations taking over, but a lot of what we feared has already come to pass. I mean, corporations as people? Pretty sure that was warned about in any number of early cyberpunk novels.
Also, as our resident hacker pointed out, it's actually a bit harder to by-pass The Man. Technology has outpaced some simple phone hacks. It's harder to break-in and it's much, MUCH harder to escape without leaving a trace.
Our fiction has also become a lot darker. No one believes any more that taking out one corporation/Power That Be will solve all the problems... without causing others. The revolution is murky and complicated and deeply underfunded...
It was a good panel, but in comparison to the squee fest of the Marvel Roundup it felt far lower key. But maybe that was because it was "meatier."
3:30pm-4:30pm
Plaza 2
Anime Series: Year in Review
A yearly showcase of the past year's best anime series, presented by a group of anime fans who've watched and enjoyed them. Those looking to enter the anime fandom as well as those who've been otaku for years are welcome to attend. Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Jessi Silver, Boris Smelov, Jo Thrace, Heather Deakman
5:00pm-6:00pm
Atrium 2
SF Writing Groups: The 2014 Scene
This annual (since 1986) get together of the Minnesota Imaginative Fiction Writers' Alliance helps science fiction/fantasy writing groups link with writers who are looking for a critique group. Panelists: Eric M. Heideman (mod), Lyda Morehouse, Tyler Tork
10:00pm-11:00pm
Atrium 6
Loki Can Rule Me Any Day
Loki is very popular, even though he wasn't the main character (or even necessarily a "good guy"). An exploration of side characters who have become fan favorites. Wolverine, Agent Coulson, Jayne, Connie Mk II - What makes us like them so much? Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Kamuran Paradis, Damarra Atkins, Todd Murray, Anne Lyle
11:30pm-12:30am
Plaza 2
Which Supers Should Hook Up?
If Thor and Storm got together, they would have cute little thunderbabies. Panelists: Lyda Morehouse, Kenneth Konkol, Lathan Murrell, Samma Johnson (mod), Christopher Jones
So, a busy day, but all starting afternoon, which will be a nice thing.
Yesterday, I brought Mason along. He last minute decided to cosplay kid-Luffy, from One Piece. We spent much of the morning in search of the Straw Hat crew. Instead, we found a lot of really great cross/cosplay Marvel characters:
These ladies were really good (also traveling with a Thor and Tony Stark, though I only saw them later at the Marvel panel.) I was particularly enamored of Nicole Fury, as she had the perfect Wolverine claw mark scars visible under her eyepatch.
Lady Deadpool! Every con needs a Deadpool, why not a Lady Deadpool?
Fourth of July is Steve Rogers's birthday, so I wished this Stephanie Rogers a happy one and complimented her amazing 1940s style hair. (She defied my picture skills, though. Blurry here a little, but much worse when I tried to get her to pose with the two Peggys that were also at the Marvel panel.)
Another Cap (though, tbf, she might have been dressing as one of the traveling dance troupe.) Probably my favorite thing about a lot of the Captain American cosplayers is that they can embrace the 1940s aesthetic and be beautifully buxom and curvy.
There might have been a secret organization that was placing people in key positions at con, but I won't say who they were (*whispers*Hail, Hydra!*whispers*)
And, Old School Gambit, who isn't cross playing*, but come on! Look at this! It's perfect:
*today, according to
naomikritzer this guy often cross plays "Slave Girl Leia." Rumor has it he's coming as "Slave Boy Leo" today, so I'll be sure to try to catch a shot of him, if I can, because that sounds phenomenal.Mason and I spent much of con wandering around looking at all the cool costumers and wandering around the dealer's room. He bought a new Munchkin pack (zombies this time) and I found a cell phone charm of Renji/Hihio Zabimaru chibi, and I can never, ever resist chibi Zabimaru. Sadly, my cell phone does not have the technology to accommodate a charm. Seriously. It's not a smart phone, so I have no case to which I can hook such things. But, it was cheap and will fit my keyring just the same.
The Marvel Roundup panel was phenomenal. I had great fellow panelists and despite my voice, I managed to squee and maybe even make a few points of interest here and there. With any luck, you'll be able to judge for yourself. One of the panelists, Shaun Duke, is (among other things) a podcaster and he recorded us for his Hugo Award-nominated Skiffy and Fanty Show. If our panel gets posted there, I'll send along a direct link. It was probably the most high energy panel I've had so far, so I would think it would make a fantastic podcast.
Then there was more wandering, and Mason finally caught up with some of his crew:
Here's Mason with Zoro (green-hair) and Nami (orange-hair):
And in a time paradox, an older Luffy!
My final panel was "Cyberpunk 101," which went fairly well. Admittedly, my energy was starting to flag. Probably the most interesting part of the panel for me was the fact that one of my fellow panelists was a light side hacker. He was an honest-to-goodness Mouse, a phone freak from the 1980s. (And yes, he let us touch his hem.) I could have listened to his stories for the full hour.
Instead, we talked about a lot of different aspects of cyberpunk and, once again, the audience had some really amazing, mind-blowing questions and thoughts about the future of cyberpunk. Because the question kept coming up, "If we're living in a world already predicted, where we're saturated with technology, how do you write beyond that point? Or, maybe more importantly, is it necessary to?"
And I don't know. People often ask me if I'll ever return to the AngeLINK universe and I'm hesitant. I love the characters, but the world is getting harder and harder to reach back for because it's become a kind of AU where Facebook and Tumblr and Google glasses never happened.
The point was also made that one of the things cyberpunk spoke to was the fears of the day, "What if we become so dependent on our technology that we're no longer human?" That's not really the thing we worry about these days. We worry about the environment. We *do* still worry about corporations taking over, but a lot of what we feared has already come to pass. I mean, corporations as people? Pretty sure that was warned about in any number of early cyberpunk novels.
Also, as our resident hacker pointed out, it's actually a bit harder to by-pass The Man. Technology has outpaced some simple phone hacks. It's harder to break-in and it's much, MUCH harder to escape without leaving a trace.
Our fiction has also become a lot darker. No one believes any more that taking out one corporation/Power That Be will solve all the problems... without causing others. The revolution is murky and complicated and deeply underfunded...
It was a good panel, but in comparison to the squee fest of the Marvel Roundup it felt far lower key. But maybe that was because it was "meatier."
Thursday, July 03, 2014
CONvergence Begins....
Last night was CONvergence's 'opening night.' Traditionally, there's a Guests of Honor/Former Guests of Honor mixer held on Wednesday night to kick everything off. Eleanor Arnason (GoH 2001) and I (GoH 2012) went together.
I managed to loose my voice yesterday afternoon, so I squeaked a lot, and pretty much everyone who heard me gave me advice about how to conserve it/help it. (All of which I intend to take.)
The party itself was surprisingly fun.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, the CONvergence people are always awesome and know how to throw a good party. It's more that as a visiting artist/writing professional in a room of one's colleagues, sometimes the atmosphere can be kind of... well, daunting. You look around the room and you think, "Wow, all these writers/artists/media stars..." and your next thought is often, "What am I doing here? Compared to them, I'm nobody."
Like actors, writers are often seen as 'only as good as their current project' (at least among ourselves.) This, I've found is far less true out in the Real World. If you've written and published once, for most people, you're always a professional writer. The latter makes far more sense than the former. A book, once published, is always there for people to see. Regardless, a fellow author is likely to ask, "What are you working on now?" And, when the answer is, "Oh, um... nothing official," it can make for a very awkward night.
For whatever reason, last night, I didn't feel any of that. I saw a room full of people, many of them friends I hadn't seen in a while, and then I found the corner of anime fans and we squeed about the fact that the newest season of Free! started.
Seemed like an auspicious start. Fingers crossed that the rest of the con goes as well.
If you're attending con this year, here's a lovely pointer to my CONvergence schedule:
http://schedule.convergence-con.org/lyda.morehouse#.U7VFsl5hPwJ
You can also get from there to the main programming schedule. CONvergence is amazing because they also have this whole 'app' thing figured out. You can download any number of amazing things to keep track of your con and follow along with live tweets and everything. (Didn't I say? These CONvergence people are GOOD.)
I managed to loose my voice yesterday afternoon, so I squeaked a lot, and pretty much everyone who heard me gave me advice about how to conserve it/help it. (All of which I intend to take.)
The party itself was surprisingly fun.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, the CONvergence people are always awesome and know how to throw a good party. It's more that as a visiting artist/writing professional in a room of one's colleagues, sometimes the atmosphere can be kind of... well, daunting. You look around the room and you think, "Wow, all these writers/artists/media stars..." and your next thought is often, "What am I doing here? Compared to them, I'm nobody."
Like actors, writers are often seen as 'only as good as their current project' (at least among ourselves.) This, I've found is far less true out in the Real World. If you've written and published once, for most people, you're always a professional writer. The latter makes far more sense than the former. A book, once published, is always there for people to see. Regardless, a fellow author is likely to ask, "What are you working on now?" And, when the answer is, "Oh, um... nothing official," it can make for a very awkward night.
For whatever reason, last night, I didn't feel any of that. I saw a room full of people, many of them friends I hadn't seen in a while, and then I found the corner of anime fans and we squeed about the fact that the newest season of Free! started.
Seemed like an auspicious start. Fingers crossed that the rest of the con goes as well.
If you're attending con this year, here's a lovely pointer to my CONvergence schedule:
http://schedule.convergence-con.org/lyda.morehouse#.U7VFsl5hPwJ
You can also get from there to the main programming schedule. CONvergence is amazing because they also have this whole 'app' thing figured out. You can download any number of amazing things to keep track of your con and follow along with live tweets and everything. (Didn't I say? These CONvergence people are GOOD.)
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Wordpress Wednesday
Hah! I knew I'd figure out an alliteration! Speaking of silly language tricks, Mason and I have named our 15th MangaKast "15 - Ichi Go" because the hero of Bleach, Ichigo, is constantly seen wearing the number 15. It took me years of reading (and finally learning a bit of Japanese) to realize that it's a giant pun on his name because Ichi is the word for "one" and Go is "five" together his name makes 15.
http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/15-ichi-go/
So, of course I put up a picture of Renji who has nothing at all to do with the number 15. But, I really couldn't resist the fact that he's talking about chickens. Chickens is a funny thing at our house. One time, as we were snuggling before bed, Mason asked: "What do you want to talk about?" I said, "Chickens!" just to be a weirdo.
So now, every night before bed, we discuss something about chickens.
http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/15-ichi-go/
So, of course I put up a picture of Renji who has nothing at all to do with the number 15. But, I really couldn't resist the fact that he's talking about chickens. Chickens is a funny thing at our house. One time, as we were snuggling before bed, Mason asked: "What do you want to talk about?" I said, "Chickens!" just to be a weirdo.
So now, every night before bed, we discuss something about chickens.
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