Shaken & Stirred: Thursday Hangovers, or Almost Posts

March 22, 2007

Thursday Hangovers, or Almost Posts

My apologies for the general level of suck around here this week. My Devil Bug of Doom has been a persistent foe, striking at will for the past several days, all while I try to make it to work, write new novel pages, make sure our familial houseguests are taken care of, and enjoy Puck and Emma playing with each other (and keep Puck from chasing the cat, until he's ready to be chased), etcetera. No e-mail catch-up as planned, but if you're waiting for a response I'll get to it this weekend. Promiso. Right now, I'm going to curl up on le couch and watch last night's Bones. This is less of a hangovers post and more a bunch of mini-posts slammed together sort of thing. Fair warning.
If you're a writer-type (or a discerning reader-type) and you don't read J.L. Bell's Oz and Ends, you're really missing out. I just realized I have four of his posts starred to link and it's gotten to the point where I'm intending to link everything he posts. So just read the blog entire.
The indefatigable Cynthia Leitich Smith interviews the Readergirlz.
Colleen Mondor asks where the YA science fiction is and notes that recent examples she can name aren't labeled as such by their publishers; agent Barry Goldblatt responds in the comments that "Unfortunately, "science fiction" is still basically a curse word in YA publishing. While fantasy has overcome the geek/nerd association, science fiction is still firmly saddled with it." His entire response is well worth your time. Ever since I've been paying attention to this issue, I've heard various editors and agents say they would love to get more good science fiction submissions, but just don't see much. I have to say that I really have less of a problem with fear of the label, as long as stuff is getting published--BUT I will also say that I've run into some puzzling attitudes lately that only regard as SF things that are called such by publishers. That includes works of both science fiction and fantasy, so perhaps the shyness to call an alien an alien (or whatever) may hurt in the overall "let's stop pretending realism is all there is or somehow innately superior and SF is for nerds only" wars. It also says to me that beneath the fear of the term there is an underlying realization these are excellent books that deserve wide audiences, and it's hard to quarrel with that.
Any Brotherhood 2.0 that includes urban exploration is automatically THE BEST INSTALLMENT ever. This is why YA is the awesomest: NBA winner Tobin Anderson committing crimes on tape. I ask, will you see Richard Powers doing this? I think not. Also, I want to see the post office with the forest inside.
Justine asks: Great editing or great publicity from your publisher (assuming you can only choose one)? I'd have to go with editing, because I think a really fabulous editor is worth their weight in gold and also can be an advocate on the inside. A really, really fabulous editor will even care about your career and not just the book in question. And that's what sending boxes of champagne to the PR staff is for, right? Or, you know, hiring a freelance publicist and working your butt off. That said, I realize this is more complicated than that and also that if you really do only have one of these things, you probably obsess over how you wish you had the other one too. I dream of puppies, kittens, publicity teams and editrons. In the end, it's about the work and, paraphrasing the immortal words of John Banville, time is the best judge.
Andy Duncan: Does he work for WD-40? Somehow I've lived my adult life without ever needing this stuff. (Jinx!)

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My apologies for the general level of suck around here this week. My Devil Bug of Doom has been a persistent foe, striking at will for the past several days, all while I try to make it to work, write new novel pages, make sure our familial houseguests are taken care of, and enjoy Puck and Emma playing with each other (and keep Puck from chasing the cat, until he's ready to be chased), etcetera. No e-mail catch-up as planned, but if you're waiting for a response I'll get to it this weekend. Promiso. Right now, I'm going to curl up on le couch and watch last night's Bones. This is less of a hangovers post and more a bunch of mini-posts slammed together sort of thing. Fair warning.
If you're a writer-type (or a discerning reader-type) and you don't read J.L. Bell's Oz and Ends, you're really missing out. I just realized I have four of his posts starred to link and it's gotten to the point where I'm intending to link everything he posts. So just read the blog entire.
The indefatigable Cynthia Leitich Smith interviews the Readergirlz.
Colleen Mondor asks where the YA science fiction is and notes that recent examples she can name aren't labeled as such by their publishers; agent Barry Goldblatt responds in the comments that "Unfortunately, "science fiction" is still basically a curse word in YA publishing. While fantasy has overcome the geek/nerd association, science fiction is still firmly saddled with it." His entire response is well worth your time. Ever since I've been paying attention to this issue, I've heard various editors and agents say they would love to get more good science fiction submissions, but just don't see much. I have to say that I really have less of a problem with fear of the label, as long as stuff is getting published--BUT I will also say that I've run into some puzzling attitudes lately that only regard as SF things that are called such by publishers. That includes works of both science fiction and fantasy, so perhaps the shyness to call an alien an alien (or whatever) may hurt in the overall "let's stop pretending realism is all there is or somehow innately superior and SF is for nerds only" wars. It also says to me that beneath the fear of the term there is an underlying realization these are excellent books that deserve wide audiences, and it's hard to quarrel with that.
Any Brotherhood 2.0 that includes urban exploration is automatically THE BEST INSTALLMENT ever. This is why YA is the awesomest: NBA winner Tobin Anderson committing crimes on tape. I ask, will you see Richard Powers doing this? I think not. Also, I want to see the post office with the forest inside.
Justine asks: Great editing or great publicity from your publisher (assuming you can only choose one)? I'd have to go with editing, because I think a really fabulous editor is worth their weight in gold and also can be an advocate on the inside. A really, really fabulous editor will even care about your career and not just the book in question. And that's what sending boxes of champagne to the PR staff is for, right? Or, you know, hiring a freelance publicist and working your butt off. That said, I realize this is more complicated than that and also that if you really do only have one of these things, you probably obsess over how you wish you had the other one too. I dream of puppies, kittens, publicity teams and editrons. In the end, it's about the work and, paraphrasing the immortal words of John Banville, time is the best judge.
Andy Duncan: Does he work for WD-40? Somehow I've lived my adult life without ever needing this stuff. (Jinx!)

Read Read

Cynthia Leitich Smith: Eternal
Set in the same world as Tantalize, Cynthia Leitich Smith has written the best kind of sequel--the kind that's even better than the first book. The novel follows teen Miranda into an undead afterlife, alternating her story with that of her guardian angel. If you never thought guardian angels could be awesome, we have something in common: We were wrong. Dark, witty, fabulous. Read this now.
Janni Lee Simner: Bones of Faerie
In her debut young adult novel, Janni Simner inventively and memorably adds to the post-apocalypse tradition, gracing it with a dark fairy tale of being lost in the woods--the terrifying, murderous woods. The meticulous creation of the human and faerie worlds, and the attention to the new operating tendencies of nature, makes this a good bet for anyone who likes to read about life after the end of things familiar. Full take here.
Kelley Armstrong: The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1)
Chloe Saunders has one freak out too many after seeing dead people, and gets sent to a small, private home for special kids. WAY special kids, we learn, as Armstrong teases out the reasons they're all there. One of the things I liked best is that the novel doesn't wear its context on its sleeve--I didn't discover it was set in the same world as the author's very popular urban fantasies for adults until after I read it. A wise decision, because in no way did this book ever feel overburdened by an immense back story. It's quite simply a page-turning pleasure, reinventing well worn tropes without a hint of laziness.
Jo Graham: Black Ships
A riveting blend of history and invention, of fantasy and realism--Graham proves herself more than up to the task of interpreting The Aeneid for today's readers. By focusing on a young Sybil named Gull, the book ably explores the ancient world without sacrificing the view from either the generational royalty at the top, or the displaced slaves and commoners at the bottom. And if you geek out over the mysteries and familial connections of gods like I do, you'll love this even more.
Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games
Just read this one already. Oh, and block out the day, because, yes, it really is that absorbing.
Justine Larbalestier: How to Ditch Your Fairy
This novel isn't easy to find simple comparisons for, and that's one of the main reasons you should read it. Justine has crafted a unique confection -- equal parts light and density. Set in a world where most people have invisible fairies (or do they?), teenage Charlie is cursed with a Parking Fairy, and resolves to get rid of it. Complications, of course, ensue. Rarely have I seen such exquisite worldbuilding in service of such a witty, fun story. Her best novel yet, this one is a treat not to be missed.