Creepiest Sentence I’ve Read All Day
Please send me the names of all your family members and loved ones that we may spiritually adopt them.
Hey, man, I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave my family out of it.
SF Author Meme
This is an acceptable result:
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I am:Frank Herbert His style is often stilted, but he created what some consider the greatest SF novel of all time. |
Things I Didn’t Know: Black Indians
An infuriating article about Indian discrimination against blacks. Did you know that the Cherokees used to keep black slaves? But that after they emancipated them (before the US emancipated its slaves, natch) they were integrated into the tribe and generally regarded as full Indians? Neither did I. Unfortunately, a later US Indian census separated the “black Indians” into a separate category, and that is now being used as the excuse to disenfranchise and exclude their descendants from tribal membership.
A Florilegium of Rejection Notes
These are all for the same story, which I completed last summer:
It was well received here, but after some thought we have decided not to accept it for publication. this came very close. Very pretty
.
I quite liked this, but it felt a little insubstantial for this length, and my co-editors didn’t like it quite as much as I did.
Even though the narrative tone was more external or fable-esque than I usually prefer, I really enjoyed the first third or so of the story… I was hoping for something more character-centered… I hope you will feel free to submit again.
Your story was held for further consideration either by myself or my assistant and carefully read. I was intrigued by the idea behind this story and the style in which it was written, but on completing my reading ultimately decided I wasn’t compelled enough to make an offer to buy it.
My reaction to this is a mixture of pleasure at the positive reception, and annoyance at the lack of actual publication. Ah, well, such is the fate of a newbie writer. Once more into the breach…
Potlatch Day Three
This was the day we packed out. There was a 14-hour drive back to Seattle that needed to start early, so we debated whether or not to go to the panels that morning. Eventually we decided we should, as Jessie said that it was the panel that she most wanted to go to, and I was eager to stay as long as possible.
How Many Roads? (Reading multiple-viewpoint stories): A great panel, led by L. Kimmel Duchamp, with LeGuin, Vylar Kaftan, and others on the panel. Very informative, with lots of good points about both reading and writing multiple viewpoint stories. Best line of the con was Kaftan, discussing the difficulty of describing a first-person viewpoint character: “Nobody looks at themselves in the mirror and thinks about what they look like. But if you do, come up and talk to me afterwards, because I want to put you into a story.”
Driving home: Did I mention that I got a ticket on the way down to CA for going 90 mph in a 65 mph zone? Anyway, as we’re driving home, we pull into a gas station and at the pump next to us is the same cop that pulled me over. He was in his civilian clothes filling up his truck… just where we happened to pull in. He refrained from getting us another ticket, but he did wink at me as I was coming out of the bathroom, which creeped me out.
We got in at about 2am, and promptly collapsed into bed. Everyone agreed that it was a fantastic weekend, though.
Potlatch Day Two
(I’ve been incredibly busy for the last several days, so I haven’t had time to blog anything. So this Potlatch follow-up post is late. Sorry!)
Potlatch day two is the main day of programming, and I spent most of the day going to panels and listening to interesting people speak. The main attraction, of course, was Ursula K. LeGuin, who spoke on many panels, and was spoken of on many more. I managed to wrangle a book-signing and a photograph out of her!
The programming for the day can be found on this page. Here’s some brief thoughts on each panel:
Graphic Novels: not something that I’m all that interested in myself, but I was surprised and delighted to see LeGuin leading it. I learned lots about the history and current trends in graphic novels and comics, and saw panels from some very nice webcomics.
The Scalzi Rule: So our little panel attracted the attention of the great John Scalzi himself! I didn’t stay for the whole thing, as I had to go out for lunch, but this was an interesting panel of con etiquette, and what to do about That Guy. You know, the one who wants to soapbox and won’t shut up. I suggested that the Scalzi Rule was appropriate, even necessary for large groups, which garnered lots of disagreement.
Lunch: Delicious sushi with a childhood friend who lives in the Bay Area!
Good Reads: Got only the tail end, because of aforementioned lunch.
Ursula LeGuin’s reading from Always Coming Home: Exceptional. The readings were fine, and the questions were surprisingly insightful and interesting. The last question, about hope, was so inspiring and appropriate to end the reading that I could hardly believe that it wasn’t planned.
Poetry Reading: Entitled Invocation Against Entropy: A Chiastic Farrago of Poetry from John M. Ford and Ursula K. LeGuin. This was the surprise hit of the con, for me. I have little ear for poetry and low expectations from readings. But this was organized into a quasi-dramatic presentation, with gorgeous writing, good readers, and a beautiful chiastic structure.
Auction: Led by Jay Lake and… somebody whose name I really should remember but can’t right now. Entertaining, but I didn’t buy anything.
Scotch tasting: Not an official event, but a Potlatch tradition and a great time nonetheless. This was the best conversation I had the whole con, covering Gene Wolfe, cruelty and beauty, scifi bookstores, and intelligent moles.
I’ll have the brief recap of day three up this evening. Hopefully.
Better – Eve Tushnet
March 18, 2009 at 12:21 pm (writing) (commentary, reading, short story)
Eve Tushnet, how I heart you! Today you bring me a terrifically creepy horror/sf story called Better. This isn’t obviously horror, but the revelation in the final third is so revolting and gut-wrenching that I think it deserves that name.
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