And then she's boxing clever...

[greygirlbeast]

Yes, well, being awake isn't everything. Indeed, I suspect it is quite highly overrated, and in the end is neither really here nor there. Waking in this world means little more than the loss of access to all those other worlds. Thinking on it now, waking is not unlike being given a half-full box of Junior Mints that have spent a week on a theatre floor in exchange for Willy Wonka's whole factory. At least, this is how I choose to think about it today.

First, more photos of the hand-corrected copy of the Gauntlet edition of the 1999 Silk hardback that is now being auctioned, behind the cut (and if you need more info., just email Spooky at crk_books(at)yahoo(dot).com):















Yesterday was spent catching up on the busyness of writing, but also on getting my head into the space it needs to be to finally write The Dinosaurs of Mars (also, a steampunk vignette for Sirenia Digest #19 was discussed). And that mostly meant me finally coming to terms with the reason I have written only three substantial science-fiction short stories since "Bradbury Weather" (Subterranean #2). That was the late summer 2004, by the way, the writing of "Bradbury Weather," and it came after several sf stories with which I was quite pleased — "Riding the White Bull," The Dry Salvages, "Faces in Revolving Souls," and "The Pearl Diver." But since "Bradbury Weather," I've written only "Zero Summer," which was done two years ago now, and "A Season of Broken Dolls" and "In View of Nothing" this past spring. And there is a reason why, which I have not previously discussed.

In general, the reviews of The Dry Salvages were very good. My readers seemed to love it. It sold out very quickly. The Kennedy/Marshall Co. contacted my agents about film rights and there talks (though, of course, nothing ever came of this). By all accounts, it was a success. But for one thing. A tepid review in Locus. And sure, most times I can dismiss negative reviews — not easily, but in the end I can usually dismiss them and keep moving forward. But this review was one of the sort written by someone I had a good deal of respect for. I knew that he knew what he was talking about, and the review stung. In the end, the reviewer in question concluded that, overall, the novella was "haunting and beautifully written" and that it "serves more to reinforce the promise" that I could one day be "an effective writer of SF" than to fulfill that promise. That was the good stuff. I'm not going into all the "bad" stuff.

Two and a half years later, with more perspective, I see some of the criticism as valid, but I've also come to feel much of it is simply wrong-headed. I also still have great respect for the reviewer in question. I hope this will go some ways towards dismissing the myth that I discount all negative criticism of my work out of hand. Anyway, the real problem here is that I allowed the review to do two things that reviews should never do, and I know that this was not the intent of the reviewer. Firstly, I allowed it to dissuade me from writing more sf, and secondly, I permitted it to temporarily convince me that there was only one sort of sf story worth telling and it was most certainly not the retro "ripping good space yarns" (to quote PZB speaking on The Dry Salvages) I was doing, but those more sober tales of mankind's relationship to technology (and, I suppose, vice versa). Having been told by someone whose opinion I hold in high regard that The Dry Salvages seemed "too conveniently off-the-shelf," I consciously chose to step away from the field for a time. Recently, I have come back, in a small way, with "A Season of Broken Dolls" and "In View of Nothing," but these are not the sorts of stories that I wanted to use sf to tell (though they are both stories of which I am very proud).

To get to the point, one reason that I have delayed so long in starting The Dinosaurs of Mars is that I know it's going to be another retro space opera, more Lovecraftian cosmicism tinged with Bradburyesaque wonder and Gibsonian cyberpunk than the sort of stories favoured by contemporary sf reviewers. No talk of "the singularity" et. al., but a tale of exploration and discovery and man's place in a universe that is likely beyond hisherits comprehension and is surely, in the main, hostile to human existence. These are the sorts of sf stories I want to write, mostly, which means they are the ones I should be writing. Too long have I allowed one review to stay my hand, especially when I'm quite certain the reviewer never meant to have that effect on me. It's time to go back to work.

Anything else? Sushi from Whole Foods for dinner last night, and I started the new Second Life dancing gig. But the SL matrix is suffering some sort of reality storm, effecting, primarily, search and teleportation functions and the distribution of Linden dollars. Which is to say last night was not very profitable. But I do like the new club, so I have hope that once the glitch is patched up (a glitch resulting from "scheduled maintenance," ironically) it'll all be good again.

Comments

[wolven.livejournal.com]

SF stories are always appreciated.

Interestingly hopeful entry; very good to read.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Interestingly hopeful entry; very good to read.

I am feeling oddly hopeful lately.

But What About the Cyborgs and Laser Swords?

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

People always complain that SF should be this, fantasy should be that, "fat fantasy" is garbage, hard SF is techno-porn for engineers, blah, blah... I think F/SF should be whatever writers want to write and readers want to read. The one has an obvious effect on the sales of the other, but that's right where it oughtta stop. If diktat limited SF solely to cerebral meditation on human interactions with technology, I'd be reading more mysteries.

Re: But What About the Cyborgs and Laser Swords?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Thing is, I sort of saw The Dry Salvages as hard sf. Certainly, I went to great lengths to get the science/math as right as possible (thank you Larne and Derek!). But what is some people's hard is evidently soft for others. Truthfully, I don't read much contemporary sf. I wnat to read Neal Stephenson, but haven't yet. Mostly, I read 1960s and earlier and the cyberpunk stuff from the late '70s and '80s.

I think that, unfortunately, sf sees itself as progressive, the way some people see science as progressive. So it is not enough to tell "wonder stories." There must be this socially/tech relevant agenda, and I really have no use for it.

[setsuled.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, being awake isn't everything. Indeed, I suspect it is quite highly overrated

That's why I just slept twelve hours. Let's be cats.

more photos of the hand-corrected copy of the Gauntlet edition of the 1999 Silk hardback

I love the little light bulb.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That's why I just slept twelve hours. Let's be cats.

Oh, gods. To sleep twelve hours straight. Can such a thing really be? I've not slept more than eight in recent memory, and the average is a measly six.

I love the little light bulb.

Thanks.

[setsuled.livejournal.com]

To sleep twelve hours straight. Can such a thing really be?

Indeed, for I am a master of Sleep Fu, and though I've been looking for a disciple, I do not think you are ready. You must pray to the Two-toed Sloth God. Return to my temple when you have completed his challenges.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You must pray to the Two-toed Sloth God.

It will be done.

Two Cents...

[z0mb1e.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I prefer "your" kind of SF to the "other" kind, which, in general, I find boring and unemotional. Also, getting back to the earlier discussion of which direction your work is moving in, I vote (not that you were really taking votes...) whole heartedly for this new dark-SF direction. Dry Salvages is one of my favorite new works of yours, and I am VERY excited to read Dinosaurs of Mars.
I have a lot to say about reviews/reviewers, but I think I'll let that lie. I can understand why you read them, but I wish you wouldn't let them affect you so much. If only one review prevented two years of potentially amazing SF work from you, I can only see that as harmful and negative.

Re: Two Cents...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

If only one review prevented two years of potentially amazing SF work from you, I can only see that as harmful and negative.

In this case, I do not blame the review so much as I blame my reaction to it.

[alvyarin.livejournal.com]

'So it is not enough to tell "wonder stories."'

Too bad, because some of us wish there was more of that out there.

Is the film you mentioned a few weeks ago (documentary more like) going to be presented at the HPL Film Fest? I live here in Austin and want to make a point of seeing it if so.

Some of the movies/shorts look very good (http://www.hplfilmfestival.com/shorts.htm#HPL06-0134).

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Is the film you mentioned a few weeks ago (documentary more like) going to be presented at the HPL Film Fest?

Not this year, but next. The documentary is still in production.

[awdrey-gore.livejournal.com]

"serves more to reinforce the promise" that I could one day be "an effective writer of SF"

Que? You mean you already aren't an effective writer of SF? That's it! I'm returning all your books to the publisher and demanding a refund.

UGH!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Que? You mean you already aren't an effective writer of SF?

For my part, I cannot say, if only because I do not know what criteria were used here to determine "effectiveness."

[awdrey-gore.livejournal.com]

To be frank, I can seldom understand any sort of criteria anymore. Ghost stories are published in sci-fi journals, alien tales in horror 'zines. I think, ultimately, the criteria is going to have to be whether or not one writes an entertaining, provocative or though-inducing piece of speculative fiction.

As a reader of all genres, believe me, you are aleady an effective writer of SF. And horror. And fantasy. Probably slipstream, too, but that one I am especially hazy on.

You're an effective writer. Period.

(Said as a fan girl and book whore in good standing.)

[sovay]

First, more photos of the hand-corrected copy of the Gauntlet edition of the 1999 Silk hardback that is now being auctioned

The line "holdover from draft where Niki was Eddie Sung" makes a minor but pleasant addition to my day; I cannot remember whether I read Silk or Drawing Blood first, but I remember noting the piercings, actually, and wondering whether the two characters were versions of one another (or at one point had been).

also, a steampunk vignette for Sirenia Digest #19 was discussed

I would support that.

That was the good stuff. I'm not going into all the "bad" stuff.

I am perennially amazed by the way our brains seem to be wired to believe negative over positive feedback.

These are the sorts of sf stories I want to write, mostly, which means they are the ones I should be writing.

Go forth and write them! They will be awesome.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

The line "holdover from draft where Niki was Eddie Sung" makes a minor but pleasant addition to my day; I cannot remember whether I read Silk or Drawing Blood first, but I remember noting the piercings, actually, and wondering whether the two characters were versions of one another (or at one point had been).

Yep. In the original draft of Silk, Eddie Sung appeared (by the kind permission of PZB), but she became Niki Ky in 1996 on my (former) editor's advice. It was the right decision, though being allowed to write "Eddie's story" moved Silk ahead at a point when I was sorely stuck.

[corucia.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to the Dinosaurs of Mars. The Dry Salvages was probably my favorite SF book from 2004, and there were some very good ones that year. Unlike most of them, however, your story managed to do a couple of things that most SF doesn't try to do. First, it really gave an aura of alienness, rather than just being a recycling of old stories set in space. There's certainly room for such retellings, but perhaps my background predisposes me to feeling that when (if) we do travel away from our cozy confines, we'll encounter things for which we have no ready frame of reference. Second, I loved the feeling of incompleteness that it left me with. Once again, perhaps it's my training that informs me that rarely are we afforded a complete glimpse of something, especially something novel. Instead, understanding often comes in fits and starts, with lots of puzzlement to go around in the inbetweentimes. While I love the old-style hard SF (exemplified most recently by John Scalzi's stuff), a big part of me believes that things will never be that cut-and-dry.

[tactileson.livejournal.com]

I have to say that I loved The Dry Salvages. I was lucky enough to be included on the list of people who received ARC's from SubPress and I read the book in one sitting. That said, I don't often read Sci-Fi, and mainly because I find it, as someone else put it, unemotional. I don't think your writing can be unemotional, and so emotion carries over into every story, no matter the genre, and it lends itself to sci-fi very nicely.

What I love most about your sci-fi work is how it seems to not concern itself with the fact that it is sci-fi. The setting of the future is just another backdrop to tell a story, which makes the story all the more intriguing. It many cases, to me at least, it's like getting a glimpse into the actual future, like reading a fictional tale that just happened to be written by someone in the future. I like that quite a lot.

I don't have much sci-fi in my book collection, but for me you're right alongside Alfred Bester as my favorite sci-fi author. So, in short, do write more science fiction, because you rock at it.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It many cases, to me at least, it's like getting a glimpse into the actual future, like reading a fictional tale that just happened to be written by someone in the future.

In one sentence, you have summed up my philosophy of sf.

[blubeagle.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth: The Dry Salvages is one of my favorite books that you've written. It held my attention (which is a miracle) and by the time I got to the last page, I had to read it again, because I was so taken by it. It moved me deeply and earned my respect. As a writer, for another writer to challenge me in the ways your writing does, it doesn't happen, unless it's exemplary writing, which yours is. I know you don't need me to tell you that you're a brilliant writer, but you are.

One little review won't make or break you. It's just going to challenge you to make the next one that much better. And believe me, you are getting better all the time.