'We're All in This Together'

A while back, I was thinking about Diana Wynne Jones, one of my favorite fantasy writers... and this is my most favorite story shape that she uses. I got to read another and it made me very happy.

Archer's Goon is a great example, and the one I think of first. YA can start, of course, with the alienated kid, all alone, trying to get by. And that can work. Sometimes it's just the setup. Sometimes the story morphs as the kid [or kids] find that they aren't really alone.

I'm not averse to the plucky hero[ine] flying solo. Far from it.

But "we" is community. It is friends and family and allies -- sometimes all of those, sometimes not. This is not the same as a single comrade/ally story [which was Andre Norton's particular favorite], although Diana does those too. Not a sidekick but another companion in misfortune.

I could list the other "we" books, but why spoil them for you?

Do realize that sometimes Diana's work will stealthily become a "we" story. If you look carefully at the cover flap, it may warn you. :>

Archer's Goon says straight up that the family is oppressed. It is one of my very favorites. I read it every other year, I think.

I didn't grow up reading DWJ. I wanted to. I found a story called "The Sage of Theare" and it took me many years, probably fifteen or so, to discover that British authors often ended up in the kids' part of libraries... although by then I owned Power of Three and Charmed Life. I have probably read nearly every book she's written.

(If you HAVE read Archer's Goon, Howl's Moving Castle, and Witch Week, here's a fascinating thesis discussion. Except that Cat is named Eric.)

May links

William talks more about learning to write...

Jeremy has the tip about Tor.com adding someone to processing fiction subs -- Liz Gorinsky! :D And if you wanted the submission guidelines for Tor.com fiction, that's the place to go. Patrick's been understandably swamped.

Also, Jeremy tortures a werewolf... sort of. ;]

John Meaney explains important factors about reputable agents -- do listen up. When you research agents, use Writer Beware / Editors & Preditors and the Absolute Write watercooler [links on my sidebar]. And really, truly research 'em. It's part of your job as a writer... unless you'd prefer to be taken for a ride by a scam artist. I hope you don't!

To leave you with a smile, try John's definition of writing, which I like.

Status report: May

Where have I vanished to?

Well, after Penguicon I fell straight into the next book gig... and my latest obsession. Ahem. Yes, I am now addicted to Ellery Queen mysteries. You are lucky indeed to miss any details of the latest one I've read -- by email or in person.

Yesterday I tried to divert myself with Ellery Queen's Challenge to the Reader. It's an anthology. And the challenge? Ah, well, you are to guess the sleuth's real name.

Although I haven't read many of the Golden Age authors included therein, EQ did not "conceal" some detectives' names well enough. =sigh= Annoying. Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence clued me in on at least one sleuth. :>

Thus far, I think I like Dr. Thorndyke. He is much nicer than Holmes, I must say. Also, Arsène Lupin is delightful -- definitely my kind of rogue.

So now you know. Hide while you still can! You have been warned....

(I really must snag the other three incarnations of Ellery, EQ Version Three novels get a little... depressing.)

April links

The great Moonrat is listed in the Top 50 Book People [near the bottom, if you're curious]; NeilHimself is the first one, as this is the Twitter list. And speaking of Twitter, how would you feel about paying every time someone did a search for your Tweet?

I liked how Moonie listed this, so I pinched her tagline: NY Mag article about the publisher who almost got JD Salinger's last novel. Poor guy.


There is a very scary book publishing poster that Moonie found [this month], but I'm not linking to it. That way any trauma you incur is because you ran off hunting it your own self. Also, it requires extreme magnification. Last, the writer who has not finished a book is advised to avoid the trauma.

To make up for poster lack, here's The Song -- no, not John Donne's The Song. That other one. :D


I missed when Scalzi did his play which explains the point of having all those people who don't write the book be involved in publishing.

ETA: The FAQ at Midpoint Trade Books tells you all sorts of neat things about books, their jackets, pub dates, distributors, when to publish... which may be things you need to know now, and may be things you wonder about. All fascinating.

Honorables and...

Shimmer and Electric Velocipede both got honorable mentions in Ellen's new anthology, Best Horror of the Year 2.

Here's three Shimmery reviews. And isn't this a pretty cover for the new EV? :D


I'm going up to Penguicon in two weeks. P-con moved again, now it's at ConFusion's hotel, the Troy Marriott.

It's interesting to see how things change; I hadn't done panels much because I'd been involved in writing workshop coordination. Now the panels that interest me are about writing and/or publishing... a logical progression, but one I wouldn't have thought about a decade ago.

It all ties together...

Today I got a Publishers Weekly link from LinkedIn. Marc Gascoigne from Angry Robot tweeted said link.

The article covers new publishers Angry Robot and Tu Books, along with e-book-only Carina Press [part of Harlequin]. Sections from Tor Books and Naomi Novik are included at the end. If you've ever wondered about vowels, read Naomi's piece.

(I think Naomi's grandmother must have met my grandfather at Ellis Island, in passing...)

Final March links: sf markets.

Dreams of Decadence to Re-launch

So... if you write paranormal romance and/or urban fantasy, keep an eye on this market. Also note that links to the submission engines at Lightspeed [new market], Clarkesworld, Fantasy Magazine, and EV are in this post.

Polyphony, Or -- what happened to that book I ordered? In this case an anthology, but... it's an interesting brief discussion about marketing and submissions.

It does make you think... with this many people who submit to a market, who DOES buy the result? And -- as William said not long ago, how would you know to seek the book or antho out had you no idea of its existence?