More July links

A guest blog hosted by Jim Hines. :>

Phil Athans (formerly of WoTC) creates an exercise: write cover copy. It's hard; I sometimes copy-edit cover copy, for one publisher. He has some other writing exercises too.

John Ottinger is hosting a contest, Calling All Alternauts! Note that winners are notified through Facebook. Perhaps you can ask about using email or Tweets.

It occurs to me that the Interweb is getting more graphical all the time. As in GUI. :> I mentioned the Rialto last week, and realized that I was talking to someone who'd probably never been on usenet. I wonder what we'll use to communicate in 2020?

While researching for work, I found a bookbinding dictionary of terms. How's that for awesome? Imagine having to find that in a library!

Are you pondering... cons?

I've been thinking, I now live near Columbus -- relatively speaking, that is. The home of ConText. This year lacks conflict with ConClave, which is my usual problem; instead, the con's only five weeks away.

And these are the folks who are putting on WFC. I'm already registered for World Fantasy.

I could day-trip ConText; their panels look great... Tempting!

Maybe I really am too much like Miles Vorkosigan. (Naw!!!) I already have three travel plans for going solo and/or with companions. There's time to work things out.

July links

Moonie goes into the Blue Yonder with book publicity.

And from EV comes the recent Twitter panel: Do You Believe in Science Fiction?

Shared worlds... ever write one? Want to hear about someone who has? This is a lovely detailed look by Erin M. Evans.

And an essay about reading -- from reading as an addiction to unread books. Definitely enjoyable. I just realized part of why it was so enjoyable; it's by a reader for readers.

Refreshing, especially since the Smithsonian 'zine let me down with lots of "how technology will change everything" today, reading included.

And I can't but think they're a little slow to notice. =sigh= Maybe it's that I have higher standards for the Smithsonian as versus, say, TIME or Newsweek...

Mystery characters & vanity.

Josephine Tey has a premise about vanity being part of the criminal mind. Typically Kevin or Alan will speak of this to a disbeliever.

Luckily for me, this gentleman has the very quote I'm thinking of from Alan Grant. [Link broken.]

I plan to think about this some more. But I'm wondering how many criminals as characters fit. I have a feeling that Margery Allingham had several who did.

If you must motivate a character somehow, why not with pathological vanity? This would include vigilantes to some extent; any avenger -- Zorro, Batman -- has chosen to go outside the system. Isn't it vanity, and therefore hubris, to assume that Only You can solve the problem?

Last year, I noticed that one of Bujold's characters exactly fulfills this definition... probably more do, but I happened to be reading Brat Farrar right then, and it was quite a contrast!

Other June links

Some small presses through Paper Golem.

(Is it a little disturbing that ten years ago I only knew one of those, unlike now?)

Stacy at Tu Books: What kind of fantasy is Tu looking for? And what kind of synopsis?

This brings you back to research and how you really need to look at a publisher. I like how Stacy reminds the author querying that YA work of decades ago isn't necessarily what teens today are reading. Me, I loved how Las Vegas had a What's New endcap. That's how I discovered Frances Hardinge's debut novel.

Moonie and why not to bring in your MS personally... and along with the Reader Child, there's an appeal for editor Alyssa Smith, who lost everything in a fire. :/

SF tidbits...

Neil talks about A Political Football in A Teacup -- which is what he got used as. :/

Diana Wynne Jones has chosen to discontinue chemo.

Tor has where to write DWJ, via a moving post by Kate Nepveu. Now would be an excellent time to write her and tell her that you love her books. [I do, and I'm about to write next.] I love DWJ's writing, and a great many of her books are my very favorites.


Brit over at Tor has a good post about writing called Taking Advice. Check it out.

Also from Tor: David Bowie as a specfi entertainer. How odd that I never thought of that, despite being a huge Bowie fan... and I've read The Man Who Fell to Earth too. Probably because I was a Bowie fan, although it's possible I picked that up before 1986.

And OSC's Intergalatic Medicine Show is back from hiatus! Apex Magazine (NOT Books) is open to subs again, as is Electric Velocipede.

Final May links.

Cover letters in fiction -- why they're exactly opposite what you learn in writing job cover letters. From Adam's friend Christie Yant. :>

From Forbes: Twenty-One Women Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Favorite Business Books.

Garrison Keillor gives a speech for Authors Guild, much like his editorial. I think I prefer the latter.

And last, one from Moonie about book launches. Many excellent tips!