About Palm Springs!
You’ll be seeing me talk about other worlds, romance, and do a readings from The Pyramid Waltz and For Want of a Fiend. I might even give away some spoilers…
Like who this guy is ^_^
It’s gonna be a wild time.
PALM SPRINGS!!!!
So do come out and say hello. Seriously, do. I hate eating alone.
That’s probably me that brought that giant cheese.
When I was writing The Pyramid Waltz, I didn’t want to fall into a trap where my characters of color are concerned. (Try saying that five times fast.)
We’re not here to empower you.
I didn’t want Starbride to be the wise brown person only there to enlighten her paler counterparts. I wanted her to be her own person, with her own quirks and faults and strengths. Many of my lovely beta readers have told me that she’s very human. I take that as high praise since I was hoping to stay far away from stereotypes.
I think some of blond Barbies might be darker than these two, tho. Seriously, Mattel, what’s up with that?
Anyway! I got lots of birthday Barbies, so guess what? Now Evil Barbie and Good Barbie can have allies! Can you say, epic fight scenes?
I think a black hole of awesome just opened up
Two kens, glamorous evil side, sensible shoes good side, and one panda. Who will win?!?!?
One thing never changes, though. This:
Welcome to the bondage club, half-naked Ken.
Still equals this:
Welcome to the bondage club, plastic swiss cheese.
Some things never change. The Barbies of color are just glad they’re not A) The ones in the ropes B) The mythical spiritual healers or C) The plucky/macho soldiers who never make it through the film.
We love you, Michelle Rodriguez.
p.s. Is anyone else doing extreme writing this summer? I’m in both Camp Nanowrimo and the Clarion West Write-a-thon. Who’s with me!?!?! C’mon. Being insane is fuuuun. ^_^
Happy Wednesday, everyone. Thank goodness it’s June.
*snort* I’m 35. Suuure.
When I first decided I wanted to write female main characters, it was hard not to write ABOUT women, about what pressures I felt as a woman or what impacts I thought society had on women or yeah, yeah, yeah. (I know you were starting to tune out right there.)
To counteract this and write a story that starred a woman instead of being about her, I moved my story to outer space.
Well, that’s not completely true. I wanted to write stories set in outer space anyway, or at least on other planets. Since one of my first college loves was anthropology, I created an anthropologist studying alien species in order to help her human colony survive.
You win this fabulous jungle background!
She felt tremendous pressure to do her duty, to do what was expected no matter what she might want for herself. Those pesky societal constraints sneaked in there again, like ticks, or gnats. Stupid societal constraints…
Crap.
On the same planet, years later, I wrote about a space marine. She followed her own path, walked to the beat of her own drummer. She knew about sacrifice, but she chose to do it; no one ever forced her. She was huge and muscular, and too tough to cry.
Barbie dolls can’t flex enough to truly bring the gun show to town.
I still like her, but she was a bit of an overreaction.
For my next female MC, I swung far the other way. I wrote about a dancer who could take care of herself but wasn’t afraid to cry or love or wear pretty dresses, you know, all that girl shit. She embraced what some might call the feminine things in life. (In real life, I think this is when I fell back in love with glitter.)
No matter what I did, she looked drunk, okay.
I discovered that female characters could cover all these ranges, could cover every range. They could be insecure, easily swayed anthropologists, tough-as-nails space marines and dress-wearing dancers. I realized there was no one role model everyone could look up to. Not everyone can be a superwoman, but all my characters had one thing in common, when the chips were down, they were all brave in their own ways. I think I mixed them all together to make to create the heroines of The Pyramid Waltz.
Prom 1996
Two women, each brave in a different way, each very different people. Starbride (on the left) is a thinker. Katya is a fighter. In different situations, each is cautious or impulsive. They both love jewelry and nice clothes, though they have very different styles. Katya takes sacrifice to extremes and needs Starbride’s level head. Starbride tries to do everything herself and needs Katya’s helping hand.
And it doesn’t hurt that I can easily make them into Barbies. (I do wish, though, that the Barbies of color were a little darker. I think the one I bought is supposed to be Hispanic, but her skin tone is even lighter than her blond counterpart.)
And now I have enough dolls to stage this:
Yes, that is a woman dancing with a panda in the background. That’s what you took from this?
Aaaahhh, so good. Yeah, I didn’t put the panda and the pear together. That would’ve been…weird.
But I can’t stop doing this.
I know, it looks like there’s some ass-cupping there. These dolls are hard to pose!
Or this.
The untold Disney story.
Or if I’m honest, this.
A love that will not be denied…
Who’s up for writing a ninja/pear romance with me?
And a super duper p.s.: My friend John Clark has started a Kickstarter for his novel, Red Chords! Let’s all go help him out. If you’re a fan of Laurel K. Hamilton or Patricia Briggs, I think you’ll really go for this.
p.s.s It’s not even my birthday yet, and I’ve already received some wonderful presents from my writer friends:
Soo……much…..glitter…..*drool*
What’s goin on with you guys? Writing news? Birthday news? Barbie news? What can I say, it’s all I think about.
You guys, what bliss!
I almost had NOTHING to blog about today. My next IWW post won’t be ready until next week, but I felt the need to say something, as I do every Wednesday. I’m hip deep in edits and thought I would have to redirect you to more interesting things when lo, I get an email from Letty herself!
Quoth the Letty:
“You are the reason I joined another group…I doubt you REALLY HAVE A BOOK COMING OUT UNLESS IT IS SELF PUBLISHED.
You need to get an honest opinion of your writing. You already have mine.”
Oh, you darling flirt. What acts of charitable kindness did I do to deserve you? I despaired, oh Letty, and down you dropped like a troll-scented angel from Topic Heaven. (Which was next door to Hot Topic in the mall.)
Look how kind you are, trying to assuage my guilt for helping you get tossed from your group by hinting that you left of your own accord. And that you joined a group because of me!!! Did they remind you of me somehow, and you couldn’t stay away?
You’re still a teensy bit confused about the book, though. It’s coming September 18th from Bold Strokes Books. (I never just want to throw the link up, but since you asked so nicely…) And thank you for your honest opinion about my writing. I clearly remember you saying how much you loved it. You’re such a dear.
Ah, now I feel better. A topic and a lovely conversation with my dear Letty. Anyone else have a wonderful yet unexpected email today?
We’re celebrating twice today in Barbara-land, friends! I’ve got my very first troll. It’s not a proper troll, though, as those seem to be anonymous people determined to get a rise out of you for no particular reason.
I think I know this troll, though it wants to be anonymous. (It left me a very fake name.) In aid of that anonymity, we’ll call her Letitia, Letty for short.
Letty left me a comment on my blog after being booted from her writing group. Somehow, she decided I should be the receiver of her ire. Quoth Letty:
“Just a note. The wrting group was not impressed by you or your critiques. One of them was voted by another goup as the worst they had ever seen.”
Ow, ouch. After being voted out of her group, Letty tells me they voted me the worst first. Noooo! Now I’m wondering how often this happens. Does the grocery store vote me the worst shopper? Did my waitress the other night vote me the worst diner? I’m wracked with concern!
Letty’s comment was left on a post several months old in response to one of my posts about prologues. I didn’t approve her comment, so Letty left me another:
“you’re a writer who censors?”
She clearly wasn’t happy I didn’t approve her comment. I’m happy to have a discussion with anyone. If I say, “I don’t like prologues,” and someone else likes them, they can leave me a comment, and I’m more than happy to discuss prologues with them all day long. There is no way I’m approving attacks, though, from this troll or any other. There’s no reason to put up with that shit on my blog. If Letty wants to badmouth me, she can do it on her own blog.
I admit, I’m poking the bear a bit here. I have no idea if Letty will ever see this or if I’ll be setting off another tempest in a teacup by posting this. I just wanted to get this out there, to see how people feel about this sort of behavior and see how they respond or deal with it. I could have just ignored Letty. In fact, in the beginning, I planned to. Then I realized, why shouldn’t I call attention to this childish behavior and make fun of it?
Leave me a note and tell me what you think. If you don’t, I might just vote you the worst commenter. Unless you vote me the worst blogger! Nooooooooo!
I’m so glad it’s nano season again. Crazy, insane nano season. (It needs two words for all the crazy.)
As usual, I’m going to be writing my ass off with the rest of the world for 30 days. No stunts this year, though, no hijinks. No novel in two weeks, no two novels at the same time, no writing while skydiving. I’m just going to use the nano time and energy to kick my writing into high gear.
I plan to post about it often, probably in slobbery, incomprehensible sentences. If my November posts begin to sound a bit drunk, that’s the nano. Or the vodka. Maybe both.
Who are my nano buddies this year, eh? If you want someone to race, I’m your girl. ^_^ My username is zendra. Bring it on!
I’ve joined several different writers groups recently, trying to find one or two that are a good fit for me. I think I’ve found one, but I’m having several issues with the others. They’ve proven one thing to me, though:
For many authors, the prologue is alive and well.
Also, I see now reasons why it should die.
I never really had a problem with prologues, but I’m thinking that was because of the kind of books I read—Fantasy adventure books—often had prologues. They were usually little teasers about either the villain or a magical artifact (that might also be the villain) that would be a driving force for the plot. I liked seeing the demon rising out of the volcano or the unaware explorers unearthing the Widget of DOOM. I usually forgot about the prologue halfway through the book until the heroes discovered either demon or widget (sometimes both!) and I got to have a little ah ha moment.
These are not those kinds of books. I’m coming to understand that many writers use prologues as a history lesson, an enormous info dump for backstory that should be threaded through the narrative. I understand why editors might cringe when they just see the word PROLOGUE, especially if it has dates just below it. Do readers really want to begin a novel with a history lesson? Can they even remember it as the novel goes on?
How do you feel about prologues? Do you avoid them mercilessly? Cut them whenever you critique? And if you feel like telling me, how would you suggest I phrase my suggestion that authors cut their prologues entirely and weave the information into the narrative? Maybe I’m just too obsessed with not hurting feelings, but I remember my first novel. It was bad, and I ultimately appreciated all the tactful suggestions I got on how to change it. Any and all advice appreciated.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google + (Sometimes Myspace). And those are just the tip of the social media iceberg. More and more, it seems writers are hearing about these must-haves for getting their names out there before publishing, hell, before they even start writing. Build a friend-base, that which goes before fan-base. Then you’ll have more people to guilt into buying your book when it eventually comes out. ^_^
Add to that one’s own blog and then the myriad of groups there are to join, online writing groups and hashtag groups and nano groups. Huge writing communities where you meet a few people you get close to and a ton more that are just casual acquaintances. I wonder what the actually sales numbers linked to this sort of thing are? Sales of those with a large media circle compared to those with a small one?
Of course, I’m not doing it for sales. (Surely everyone says this? ^_^) I love the writers I’ve found, the groups I’ve joined, the friends I’ve made.
Broaduniverse and The Outer Alliance have pointed me toward Crossed Genres, where I made my first sale.
Critters gave me friends I’ll keep for a lifetime (Hello, Pattie and Daniel!).
And as for the blogs I follow, well, I’ve gotten valuable support and advice (and some awesome good reads, Maria and Kaz!) not to mention invited to another blog and a given a really cute coin purse (looking at you, Marilou). As for the rest of you, (Faith, the Carols, Cat, Jackie B. Victoria, not to mention the Backspace folks and my writing group) and all the rest who’ve stopped by to comment, I love you, too, even if you never buy a book.
How did you jump on the social media train? Were you encouraged as a writer, or did you just want to meet other people like yourself? What’s your media outlet of choice? (If you’re on twitter, find me at @zendragandt and I’ll follow you back. ^_^)
I finished my latest draft, cyber friends! Thank you, thank you. Why yes, I will have some of that champagne. You’re too kind. Oh, a five-million dollar book deal? Thank you, I’ll take two.
Okay, so it hasn’t been exactly like that. I gave it to my writing group and, lo and behold, I committed an ultimate sin that I thought I’d never commit…*cue music*
My heroine doesn’t have any friends!!!! Every time I read a book and the heroine is without friends, I cringe. Granted, those books are usually about paranormal women with man-harems (I love typing man-harem. I love saying it, too. Man-harem. *snerk*) where friends would get in the way of all the nookie. I made sure my heroine had lots of female support, but no actual friends. I had to throw some in there, and now I’m just hoping my new beta-readers won’t think they’re tacked on.
Also, man-harem.
Speaking of, this town would be a wonderful place to try and form a man-harem, if such is your desire. We have a plethora of young men who drive fast, sneer constantly and can’t seem to wear a hat correctly. If whopping big tail-pipes turn you on, you need to come here.
What the fuck is up with whopping big tail pipes, anyway? If anyone knows, please enlighten me. Sometimes, it seems you actually need TWO whopping big tail pipes or even a smokestack (a fucking smokestack!!!) in the bed of your truck. Hell, maybe you need all three, all of them loud as fuck and belching black smoke. I hear the smoke is even engineered to be harmless to the environment, meaning it’s just there to piss people off.
I picture the kids buying these things at one giant mega-store that has a commitment to, “Selling only the best annoying products for the discerning prick.” Close up on the store manager nodding enthusiastically. “Mmm hmm, we cater mostly to pricks. Also assholes, wankers, and the occasional dickweed or jackhole.”
Seriously, guys out there who do this, no one’s impressed. No one has wood over your smokestack. But ‘grats on creating memories that will shame your children later.
And as for shaming children, I don’t plan to have any, but if I ever do, I hope I’ll grow out of being 12. My husband and I are doing home repair right now, and you should hear the jokes about caulk. Yeah, if you don’t say it correctly, it sounds exactly like what you’re thinking. Holes to fill with caulk, grabbing caulk, how much caulk to you have, this job needs more caulk… You name it, we’ve done the joke. What can I say, we’re 12, but at least we don’t inflict our 12-ness on others.
Well, I guess I just did on you… Hmm, better get myself to that store for pricks…
Tell me what annoys you. I’m bound to make fun of it sooner or later.
Almost forgot! Sorry RSS feed people. Next week, I’m having Maria Zannini over. You better show! Also, today I’m posting on Fansci. Come say hi.
….a little bit of that. I think I’ve used this title before. Hmm…
Anyway, I wanted to let you know about a few things. First of all, the look of my site will be changing. My husband’s company FrogSlayer Software is designing webpages now, so they made a custom skin for my wordpress site. I’m looking forward to seeing it in action.
Second, I’m starting a new writing group here in College Station. I love my Houston group to death, but needs must and all. Anyway, if you know anyone near Bryan/College Station who is looking for a group, leave me a note in the comments and I’ll give you the details.
Did you all remember that I post every Wednesday on Fansci? Just thought I’d give you a reminder. ^_~ I’ll be linking to that from now on…sigh, when I remember.
I’m racing through my new project now. I think I’ve hit my stride. Looking forward to editing in early May and then the writing conference in late May.
Is everyone as busy a bee as I am? Whew! sometimes I forget what it’s like to slow down.
