But Enough About Me!

Ken Scholes and I roll on at Babel Clash, on our third part discussing fantasy and female characters. Join us!

Meanwhile, all fired up, I have made an additional post on this subject over at SFFNovelists.

Ken Scholes and I begin a three part (over three days) post on female characters and the lack thereof in epic fantasy.

A brief anecdote from the Dad Center race yesterday. As you know, Bob, it was a 25 mile race around the bottom half of the island of Oahu. 6 - seat canoe, ten paddlers on our crew. We had an escort boat with Boat Guy (owner), who is a very experienced waterman, and our coach, who is a lifeguard (that's a big deal here) and also a high ranking competitive kayaking and paddling solo racer as well as team races. A really nice guy. Very experienced on the water.

Anyway, the escort boat follows the canoe. Four paddlers rest out in the Zodiac, which is basically an ocean-worthy rubber raft with motor, about 14-16 feet long. No awning (yes, my neck for pinked AGAIN, argh), but relatively easy to get in and out of the water because you're right down against the water because it is a big rubber raft. (With one exception, all of the other 50 crews were using regular boats.)

When it is time for a change, the escort boat zips around in front of the canoe. 2 or 3 paddlers jump into the ocean and float there while the canoe approaches them, and the change is made. The people who came out of the canoe float and wait for the escort boat to come over and pick them up.

So there I was, resting in the escort boat, sitting not on the big inflatable side but right down on the (floor?). The other resting paddlers were either on the floor like me or over on the other side. When . . .

Coach, standing on the left just a bit in front of Boat Guy at the engine, suddenly looks down and left and tracks something that is in the water. Boat Guy sees it, too, and they both turn and watch it pass alongside the Zodiac and away.

We all notice their movement, although none of us were placed to see onto that side of the boat.

Paddler (not me): WHAT WAS THAT?

Them: (smiling)

Paddler (not me): WAS THAT A SHARK?

Them: (showing no concern and kind of shrugging): Well, you know, it's the ocean.

They watched a moment more to make sure, I guess, that it didn't circle back around to follow the canoe (which was at this point somewhat ahead of us), but it was doing what sharks do, cruising around for no particular reason and not bothering anyone.

Oddly, after that, I was almost less anxious when getting into and out of the ocean.

Oh, here's a link to the Advertiser story on the race. We came in 40th out of 50, which is better than we expected, so a good day! (our crew was half women in their 40s and half women in their 50s)



Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I wanted to link to this really excellent post on disability, mortality, and accommodations by Blake Charlton (his first novel, Spellwright, is coming out in February 2010.

I was a poor student until sometime in high school when spelling became immaterial to writing and calculation unnecessary for mathematics. Then suddenly, almost magically, I was promoted from remedial classes to advanced ones. I became dependent on academic success to maintain a sense of self and dependent on the special accommodations that made such success possible. That is why when accommodations were denied for the medical licensing exam, my crisis was not purely one of practicality but one of identity. If the academic powers that be did not believe I was disabled, and I had spent most of my childhood and much of my adult life struggling with disability, who exactly was I?

Blake is also a totally awesome dude. When he comes out to visit Hawaii, I'm going to make him paddle from Hale'iwa to Waimea and back and see how he holds up (only 8 miles!)

My most recent SFF Novelists post: Why Are Books So Long?, although I don't actually answer that question. Go read to see what question I do answer.

Onward to Life in Hawaii:

I meant to link to this article about Frank Tanabe.

Mr. Tanabe was one of 452 Japanese Americans whose U(university of) W(ashington) college careers were interrupted when they were forced into World War II internment camps. Now, UW is conferring honorary degrees on those still alive. Including Mr. Tanabe, who spent time in two different internment camps before--you knew this was coming--joining the Army and serving in military intelligence. What he did after the war I don't know, but his son is interviewed, and one can't help but notice that the son's name is Ike.

How does Mr. Tanabe feel about the honor?

In true local style, he is a little embarrassed, but he goes on to reflect on what it would have meant to his parents: "The diploma does contain the sweat and all the hard work and sacrifice of my parents, who wanted their firstborn son to leave their home with a college degree. If they were alive, they would be overjoyed and very grateful to all those who made their dream come true."

In today's paper, Mr. Tanabe's grandson reflects on what the degree means to him and his generation: I am proud of the nisei — my grandfather's generation — who responded to the prejudice of internment with actions of strength and honor.

The original Advertiser article includes a link to a UW article and database about the students forced out and what happened to them.

The ceremony is actually happening right now, as I post this.

I know, I know - we fight about stupid things and argue over whose sub-genre brand is more harmful to the field or more full of mediocre hack writers - but hey, are you kidding me? People all over argue about stupid things.

Meanwhile, autopope announces The New Eclectics: Embrace and Extend!

while discussion rages in matociquala's lj over a recent Richard Morgan post

while tammy212 has two really worthwhile posts starting here and continuing here with important, honest, and strong, discussion about feminism and WoC following in each case

as along elsewhere skywardprodigal posts POC in SF Carnival #9: What I Heard About You and What that Meant for Me. I gakked it from ladyjax who has also just posted about some interesting new books she is reading or going to read.

and meanwhile Scalzi Hearts YA

cmpriest's novel Four and Twenty Blackbirds is available as a free download at the upcoming Tor.com

jaylake blogs about why you need scoping

and this is just mostly on lj and in the last 24 hours or so and merely what I am aware of (as opposed to the totality of what is out there) and had time to link to before I have to Get To Work on my various Howling Deadlines.

What I see is that people are excited and lively and thinking and talking. Which is far cooler than being incurious and apathetic and talking without thinking (although that happens with me, too, at times).

Yes, the sff community has its flaws (and ongoing issues like racism and sexism that, in parallel with overall society have to be battled over and over again) but overall I think almost anything can at least be addressed at least somewhere, and really, for me, how cool is it that you can get such a huge range of discussion most of which I'm not even touching on by people who are passionate (and occasionally insightful!) about ideas, about technology and how it is changing, about the human condition and society, about writing?

Oh, yeah, I forgot to put up a writing/craft link in the above:

Here's papersky on Fast and Dirty Fantasy Names.

Go forth and multiply.

Embrace and Extend!

I'm also interviewed--and it's a long interview--over at Fantasy Book Critic.

I can usually tell when I'm sent questions by someone who has read my books, as is the case here. Rather than the generic, these are particular, and particular questions engage me more than generic ones (which is not to say I do not understand the circumstances in which someone would need to ask more generic questions).

I have not been posting here much due to preoccupation with writing and life, but I have a lot to say in the interview if you've been missing my nattering.

Today is National Post-About-The-Synopsis Day in some quarters: good introduction here.

I didn't participate, and I discuss why in this post at SFFNovelists.

At Fantasy Book Critic:

In support of the upcoming April 15, 2008 US Release of Kate Elliott’s “Shadow Gate”, Tor Books has agreed to give away TWO SETS (US Version) of the author’s Crossroads books including copies of “Spirit Gate” and “Shadow Gate”!

Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same film! Awesomeness!

An ancient kingdom, the monkey king, great fighting sequences, a quest, a wanderer who comes into possession of a mystical staff who is . . . a white kid? Aieee!





Maybe the script will have a massive sense of irony? Be a clever commentary on the White Dude Saves the World (or your non-white culture) Again trope? We can, um, hope? But we are not optimistic?

I'm so sad, because--you know--Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same film.

One of the best descriptions of editorial work I've read. From cmpriest