But Enough About Me!

Recently my spouse, hereafter to be known as J, and I flew halfway around the world to West Africa, specifically, Mali and Burkina Faso. More on that another time.

Meanwhile, we spent 4 days in Paris, in January (wow, was it cold), because 1) we had to change planes there anyway, 2) neither of us had ever visited Paris, and 3) as it happened and entirely coincidentally (I think), the wonderful French publisher Bragelonne was launching my novel King's Dragon in a French edition with their imprint Milady. (How I wish I spoke and read French!)

More on the publisher later.

As for Paris: who knew Parisians were so friendly? J and I took the train from CDG airport into the heart of the Left Bank, seeking a hotel recommended to us by ellenkushner at which we had made reservations. We staggered (much jet-lagged and hauling our not too commodious luggage) some ways down a main drag. No sooner had we paused at an intersection seeking the correct way to turn then a Polite and Friendly Person stopped to help us. Even walked us a short way in the direction we needed to go. What? I remember thinking. Is this Tokyo or something? (a similar thing happened to us in Tokyo, when a nice couple stopped to help us and actually turned around and walked us back the way they had come to show us where our hotel was)

Relatives who live in Switzerland were waiting at the hotel, and we spent the weekend with them seeing the sights. They had been to Paris before. It was bitterly cold (did I mention that?) but quite lovely, although I admit I would like to see Paris in a warmer time.

What struck me most about Paris was what a lived-in city it is. While there are old buildings and an aura of history and monuments and the Louvre and all that, it is a city where people really live. I know, I know: that sounds kind of dumb and obvious--aren't all cities lived in?--but there did seem to me something uniquely (yes, yes, I know all cities are unique; just bear with me) Parisian about Paris's lived-in-ed-ness. You know, forex, I really love London; I love to visit London, see the sights in London, explore London. But although naturally we did go around to see the sights in Paris, I felt like Paris was more properly a city one hung out in.

We did spend a couple of hours in the Louvre (it's big)(and, look! It's the Winged Victory of Samothrace!). We went inside Notre Dame (a fine cathedral). I was charmed by the blocky and sentimental over-the-top monumentalism of the Pantheon. We saw a fabulous exhibit of King Arthur cycle related manuscripts at the National Museum, and an interesting if somewhat limited exhibit at a branch of the Louvre on Teotihuacan (had to go to that because J's academic specialty is Mesoamerican archaeology).

And I gotta say, the Eiffel Tower is purely cool.

But mostly: what a lot of fabulous vistas and intriguing places to walk and interesting architecture. All that, and I appreciated the city DESPITE the awful cold. Which means it really was quite lovely.

Whoops. This got long.

More on Bragelonne, Milady, Jasper Kent, and Le Dragon du Roi tomorrow.

I'm still back, and still processing our fabulous trip to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Paris. But as it happens I unexpectedly have to make another quick trip, so my brave attempts to start posting regularly again will fade into the necessity of Family Obligations. For the time being.

March 2 marks the publication of the Tor Books paperback version of Traitors' Gate. I just got copies today in the mail, and the physical book looks very nice. I particularly like the way the typeface pops, especially on the spine for some reason. (The Orbit UK paperback of TG comes out in August.)

But that's not why I'm posting.

I'm posting because Twin A reminded me about TV Tropes, the excellent site (which never takes itself too seriously, and yet does take itself seriously, if you see what I mean) about . . .

well, here's what they say about what they're about:

Tropes are devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations. On the whole, tropes are not clichés. The word clichéd means "stereotyped and trite." In other words, dull and uninteresting. We are not looking for dull and uninteresting entries. We are here to recognize tropes and play with them, not to make fun of them.

I knew that the Jaran books have been mentioned with reference to tropes "Benevolent Alien Invasion" and "The Moorcock Effect."

But what Twin A pointed out to me was much better than that.

Crown of Stars (the series) has its very own page..

And it is so funny, and so wonderful in the choices highlighted, that it has the salutary effect of reminding me why I loved writing that series and that I had so much fun with it, besides the serious parts, and even with the serious parts. Although I'm sorry about the Depraved Bisexual. It just worked out that way, given the character involved, but it did make me cringe as I was writing it.

Anyway, if you've read Crown of Stars and enjoy the whole TV Tropes thing, check it out. I particularly enjoy the Bulkezu love going on.