Living Up to the Name

I want to apologize. I haven't posted at this blog, at the Unreliable Blog, anything like that because I got SICK. Kirkwood has one big frickin' cold, and it takes about a week of ups and downs to get over it. So, I felt so bad I couldn't even whine about feeling bad.

This of course means I'm behind at work. I believe I've dug out some, but I have some communications issues I've got to try to remedy. Because I care.

However, while I was dying, I didn't tell you about the following Unreliable Narrators posts, thus living up to the adjective in the name.

Taos Toolbox: For those of you who want to climb a mountain and come down better writers

Walter Jon Williams: The man, the myth, the scuba diver.

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Since I sold a short story I am working on cranking another one out so I can have my ten circulating. Have gotten some interest in the new book again, so we'll see what happens. I think Abigail Rath has faded back into obscurity. It's still with an agent, but nothing will happen soon. At any rate, this new story will be done by Sunday, and I will head back to the novel.

February, you have not been kind to my fitness or my writing. You may go.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

Book Group Expands Your Mind

Well played, Mindbridge Book Group. Well played.

The Mindbridge Book Group sets me up to read things that I would not normally pick for myself. I cannot pretend to be fond of all the selections that my science fiction peers choose for me, but they have opened my brain to reading some things that I would not read. For instance,

Cath: I don't read high fantasy. I am so done with medieval fantasy. I can't imagine a single fantasy I would ever want to read again.

Book Group: Well, how's about this book called The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.

Cath: I'll look at it. I'll read it. I'll hate it...Hey, this is pretty good, really. Scott Lynch, huh?

Or this one

Cath: Why would I ever consider reading this book about time travelers changing the history of the Civil War? Come on!

Book Group: But this is a seminal writer of SF/F.

Cath: *grumble* Okay. I'll read this dumb old Civil War book...Hey, this Turtledove guy can write, can't he?

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So. We do have to get outside of our comfort zone every once in a while. Sure, there have been some book club books I've not been wild about, and I won't talk about those here, but suffice it to say that usually the book club gives me at least a few new books and authors to appreciate every year. Shout out to you, fellow hunters of dog-eared paper backs. You should see my copy of Bright Eyes. It's vintage.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.