Extra gifts from the seahorse
On Monday I wrote about about Bruce Livingston’s TedX talk.
It inspired a sequence of Things Without Arms and Without Legs comics. Here’s a link to part 1 if you want to check it out.
Tina Connolly makes sweet sounds – and will be reading Shadow Play
I feel like a fool not mentioning this last week when Tina Connolly was coming into town as part of the SFWA Reading Series (great reading series, it’s in Portland, Seattle and I hear it might go to more cities soon).Tina Connolly’s fab eclectic podcast of short fiction, Toasted Cake, will be doing an audio version of “Shadow Play.”
I love performing my own work… I’m still a bit too intimidated/concerned about getting all the tech right to do my own audio recordings, but I love to do readings. The nice thing about Tina reading my work is a know she’ll do things that honor the story and do things I never would have imagined. It reminds me a little of comics – the thing I love about comics collaboration and the thing I miss when I’m not writing comics is the way a comic artist can take my script and vividly realize it in ways that add nuanced dimensions I could never have imagined.
If you haven’t read any of Tina’s fiction I highly recommend it. I was full of a joyous jealousy when I read the opening pages of Iron Skin. The way she builds the tension, back story and characterization through a simple door knocker inspires me! Writing this blog post has got me thinking, I’m going to put myself through a writing exercise where I take her opening pages, shift context and try to do exactly what she did. It’s not an exercise I’ve done outside of a workshop context, but it will be good for me.
Anyway, keep an eye out for “Shadow Play” on Toasted Cake and get your mittens on Ironskin (I’m sorry, I can’t give you my copy, I’m keeping it for writing exercises).
Gifts of the Seahorse
For anyone who creates or has hurts. And it makes me wonder, when I write, how often do I give myself nine seconds before silencing the vulnerable part, judging or running away to distractions? I think watching this will help me make better art, it is so easy to flinch away from the edge. I hope you find it useful too.
Coda: I had the pleasure of working the Bruce and PlayWrite when I lived in Portland. The research project and documentary were ambitious things in the works. Bruce has amazing ways of dreaming big and somehow getting it all to happen.
Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop
oop! I wrote this update last week. Then I got all shy and forgot about it!
I’m going to Launch Pad!
Launch Pad is an esteemed astronomy workshop run out of the University of Wyoming that gives writers and editors intensive immersion into the world of astronomy as well as hands on experience at an observatory. Writers and editors that I admire have attended the workshop and all have sung its praises.
I first applied to Launch Pad in 2010, a freshly minted Clarion Graduate who had just started work on an overly ambitious first contact novel. I didn’t get in that time, but try out early, try out often! I got in this time. My body of work has grown since my first application. The ambitious novel is complete (although I’m sure I could edit it forever) and I’m trying to figure out what marathon to run next.
I’m so excited by this opportunity. I thrive in intensive learning environments. I love being around people who are passionate about what they do. I love going into dark country and seeing the stars in ways you just can’t in a city or town.
I’m super excited… who knows, maybe I can get there by train!
My Wiscon Program – and call for help!
edited to invite comic creator suggestions too
Wiscon the World’s Leading Feminist Science Fiction Convention has given me my tentative schedule (four panels and a reading). There may be tweaks and changes. I hope to see some of you there and regardless of whether you can make it to Madison Wisconsin 24-27 May I would like you help with the Karen Axness Memorial Panel: Women Writers You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.
This panel has a history to live up to, “A WisCon tradition (this year is the 36th!). Panel members will discuss the latest books by female SF and fantasy authors, emphasizing new female authors in these fields.”
I need your help! I want your suggestions for what new books and female authors or comic writers/creators to mention and bit about their work (post in comments please). This panel is so intimidating, there’s so much great stuff out there!
I also want to bend the panel a little and talk about short fiction writers – I think of short fiction as this wonderful experimental space and I’m excited by the voices coming up in those grounds. Given the pressure on writers for their first book to perform it’s strategically important to keep an eye out for the short fiction writers you love so they can keep bringing the experimental and the awesome.
Send me your suggestions in the comments, or e-mail if you prefer, pretty pretty please!
My full con schedule behind the cut:
Happy Birthday to Me!
Things Without Arms and Without Legs share their experience of me aging. “Boom“
If you like webcomics, a fantastic ego boosting present for me is to subscribe (free) to my Things comic over on Comic Rocket. While you’re there you can subscribe to other webcomics you love and never lose your place again :-).
Over at Horrific Miscue you can see all the March publication radness of my group (and it’s very nice indeed to have your work called “haunting and deeply satisfying.”
For my birthday I’m going to do chores, try to write/draw and maybe go to a Russian Spa (it costs $20 on your birthday) before going to Rat City’s Fit Skate.