Writing Wednesday: Genre

I make no apologies for writing genre fiction. The books that changed my outlook, gave me new truths, every one of them was a work of genre fiction. I have read some ‘literary’ fiction and it just doesn’t do much for me in the long form. In short form, short stories, essays, poetry, ‘literary’ work can be amazing and interesting but I’m just not a fan of it in lengths above novelette. This is on my mind today because of a Twitter thread. Nick Mamatas had a lot to say but the comments after say more.  https://twitter.com/NMamatas/status/1067469966180409344

I might turn my nose up a little at things termed “Literary Fiction” but I won’t hold it against you if that’s what you prefer. I know what it is to be looked down on because I prefer my stories to have explosions or magic or machines behaving badly and I would hope that I can be a more welcoming reader friend than that. I will, however, get downright mean when other people start explaining why I’m wasting my time in genre or romance instead of putting my skill to use doing something “worthwhile.” There is a reason I will likely never write certain types of stories and it isn’t because they aren’t in my head or in my wheelhouse, hell, I probably have a dozen or so written and sitting in my drive but I refuse to give certain people that satisfaction.

I was lucky in my various writing classes during my years of schooling that I never had a teacher press too hard against my love of genre. I had teachers who informed me I would never ever make it as a writer at all but I never had one pick on my preferred genres. I had one teacher who definitely preferred things of a more “literary” bent but she never held against me my desire to throw magic or futuristic technology into a story. She did hate my lack of outline though. (Planners and Plotters just don’t understand Pantsers). But, I never went in for the MFA level or even graduate level creative writing, only electives so perhaps that had a part to play also.

For me, books like Dune, Ender’s Game, Neuromancer, the Books of Blood, had far more impact on me than Grapes of Wrath ever did.

Doctor Who is Back!

This post is spoilery if you love Doctor Who and haven’t watched the new episode yet.

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I have loved the Doctor most of my life. 4 was my first. I remember sneaking out of my room to watch from behind the couch where my mother couldn’t see me as she thought I’d be afraid of some of the things. I don’t remember how long I watched in hiding before she figured it out and just let me watch with her. I do remember wishing I could fly off in the Tardis with him like that other Sarah did. And I think he’s entirely the reason one of my favorite things ever is gummy bears (we don’t have Jelly Babies here).

I like the stranger doctors, the more crazy uncle type doctors – 4 and 12 and 9 are my favorites, in that order. I didn’t like 5 only because he wasn’t 4 and I really didn’t care for 11 much at all (even if he did get my absolute favorite episode to date) as he felt less like The Doctor and more like Secondary Magical Character and a little Deus Ex Machina. When they first announced Whittaker’s casting I was equal parts skeptical and excited and sad. Sad to be losing 12 who FINALLY got away from Clara (my least favorite companion maybe ever) but as a woman, I’ve been looking forward to this day for EVER.

My reaction boils down to this – I love her, I needed her, and I can’t wait to see what she does. I love that we got to see her rediscover herself. She did not hide her alienness or her innate kindness. She is the Doctor and I am so so glad she’s back on my tv.

I appreciated getting to see her create her new sonic – that she’s a tinkerer is great, that we saw her do it is better. I’m seeing some mixed reactions on the sonic itself but I kind of like the alien metal magic wand look of it and that we seem to be losing the screwdriver word a bit as it does so much more than that. I am interested to see how it ties in because it isn’t the same sonic the previous Doctors have used so the thousand years calculations process (a la Day of the Doctor) won’t work now unless she somehow finds the other one yes? I don’t know but I guess we’ll see.

But something happened a great deal bigger than the Doctor’s regeneration (at least in my house). One of the new companions is disabled. In my house, the only thing better would have been autism but dude – disabled! My son who is autistic saw that and immediately started asking me questions about it. Dyspraxia is mostly a motor skill disability and a lot of people have no idea what it is. There is also Dyspraxia of speech which I know a lot more about but in this instance, it’s the motor skills. I can’t wait to see where they go with it and I really hope they keep consistent with it.

I am really looking forward to this season. They have a varied group of interesting people of varying skin tones, ages, and genders none of whom come off as dumb or snotty or particularly Special (like Mickey, Amy and Clara were portrayed).  I can’t wait to see more of Ryan especially.

I do miss Capaldi. I loved his crazy old Uncle type portrayal and I hope they have a multi-doctor episode where they can interact together because I do think he’d be quite chuffed about the whole thing. Plus, no more attack eyebrows. But, Whittaker has immediately won me over. It’ll be a season or two before I know where she sits in my line of favorites but I have a feeling it’ll be pretty far up there.

Of Comics, Conventions, and Peopling

Over the weekend, the family and I went to the 3 Rivers Comicon. The people who run it were nice enough to give me a press dealio and recommendation on a panel to make sure I went to. I did. It was awesome and I have a new series to read out of it too! I discovered that there’s a girl’s comic discussion group too – I may even try to attend in person sometime down the road. I got to meet a writer/artist who was part of one of the series that I loved in high school (even if I didn’t realize it was based in comics until much later in life, now I have most of the series in really beautiful, collector condition. I’m missing the last 12 but I’ll find them!). For most of my response and reaction to that, check out my post over at The Geek Girl Project.

The comics part of it, the neat art, the neat stuff, the artists and writers – all of that is really awesome but for me, the best part was that I peopled really freaking well – I talked to people I didn’t know about things I’m passionate about (even if one of those conversations had nothing to do with comics at all but interesting rocks. Did you know there’s a whole zen-like thing devoted to interesting bits of rock? Suiseki is a real thing I didn’t know about before. My most interesting rocks are generally kept on brass stands but I might have to look at some wooden ones eventually.). I know for most people, actually managing to talk to people without being an idiot is not a noteworthy thing and I am still quite hopeful that someday it won’t be notable for me either. It might actually happen if I have more days like yesterday. But I count yesterday as a huge win in the Sarah Successfully Peoples column so, suck it anxiety!

My fingers were not completely cooperative (one awesome lady at a geek girl brunch organization was kind enough to fill out a mailing list form as my handwriting was being atrocious in that moment) and my foot whined a lot but really, I didn’t come home half as sort or hurty as I usually do from spending a day at a convention or fair. I think some of that was definitely that my meds are really working better and I’ve been able to move more and better which makes it so I do move more and better and it’s a wonderful cycle of healing and getting better (and I’m so grateful for that!). I did absolutely need my cane by the end of it and I was moving pretty slowly but it could have been (and has been in the past) so much worse!

So I’m home, recharged, refreshed, and ready to work. Someday, I would love to create comics but ultimately, I think what I’m doing now, the books that I’ve got, that I’m working on, that’s what I’m supposed to be doing.

I Peopled Again

Tekko 2018

Sort of. I didn’t meet any celebrities or get anything signed but the family and I went to Tekko over the weekend. Read about most of it over at The Geek Girl Project. We had a really great time. My anxiety was behaving itself and I think I only had one little minute of tension that I thought was going to bloom but the Litany came to the rescue and all was well again. My RA however was not so kind.

I was on my feet most of the day and, even with my cane (which actually got complimented a couple of times), I was really struggling by the end of the day. I say the end of the day but we were only there until about 3:30 or so. We were there for about 6 hours and I’m still paying for it today. Absolutely worth it!

The kids had a blast, I had a blast, I’m not sure about the husband but he must have been having at least an ok time as he went back the next day with the older child so the older child could go to some panels which we didn’t get to do on Saturday. Next year I want to try and see some panels, especially if they are similar in nature to this year’s panels. The one I’m most upset about missing though was an entire panel on cosplaying with chronic pain.

Part of this convention was a happy birthday to me sort of thing and I bought a few things with my birthday money – I probably don’t need any more art or a cute little dragon friend but birthdays aren’t just for things a mama needs. Plus, I think I found my new favorite artist. Listening to her talk about color choice and characterisation was interesting and awesome. Definitely a kindred mind where that sort of thing goes where visual art is concerned. If you get a chance, you should check her out – her Jareth was what I could not leave without: Kaysha Siemens. And I found the artist that did the mystical Nicodemus type rat my husband brought me home the last time they went! I need to get a few more frames and reorganize my wall now.

One thing I noticed that while I understood, it made me very sad, when I was looking at the cute little dragon creatures, the artist had a prepared speech about why they cost what they do, the time it takes to make them, etc. I should have said something then about not needing to explain that but just because I get it doesn’t mean the next person will. It’s just a shame people don’t value art and books the way they do their fancy over sugared coffees.

Goals for 2018

I think everyone gets at least a little introspective this time of year, looking back at the progress made, the failures, the successes, the gains and the losses. There’s a lot about life you can’t control so goals don’t always come to fruition but I really like to have them. I like to separate them into categories also – personal stuff, professional stuff, and the stuff that doesn’t really fall into either category.

Personally: I’d like to lose the weight I’ve gained (or rather, never lost after my youngest kid). I’d like to be comfortable in my own skin again – or at least as much as I can be. I would like to find a foundation or concealer that actually covers all my stupid red splotchies that have suddenly decided to be part of my life (yay weird effects of my RA or the medication for it). I’d like to be a little better at peopling this year also – less tripping over my tongue and more making sense. I’d really like to feel comfortable enough with myself and my anxieties to get pictures done – we haven’t had a family photo done since before my youngest was born and we should really do that – I just really hate being in pictures.

Somewhere in between the personal and professional is journaling. Not blogging. Not really a bullet journal. Just a journal, for me. It’s always helped before to get all this ick out somewhere and I just happened to get a pretty awesome Solo in Carbonite journal for Christmas.

Professionally: I’d like to write three books, four short stories, and forty poems. Those seem like doable numbers for me. I’d also like to do a little more artsy stuff than craftsy stuff – maybe not for the craft fairs but for the Etsy shop. I’ll be happy if I can get three of the things in my head to be real tangible things, especially some of the mixed media type art in my head. I’d like to do at least five vendor events and maybe a little convention. Maybe. I’ll be ridiculously happy if I can write some words no fewer than five days a week.

The stuff that doesn’t fall into either category are more like hopes than goals. I’d like to go a year without a panic attack. I’d like to go a year without a major loss in my life – real, imagined, personal, or otherwise. I hope we can get my RA under control. I hope my kids continue to do awesome in their classes and in just being awesome people. I hope my husband has the best year ever. I hope my friends and family have awesome years also.

I’m just tired of being sad so I’m really hoping for a year with a lot less of that. I’m taking steps to do what I can do feel better – it’s not working just yet but these sorts of things take time. Much more time than I had imagined.

It’s happening again

I’m going to rant a bit about Doctor Who – not the show so much but the fans. During the last regeneration, some fans were in an uproar because the Doctor was going to be old again and strange, very severe looking. Now, some fans are in an uproar because the Doctor is a woman. I was so sad to see Capaldi go – he is my second favorite Doctor (though 9 might have been if he’d had more than just that first season). I cried more than I should admit to and not just because of my prednisone. It’s always like losing a friend when they go.

I don’t understand this backlash against a female Doctor. I’m not one for gender swapping for the sake of gender swapping on the whole but this is a different animal. This is a character who changes faces like some characters change hairstyles. It’s not like logic and timey wimey stuff play well together in the first place. The greatest thing about the Doctor is that, no matter the face, the clothes, the evolution of the character, it’s still those same two hearts beating inside.

The only Doctor I’ve ever boycotted was #5 and that was because I was 6 years old and heartbroken. I want nothing more than for Whittaker to succeed in her role. I want her to have multiple seasons. I want to cry as much when she leaves as I did for Capaldi.

I have friends who watch Doctor Who that I don’t talk about Who with because I don’t understand where they’re coming from when they speak of boycots and get upset because the centuries old character is going to look old. I don’t understand all the Smith fangirls but he does have my all time absolute favorite episode to his face. I like it when Doctor Who is more about the Doctor and not the companions who travel with him. I don’t want another Clara Show or Amy is Mean and everyone falls all over themselves for her anyway. I want to watch this amazing character do amazing things and grow and change and be incredible.

I liked how they set up the transition – how far the Doctor has come from that first incarnation. How he is still the same character he’s always been, will always be, regardless of pronoun. My only hope is that they eventually give her a wardrobe that I would actually like to wear as I cannot wear pants like that.

Craft Fair

Craft and Vendor show at the Holiday Inn in Weirton

Tomorrow I’ll be going to my first craft fair armed with books, business cards, and some rather geeky crafty type stuff. If you’re able to get to Weirton, you should come by and say hello!

I’ve got copies of Hunter’s Crossing, Eldercynne Rising, Hardwired Humanity, Guardian of the Gods, Sha’Daa: Tales of the Apocalypse, Sha’Daa: Pawns, Sha’Daa Facets, Sha’Daa: Last Call, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving and Recovery. I also have two poetry samplers, one of fantasy and horror poems and one of more literary type poems.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been making other things also. Some salvaged comic crafts, some Nazgul, a few sorting hats, a couple of pinhead hearts, and some things that are very different for me. I’ve got a trio of fabric face sculptures: Shadow, Lucy, and Nimue. I kind of like them and I’m not sure I’m not keeping Shadow.

If you can’t make it to Weirton to see me in person, not to worry! Come back here tomorrow for the details on how to win a book!

Fifty Years

Today is the anniversary of the first episode of Star Trek. I have never been more emotional about a show, no, a universe, than I am Trek. Doctor Who comes very close but Trek has the lead by a Vulcan.

Trek has been a part of my life as long as Who – since before I have memory – but Spock was the first person I ever told my mom I was going to marry. Spock was my first real loss (even if it was temporary). My grandfather was a funeral director – I’ve been surrounded by death and loss my whole life – I’d lost people I cared about, animals I’d cared about, but somehow, it wasn’t as keenly felt as this fictional character who didn’t really exist. My mom was a little cruel, knowing what she knew about me. She did not let me watch Wrath of Khan until it and Search for Spock were both available at the movie rental place. She did not tell me about Search for Spock until I’d wept – full on ugly cry – until I literally had no more tears (took a few hours). She thought it was funny and Wrath of Khan still makes me ugly cry. In reality, it was easier for me to mourn a fictional character and later the actor who played him, than it was for me to mourn my mom. I’m honestly not done with any of those things and I probably never will be.

I don’t have the greatest volume of trivia knowledge of the Trek universe. I cannot speak Klingon. I don’t have ears, brow ridges, or a uniform. I do have a great love for this universe that Roddenberry created. I still have hope that we, as a people, can reach the stars and be better than we are now. I still believe we can live up to our potential.

Today, there is a video floating around with memorable moments and bits of dialogue and I get chills. Three minutes of disjointed snippets, a through-the-glass Vulcan salute, and seeing that beautiful ship (more than one version of her) and I’m all kinds of emotional and have goose bumps.

So, happy anniversary (or birthday really) to Star Trek and all the amazing people involved in it. Live Long and Prosper.

Pokemon Go – A Rant

My family plays Pokemon Go. We have, thus far, really enjoyed it – even if I can’t find a Ponyta to save my life (Husband and oldest child both have one and I really want a Rapidash!). Some people don’t care for it – think it’s silly, useless, or even lazy (since apparently no one should need a game to encourage them to be active). Fine for them and all but I call BS on the useless and the lazy. I am a writer – I live a fairly sedentary life because there are no sports I like to play (and the ones I do enjoy, I can’t find anyone to play with or I prefer the position that requires the least movement but relies on skill – goalie, catcher, etc) or hobbies I enjoy that are physical. I am trying to lose a great deal of weight at the moment and if I have a game that’s encouraging me to walk a mile and a half to two miles every day, how is that bad?  I have a son who would rather play games on his computer or write or watch anime than go play outside – he’s too much like me for his own good – but he’s willing to ride his bike five miles to try and hit pokestops (and catch something bragworthy). How is that a bad thing?

I’m not saying you have to play it or even understand it but don’t trash something that is getting kids (and parents) out and about – even possibly doing this as a family! My family doesn’t have a lot of shared interests – half of us are hermits and the other half are social butterfly extroverts – so having this one thing we can do together is freaking awesome. Yes, I require a game to force myself to exercise some place not inside my home. Short of dancing around like a lunatic to 80’s and 90’s punk and goth music when no one is home, it’s probably the most active I’ve been since we used to play paintball every weekend (eight years ago or so). I don’t run, I don’t care to go for walks (too quiet and boring) but apparently, I’m more than willing to walk 85 km (so far) to hatch a bunch of pretend eggs – even if I do end up with 10K eevees sometimes (10K Magmar totally makes up for that sort of).

As of this moment, my pride and joys are a 1229 Magmar that I hatched and an 898 Ninetails that I evolved (Kitsune!) and my son has a big Snorlax and a Wartortle and my husband also has a good Snorlax and the Dragonaire that he evolved. What do you have in your Pokedex?

Lucky Girl

I am an incredibly lucky girl to have met and married a guy who gets me. He doesn’t always understand and sometimes he thinks I’m pretty silly but, where it matters most to me, he absolutely gets me. There are some people who I have never met but who have effected me in ways that probably sound pretty silly to people who aren’t dorks/geeks/nerds – whatever title they choose on any given day. For my birthday this year, I now own two of their autographs. One is pretty much the best present I’ve ever been given by anyone ever and totally made me cry. I’m fairly certain that there is no way that my husband can ever top this birthday.

As of today, I’ve met two of the three actors who ever actually scared me and both were so kind and sweet. I doubt very much that I’ll ever get to meet the third but two out of three is pretty damned awesome. Jump scare type things may startle me, but it takes a great deal to scare me and the first time I watched Candyman, I covered all the mirrors in my room for almost a month.

Tony Todd is really wonderful. Youngest son was waiting with me in the autograph line and pretty much on the edge of the convention being too much for him. He was stimming maybe the hardest I’ve seen him outside our house – but Mr. Todd took it all in stride, talked to him, and kidlet even handed him the squid he carries everywhere which sounds odd but is a great honor.

The Steel City Con is crowded (less today as it’s friday) and there are a ton of people and things to see. It could easily be overwhelming but the people there – the vendors, the artists, the stars – they’re all super kind and awesome and it makes going there fun (even if I always come home with too much stuff!).