Hangovers Archives - Page 21 of 53

Thursday Hangovers

Hangovers / By Gwenda / August 7, 2008

Jody Rosen uncovers blatant and prodigious pilfering from other news sources at a free weekly in Texas called The Bulletin.
Jim Emerson with some very sensible questions about the critical and cultural reaction to The Dark Knight, which I found more flawed than not (barring Ledger’s indisputably amazing Joker turn and Gary Oldman’s excellent take on Commissioner Gordon).
Welcome to Clingstone, the picturesque mansion built on a rock. The slide show has some great photos, including one really striking image of two little girls dancing inside. (Via Matt Ruff.)
Kelley Eskridge meditates on where publishing models may be headed from the writer’s perspective: But what if the definition of Real Writer is changing? What if it’s expanding to include the possibility that maybe an audience will bring you a big advance a lot sooner than a big advance will bring you an audience? Or that maybe there is no big advance, there’s only big audience and the small amounts of money they’re willing to pay individually to download your work or contribute to the PayPal tip jar on your website? What if some writers develop a here you go, what do you think, should I work on this idea? relationship with their readers, so there’s some kind of push-pull between the artist and audience? Read the whole thing.
Ekaterina Sedia writes about one of my favorite novels, Sean Stewart’s Mockingbird, over at Jeff VanderMeer’s. It’s the third in a series about underrated novels/writers.
World Fantasy Award nominations. Congrats to all those so honored — this is the first year in awhile that I haven’t read a sizeable chunk of the nominated stuff, and so I’m particularly intrigued.
J.L. Bell on misdirection in magic and fiction.
Lizzie Skurnick writes in praise of Stephenie Meyer’s quartet in the Chicago Tribune.
Roger Sutton dips a toe into the strange and miraculous world of fanfic.

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Tuesday Hangovers

Hangovers / By Gwenda / August 5, 2008

Sorry to have fallen off the face of the Earth there, but PW deadlines wait for no one.
"Hamlet (Facebook News Feed Edition)" by Sarah Schmelling at McSweeney’s: Hamlet posted an event: A Play That’s Totally Fictional and In No Way About My Family.
Melissa Block on Charlotte’s Web at NPR; fabulous story.
I love it when Nicholson Baker writes book reviews: The effect of this book on me was to make me like Ammon Shea and, briefly, to hate English. What a choking, God-awful mash it is! Surely French is better.
Something tells me Tomi Ungerer might have been in trouble if clauses like this existed during his heyday.
John Green on rereading Catcher in the Rye.
Stephanie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn sounds to be almost universally hated. Roger Sutton is puzzling over the fan reaction, and Laini Taylor just wants a simple question answered.
The marvelous Stephany rounds up some recent Anne of Green Gables links.
David Ulin considers Stephen King’s latest Internet experiment.

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Tuesday Hangovers

1 Comment / Hangovers / By Gwenda / July 29, 2008

I haven’t read the Stephenie Meyer books (I know), but I very much enjoyed the (spoiler heavy) Edward vs. Jacob Smackdown over at Seven Imps.
Margo Rabb offers a list of YA titles with cross-over appeal for adults.
Jules Feiffer interviewed at The Onion. (Via Leila.)
The lovely and ingenious Kassia offers some insightful analysis about the demise of the LA Times Book Review (she also appeared on Jim Lehrer about the subject). I suspect she is entirely right that most book sections haven’t done a good job serving their communities. See also: Carolyn comments on the oddness of it all from the vantage point of being an LAT book blogger.
Max offers a pointer to the fabulous NYRB Children’s Collection.
Kelley Eskridge appears on the Reality Break podcast, and that’s sure to be worth a listen.
Awful studio background maps. Oh, I love this.
Mr. McLaren gets handy around the house’s exterior and mini-catastrophe ensues.
Pretty.
Finally: RIP Rosie.

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Sunday Hangovers

3 Comments / Hangovers / By Gwenda / July 27, 2008

Holly posts about the narrative functions served by werewolves. Having just watched Blood & Chocolate a couple of nights ago, I can think of a couple of other nonflattering ones (and I believe all the Readercon team’s were represented with the exceptions of 4 and 5). (You know, it actually wasn’t as bad as I expected. Clearly nothing to do with the book, but at least they made use of the beautiful European buildings.)
What do you know? Girls and boys have equal aptitudes for math.
Superstar-in-waiting Ben Rosenbaum is interviewed by the Washington Post about his new collection, The Ant King and Other Stories, and acquits himself very well. Visit his blog for links to more recent press.
Gwyneth Jones lists her top 10 science fiction novels by women in The Guardian. This is a solid list, to be sure, though some are proposing to generate a version with more recent stuff, which I also support. Any list with Sarah Canary on it is okay by me though.
Elizabeth Bear asks if there’s a generation gap in SF, in which older writers read their compatriots and vice versa. It’s an interesting thought.
Visit the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton’s Water Babies show, of water-themed children’s book art, online.
My new favorite animal, courtesy of Cherie Priest.
Cassie is embarking on an insane research-related project of reading only novels/books produced during or about the Victorian Era. Lob her some suggestions.
Some great opening sentences of SF. (Via Scott.)

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Wednesday Hangovers

3 Comments / Hangovers / By Gwenda / July 23, 2008

I think the residency and Readercon following right on the heels are too big to do a round-up of either. But it was great to see youse guys who were seen at each of them. If only Readercon could be plopped down in the middle of, say, Madison, instead of one mile from a mall, it’d be giving Wiscon some relatively serious competition in my heart. Still: Korean BBQ was excellent, Thai was all right, and the mafia was as treacherous as ever (you poor trusting suckers! it’s good to confirm one’s devious side is still intact). Plus, Mr. McLaren secretly delivered me a delicious rumcake to the hotel, which was ingested with glee and bargain champagne in celebration of many birthdays (or at least, mine, Kelly’s and Gavin’s).
Speaking of Readercon, here’s an interesting write-up of a panel I didn’t attend, on revision. And Matt Cheney has an excellent overall report too (that was some reading, huh? and the novel’s no slouch).
I really like today’s National Geographic photo.
There’s a fabulous new Meghan McCarron story, "The Magician’s House," at Strange Horizons: part one and part two.
Justine on the first-ever brawl in the WNBA.
Jenny D tells a research anecdote related to the sequel to The Explosionist. Great post, but more to the point: Yay, sequel! Few books demand them, but this is one.
Bennett Madison has a typically memorable response to the furor over Margo Rabb’s very sensible article in the NYT. Here here for Weetzie Bat changing lives.
I am very, very happy to see the word spreading about how wonderful Tiptree Winner Sarah Hall’s The Carhullan Army/Daughters of the North is.
J.M. Barrie: Very bad man? (Via Leila.)
Excellent and entertaining New Yorker piece about famous and infamous librarian Anne Carroll Moore’s battle against E.B. White’s Stuart Little. Of course, you can’t go wrong when personalities like these are in play. Anytime you get to quote Ursula Nordstrom, it’s for the win.

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Monday Hangovers

Hangovers / By Gwenda / July 21, 2008

A very incomplete selection of links, as I’m still wayyyy behind on ye olde feedreader and even though there’s a couple of substantial(ish) posts I’d like to make, I’m not caught up enough for that yet either.
Margo Rabb’s NYT essay about how publishing as YA (when the book is cross-over and could go either YA/adult) can get you some pitiable looks in certain quarters of the literary universe is very good, I think, although I know there have already been some impassioned responses in agreement and disagreement with some of the points raised. It seems to me this is a piece written for a general readership, who may or may not care about YA, and who might–just might–be more likely to visit that section of the bookstore as a result of reading it. I definitely didn’t read it as whining, but as a thoughtful consideration of her own experience and an elegant rebuttal to naysayers. Like Justine, I’ve rarely encountered these attitudes directly (though I have encountered them occasionally), but I still have no doubt that they exist since people love erecting borders around things and declaring them ghettos. There are still plenty of people who look askance at children’s literature as literature, and who do not in any way believe that writing for young people is as important (or can be as important) as writing for adults. I’m not one of them, of course, and I do think we’re seeing this change as YA continues to be a home for an ever-increasing number of astoundingly excellent books. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that Margo has an excellent blog where this discussion continues, and she’s posting outtakes that didn’t make the final piece.
As someone who is also now in the midst of trying to complete that all-important creative thesis (aka The Novel) and get it approved, I send cheering thoughts in Carolyn’s general direction. Nice paragraph. (Why does ‘nice paragraph’ strike me as vaguely dirty? Must catch up on sleep.)
Niall has all the relevant (and some just plain maddening) links related to the great Helix blow-up. Nothing like watching a jerk prove that he’s an even bigger jerk than you could ever have imagined. I understand the term professionalism played a large part in the early stages of this fiasco, which is almost too shocking to be believed.
Save Bat Segundo!

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Thursday Hangovers

1 Comment / Hangovers / By Gwenda / July 3, 2008

Marc Aronson on the Newbery/Caldecott speeches that are all the buzz, taking exception to one of Laura Amy Schlitz’s comments on nonfiction.
Netflix profiles staying for the win. Thank you, Corporate-DVD-Rental-Company Overlords.
The latest Mind Meld is about whether there’s a gender imbalance in SF — I was asked to participate but events overwhelmed me and since I didn’t participate my thoughts aren’t coherent enough to share here. Except to say: Yes, but the fact that there’s so much discussion around this topic is an indication that things are finally changing, as is the brilliant work I have no trouble encountering by very fine women writers working in the field. I’d just like to see more of it, and that means more TOCs with more brilliant work by women on them. Anyway, very interesting to read the mostly more coherent comments of those who did respond, especially everyone’s "favorite" nutso whackjob John C. Wright. I would excerpt, but what to choose? Just go read the whole thing. See also: Moles on the responses.
The new Locus is the YA-focused issue.
King Arthur as propaganda. (Via Ed.)
Jenny Davidson’s The Explosionist came out yesterday. I enjoyed this one a great deal, and bow at the bravery of the audacious ending. Go read it!
Another This Week in SF Kerfluffles entry is Dave Truesdale being Dave Truesdale about Ellen Datlow’s excellent anthology, The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Instead of linking to The Trues, I will link to Niall Harrison’s excellent discussion of Margo Lanagan’s "The Goosle," which came in for the biggest dose of Truesey’s scorn.
And here I always thought hollow books were to hide murder weapons and suchlike. (Via Maud.)
NPR expanding book coverage. This makes me very happy, as I’m usually pleased by the stuff I catch on la radio.
A fabulous interview with Lynda Barry, whose new book I really must get immediately. (Via Austin.)
The Cupertino Effect. I like having names and history for such things. (Via Erin.)

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Wednesday Hangovers

2 Comments / Hangovers / By Gwenda / June 25, 2008

Sorry for the lack of posting, but I’m on schedule with my revision and thus I’m not too sorry. But there is good stuff afoot in the ‘sphere, so here I am.
Leila has the goods on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. w00t.
Pinky’s looking for her wig.
There’s going to be a book based on Lizzie Skurnick’s (aka Old Hag) Fine Lines column over at Jezebel. Whooping of joy commenced. In celebration, Maud has the Hag’s recipe for Salade Nicoise.
Speaking of le Maud, she also posted about Susan Maddux’s amazing Hawaiian watercolors the other day. Gorgeous.
My school has gained its independence. I look for only more great things to happen as a result.
Nancy Drew love at NPR. Reminding me to Netflix that adaption from last year (yeah, I know, it was supposed to be just eh, but I wanna see it anyway).
The tiny car page. (Via Gavin.)
Jewelry (possibly) made from Jane Austen’s hair. Don’t tell Billy Bob Thornton.
Jeff VanderMeer’s favorite short fiction fantasists. Good list with lots of fabulous women writers.
An interview with the creator of the new controversial D&D edition at Guy’s Lit Wire.
Austin on Joy Division and Control.
J.L. Bell on American fantasy’s treatment of American Indians.

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Wednesday Hangovers

7 Comments / Hangovers / By Gwenda / June 18, 2008

Radar Online has an entertaining history of Hollywood’s love affair with jingoistic villains.
Justine on bad writing days and the effect on mood. YES.
Matt Cheney recommends John Williams’ Stoner.
Apropos of its new excerpt policy, Ed thinks the AP should go whole hog and pay its sources, and he does the math.
See also, Ed on the novels of Tiptree-winner Sarah Hall.
Go read and vote in the Million Writers Award.
Nicola is making a bunch of stuff related to her excellent, Lambda-award winning memoir And Now We Are Going to Have a Party available online. That you should check it out goes without saying.
Glenn Beck and Ted Bell: Role models. Wait, make that DINOSAUR MORONS. (I love the transcript of Beck interviewing Stephanie Meyer that someone posted a link to in the comments of that discussion–although I’m hoping that she actually does know who Cormac McCarthy is and was just thrown off by some clown throwing non sequiturs at her. Still, hilarious.) Updated to add: Ted Bell posts a somewhat defensive (understandably) comment below and it is worth noting that this discussion is less about the book in question–which he wrote–and more about the unbelievable Glenn Beck interview, which can be viewed at the Guys Lit Wire post.
Niall Harrison on The Happening, which I kind of want to go see mainly because the post-M. Knight rantiness is as addictive as a drug.
Carrie’s reading The Writing Class. Yay! Follow suit.

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Friday Hangovers

1 Comment / Hangovers / By Gwenda / June 13, 2008

You know you want it.
The debate about Keith Gessen’s mental state continues apace.
EW catalogues the territory memoirs have already covered.
Building a mysterious home (nice to have the millions, huh?).
A columnist in the Times of India says don’t buy books: The point that one is trying to make is that buying a book isn’t such a great idea for a committed reader. In fact, one could go further and say that nothing kills the appetite for a book more than its easy availability. Eh, I’m perfectly capable of checking out a library book over and over too.

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