Tampilkan postingan dengan label AussieCon4. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label AussieCon4. Tampilkan semua postingan

Selasa, 28 September 2010

One would think that after setting off on an exciting journey half way across the world's smallest continent/largest island to attend WorldCon 68/AussieCon 4, that a certain person who for today's purposes shall remain nameless, might return to immediately post an enthusiastic rant about how much fun it was, how baffling it was, how great it was to be taken care of by Chris and Ed and Dim and Brie and all the writers of the (what I have dubbed them) Melbourne Writers Conventicle; what a delight it was to meet one determined E.K. Vollmer all the way from a town called (would you believe it) Sebastipole!; how cool it was to receive encouragement and honest critique from Kit (and by extension Patience St.James - there are two Herbroulesse in the Sundergird: the one we find in Lamplighter was named after the much older one you find on the "BIG" map, honest); how exciting and rewarding each panel - with such lights as Kate Forsyth, Shaun Tan, Ian Irvine, Juliet Marillier, Lara Morgan, Richard Harland, Russell Kirkpatrick, to name(drop) only some - I was on actually was... but apparently no.

Apparently said nameless soul has waited 2 - maybe even 3! - weeks to post something.

Why is that? you may not actually be asking yourself (if indeed you are still even visiting this barely-a-blog).

Well, not sure actually: I think maybe it is a great tumbling collapsing relief that after so long above person has actually produced what they were tasked to produce (both by their original publisher and ultimately by themselves); also it is the great wilderness that it seems often comes after a writer has completed a long project (I cite here the great talent, Michael Pryor , who said at the con that, having this very moment finished his own 6(!) book series, he now feels bereft

So here he sits, hiding in his room, playing too many computer games (and thus inviting judgement from all non-gamers), squeezing out a post to you all, actually very excited that MBT Book 3 is almost here. indeed that some folks might even have copies right now and that all the speculation and wait will (I most earnestly hope) be rewarded.

As to those projects mentioned in previous posts, the Next! of this blogs title - well, they are sitting there, waiting to be picked up soon: for, Lord willing, the penner of this post surely want to write more Half-Continent stories, but right now and just for a little bit finds it necessary to let the "field lie fallow" as it were.

As to why I spoke of myself in the third person for much of this post, I do not know either - Jung would have a field day, I am sure... T'was and interesting writing exercise never-the-less: I have been told that this is a good thing for a writer to do after finishing a big work, to write short things, try stuff out, keep your hand in but keep your goals small so you still feel like a writer who can achieve stuff. All very helpful - now it remains for me to put it in to practice...

BTW, you may not have noticed, but I LOVE ellipses...

Minggu, 29 Agustus 2010

Here we are, the very week Aussiecon 4 is going to happen and I make the great trek to Melbourne to take part (both scared and excited in about equal measure). The Con (as we in the biz call it...) will be running from the 2nd September to the 6th September at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (link to map of where it is). The Guests of Honour are Hugo-winning author Kim Stanley Robinson, award-winning Melbourne artist Shaun Tan (woot!), and dedicated fan Robin Johnson (just to get your interest, maybe...)

As for me, you can see me fumble my way through various topics of which I am only marginally qualified to fumble through at these days/times:

Thu 1600, Rm 217: Wrought from the very living rock: world building in YA spec fic.
Sat 1500, Rm P3: Behold the wonders! Art, design and the visuals in YA spec fic.
Sun 1100, Rm 210: The series question: big books chopped up or small books glued together?
Sun 1600 Rm 211: Let’s get lyrical: poetry in YA spec fic
Mon 1200 Rm 212: The lure of a good map.

Not sure if this is busy or not. Do know that I am very happy to be involved.

I hope I get to see some of you there; make yourself known to me, it might be awkward, but it would be cool non-the-less :) (They say one of the worst things that can happen to a book is to meet its author - let's test the theory, huh...)

Kamis, 18 Februari 2010

The lovely RandomAlex has done a quick interview with me for the Snapshot project this year, part of the lead up to

AUSSIECON 4
68th World Science Fiction Convention
September 2nd - 6th 2010 - Melbourne, Australia

... being the 4th WorldCon to be held in Australia. I hope to go and thus for me it will be my first world con ever in Australia or out of it.

And now for answers!

Emma Nicole Reinmuth posits: "Just a theory... Are monsters aware of which humans possess Monster Blood Tattoos without seeing with their own eyes, and does that influence heavily whom they see as a threat? Rossamünd [we can heavily assume] is of monster blood and any action by monsters against him are taken with consideration. Perhaps it's the sense of their blood kin festering under human flesh that really grinds their gears?"

Dear E.N.R., I had not thought of it quite like that, but great late night fancy talk. I reckon it more the sight of cruorpunxis that would warn a monster off an everyman possessing them. I think that once the cruor has done its "thing" in the flesh of a person it has become a part of that person rather than leaving traces. As for eekers and monsters, I reckon there is certainly a "vibe" the monsters pick up, but more so, it is through the observation of the eeker's behaviour that would tell a monster of their sympathetic character. I reckon what ticks monsters off most is the ancient and ongoing treachery (as they see it) of everymen.

Jackie is wondering: "Why did (Threnody) act so possessive of Rossamünd? Did she want Rossamünd as her factotum, or did she just like him? Or was she reacting because she was jealous of the Bradon Rose?"

I reckon it is a combination of them all; vanity at the start that does turn into a crush as the book goes on and true affection by the end. When Europe enters the scenario, it is definitely ego that is driving her, jealousy for what Threnody considers is hers probably more than specific regard or feeling for Rossamünd at the time (well, nothing she would have acknowledged at the time anyway). That Rossamünd does not nag at her or chide her but persists with her is novel for Threnody, and she is drawn to such treatment. That said, she is still a bossy pain in the behind, so along with the wounded heart comes the painful character. Am I making sense?