Congrats Sox!
If I manage to sell Cog, I'll be thrilled to give you an (probably not very exciting) interview :). I'll waiting on edits from my agent right now so I've still got plenty to do before Cog gets subbed.
And now my boy's in love. All hearts and flowers. But, doesn't it freak you out that she used to change your diapers? I mean, when you think about it, the first woman you boned is the closest thing you've ever had to a mother. Doing your mom and trying to kill your dad. Hm. There should be a play.
Angelus ,'Damage'
The Great Write Way, Act Three: Where's the gun?
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Gudanov - Sep 20, 2012 5:39:52 am PDT #5417 of 6690
Coding and Sleeping
Liese S. - Sep 20, 2012 8:31:57 am PDT #5418 of 6690
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."
I love it, Sox; it's really, really good.
hippocampus - Sep 20, 2012 11:00:26 am PDT #5419 of 6690
not your mom's socks.
I'm really glad to hear it, Liese!
Amy - Sep 20, 2012 11:47:24 am PDT #5420 of 6690
Because books.
I just found it -- it's here -- and it's really beautiful. So spare, but really emotional. I loved it.
Beverly - Sep 20, 2012 2:13:57 pm PDT #5421 of 6690
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
Sox, spare is right, elegant, almost poetic in the way every word earns its place. And very hard-hitting in that way that you can't look directly at some things, but they nevertheless leave your accepted world view in shards.
hippocampus - Sep 21, 2012 2:17:51 am PDT #5422 of 6690
not your mom's socks.
Thank you Amy and Beverly - your comments mean a great deal. I am glad that the details and especially the emotion came through, even though it was very pared down.
I was more nervous than I'd usually be (which is still a lot) because Analee Newitz pilloried a Nature story from a few weeks ago on Twitter and Facebook - her prerogative, entirely, and she was not wrong. Still holding my breath a little.
Anne W. - Sep 21, 2012 2:35:13 am PDT #5423 of 6690
The lost sheep grow teeth, forsake their lambs, and lie with the lions.
Sox, that was wonderful - so quietly and gently heartbreaking in many ways.
SailAweigh - Sep 21, 2012 5:50:43 am PDT #5424 of 6690
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
Can't agree more. That really had me with a lump in my throat. I understand the urge to hold onto family history that's based in the land, but at the same time, if it means you can't have a family, then it's time to let go and homestead somewhere else.
hippocampus - Sep 22, 2012 3:47:55 am PDT #5425 of 6690
not your mom's socks.
Thank you Anne and Sail.
Liese S. - Sep 22, 2012 9:31:13 am PDT #5426 of 6690
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."
I think part of what I like so much about it is the nuanced way you feel for everyone in the story. From their individual point of view, no one is wrong. You can truly understand why each person feels and responds the way they do. And the gentle reveal that gets to such difficulty comes a bit at a time, so there's both a shock response to the dilemma, and an empathy response to the character. Thus the conflict is very natural, and also unresolvable.
I hate when the conflict is there, but for stupid reasons, like the characters won't communicate, or happenstance intervenes, or whatever. It feels cheap, like it's unearned. But this is earned conflict.
Which is a lot to accomplish in such a short story! And the worldbuilding is great; it makes me want to see more set in that world.