Good News Roundup
It’s been a pretty good week so far!
- Yesterday, I finished and submitted LIBRIOMANCER to my editor. One day ahead of my deadline, no less! There will be at least one more round of revision once she’s read it, but for now, it’s DONE!!! It came in at just over 100,000 words, and they’re all PERFECT (except for one spot where I wrote Timon instead of Pumbaa.)
- As if to mark the occasion, my agent e-mailed yesterday to let me know we had sold rights to the first two Princess books to Turkey. Woo hoo!
- I have an essay called “Writing About Rape” in the latest issue of Apex Magazine.
- LIBRIOMANCER bookmarks arrived yesterday, and they look great. I shall commence handing them out at ConFusion, and will probably be offering/asking to mail some out to folks as we get closer to the release date.
- I got an e-mail yesterday with a picture of STEPSISTER SCHEME on the shelf at a college bookstore, where it’s listed as a required text for a class. That’s pretty darn cool!
It’s strange to be done, to not know what I have to work on during my lunch break today. Should I start planning book two, or should I dive into that short story that’s due in a few months? I don’t know. I could do either one if I wanted to! Whoa … I don’t know how to handle that kind of freedom!
The past few months have been pretty hectic, and I want to say publicly how much I appreciate all of the support and understanding my wife and kids have given me. Hopefully I’ll be able to pay some of that back now.
As for the book … well, you’ll be able to decide for yourself in August whether all of that time and work paid off, but personally, I think it’s pretty darn awesome, and I hope you will too.
Poul
January 5, 2012 @ 2:30 pm
Congratulations 🙂
I´ll look forward to reading it.
Must shamefully admit that so far I have read nothing you wrote apart from your Blog, but 2012 will remedy that 🙂
Jim C. Hines
January 5, 2012 @ 3:43 pm
There’s no shame in that. Sure, I’d love it if absolutely everyone I ever met or spoke to immediately ran out and bought all of my books, but it ain’t gonna happen and that’s not why I do the blog. And not everyone who enjoys the blog ends up liking my fiction. That’s okay too.
I’m just happy folks find the blog interesting/entertaining enough to stay with it, and if some of those people choose to read my fiction too, then that’s a bonus.
Poul
January 5, 2012 @ 4:12 pm
Concidering the other types of Fantasy I like, I am sure your kind will be just what I enjoy.
As soon as the Goblin Omnibus is out I´ll get it as a late christmass gift for myself 🙂
Nichole
January 5, 2012 @ 11:49 pm
Congrats on finishing your manuscript. That’s awesome. Personally, I don’t know how you could top “The Snow Queen’s Shadow.” Both my girlfriend and I read that in one sitting, but I’m sure we’ll see.
I just clicked on the link and read your essay. hmmm… it was thoughtful and thank you for writing it. Would you consider posting some of the highlights here and opening it for comments? Because it begs for discussion.
I know the last thing you probably want to do on your day off is moderate a discussion of sexual assault in fiction – but you did start it, and some really great books wouldn’t be so great without those uncomfortable, violent elements.
I liked the point you made about writing rape poorly or writing rape well, but I think that’s something easier said than done for a writer. I would think it would be technically difficult, frankly, because the line between profound event and gratuitous exposition might be thin and shift suddenly.
I don’t think writers should avoid sexual violence, because rape is a very real fear and a reality for anyone in our world – in any culture – who is vulnerable (young, old, male, female). I know I don’t need to lecture you on the statistics of rape, but I believe the more we acknowledge the reality of sexual predation, the less its acceptable. Silence and denial are a rapist’s best friends.
Anyway, your essay just left me with some thoughts that I wanted to bounce around.
Jim C. Hines
January 6, 2012 @ 10:43 am
Hi Nichole,
Actually, I don’t mind moderating that kind of conversation, but I’m torn … I’d have to check my contract, but Apex probably gets exclusivity on the article for a while, so I’m not sure how much I could excerpt here.
I’d almost prefer if the discussion take place over there. Mostly because I’ve had similar posts discussions here, and most of the people who follow my blog are going to be familiar with what I say over there. Whereas Apex reaches a whole new readership, if that makes sense?
“I don’t think writers should avoid sexual violence, because rape is a very real fear and a reality for anyone in our world…”
Agreed. I definitely think it’s important about, but I also think it’s important to make sure we’re writing well and truthfully, you know?
Nichole
January 6, 2012 @ 10:29 pm
Very true. But I think “well” and “truthful” are subjective. People see truth reflected in their own experience – which does validate your point about researching the experiences of rape victims.
Where I got hung up was the “well” part. I think – and correct me if I’m wrong – that your essay addressed an immature audience. The first part held some sarcasm that I didn’t get right away. But I saw your point – gratuitous rape scenes are unacceptable. Anyone who believes otherwise needs to grow up.
Maybe I was looking for something else in your essay. What is a well-written rape scene? It’s an extremely awkward question. I’m thinking of some books (that I believe are good books) containing elements of sexual abuse. Mary Renault’s “The Persian Boy” comes to mind, as does Paolo Bacigalupi’s “The Windup Girl,” which featured two horrific rape scenes.
I participated in the discussion at Apex, and someone mentioned “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” I haven’t read the books, or seen the movie, but I intend to do both.
What I got from your essay is that sexual violence in fiction needs to be deliberate and thoughtful. Does it add to the plot in a meaningful way? Or dose it exist only to titillate? If so, consider having the bad guy kick a puppy instead.