Eugie Foster's Self-Indulgent Musings

Daughter of Botu: Honorable Mention in Year's Best SF 26

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:12:13 GMT

Just learned from Douglas Cohen (douglascohen) that my story "Daughter of Bótù" received an Honorable Mention in Gardner Dozois' Year's Best SF 26. Squee!

(Shameless plug:

You can read "Daughter of Bótù" in Returning My Sister's Face, now available at Amazon.com for the sweet price of $10.75 in trade paperback—discounted from the cover price of $11.95.)

The Line Between Mad Scientist and Evil Genius

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:25:12 GMT

I've been doing a lot of psychology research of late—the halo effect for "Whatever Skin You Wear" (which I didn't end up using when I changed the story's scope) and recently oxytocin, the "moral molecule."

And I am reminded again how much I love psychology and also that I'm somewhat sad that I'm not active in the field. Probably just as well. I'd enjoy far too much being a mad scientist/evil genius...

One of my favorite quotes from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series:

Riley: Psychologically this is fascinating, doesn't it make everyone wanna lock them in separate rooms and do experiments on them? [everyone stares]...Just me then.

Whatever Skin You Wear: First Draft

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:48:22 GMT

"Whatever Skin You Wear" first readered by fosteronfilm (whose feedback helped me determine that no epilogue was required), several editing passes committed, and it's at first draft. Time to inflict it upon critiquers.

This story came so much easier than the last, even with the POV flip-flopping. I think the change in milieu, genre, and voice were good for my muse.

Whatever Skin You Wear: Zero Draft

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:22:10 GMT

New words: 200 on "Whatever Skin You Wear." And it's at zero draft, two weeks from inception to "the end." Productivity win!

Except I think it may need an epilogue...

Saturday AM: Mining the Maudlin and Story Research

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:20:17 GMT

Awash in Facebook-induced nostalgia and maudlin sentimentality. Ugh. Need Japanese gay porn manga.

It's story research. Honest! Well, this time it is...

Ahem.

New words: 1,400 on "Whatever Skin You Wear." Might be able to make it to zero draft before the weekend's out.

Sale: "Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest" to Apex

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:00:16 GMT

Just sold reprint of "Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast" to Apex Magazine! *happy dancing*

Mildly Haunted and Fey Infested in Metro Atlanta

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:50:41 GMT

And the fey-infestation/mild haunting of our house continues. This morning, while I was in the bathroom getting ready for work and fosteronfilm was in the bedroom, heading towards sleep, my cell phone called his—both of which were in the living room.

Huh.

So now we have lights that spontaneously go on and off, toilets that occasionally flush on their own, disembodied thumps, and cell phones that call each other.

I am thoroughly amused.

Whatever Skin You Wear: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:32:09 GMT

Epiphany: I need to rewrite "Whatever Skin You Wear" switching from first-person POV to third-person. Glargh! Been second-guessing myself a lot of late.

Writerly instinct fail!

Whatever Skin You Wear: Progress and Musings

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:04:10 GMT

New Words: 700 on "Whatever Skin You Wear."

Keep waffling about where I want to take this/how I want to approach this. Also worried that I may be administering my point via sledgehammer. Grmf.

A Conversation About Self-Publishing

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:42:02 GMT

For folks wondering about my thoughts on self-publishing, Matthew Nadelhaft started a question on Facebook about it, and Christina Baker Cline posted the resulting discussion on her blog (with everyone's permission).

Other folks that chimed in include Michael Stackpole, Jeff VanderMeer, Stephen Dedman, Jennifer Stevenson, and Alex Irvine.

Heading Out!

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:35:05 GMT

Senate and House leaving at 12:30 so Legislative Counsel gets to too. *Woot!* Heading out for an early start on my 3-day weekend!

RETURNING MY SISTER'S FACE: Trade Paperback Now Out

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:06:33 GMT

The trade paperback edition of Returning My Sister's Face is now out! For folks who'll be at Readercon next weekend, it'll be available at the SFPA table—who are graciously stocking it along with other Norilana Books titles. Although, alas, I won't be attending. Wanted to, but the stars did not align.

Gifts Not Asked For, Part II: Flame Dancer

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:41:24 GMT

The July issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly with the next installment of "Gifts Not Asked For" (Part II: Flame Dancer) is now out. Yay!

WiP: Whatever Skin You Wear

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:18:21 GMT

Writing Stuff:

Came up with a working title for the new Work in Progress, "Whatever Skin You Wear." New words: 500

Pondering if the theme would be better served with a narrower, interpersonal focus than my initial concept. I thought the story would be fairly epic and heroic—good guy vanquishes the uber evil and saves the world—but I think what I'm trying to say might be better expressed by two people learning something about each other in a wacky world.

Definitely would be shorter if I go that route, which is always a plus. But it's gonna be a bear trying to pull it off without some major narrative info dumping since detailed aspects of the setting are vital to the theme.

Hrmmm...

Embracing the Gods of Insomnia

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:02:23 GMT

The gods of sleep hath forsaken me. Well I, for one, welcome my new insomnia overlords. Lucid wakefulness is obviously overrated...

New WiP: Untitled SF Short Story

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:48:18 GMT

Smacked between the eyes by an idea for a near future, VR/social networking fusion story over the weekend. 2.5K words; no working title yet.

Guess I'm going to backburner The Stupid Novel for a little longer.

Mortal Clay, Stone Heart: Finis

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:58:54 GMT

"Mortal Clay, Stone Heart" DONE. Fork rammed to the hilt; manuscript sent to editors; fingers crossed. Time to break out the booze! Hurray for three-day weekends.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognition Without Chemical Stimulants: A Mini-Case Study

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:15:39 GMT

And lo, there was insomnia.

I think sleep deprivation plus uppers may kybosh some key writing processes in my brain, so I'm going to try to ford ahead sans meds today. Then again, sleep deprivation alone may in itself be enough to mangle my brain's word production capability. But I've been wondering for a while whether the Adderall—while giving me the energy I need to stay motivated and productive—may actually be impairing some of my creative ability. I've got the verve, but the words seem lodged somewhere in my head that I can't access with anything like the same fluidity and ease that I use to. I can still do routine and very technical wordsmithing, like copyediting and, well, editing in general—those skills may actually be enhanced by the meds—but my ability to create new prose feels diminished.

'Course, I can't write if I'm passed out and drooling on my desk, either. So I'm keeping the shiny capsules close to hand in case this doesn't work out.

And now: coffee.

Mortal Clay, Stone Heart: Mad Dash to the Finish Line

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:09:42 GMT

The deadline for "Mortal Clay, Stone Heart" is in two days. Embarking on the final revision/editing pass. Maybe I can get it in before Fri...eh, who am I kidding?

Adventures in Languages that don't use a Latin-based Alphabet

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:34:43 GMT

Editorial inquiry leads to giving myself a crash course on the correct romanization of Farsi—or rather one word in Farsi. (Wikipedia, ho!)

I've banged my brain before trying to grok romanization standards: Chinese mostly—both pinyin and Wade-Giles—but also some Japanese rōmaji. And y'know, I really, really like languages that use a Latin-based alphabet.

French is nice. I took French in college. Maybe I should write a nice little French fairy tale next.

*whimper*

In related news, "The Tortoise Bride" has been slated for the October issue of Cricket .

RETURNING MY SISTER'S FACE: Trade Paperback at Readercon

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:58:01 GMT

Coordinating with Vera (norilana) to ensure the trade paperback release of Returning My Sister's Face will be available for Readercon next month. It's slated to come out July 5th. Hurray!

Wish I could be there. Maybe next year...

There and Back Again

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:08:47 GMT

Novel progress: -100 words, as much fun as having an anvil dropped on my toe. And it's back to work on "Mortal Clay, Stone Heart." Incorporating some critique suggestions.

Crits, Codex, and Breaking Out The Stupid Novel. Again.

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:34:47 GMT

Taking a break from "Mortal Clay, Stone Heart" while waiting for critiques to come in. Sent it, hat in hand, to a few valorous and generous souls and also to Codex.

I've been a member of Codex for years—I think I joined up pretty near to when it was established—but at the time, I was a member of Critters, so wasn't active at Codex. But I went on hiatus at Critters and Codex has been highly recommended to me by several writers. Giving it a whirl.

So yeah, time to dust off The Stupid Novel and get back to work on it. Except I haven't looked at it in months. Gulp.

Hobkin's Powers of Persuasion

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:07:04 GMT

My day off: writing/working downstairs on the couch because after lunch, Hobkin insisted I be his pillow. I'm pinned by an 8lb fuzzy animal. Oh well. He's a decent mousepad.

Mortal Clay, Stone Heart: First Draft Ahoy.

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:04:10 GMT

Completed one more pass on "Mortal Clay, Stone Heart." I'm calling the fork jabbed and the story officially at first draft. Now to foist it upon hapless critiquers...