Blood & Rhetoric

I was directed to Editorial Ass: Less is More via Nathan Bransford’s blog, and I can’t believe I missed this the first time around.

Jonathan Karp’s imprint 12 revolves around a very basic concept: 1 book per month; 12 books a year:

That means a given catalog has only four books in it, tops. This means more focus on quality, where only one book is getting an editor’s complete attention at a time. It also means the slashing of arbitrary initiatives (many publishing companies incentivize their departments and employees by the number of acquisitions and books published, which makes sense in a quantitative way but in a qualitative way inadvertently encourages editors to acquire books they don’t care about in order to scrape their margins together).

Jonathan Karp brings with him 16 years of experience from Random House, so my assumption is that he knows what he’s talking about.

More focus on quality. Not quantity. What a revolutionary concept, eh? And 7 of their first 10 published books have become NYT bestsellers.

Less crap published, and deserving novels and authors getting the attention (and money) they deserve.

I think this is something to get very excited about.

With so many seemingly in a tizzy about the future of publishing and the drastic ways the industry has (and must) change, here’s something that actually makes sense.

I hope this a business model others start adapting.

“erubescency”

Blushing for shame… for fear of loss of reputation.

Nathaniel Baily, Etymological English Dictionary, 1749.

This is a favourite point of discussion for many science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts.

What is fantasy? What is science fiction?

Is this novel steampunk? Or a combination of dark-bengasian-deiselpunk?

Who the fuck really cares?

That’s the stand Jonathan McCalmont takes in his interesting post on how to define a genre…and why not to bother

“The desire to define things is a product of one of the more interesting quirks of human neural architecture; the desire for abstraction. This desire expresses itself as a tendency to see the world not in terms of individuals but rather clumps of objects that share characteristics, and which can therefore be expected to behave in similar ways.”

On one hand, the defining of the multitude of subgenres for fantasy and science fiction makes sense: I love to read dark fantasy. I love to read dark fantasy with a more “literary” bent. Therefore, I actively seek out work that’s been defined by critics and readers as such.

But the problem starts, when the lines become blurred, and when the work fits into more than one or two neat categories. That’s when the disagreements start. And they can get heated. But the negative here is that it really can have a limiting effect on a book to define it so narrowly.

So-called “literary fiction” doesn’t really carry any subgenres within it despite the fact that books falling within that particular bent obviously work on different trends much in the same way that genre or commercial fiction does. I mean, how much literary fiction has been published in the last few years pertaining in some way to the immigrant experience in North America? Dozens. At least. And that’s just what I’ve personally managed to read. Browse through a bookstore and you’ll see what I mean. Immigrant fiction is hot. So are stories that focus on a son or daughter relating their parent’s story and unraveling some mystery about them in order to come to a deeper understanding by the end of the novel about their own lives.

These could be construed as subgenres. But literary fiction does not carry any official genre card, unlike fantasy and science fiction which certainly do — and often to a ridiculous extent. Look at the wiki article on fantasy subgenres and science fiction subgenres. It’s absurd almost to the point of farce, and I feel one of the many reasons that the two genres have such a hard time gaining mainstream success or literary accolades. It goes beyond merely helping the potential reader find what they’re looking for and makes books published in the genre seem almost instantly formulaic.

Those of us who are passionate about fantasy and science fiction and who realize what a load of crap the snobbery is are fighting an uphill battle for literary acknowledgement. Especially considering that novels like The Road and The Handmaiden’s Tale, despite their science fiction leanings, would never be labeled thus except by those of us who already read the genre and can point and say — hey pretentious jackass! that is science fiction you’re giving the Nobel to!

And don’t even get me started on “magical realism,” which is essentially fantasy of another name.

But at the end of the day, who does really care and why should we be bothered? Isn’t it really a moot point? An argument no one will ever win? I like to think so.

Think of the possibilities, for both readers and writers of any type, if such strict classification was at least taken less seriously if not outright shunned.

Richard Laymon’s Rules of Writing, over at the website of the Horror Writers Association might damn well be the best writing advice I ever read or been given.

I’ve read a few books over the years about writing fiction; none of them have ever done anything for me other than give that initial burst of inspiration that feels so damn good at the time but is very short-lived. Kinda like crack cocaine, I guess; but less expensive.

A couple of those books have managed to stick with me, but not in any substantial way. I also know a few writers who spend more time reading books about writing than actually doing the writing; the real work that has nothing to do with dreams and aspirations and lofty ideals, but with work. Because writing is hard. Preaching to the converted, I suppose, but I’ve been feeling lately as though I’m in a creative dump and it really does bear repeating that the craft of writing takes extreme dedication and practice and effort. And I’m not the only one feeling as though everything I pen is riddled with cliche’s and obvious bad grammar and infantile prose.

So I guess my point is: stop reading dozens of books about creative writing! But do read Richard Laymon’s Rules of Writing, because it’s the most concise and realistic advice I’ve ever gotten, and you may just agree.

Or maybe my point is that writing is hard work and no book will provide you with all the answers you need. I don’t know, I think my real problem is that it’s the middle of the afternoon and I need to be fed.

I’m a little confused as to how some of these were nominated. Family Guy? Dexter? No Country For Old Men? That’s stretching the fantasy/science fiction thing a bit.

And where’s Battlestar Gallactica? It’s the best written science fiction show on television right now. One of the few non-cheesy ones. What happened?

Anyways, The Saturn Awards Complete List of Winners:

Fantasy Film: “Enchanted ”

Science Fiction Film: “Cloverfield ”

Horror Film: “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ”

Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: “300 ”

Actress: Amy Adams (”Enchanted”)

Actor: Will Smith (”I Am Legend”)

Supporting Actress: Marcia Gay Harden (”The Mist”)

Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (”No Country for Old Men”)

Performance by a Younger Actor: Freddie Highmore (”August Rush”)

Direction: Zack Snyder (”300″)

Writing: Brad Bird (”Ratatouille”)

Music: Alan Menken (”Enchanted”)

Costume: Colleen Atwood (”Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”)

Make-Up: Ve Neill, Martin Samuel (”Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”)

Special Effects: Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl, John Frazier (”Transformers”)

Animated Film: “Ratatouille”

International Film: “Eastern Promises”

Network Television Series: “Lost”

Syndicated / Cable Television Series: “Dexter”

Presentation on Television: “Family Guy: Blue Harvest”

Actress on Television: Jennifer Love Hewitt (”Ghost Whisperer”)

Actor on Television: Matthew Fox (”Lost”)

Supporting Actress on Television: (TIE): Summer Glau (”Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) and Elizabeth Mitchell (”Lost”)

Supporting Actor on Television: Michael Emerson (”Lost”)

DVD Release: “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari“ (remix)

DVD Special Edition Release: “Blade Runner” (5 Disc Ultimate Edition)

DVD Classic Film Release: “The Monster Squad”

DVD Collection: “Mario Bava” (Box Sets 1 & 2)

Television Series Release on DVD: “Heroes” (Season 1)

Retro Television Series Release on DVD: “Twin Peaks” (Definitive Gold Box Ed.)

The Life Career Award: Robert Halmi, Jr.

The George Pal Memorial Award: Guillermo del Toro

The Filmmakers Showcase Award: Matt Reeves

The Special Achievement Award: Tim & Donna Lucas

The Service Award: Fred Barton

Victoria Kasten on her debut fantasy novel IronHeart. She’s 17. 17!

Revenge Ink, a new independent Anglo-Indian publishing firm, has been launched by author siblings Amita and Gopal Mukerjee, specialising in “subversive and cutting-edge” writing from young first-time writers.

Two new clips for The X-Files: I Want to Believe! The X-Files finally hits theatres July 25th.

From PR-Canada.net

Written by Editor Choice
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Tesseracts Thirteen Looking for Dark Fantasy and Horror Submissions

Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing announces Tesseracts Thirteen, a Dark Fantasy and Horror edition, is now open for submissions.

The 2009 anthology asks for Dark Fantasy and Horror genre short fiction or poetry, 5000 words or less. Submissions are accepted commencing immediately and received post-marked as no later than October 31, 2008. The anthology will arrive on shelves in trade paperback form, in August 2009. And as always, the anthology is open to Canadians, landed immigrants, long-time residents, and expatriates.

Nancy Kilpatrick, a dark fantasy, horror, mystery, erotic horror author and editor has published 18 novels, including The Goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined and nearly 200 short stories. The vampire writer penned the series Power of the Blood World and under the pseudonym Amarantha Knight, the Darker Passions. She’s won the Arthur Ellis Award for best mystery story, and has been a finalist for three Bram Stoker and five Aurora awards.

Co-Editor David Morrell is best known for his debut novel First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created, and has published more than 20 novels over a wide range of genres, with eighteen million copies printed in twenty-six languages to his name. Morrell is the co-president of the International Thriller Writers Organization. The action and thriller author has training in firearms, hostage negotiation, assuming identities, executive protection, and anti-terrorist driving — among many feats enlivening his novels.

Deadline: Post-Marked October 31 2008.

EDGE and Tesseract Books main site.

Submission Guidelines for Chilling Tales of The Great White North Anthology

Note: The anthology is open to Canadians, landed immigrants, long-time residents, and expatriates only. English and French.

Margaret Atwood wins Spain’s top literary prize: The Prince of Asturias Prize for literature.

Hamish Hamilton has launched a new online literary magazine, Five Dials, designed to promote and distribute quality writing which is unlikely to be printed elsewhere.

Annual program offering $1,000 stipend and 8-month fellowship to writers in the early stages of their literary careers. Program includes one-on-one sessions with mentors, seminars on topics such as editing or working with agents, courses in the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension, and literary readings.

The Gaurdian Asks: Why writers can’t go it alone. We love independent filmmakers and musicians, and celebrate their maverick spirit, so why don’t we want independent writers?

To which I ask, have you attempted to actually read that much self-published work? It’s a scary, scary world.

Disney’s “Enchanted” was the dominant film player Tuesday night at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror’s 34th annual Saturn Awards, held at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City.

Gary Gygax’s final Novel, Infernal Sorceress, to be released this July.

An interview with Rachel Smith, founder of Bitten by Books, a new book review site focusing on paranormal fiction, urban fantasy and horror.

I’m excited to find a review site focused solely on paranormal and horror; currently 18 reviewers are reviewing (I’m saying the word “review” alot) 100 books per month, and they’re looking for more people to um…. review.

And, according to The Telegraph: The 50 Best Summer Holiday Books.

Galadriel

Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Um, not so sure about all that.

“cook, slut & butler”

A common expression applied to a person who does all the turns of work in a house.

– John Brockett, Glossary of North Country Words, 1825