incipit vita nova

Harlequin: Lost Horizons, Abandoned Readers?

It's not like I post this every day, but I am for the second year, the Treasurer of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.  After discussion, SFWA has joined with the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) in issuing a statement regarding Harlequin Publishing Group's launch of a new imprint called "Harlequin Horizons" that is a joint venture with the company that incorporates an organization I was formerly familiar with - iUniverse - called Author Solutions.

This is link to SFWA's official statement. Here is a link to Ann Crispin's post on Writer Beware that covers both the RWA and MWA responses.

More than 75% of my lifetime earnings as a writer have been from nonfiction.  However, what I have earned from fiction is not inconsiderable.  Harlequin's Publisher/CEO Donna Hayes has responded to RWA's rapid action and censure (this is a Richard Curtis link). As can be seen from what is fundamentally an Author Solutions/Harlequin press release that appeared in the NY Times arts blogs 2 days ago, they honestly had no clue that people who actually earn their stinking money for them might object.

From my perspective, Harlequin's "marriage" with Author Solutions, which had previously established a similar arrangement with Christian publisher Thomas Nelson called WestBow Press, is a very negative one. What's wrong?  is a legitimate question that members of the general public might ask.

There are a few words in the SFWA statement that I contributed.  They are to this effect:  creative people, including artists, writers, and others involved in the fine arts (and crafts! Crocheted Oscar - worth a lot in my book!) should be paid for their work.  In each of our areas, there are generally-accepted professional standards and practices for payment.  Not only does this new Harlequin Horizon (they are dropping the "Harlequin" name . . . wow) imprint charge the writers, it requires a large amount of "sales" that are driven by the writers themselves - i.e. their friends, family and others they can convince, to even pay anything back to the writer.  As I put it, writers ought not be made to pay for the privilege of creating and looking toward achieving professional status and finding readers.

And also for the average readers out there wondering what the big deal is - Harlequin was planning on referring writers who submitted their romance stories to Harlequin, but were rejected, to this other "Harlequin Horizons" enterprise, where they would be offered the opportunity to pay for having their book published, starting at the low price of $599, and going on up, with some "packages" even more than $11,000.  These books wouldn't be put into bookstores or advertised at all.  The writers would be expected to pay up front, market and sell the books themselves, and the "Author Solutions" and Harlequin companies taking any "profit" for a long time (over 1,000 books sold) before the writer saw any financial return whatsoever.  In common language: a ripoff.  And opposite to what professional publishers have done for many years.  They might have said "no" to aspiring authors a lot, but at least they weren't turning around and then asking them for money for very little in return!

Art by Jasika Nicole

The beautiful actress Jasika Nicole is a lot more than the quiet, self-contained character Astrid Farnsworth who deals with ultra-crazy, semi-tragic Walter Bishop (John Noble) on Fox's Fringe.

Jasika is an artist as well as actress and singer.  How do I know this?  She was on my trustworthy Channel 11 news this morning.  I looked up to see her drawings and thought, "Who drew those?"  I did my best to watch and learned that it was Jasika.  Some of her artwork is available on eco-friendly totes, like the bag to the left.  The picture is kind of small, but it's a princess kissing a frog and super-cute.

Her artwork says "children's book" in some ways, and it also says "8th grade - these are the perfect pictures."  But there's a whole lot more there than that.  Much like the quiet, self-contained character she portrays on Fringe, the "surface" is just the surface. What lies beneath the surface is much more complex and layered and all of the pictures and comics ask you to think about them - a lot.

Jasika has some commentary on the site which I read after I read the web comics and spent like, 10 minutes each figuring them out.  I "got" the Tyler Perry cartoon after thinking "whoa!" and then read that it was coming out of a show and a whole group of artist commentary and interpretation.  Other comics are more self-explanatory, like "Crayons," which tells the story of 4-year old Jasika working on making the perfect picture of her mom - nude.  If you are uptight or have issues with a person's honest self-expression, Jasika's artwork and writing might not be for you.  I wouldn't have any problems with my little girl seeing these pictures.  But if you feel like the teachers in "Crayons" that tore her picture up and threw it away, or like the gossipy ladies in "Morning," then probably Jasika's pretty pictures will bother you.  This is all as honest or moreso than Robert Crumb's work.  Imagine a beautiful woman like Jasika expressing herself this way . . . imagine that our world really has changed.

   

Why Are Vampires Romantic?

This picture might be one clue.  It's Tom Cruise as Lestat and Brad Pitt as Louis in the one of the biggest hot vampire movies ever: 1994's Interview With the Vampire, based on Anne Rice's bestselling book. 

People torture themselves into all types of contortions over why vampires in books, films and TV are so popular, hot, sexy, etc.

OK, look at that picture.  Why are Vampires so hot?  Look at that picture.  Again.  Sorry young, hot popular vampire guys of today . . . the ladies just didn't get to see this movie when they, and it, were in their prime.  I kind of think they would at least have liked Brad Pitt better.  Plus I've always liked Tom Cruise in his acting roles.  Jumping on Oprah's couch?  Not so much.

I also really liked Gary Oldman as Dracula - he might have played some creepy parts since, and is sort of stuck in strange, odd roles now, but you know what?  Hot.  Gary Oldman, Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula 1992 - hot.

I remember why I bought those blue glasses!

But there was an even hotter Dracula when I was the most susceptible ever.  He might have burned this memory from my mind with the horror that was Quilty (my former boss Tony was equally horrified - he described it, and I had to watch just to see it! - boy was I sorry) in the remake of Lolita, but at one point in time, Frank Langella was the hottest man on the planet.

I mean, I think he spoiled me for any other man, forever more.  A schoolgirl . . . Frank Langella . . . aiii!!!

I don't know Carla here - but she seems great, and I agree 100% with her.  Vampires are romantic and hot because they are a) hot; and b) immortal; and c) you might get that way too if they choose you!

Look at how handsome this guy was.  I mean - dang.

Just, dang. 

  

Loghorama

Book View Cafe: One Year Anniversary

Today is the first anniversary of Book View Cafe, which is now officially an author's cooperative.

I agree with our founder Sarah Zettel - it's almost impossible to believe that a whole year has passed.  Last year, I was posting about having a story on the front page of BVC.

Today, it's the first chapter of my first novel, Imago.

 Imago will be serialized for the next 34 weeks at BVC every Sunday.  I want to take some time to say a special thank you to Vonda McIntyre, whose volunteer efforts have been behind nearly every book and story that has appeared at BVC over the past year.  Vonda, already great at HTML, mastered the Joomla content management system that BVC has been using.

It's really hard for me to express how happy I am to have been able to be a part of BVC, from the very beginning.  In a small way, I did play a part in initiating the experiment, because I pointed up that there was no reason everyone had to sit around and wait for things to happen.  We could go out and make those things happen for themselves.

You can read Imago one chapter at a time, week by week, or you can purchase the whole book by subscription as premium content on BVC.  What is it about?  Um.  Things that are sort of true today - it was first published in 2001 and just about the only things that are not present today are the literal genetic "freaks" and of course, the PerfectTown (tm).

Meno McBoing-Boing?

You know what they say . . . "Everything old is new again."

This adorable new character by Tony and Angela diTerlizzi totally looks like . . . Gerald McBoingBoing.

Who is amazingly cute and awesome.

It's my understanding that Gerald was originally a Dr. Seuss character who starred in Academy-Award Winning films wherein my mother was the art director.

You can only find acknowledgment of her work today in Amid Amidi's books and writing - and I had two conversations that meant a lot to me.  First, when I was a first-year student at Scripps in 1983, Professor Gail Kubik, who had himself received an Academy Award for scoring the original McBoing-Boing film, recognized me by my face and voice.  He said he I was so much like my mother and told the story of working with her in developing the film.  Then, I was able to talk to Mr. Bill Melendez, who was her lifelong friend and who worked with her.  So, talking to people like this was, I think, God's way of letting me know my mother was real, and she really had done all the things I had been told, and really did have the talent God gave her.

  No similarities there.

  None at all.

Wake by Lisa McMann

I just finished reading Wake by Lisa McMann.  Wake was published last year, and it's part of a 3-book series by Lisa.  

Wake tells the story of 17-year old Janie Hannagan, a high school junior (maybe senior, but I didn't see "senioritis" in this story) in Fieldridge, Michigan, and how she copes with her abilities as a "dreamcatcher". I'm not sure that's actually written in the book - Janie's abilities are more of a curse than a gift.  She has the ability to be "sucked into" other people's dreams, and it starts when she's very young.  At first, Janie doesn't have any control over her ability.  Throughout the story, she learns more about it and begins to have some control.  

Why is Wake such a cool book?  If you really could get "sucked into" someone's dreams, it would have the exact effect on you as it does on Janie. Imagine never being able to have a sleepover with your friends without getting "too close" -- Janie's best friend is also friends with a rich, snooty cheerleader who hates Janie.  Guess what?  Janie sees up close and personal the secret that lies behind the cheerleader's facade . . . she's not just interested as a "friend" and it's been going on a long time.

I made a rule with myself a long time ago that I would never do "reviews" because it was bad karma.  Since I am reading so many great books lately, I'm bending this rule -- I'll write about the great things that I'm reading and hope to encourage others to also buy and read these books.

Wake immediately draws the reader in by making each dream scene feel real and scary.  Nobody wants to get that "personal" with other people.  Think about it for a minute.  Would anybody want to see their friend's sexual fantasies, or even worse - deepest fears? Janie has a lot of other issues to deal with, too.  Her best friend is kind of distant, because she also has a secret that she's dealing with, and Janie's mother is a low-functioning alcoholic who always disappoints.  A little sunshine comes into Janie's life when Cabel Strumheller, a former stoner boy who once gave Janie a ride home on his skateboard, comes back for the new school year as a gorgeous, hot guy who really likes Janie.  Their relationship has its ups and downs and plenty of drama. 

Wake feels very real, and I wonder if there aren't some real Janies out there.  Janie doesn't really have a "super power," she has an ability that's going to affect her entire life, and the story is about how she chooses to deal with it. I can't wait to read the other two books in the series, and find out how Janie and Cabel's relationship develops, and Janie continues to gain more control over her abilities.  Book Two, called Fade, is already out, and Book Three, Gone, is coming out in February. 

Balloon Boy's Future . . .

I immediately guessed that the story of 6-year old Falcon Heene the "Balloon Boy" was a hoax even before Falcon said "But Dad, you said it was for the show!"  Ordinarily, I'm sure I would have been fooled, but having been inadvertently exposed to the worst parents have to offer: exploiting their kids for money, "fame" or other gain, I could see this Richard Heene coming a mile away.  Total loser, with his biggest "investment" three boys, ready to use.  Now the couple is very fortunate, getting off easy for misdemeanors in the event.

When I saw the "Wife Swap" video, with Mrs. Heene cackling like a witch alongside nasty, insecure Richard Heene as they mocked the other mother they swapped with ("great TV" - give them another show!), I knew exactly what type of couple they were.  The only difference was that both apparently were in acting classes when they were young, which inspired them to want a reality TV show.  Mr. Heene is a total failure, with a super-embarrassing and ugly "humor" book that my daughter showed me (she said it was about "offensive" driving and I told her, "It's probably the reverse of 'defensive' driving - that's dangerous."  Oh, no.  It was "offensive" as in, meant to OFFEND people.

How are kids supposed to handle situations when they are more mature and make better decisions than their parents?  

Kids do understand, they do their best, and they give their hearts out to protect and help their messed-up parents.  Other responsible adults in kids' lives should always remember that they are so important.  Teachers, counselors, parents of friends, and even law enforcement.  

One clue as to how much the Heene parents have to learn about taking care of their kids and being role models?  They not only made 6-year old Falcon infamous over the incident designed to get the family on another "reality show," they named him Falcon.  I don't know the family, so I'm not going to speculate as to whether they'll learn from this super-public disaster.  I just hope they realize how fortunate they are that no one got physically hurt, that their penalties were pretty mild, and that they have been given a second chance to back up, start over, and act like parents, not 19th Century circus promoters with their three dancing monkeys (in itself - an animal rights violation!).

Qualities of a Good Teacher

I got another one of those calls today.  I have only gotten a small number of them.  My former husband Mike got one - and he hasn't forgotten it to this day.  I was cooking dinner or lunch or something when the call came in and I could hear "the voice" clear across the room.

That would be a "Call from Harlan Ellison."

These calls are not lightly taken, so after some thought and writing on other subjects, I'd like to address something important for people to understand about Harlan Ellison.  It's a subject that now, I can view all ways having been on both sides of the desk, and a subject about which I can speak clearly - Harlan Ellison was and is a great teacher.

There are dozens of lists of qualities of great teachers on the internet. As somebody who is now also a pretty good teacher, I can give my own list of qualities that great teachers possess.

A great teacher should . . .

• Be open-minded and establish an atmosphere of respect.
• Have empathy and understanding toward students.
• Put the students and their learning first.
• Have clear command of the subject.
• Communicate expectations and expected performance clearly.
• Have clear command of the group or learning environment.
• Be flexible.
• Be passionate.
• Be committed.
• Be effective.
• Be inspirational.

By those standards, which are my own standards for myself, the Harlan Ellison that was my teacher many years ago (a shocking number - I just had my 25th college reunion, so more than 2 decades ago) easily met each of these criteria.  I always told people that Algis Budrys was my favorite Clarion teacher.  He was.  He was the most clear of the six instructors.  Kate Wilhelm was the most empathetic.  Damon Knight had the aura of master.

Harlan was the best.

This pipe picture above isn't just here because that is the Harlan "I remember," it's here for an important reason.  The picture could easily convince anyone that Harlan smoked a pipe.  He did not.  He told me that he never had smoked, nor did he drink.  This is a posed picture; the pipe is for "effect."  It's not lit and it never was lit.  I could probably find, and have heard many people insist in person, that Harlan's a big drinker and big smoker.  No, he isn't, no, he wouldn't, and no he didn't and doesn't.  It's all lies.

I understand now that Harlan has been "controversial" because people don't perceive the several layers of irony in which he sometimes cloaks his words and actions, and because they also fail to perceive that he has always communicated from a deep, honest emotional core.  It's in his writing.  It is his writing. It took me years to understand and acknowledge the reality of the greater than average number of people in the sci-fi and fantasy field that were crippled emotionally, or who simply didn't have the normal range of emotions, or a normal level of empathy possessed by the majority of the general population.  It's truly a clash of titanic human forces -- the enlightened, empathetic humanist Harlan vs. frightened dogmatic . . . skeptics.

I like to bring the subject of aspirations up to my students.  My aspirations were never huge.  I've achieved every aspiration I ever had.  Putting that aside, ten years ago, when I asked students what they most wanted, "fame" came out on top, "money" or "success," second.  For the past three or four years, "fame" is barely mentioned, and while "money" and "success" moved ahead, today the top aspiration is "happiness."  

That makes me very happy for our world.  Why?  Because people now understand that fame is a curse, not a blessing.  If Britney Spears didn't do anything else, she should always be remembered as the young woman who taught everybody that there is such a thing as "too much fame."  As to "money" and "success," you know what else people say that's very true:  you aren't taking either one of those with you when you go.

All that is left is happiness, which in large part, at least for me, derives from knowing who I am and behaving with honesty and integrity.  Because I write, honesty and integrity in what I put down on paper always has to come first.  

Which leaves me with the great teacher.  I've had more than enough personal attack and abuse to last a lifetime myself.  What it did for me is assist me in removing any pretense regarding human nature at its worst. However bad I might imagine that to be, I now know that all I have to do is double or triple that, and come out pretty close to how bad people can get in their abuse of others.  I do have quite an imagination and it's a fantastic assistance in predicting what people who are unhappy, uncomfortable and narrow-minded will do in pursuit of making themselves feel better for a moment or two.  The best moments in my life occur every morning when I wake up, wash my face and brush my teeth, and look myself in the eye in the mirror.  Harlan didn't teach me that, but he gave me a huge boost along that path.  Every quality, and every step I listed above:  that's what a great teacher does.  Teaching is one of the foundations of human culture -- it may be the foundation.

I am by far from Harlan's best, most diligent, most faithful student.  How many have read his books?  How many have worked with him and learned from him?  So many - and his books will live and grow.  Every generation, more and more people will discover that genuine, true, heartfelt voice.  

I hope in some way this will put paid to some of the abuse that Harlan has had to endure in recent years via the internet.  People may have noticed that I'm writing fewer internet posts than before.  I am working on a new book, and I've had a lot of writing projects between the spring and now.  I've decided to start writing for younger readers.  I was a 10th grade student myself when I first read Dangerous Visions, and I bought my precious little Shatterday with money from my first paying job during my junior year of high school.  A good story for kids to start with is "Jeffty is Five."  It will keep them thinking for quite some time.

Rob Lowe: Too Late to Say Goodbye

Thanks to Jillian, Dorothy and Steve (again) . . . Rob Lowe was on the Channel 11 news this a.m. promoting his new TV movie "Too Late to Say Goodbye" based on Ann Rule's book about the murders of Jennifer Corbin and Dolly Hearn by the handsome, charming and deadly Bart Corbin.  It's going to be on tomorrow night at 7 PM on Lifetime.

I read the original book this past July and wrote a memorial to Jennifer and Dolly.

 Here's a picture of Rob Lowe.  I'm sure this is a great part for Rob, who for my generation will never be forgotten, no matter how many embarrassing sex tapes he may have made using what I am sure was a unique and totally forgivable lapse of judgment.  I.e., Rob Lowe is way too handsome and could make 500 sex tapes and I'd still watch anything he was in (not sex tape . . . sorry) . . .

As to the story, the silver lining to the horrible cloud caused by Bart Corbin's brutal murders is that Dolly Hearn's family finally was able to have some closure and healing, and Jennifer's children are being lovingly cared for by her family.  Both horrible murders have led to caring and help for other victims and their families -- in the end.  It's my understanding that Bart Corbin still insists on his innocence and agitates to be released.  The internet also played a role early in the investigation period of Jennifer Corbin's "suicide" (the MO that Corbin used for both killings).  Bart's family and friends attacked Jennifer's family.  As to Ann Rule, I was happy to see Rob promoting her work, and he was very familiar with all of her books.  She has to be the best writer ever to cover crimes that shock and chill all who learn about them, and she always finds the human element of every story - I believe with a tremendous amount of caring and empathy for survivors of horrific crimes, and for the surviving family members.