Timewaster's Guide Archive

I decided that 'The Next Step' was a kind of strange and uninformative title for the thread, so I thought I'd start a new one.  Mostly, I thought it would be nice to have a place where I can post some of the more interesting correspondences I get from the various people I'm working with.  Some of you may find these things interesting or helpful--many of them are responses to questions I had.

So, I've come to learn that I have absolutely no control over the cover art of my book.  That's decided by committee, and I'm not on it.  There's a clause in my contract that says they have to 'consult' me on my cover, but Joshua (my agent) said he put that in on principle--at least this way they have to ask my opinion before ignoring it.

However, I was able to wiggle out of them that they usually have staff artists--or even artistically inclined editors, delivery men, or random passers-by--draw the maps and do any interior art.

So, they said if I knew anyone professional, I could have them do such things.  Of course, the pay would stink--probably nothing more than a couple copies of the book, and maybe a thank you dinner from me.  However, you'd get your name in the book as having done the maps or chapter icons.

So, you interested, 42?  I have another illustrator friend, but you take precedence over him.  Having seen the kind of graphic design you do, I personally think you'd do a great job for the chapter icons (I'm wanting some stylized Aon characters.)  I could ask the other guy to do the map.  But, it's up to you.

What do you think?

Okay, time for ANOTHER rant about higher education.  Here's an excerpt from a recent email correspondence between myself and Scott Card:

"I fear there's no such thing as a creative writing doctoral program where a fantasy writer would be treated well (or even admitted to the program!)."  --Orson Scott Card.

Sigh.  I know we all realize this, but it's sad to hear someone as knowledgeable as Mr. Card confirm the dreaded truth.  Out of all the multitudinous creative writing departments, how is it that not a single one will let itself admit that SF&F has value?

http://download.com.com/3000-2097-10182238.html?tag=lst-0-16

This looks like  a full-sized free game, downloadable for free.  I don't have time to try it, but I wonder if it's cool or not.  

Reading the staff picks page made me think of something.  Would it be easier for staff-bios if we just put a section into the forum user profile that allowed people to input a blurb about themselves?  Then, we could always link those names back to a profile.  Or, with all of the forum game stuff in there, would that seem too unprofessional?

I could probably find a way to add an admin function in that would allow for actual staff titles to show up on the profile.  

Thought a few of you might be interested in this:


--beginning of email---
Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals
who might be interested.

Please note that the person posting this call is NOT the person to whom
your proposals should be sent (contact information in body of message).

Apologies if you have received multiple copies of this call.

CFP: Fantastic Literature in English Division (10/15/03; ICFA 3/243/28/04)

The Fantastic Literature in English Division of the International
Association for the Fantastic in the Arts is soliciting proposals for
papers and paper sessions for the 25th Annual International Conference on
the Fantastic in the Arts, which will be held from March 24 - 28, 2003 at
the Fort Lauderdale Airport Hilton.

Proposals on any aspect of the fantastic in British, American and
Commonwealth literature are welcome.

Fantastic Literature in English Division Head:
Charles W. Nelson
Humanities Dept.
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
[email protected]

Proposals for individual papers or proposals for paper sessions (consisting
of a brief description of session focus plus proposals for 3-4 individual
papers on a common author, theme, period, or critical approach) are both
welcome.

Deadline for submissions:  15 October 2003.

Electronic correspondence is welcome.

Proposals must include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography
indicating the project’s scholarly or theoretical context.

ANY AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS MUST BE SPECIFIED IN THIS INITIAL
PROPOSAL.

NOTE:  The first conference session is scheduled for 4:30, Wednesday March
24.  Please indicate on your proposal or accompanying letter if  you CANNOT
possibly make a 4:30 session on Wednesday.

To be listed in the conference program, participants must join IAFA by
December 15, 2003 and preregister for the conference by February 15,
2004.  Hotel and registration information can be found on the IAFA
website:  http://www.iafa.org

GENERAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION:
25th International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts

Here There Be Dragons: The Global Fantastic

The focus of ICFA-25 is on the global fantastic and on the ways in which
language, tradition, and geography shape the narratives we tell. Our
cultures are threaded with shifting strands of the fantastic from around
the globe: Japanese anime, Russian folktales, fragments of the Ramayana,
Latin American magic realism, African trickster stories.

Possible topics relating to the theme of the conference include:
Postcolonial Theory and Science Fiction; the Racialized Other in Narrative;
the Representation of Race and Gender in the International Fantastic;
Fantastic Film Around the Globe; Legends and Fairy Tales of Many Nations;
Comparative Literature; Science Fiction in Translation; and the Impact of
and on Multiculturalism.  In addition, papers on authors of science fiction
from all nations of the world are welcome, as are papers focusing on the
work of Guest Authors and Scholar.

Guest of Honor:  Daína Chaviano
Guest Scholar:  Marcial Souto
Special Guest Author:  Elizabeth Hand
Permanent Special Guest:  Brian Aldiss

So, I've had this idea for a deck for years now, and never thought I could pull it off.  However, after playing my affinity deck the other night against Morag, I realized my old idea might just be viable now.

The idea: Make a deck with no lands.

Affinity creatures+Ornithopter and Welding Jar+the two affinity buffing artifacts (one that gives +1/+0 and the other that gives +0/+1)

Anything else you could think to put in it (excluding the rediculous, like Moxes or a Lotus)?

It wouldn't be the most powerful deck--in fact, it probably wouldn't win very often at all--but it sure would be fun.

(ps.  I'll need to start collecting Ornithopters.)

Well, for those of you interested in such things, TOR made an initial offer on my book today.  They are willing to pay $15,000 for two novels (Elantris and my current project.)  My agent thought this was a little low, and is going to try talking them up.