Recs & Rants
Down With Destiny!
Updated: September 30, 2010
No, this isn’t a rail against my personal fate or a fist shake at kitschy children’s books.
No. What I’m snarling about this time is the over use of destiny as a plot trope in the fantasy genre. (*Ggrrrr*)
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week is this week, September 25 to October 2.
It began in 1982 and is sponsored by the American Library Association as a tribute to free speech and open libraries. The mission of Banned Books Week is an awareness of book banning in this country.
Yes, that still goes on to this day and includes a wide range of books, from works like Harry Potter and In The Night Kitchen to I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
And before you get uppity and think to yourself, “Well, I’m glad I don’t live in one of those small minded states” check out this map of book censorship for the last three years. I was shocked to find there were 7 in the San Francisco Bay Area (none in The City herself, though) and four in Los Angelas county.
In fact, only FOUR states didn’t generate any reports of book bans or challenges in the last three years (2007-2010); Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada. And maybe Alaska and Hawaii, which got left off the map like always; poor non-continental states.(the U.S. territory/protectorate of Puerto Rico wasn’t on the map either, but then they never are)
Best. Book. Trailer. Ever.
You may recall my earlier post about great book trailers. Where I had combed the wilds of YouTube to present the 20 best book trailers as determined by a jury of three (Me, Myself, and I) one weekend.
Two nights ago my husband found this, the best of geeky book trailers. It’s for a zombie mashup novel called Night of the Living Trekkies:
Locus Magazine Goes Steampunk For September
For those of you unfamiliar with it, Locus is a book magazine covering the sci-fi and fantasy (SFF) field. It’s popular with writers, genre lovers, and book sellers. It can be purchased at book stores such as Mysterious Galaxy as well as fine magazine purveyors.
My Taller Half (who’s a SFF/Horror writer) is a big fan of Locus and last night he brought home the latest issue. And it is ALL on steampunk. (for those of you unfamiliar with this SFF genre check out my Steampunk Reading List, which includes a fine definition if I do say so myself)
Steampunk is really big right now so when Locus put out a call for article submissions for the September 2010 issue… Heh heh heh. And, being Locus, they got some serious heavy weights in the Steampunk and sci-fi prose scene; from writers like Cherie Priest and Michael Moorcock to editors like Ann Vandermeer.
Roald Dahl Month: September 2010
September is Roald Dahl Month. Roald Dahl is the author of such classic kid’s books as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Big Friendly Giant, Witches, and many more.
Super Quick Bio
Roald Dahl was born in Wales (1916) to Norwegian parents. Which is why he has such a unique name. He was a fighter pilot in the R.A.F during World War II. His writing career began with short stories for adults before he became one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time. He also wrote two screen plays based on Ian Fleming books. Dahl is known for his skill in relating suspenseful events in simple ways.
What I’m Reading August 2010
I haven’t read a lot this month since I’ve been working on various artwork submissions.
I’m Currently Reading
Read Comics in Public Day: Represent on August 28
I opened up my RSS reader a few weeks ago and discovered this wonderful little gem in the Comics Alliance feed. (I use RSS Owl to read the blogs I subscribe to)
So, what’s all this about reading comic books in public on August 28th? Well…
Book Trailer Gold
Ah, book trailers. Did one person think “Hey, I’ll make a movie trailer but for a book” one day or was it a case of a “someday we should…” that had been floating around in the industry’s marketing departments until either the geek index or boredom levels reached a critical mass?
Whatever, book trailers are becoming more and more part of the novel and comic book publishing industries. And, to be brutally honest, most are a yawn and some give the wrong impression of the book (like the one for Low Red Moon that makes it look like a tweenie romance instead of horror).
I figured I’d show you a few of the scarce specimens of the good. So, here’s the twenty best book trailers out there, as determined entirely by me searching on You Tube, and presented in alphabetical order.
What I’m Reading: July 2010
I’m a little late getting this out. I read a LOT of manga in July; I’d visit a library and go, “ooo, I’ll check out this…and this…and this…” Click a cover to find out more about each book.
I’m Currently Reading
2010 Comic-Con Wrapup
Sweet, sweet Comic-Con has come and gone here in San Diego. Another year of massive TV panels, crowded Gas Lamp restaurants, piles of freebies, new comic releases, great vendors, and small press discoveries for all.
Last year I attended on a Professional pass with Fanig, a buddy’s company, because of some freelance coloring and book layout work I’d done for their RPG module. This year I was on an Exhibitor pass, helping my jeweler friend run her booth (Adorable Mayhem). Was that ever EXHAUSTING! I did make it out onto the floor a few times (as well as into the Dr. Horrible Sing Along Blog Sing Along Panel [go on, say THAT three times fast] with some friends).
I’ve got to get myself on the Press list for next year’s Con.
My 2010 Comic-Con Discoveries
Here’s a big list of all the wonderful new small press, indie, and web comic titles I discovered at this 2010 Comic-Com:
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Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard by David Petersen
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Medicine Road (Newford, #14) by Charles de Lint
Dororo, Vol. 2 by Osamu Tezuka