aishabintjamil

My very first royalty check arrived today. Somehow that makes the whole writing thing even more real than the contract.

I'm going to scan it before I cash it so I can go back and look at it when I'm having a bad day. Tangible proof that at least one editor thinks I don't suck. :-)

I spent part of this weekend at Readercon. I ended up staying home on Sunday because the cold I've been fighting caught up with me, which is disappointing. there were some things I'd like to have caught on Sunday.

I did catch an interesting panel on the intersections and cross fertilizations between SF and Spy fiction. The panel got rather side tracked by a discussion of whether there were any good female protagonists in spy fiction. A couple of panel members held out the opinion that most of the female protagonists people were able to cite as examples (Emma Peel was one, the others escape me) weren't really female characters - that if you changed the name and pronouns to something male, no one would notice anything wrong with them. It left me at a loss as to what they thought made those characters men in female disguise, as opposed to women. It occurs to me that I probably wouldn't like the answer if they'd explained it, so that may be just as well.

The more productive insight that came to me out of the panel is that perhaps contemporary science fiction and fantasy shouldn't be considered genres in the same sense as romance, mystery, spy fiction, etc.

Let's take romance as an example, since that's what I've been writing lately. The definition of the genre revolves around plot elements. If it's a romance, you're pretty much guaranteed to have two or more beings involved in an emotional relationship, likely to lead to sex, either within the book, or promised by the ending, depending on the level of heat in the story. You can put that plot element down in any setting - contemporary, historical, fantasy, SF, wild west, etc., and still reasonably file it under romance. It may end up in a specific sub-genre - historical romance, paranormal romance, etc. - but it still lands in the overall romance bin.

Sf, on the other hand, often seems to be more of a setting. You identify a story as Sf based on the inclusion of futuristic elements - technology that doesn't exist yet, a date defining the thing as happening in the far future, other planets, etc. Within that setting, any number of sorts of plot can happen. Romance, adventure, war, spies, mystery. They're all out there.

The same sort of argument applies to fantasy - add magic to the setting, and no matter what plot you have, it becomes a fantasy.  Within that you have romance, adventures, wars, even mysteries.

One might, I suppose, make a case for the older classic Sf being a genuine genre, since in many cases the technology was the plot, with some characters as window dressing to move it around. It becomes a genre because that absence of character-driven plot makes it fail to be classifiable as anything else.

The other class of book that might qualify for Sf as a genre rather than as a setting is the speculative/political story. I'm think of things like Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner. Those are clearly trying to be speculative/predictive/cautionary, rather than fitting a classic plot-based genre.

This leads me to think that about half the books found in the Sf section at the bookstore could just as well be filed elsewhere. Of course that would be poor marketing. I suspect there are a lot of people out there who will read Anne McCaffrey perfectly happily while she's filed under SF who wouldn't be caught dead near the romance shelves.

I just posted some thoughts on this, prompted by some writing research I've been doing recently, on my writing blog: http://kathryn-scannell.dreamwidth.org/1349.html

I thought about simply reposting the entire thing here, but it seemed redundant, and would lead to comments in two different places. So if you're interested, go check it out. I've left anonymous commenting turned on, so you don't have to have a dreamwidth account to comment.

Yesterday being peragrine 's birthday, we went out to dinner. She'd seen a review in the Hippo of a new ethic restaurant in Concord and thought it would be fun to try:

Gamil's
26 Pleasant St,
Concord, NH 
603-226-0008
hours 11AM - 8pm Mon-Sat.

They specialize in Egyptian cuisine, which sounded unusual, and new to us. We were very pleased with the experiment.

It's a family-run small storefront restaurant. If you're looking for fine dining with linen, china and a wine cellar, this isn't for you. It's a very informal place - not a lot of atmosphere, but excellent food. Prices are quite reasonable. The most expensive menu item intended for just one person is $8.95. They offer the usual assortment of middle-eastern food - falafel, Baba Ghanouji, Hommous, Towahk, Keebee, Tabouli, and so forth. 

We split a platter of falafels with hommous and tabouli as an appetizer. THey were tasty, but not too spicy. And the hommous was actually good. (I don't usually like it).

I had a lamb kabob with megadara (a mix of rice, lentils, and seasonings, topped with just a bit of zesty tomato sauce). Beth had a meet sampler platter. Then we topped it off with dessert - baklava for Beth, and Katifee (like baklava, with shredded wheat instead of pastry) and Egyptian coffee for me. Absolutely heavenly. I'd go back just for the dessert.

They also have pizzas, which we didn't try.

Well worth a return visit.

Hi everyone,

I've just set up an account on Dreamwidth, courtesy of a free invite from gardenfey. Here's a link:

http://kathryn-scannell.dreamwidth.org/

This is the beginning of establishing an on-line presence purely for my writing. I've chosen Kathryn Scannell as a pseudonym, since there's already a currently successful author by the name of Kathryn Smith. The pseudonym isn't particularly secret - I just don't want there to be any appearance that I'm trying to capitolize on her success. So, by all means go check it out periodically. Right now there's just a quick introductory post to test drive the interface, but there will be more as there's writing-related news.

GENERAL SCA
- Been an officer? (Local, Regional, Kingdom, Society?) - yes, no, yes, no
- Do you have an SCA name? - Yes
- Do you have an SCA persona? - yes
- Changed persona because of different garb? - No
- Been adopted by a person, household or clan? - Yes
- Had a name and/or device accepted by the SCA College of Arms? Yes
- Had a name and/or device rejected by the SCA College of Arms? - No
- Been taken or taken an apprentice, protege or squire? - yes
- Have rank higher than an Award of Arms. If so, what? - Yes, Peerage
- Been an Event Steward/Autocrat? - Yes
- Kingdom level or local level? - both
- Cooked an Event? - no
- Taught a class at an event? - Yes
- Run an activity at an event? -Yes

FIGHTING/MARTIAL ARTS
- Ever fought at an event? -no
- Ever fought at Pennsic or another War? - no
- Done a different martial art at an event? - yes - equestrian
- Ever run a martial activity at an event? - no
- Fought at an event tourney? - no
- Ever fought in a Crown Tourney? - no
- Won a tourney or contest at an event? - no
- Made your own armor? - no
- Made your own weapons? - no
- Been a squire? - no
- Have rank as an archer? - No
- Have rank as a fencer? - no
- Created a siege weapon? - no

ARTS & SCIENCES
- Have you ever entered an A&S contest? - Yes
- Have you ever won an A&S contest? - Yes
- Ever run an A&S contest? - No
- Ever judge/critique items in an A&S contest? - no
- Ever wordsmithed a scroll? - Yes
- Illuminated a scroll? - Yes
- Done the calligraphy for a scroll? - Yes
- Made your own paper? - No
- Made a book? - No
- Make someone's order medallion? - Yes
- Write someone in for an award? - Yes

- Have you ever sewn your own garb? - Yes
- Sewn garb for others? - Yes
- Ever been sewing on the way to an event? - Yes
- Researched and completed an outfit from said research? - Yes
- Ever taught a class on sewing? - No
- Finished a hat? - No

- Do you know how to spin? - No
- Ever woven your own fabric? - No
- Do you know how to knit? - No
- Do you know how to crochet? - No
- Have you ever dyed your own yarn or fabric? - Yes
- Embroidered a garment? - Yes
- Beaded a garment? - Yes

- Ever entertained at a feast? - No
- Ever ran a bardic circle? - No
- Ever performed in a bardic circle? - No
- Had songs requested from you at such? - No
- Ever competed in a formal bardic? - No
- Know any period songs? - Yes
- Been banned from a bardic circle for a song/performance, or have a piece you perform banned/controlled? - No

COURT IN THE SCA
- Ran a court as Nobility (King/Queen or Baron/Baroness)? - No
- Ran a court as Herald? - No
- Heralded at Court? - No
- Been an Attendant, Guard or Champion at court? - No
- Been called to court to receive an award, if so which one/s? - yes, Peerage, court baroness, silver crescent, burdened tyger, aoa
- Been called to court to present something, if so what? - no
- Been called to court for punishment? - no
- Been part of court 'shtick?' - no
- Done something while watching court, e.g., spin, sew, embroider, if so what? - sewing, embroidery
- Had a royal comment on what you're doing? - no
- Have awards from more than one Kingdom? - no

PENNSIC
- Have you ever gone to Pennsic? - Yes
- Ever done Zero Night? - No
- How many Pennsics have you gone to? - more than 6. I've lost track
- Ever taught a class at Pennsic? - No
- Taken a class at Pennsic? - Yes
- Gone to Opening Ceremonies? - Yes
- Been a waterbearer? - No
- Worked a shift at Chirurgeons Point at Pennsic? - No
- Worked a shift as security at Pennsic? - No
- Volunteered in any other capacity? - No
- Ever merchanted at Pennsic (we'll take shopping as a given)? - No
- Gone to the swimming hole classic or family? - Yes
- Trolled the Bog for parties? - No
- Hosted a party at Pennsic? - does the Kingdom Chronicler's tea count?
- Been part of a 'Pennsic building project'? - No

TRAVEL IN THE SCA
- Ever traveled more than 8 hours each way for a one day event? Yes
- Gone to a different Kingdom for an event? - No
- Lived in a different Kingdom? - No
- Have trailer hitch and trailer, mainly because of the SCA? - Yes
- What ridiculous lengths you've gone to get to an event? - when the truck gas tank sprang a leak while sitting in front of the house the night before we left for Pennsic, we should have taken it as a sign and stayed home. The trip got worse from there.

THE MUNDANE OF THE SCA
- Run out of closet space because of garb/gear? - Yes
- Ever crammed more than 4 people into a hotel room? - Yes
- Met your future spouse at an SCA event? - Yes
- Met most past significant others in an SCA setting? - No, because there aren't any
- Have better research books than your library? - Yes
- Is your tent bigger than your first apartment? - No
- How many sewing machines do you own? - 6. 2 of them work.
- Own an anvil? - Yes, in multiple sizes

Beth and I spent most of today book shopping. We started with a visit to the annual Five Colleges Book Sale (http://www.five-collegesbooksale.org/) in Lebanon. Today was the second day of the sale, so everything was a bit picked over. However it was also all half-price. We left with two large tote bags full - total bill, a little over $30. I found a wonderful book of aerial photographs of Israel, which should be very helpful as background for the novel. Also added several obscure foreign language dictionaries to my reference shelf - they're a great resource when you want consistent sounding names for a fantasy culture.

After that we still had some afternoon left, so we hit a used book store in West Lebanon. I scored there too - a great picture book on the Navajo, and detailed ethnographic study of one of their ceremonials (the nightway). Also great research material for the novel. Plus a large stack of used fantasy novels. Then we headed off to a fine dinner an Jewel of India in Hanover. All told, a very successful shopping day.

Now we just have to figure out where to put all the loot.

I've just sent out my first real attempt at submitting something for publication. (Not counting the college poetry journal that rejected me, or the Fantasy Guide volume which accepted my submission, but appears to have now been eaten by a grue).

"Lessons" is a short, just under 8,000 words, aimed at a forthcoming anthology from Torquere Press.

I recently (December) began a novel project which is requiring me to do research on a number of subjects I'm not tremendously informed about, including Israel, the Mossad, Judaism, Kabbalah (the Jewish version, not its Victorian/Hermetic descendant), and the Navajo.

I just purchased the latest edition of Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad by Gordon Thomas.

Publication Data:
# Paperback: 736 pages
# Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Fifth Edition edition (March 3, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0312539010
# ISBN-13: 978-0312539016

I had hoped, based on reviews I read of previous editions, to find in this book a treasure trove of useful background information. I am sadly disappointed. I did glean useful tidbits, but the reader should be aware that this is not a rigorous history text. At times I felt that I had dipped into the pages of the tabloids.

First, this book could have benefited hugely from the services of a competent technical editor. It is in large part composed of anecdotes, and in some sections leaps around with wild chronological abandon in presenting them. Parts of it, particularly toward the latter half of the book, are repetitive. I even spotted a couple of paragraphs that I think were cut and pasted from one chapter to another verbatim, but I'm not motivated enough to go find the first appearance to cite page numbers. It also had a tendency to repeatedly explain terms, as if they were appearing for the first time, which had already been used repeatedly in earlier sections. This is a minor nit, but it became annoying after a while.

Second, it's choice of material to present is clearly aimed at the sensational and titillating, rather than scholarly. The first clue is the fact that chapter one opens with a detailed discussion of exactly what the Mossad knew about the death of Princess Diana. It returns to this issue at several subsequent points in the book as well. Also featured prominently are its investigations into the possible parties behind the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul.

I did glean some useful background from his discussion of the organization's early history, and some of its early successes. The hours I spent reading it weren't a total waste, but I think I would have gotten just as much use out of one of the earlier editions, rather than waiting for this one. The material related to the last 15 years or so includes so many items of popular conspiracy theory, many of which are presented with something less than perfect internal consistency on the part of the author, that I hesitate to place confidence in any of it.

Added another 1200 words to the new project tonight, and made some edits to the first few pages, based on comments from the writing group.