You know you’ve lived with a book for too long when the only "last line" that feels right is "And she was done." Messages from Fred, anybody?
(Though the line stands. It works for the book.)
blogging at MGC again
Has it been a week? I promise I’ll blog more regularly once books are turned in. :)
Meawhile, I’m giving away a nifty darkship thieves tshirt at MGC, so hye thee there!
Blogging today at MGC
http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/
Other than that, deep in Kay-Ho. Yes, I know how bad that sounds, but I finally figured out how to fix the bits that are sticking out to make her less of the "helpless victim."
I’m still NOT able to let her run off to Ireland to be a pirate, but it will do. History will NOT be flaunted — and all that.
Sarah
Sarah Talks Back at Music
I’ve been sick. I’m late on books. I haven’t been able to play in my own diner in days. So I find myself in the store, talking back at the music in the ceiling. There was Five For Fighting’s Superman playing and I yelled back "Oh, yeah, try not being faster than a speeding bullet." I know I play with the theme of "superpowers have a price" in the Shifter series, but honest to BOG, at least becoming an animal has a larger downside than being bullet proof.
This song definitely wins the winey-*ssed lyrics prize.
Here are a few more things I’d like to have said:
Five For Fighting – Superman (It’s Not Easy)
I can’t stand to fly
Oh, yeah? Try it with security lines, buster.
I’m not that naive
WHAT does this have to do with no being able to fly?
I’m just out to find
The better part of me
Perhaps you should look behind the sofa cushions. I find when people set out to find themselves, if they just do a really good spring cleaning, they usually get more out of it than by going on a spree. Of course, clearly it’s more fun going on a spree.
……..
It’s not easy to be me
The better part of me
Where we find that Superman is REALLY twelve and hasn’t yet discovered it’s not easy being anyone.
Wish that I could cry
Onions are good for that. Or did they perform a tearductomy.
Fall upon my knees
Oh, sweetie, I’m so not touching THAT with a ten foot pole.
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see
No one wants to hear you lie whine boliviate about the home you’ll never see. Trust me. Geez, like the Roman imperial guard lamenting their lost Germanic homeland. But none wanted to go back.
It may sound absurd
It DOES sound absurd. Message from Fred, much?
But don’t be naive
Excuse me, have we been introduced?
Even heroes have the right to bleed
Now there’s a right to fight for. "We MUST fight for our right to bleed." Uh uh. Shakespeare said it better. "If you cut us, do we not bleed?" In fact I declare a moratorium on lyrics reprising Shakespeare.
I may be disturbed whiney
Fixed it for you
But won’t you concede
Anything, if it will stop you playing the watering pot from public location speakers, thank you much.
Even heroes have the right to dream
Yes, but must they TALK in their sleep.
It’s not easy to be me
Oy, vey, it’s not easy to LISTEN to you.
My Penguicon Schedule
If you happen to be in the area, please come say "hi!".
| Sci-Fi/Fantasy – The Perception | Sarah Hoyt Daniel Hogan Jeff DeLuzio Sarah Monette |
5/1/2009 18:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 |  |
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| What is the general perception of genre writing? Pros and cons of genre writing vs. traditional fiction. | ||||||
| Opening Ceremonies | Rasmus Lerdorf Jon "maddog" Hall Jane McGonigal Wil Wheaton Windell Oskay Sarah Hoyt Matt Arnold |
5/1/2009 20:00 | 0h50 | Ballrooms 7/8 | ||
| After the countdown ticks to zero, Tux will welcome you to the convention, and you will hear from our guests of honor! | ||||||
| The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly | David Crampton Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Cherie Priest Jeff DeLuzio Sarah Monette |
5/2/2009 13:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 | |
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| Character Development. Bringing your imaginary friends to life. Discussion of what makes a character live on the page. Heroes, villains, supporters. Different methods and ways of making your characters real to your audience. | ||||||
| To See a Universe in a Grain of Sand | Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Daniel Hogan Sarah Monette Sarah Zettel |
5/2/2009 15:00 | 0h50 | Columbia | |
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| Worldbuilding. How to create your universe. | ||||||
| Lie to Me! | John Scalzi Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Elizabeth Bear |
5/2/2009 19:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 | |
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| Authors telling lies….what will happen next?! (PS – the audience gets to lie too!) | ||||||
| Liar Liars! | Catherynne M. Valente Sarah Hoyt Brian Briggs Cherie Priest |
5/2/2009 8:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 | |
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| Discussing lying in fiction, unreliable narrators, fake memoirs and histories, authority in prose. Books like The Things They Carried that play with the idea of the author as a liar to great effect. | ||||||
| Dancing with Wolves – And Vamps! | Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear |
5/3/2009 10:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 | |
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| Fantasy allows for the ultimate "bad boy" romances. Your lover ripping your heart out can be literal if he’s a vampire. Such stories can be fun, others horrifying. What makes a good love story, what’s just plain disturbing and why? | ||||||
| Finding Your Voice | Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Sarah Monette |
5/3/2009 11:00 | 0h50 | Poolside 1 | |
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| 1st Person vs 3rd Person writing. Discussion of pros and cons of different voices in writing. Benefits of the "God" point of view for an author and a reader. Benefits of the main character as narrator for the author and reader. Limitations of both. | ||||||
| Book Signing | Catherynne M. Valente John Scalzi Jim C. Hines Wil Wheaton Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Daniel Hogan Brian Briggs |
5/3/2009 9:00 | 0h50 | Ballrooms 7/8 | |
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| Come meet some of our great authors and get your book signed. There may or may not even be readings done by some of them – how well can you beg? | ||||||
| Writer’s Workshop Special | Sarah Hoyt | May 2, 2009 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm | 2h | Boardroom | |
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| A special treat for participants. Ms. Hoyt will be doing some writing exercises and discussing the craft with you. | ||||||
Where I read the beginning of Draw One In The Dark
I didn’t think my voice was yet QUITE up to a full short story, so this is me reading the beginning of Draw One In The Dark. I’ll do the opening of the other novels too, over the next few weeks, and eventually post it on my site. For now, after much bugging of my friend Kate Paulk, (and Rob Hampson, and Francis Turner) it’s hosted here:
DST T-shirts
Various and sundry updates
Writing madly on the final phase of an historical novel called "No Other Wish But His" — a fictionalized version of the life of Katherine Howard which one of my writers’ group members has nicknamed Kay Ho. (G)
A few updates: As you can tell I have indeed survived Luna con. For those who heard me there, my voice is now back — which means podcast tomorrow. (Yay, right?)
I’m now on face book under Sarah A. Hoyt. I’m also twittering as sarahahoyt, if you feel a burning desire to know what I had for breakfast or — more likley — when the next book is coming out.
And speaking of next books, two quick updates and covers.
My book Dipped Stripped And Dead, under the pen name Elise Hyatt has a cover and a release date. It’s coming out in October 09 and this is the cover:
Also, while at Luna con I found out I had a cover for my book Darkship Thieves, which is coming out January next year. Is this a cool cover or what?
http://darkship.sarahahoyt.com/
And now I shall return to my interrupted Kay Ho…. ;)
Lunacon Schedule
If anyone is attending Lunacon, or considering attending, and wants to stop by and say "HI", here’s my schedule of panels.
http://www.lunacon.net/lists_programs_byparticipant.asp?p=1607
Programs scheduled as of 3/18/2009 6:41:31 PM EST::
Friday Total Events This Day: 1
Track Start Time End Time Room
Reading & Signings 3/20/2009 7:30:00 PM – 8:00:00 PM Elija Budd
Title: Reading: Sarah Hoyt
Description:
Participants: Sarah Hoyt,
Saturday Total Events This Day: 3
Track Start Time End Time Room
After Dark 3/21/2009 11:00:00 PM – 12:00:00 AM Brundage A
Title: Yes, You CAN suck my blood, but you have to take me to dinner first
Description: The vampire as a romantic interest, ranging from the attraction of all things dark to vampires who are, in fact, nice guys who just happen to suck blood. (And what IS the point of the latter?)
Participants: Sarah Hoyt, Kathryn Richards, Darrell Schweitzer,
Literature 3/21/2009 12:00:00 PM – 1:00:00 PM Brundage A
Title: The Economics of Fantasy
Description: If they’re so powerful, why aren’t they rich? Does anyone else wonder about the poor apprentice, the neglected mage, the despised witch? Yes, yes, we know, when someone is too powerful, fear sets in against them. BUT fear only sets in if they’re powerful in a material way. Don’t give us "we wouldn’t use our power for money." Humans do everything for money. So… how come the mages aren’t also the noblemen?
Participants: Sam Butler, Louis Epstein, Sarah Hoyt[M], Peter Liverakos, Jeff Lyman,
Reading & Signings 3/21/2009 7:00:00 PM – 8:00:00 PM Westchester Assembly
Title: Autographing: Sarah Hoyt, Daniel Hoyt, Robert Hoyt
Description:
Participants: Sarah Hoyt, Daniel Hoyt, Robert Hoyt,
Sunday Total Events This Day: 1
Literature 3/22/2009 11:00:00 AM – 12:00:00 PM Birch
Title: The Baen Traveling Slide Show
Description: Highlighting some of the many Baen authors and artsts at Lunacon.
Participants: Eric Flint, Mike Flynn, Dave Freer, Sarah Hoyt, Jim Minz,
Liveblogging Opus II
Last night, at about 2 am I found myself considering asking Dan to take me to emergency. I couldn’t breathe and I’m fairly sure your bronchi aren’t something you should be able to listen to like a wind orchestra. Every minute it seemed like my wind pipe was more constricted and I was choking to death. And then I realized that I when we asked for the feather bedding to be removed from the room, they hadn’t thought the coverlets on the bed needed to be removed. Once they were removed, I was able to breathe almost instantly, and I’m feeling much better today than yesterday. so those of you who saw me gasping and looking like I was dying yesterday — it’s not the black plague, it’s my old friend an allergy to feathers.
This morning I have discovered that a writer is a perfect mechanism for the distilling of caffeine from coffee — needing only frequent trips to the bathroom.
After staying up ridiculous late, hanging out with guests of honor Gordon and Ilona Andrews, coffee and coke are sort of the stuff of life.
After participating in a sedate panel on dragons, where I believe I encouraged the audience to throw fruit at us — I was VERY sleepy and my voice hasn’t recovered from the horrible night — I am now sitting at a panel with the guests of honor, my son Robert Hoyt and virtual guest Mike Stackpole, participating through second life, about urban fantasy.
A question was thrown to me and I believe I was thoroughly inane in my answer, as I was trying to figure out how much I could say before my voice died altogether.
More to come….
