I hardly seem to have been home from Conflux yet, and I'm heading off to San Francisco this Friday, then San Jose for WFC on the following Tuesday. Yes, it's a bit early - but I get ridiculously scrambled with jetlag. There are photos from last year's WFC that show me looking progressively more zombified each day (and, no, I'm not going to link to them. Especially not the last-day banquet photos.) That's because I had exactly no sleep the first two nights, just staring at the ceiling, then more than 12 hours' sleep (I missed the really good morning panels), then exactly none again. So, this year, I'm going a week early in the hope of getting at least half-way de-jetlagged before the Con starts.
Here are a couple of photos of me at the Fantastic Queensland party on the first day, with Eileen Gunn, Kathryn Cramer and Sean McMullen, after only one sleepless night:
These are my panels for this year:
Sunday 11:00 AM Bad Food, Bad Clothes, and Bad Breath
The panelist will discuss some of the less lovely realities of pre-industrial societies - like lice, food poisoning, gum disease, and soul-killing poverty. Jenny Blackford, Marie Brennan, M.K. (Mary) Hobson, Kari Sperring, S.M. Stirling
Sunday 4:00 PM Awards Postmortem
The judges of this year's World Fantasy Awards (Jenny Blackford, Peter Heck, Ellen Klages, Chris Roberson & Delia Sherman) will discuss the process of determining the nominees and the winners.
Yes, a full WFC 2009 judge reunion! Which is spectacular, given that we've never been in the same room together (though we spent a lot of time this year in a tightly-closed Yahoo group.) It should be great, as long as I'm awake.
Oh - and this is an excellent thing - Russ (aka Russell Blackford, sf/fantasy writer and philosopher) will stay home looking after poor lonely Felix for the first few days while I'm de-jetlagging in the US, but he'll join me in San Jose on the Wednesday immediately before the Con.
Why should you go out and buy (or, if you live in the US, pre-order) a copy of 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists (edited by Russell Blackford and Udo Schuklenk)? Apart from the fact that it's already had wonderful reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal (http://metamagician3000.blogspot.com/200
As well as all of the outrageously rigorous essays from famous philosophers (Peter Singer, even), there are lovely essays by some of our VERY FAVOURITE sf writers: Joe Haldeman, Greg Egan, Greg Benford, Sean Williams, Jack Dann, Damien Broderick. And by other, different sorts of people, including hysterically funny feminist columnist Emma Tom and sceptic and magician James (the Amazing) Randi.
And perhaps I'm being trivial here, but it looks lovely, in its matt black cover. I carried one of Russell's pre-release copies up to Conflux for Jean Weber, and flashed it around a bit first because it was just so PRETTY.
It's been a big few months. Let's start with the middle of July. Russ and I went to Newcastle to visit the parents before we went overseas, and to look for houses there (our lease-back of our Melbourne house, which we sold this time last year, ends in December). We found a house we liked and made an offer. Back in Melbourne the next week, while we frantically tried to get ready for six weeks in the US, we got pest and building reports, got and sent back contracts by Express Post, and sent a deposit by telegraphic transfer. It was almost ours. The back deck/verandah/whatsit should be wonderful for barbecues:
The last week of July, we flew via LA to Atlanta (with painful delays) and I combined serious jetlag with Secret World Fantasy Awards Business. Then we flew to Toronto, and an eccentric B&B in beautiful Cabbagetown:
Next, a train to Kingston, where Russ finally met his co-editor on 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists, Udo Schuklenk:
By the time we got to Montreal for Anticipation (the Worldcon), Russ's cough had developed into a nasty case of bronchitis, and he'd lost his voice. Not good for the four or five panels he was supposed to be on for the first day. He stayed in our lovely Delta Centre-Ville room quietly getting better while I did my panels, readings, parties, whatever. (Ellen Datlow took these photos of Eileen Gunn and me before and after the Angry Robot party was shut down because we were so rowdy. Or maybe it wasn't really us being rowdy.)
After Anticipation, we flew to Austin for Armadillocon (where I spent some time with my fellow WFA judge Chris Roberson and his talented wife), then down to San Antonio to catch up with our old mate Damien Broderick and the wonderful Texan woman he left Australia for, Barbara Lamar. (We did notice that practically all the roads in Texas were called Lamar Drive, Lamar Blvd, whatever, after one of Barbara's ancestors.) We stayed in Chicken Paradise, which resembled paradise in many ways, including the breakfasts.
That was my cue to come down with a nasty case of bronchitis. Paradise was not lost, but wasted, while I coughed day and night. Then we flew to Kansas City, MO, and stayed in Overland Park, KS, near my incredibly nice (and of course perceptive) publisher Eric Reynolds. I kept coughing while he showed us what a lovely place Kansas (particularly the Flint Hills), and Kansas City, really are. He also got me to read from The Priestess and the Slave at a party he held with his old college buddies and their families, who seemed a delightful bunch. The photo on the left is a stream in the Flint Hills, and on the right is Eric in the Plaza area of Kansas City.
Next we flew to Atlanta for Dragon*Con! I was on a few panels - a Gaiman panel on the Brit Track, and two panels about regional sf, one for the YA track, which included the famous and charming Kathleen Duey, and one for the Lit track, which included the even more famous and equally charming Charlaine Harris. And there were three gorgeous whale sharks (among other marine life) at the Georgia Aquarium.
Thanks to a reservation transferred from a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend, Russ and I were fortunate enough to stay at the Atlanta Marriot, which was full of astonishing architecture (amazing open atrium) and unbelievable costumes.
After we flew home to Melbourne, with Russell coughing again, we had a bit over a week to sleep, go to the doctor for antibiotics, do the washing and catch up on emails before we went to Newcastle for the settlement on the new house, and a launch of The Priestess and the Slave at the Campus Bookshop there, as well as to prove to our parents that we were still alive. I'll post launch photos as soon as I get hold of them. Terry Ryan did a beautiful speech (thanks again, Terry!) and the excellent bookshop people laid on Greek-themed dips, olives and so on. The gods apparently disapproved: it was the day of the worst dust storm in Newcastle since no one-can-remember-when, and many potential launch-attendees sensibly stayed home. Meanwhile, here's another shot or two of the new house, which is now officially OURS - the front this time:
We had two days back in Melbourne before Russ flew off to LA. A day or so later, I flew up to Canberra for Conflux. Each of us had a Great TIme. Russ even shook Richard Dawkins' hand!
We're both back home now, which is LOVELY. And I never want to get on a plane again. But I'm sure we'll enjoy the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose over the Halloween weekend!
Looking forward to seeing old friends, and meeting new ones (including Jo Kasper, who writes deliciously funny emails.)
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alaneer has reviewed The Priestess and the Slave at Hypatia's Hoard of Reviews. A nice review ;)Photos will be posted soon - but after we get home and I can download them..
Anyone who lives on east coast of Australia will know how apocalyptic the weather was in Newcastle today. Red dust EVERYWHERE! And cold winds pushing the dust into places it should never have been.
Despite the weather, the launch of The Priestess and the Slave at the Uni Bookshop (formally speaking, the United Campus Bookshops store at the Callaghan campus of the University of Newcastle NSW) went well. The bookshop people were great (they even got Greek-themed dips and olives in), and my old Classics lecturer and life-saving fact-checker Terry Ryan did a lovely talk, and a very satisfactory number of people lined up to have their copies of the book signed.
I had my first ever radio interview today, before the launch! The bookshop people suggested, when I dropped the books in there on Monday, that I should contact 2NUR, the local comunity radio station. They rang me to do a brief interview with them while Russ and I were cruising around the University looking for a parking place in the duststorm. Russ said I was good (there are reasons why I keep him around), and someone actually rang the bookshop and ordered the book on the basis of it.
While we were staying in the surprisingly lovely suburb/town of Overland Park, Kansas (lush lawns, big trees, many fountains and ponds), the Hadley Rille Books supremo Eric T. Reynolds gave me his copy of the WA Department of Education and Training's magazine Fiction Focus: New Titles for Teenagers. The magazine includes a great review by Alison Spicer-Wensley of The Priestess and the Slave. She recommends it for 15+ readers with an interest in ancient Greece, and, after describing the stories of Thrasulla in Delphi and Harmonia in Athens, says, "Each of the two stories reveals a great deal of thoroughly researched historical detail woven seamlessly into the narrative of these very different women". Her review ends, "It would be valuable enrichment material for upper secondary students studying Ancient History". Hear, hear! I hope Ancient History teachers all over Australia read her words.
Eric also emailed me to tell me that Rich Horton reviewed The Priestess and the Slave in the August Locus. He calls it "a worthwhile read", and says, "This isn't really fantasy, but the characters act as if the Greek gods are real, which gives the story a fantastical feel."
Then, when I got back home yesterday, the huge pile of mail included not just bills (newspapers, gas, electricity, water, and - aargh! - credit cards) but also the Newcastle University Alumni Magazine with a lovely picture of me with the charming Dr Bernie Curran, and a small article about The Priestess and the Slave. Bernie was my supervisor for my (unfinished) PhD about comparative ancient religion, and TPATS indeed incorporates much of what Bernie taught me.
Just to prove we really were at Dragon*Con - where else would we have found such a great replica Tardis? This pic was taken by a helpful stranger after my BRIT track panel about Neil Gaiman. At the end of the panel, the moderator told everyone there to go upstairs to see the excellent Tardis - and he was right!
The charming Amy Herring - another Hadley Rille Books author - interviewed me by email last week for for the Dragon*Con Daily Dragon. We spent tonight talking about writing in a quiet bar that she miraculously knew of, in the amazing zoo that is the Dragon*Con Hyatt.
Here's a link to the excellent inteview:
http://dailydragon.dragoncon.org/2009/je
If anyone would like to purchase Russ's nearly-new, barely-used membership from me at the now low rate of $100, please let me know.
It should be a great long weekend!
I've now been a judge for the Aurealis Awards (Fantasy Division) twice, and the World Fantasy Awards (once). Over an after-Worldcon dinner, I realised that the differences and similarities between those tasks could use a bit of explanation, especially to Aussies far more familiar with the AAs.
Similarities:
You have to read a lot of fantasy.
Publishers, and sometimes authors, send you stuff to read.
Conscientious judges also chase up material not sent to them. (Not easy.)
You have to decide on a shortlist with your fellow judges, and also a winner.
There's a big announcement of the winners.
Being a judge/juror is an honour - no money changes hands.
Differences:
AA - only works by Australians are eligible.
WFA - all fantasy published anywhere in the world, in English, in the calendar year before the awards, is eligible. Including fantasy by Australians.
AA - there are MANY divisions, with separate 5-juror panels for each division. The divisions include Fantasy Novel, Fantasy Short Story, YA, Children's, Horror etc. (When I was an AA judge, "Fantasy" included Novel and Short Story. And it's worth noting that "Short Story" includes novella and novellette).
WFA - There are only 5 judges, total, for ALL of the different categories of the WFAs. Each judge does it all. That means that each of the 5 WFA judges judge needs to consider not only hundreds of novels (including pretty much anything eligible for the AA Fantasy Novel division), but also all the individual short stories and novellas, plus all the anthologies and collections. And Fantasy is defined to include Horror, YA, children's etc. Yes, that's a LOT more reading than the AAs. Plus you have to decide on Best Artist, Special Award - Professional, Special Award - Non-professional, and two Lifetime Achievement Awards.
There are a heap more differences, of course, but those are the biggest and most obvious. And they explain why our house is now totally overrun with newish books. Many, many books. From all over the world. Most of them fantasy.
Am I glad that the WFA Administrators, in their mysterious wisdom, asked me to be a judge this year? It's an honour. Would I do it again? Well, yes - but here's another difference. You're only allowed to judge the WFAs once in your lifetime. But it's a great year.
We managed our way through the milling chaos outside the room and caught a lift to the Asimov's party in the SFWA suite. We admired the glorious cakes, and tried for a peaceful spot in the bedroom to gossip, but other people had already invaded it, so we had to speak through the hubbub in grunts and sign language. We hadn't even got a drink. And then the men with the walkie-talkies came and closed down the party.
So we went to the bar, followed closely by Really Quite a Large Proportion of the Con. I tried to talk to Eileen, but got distracted by Secret WFA business with Ellen Klages. So I WASN'T talking to Eileen. And the men with walkie-talkies didn't come to close down the bar - though the hardworking waiter probably wished that they did.
I'm far less jetlagged today, despite staying in the bar well past 1am. I'm looking forward to my next panel at 7pm tonight - it's on the Kids' Programming track, and we're going to read Ghost Stories. Weird Tales editor Ann VanderMeer is one of the othe panellists. I'm going to read my ghost story "Bertie", which was published in the NSW School Magazine some years back, and which they are reprinting soon. It should be good ghostly fun!
I'm scrambling to prepare for six weeks and three cons in the US, with the added degree of difficulty presented by a nasty sinus/ear infection that I've been firmly in denial about, and a cat who will be furious, even though I've arranged a full-time cat-sitter for him (thanks, Vita!). And the minor complication of buying a house in Newcastle.
But enough whining; here's my schedule:
Worldcon:
When: Thu 15:30
Location: P-513C
Title: Reading: Hadley Rille Books
All Participants: Camille Alexa, Jenny Blackford, Lezli Robyn, Kim
Vandervort, Julia Dvorin, Heather McDougal
When: Fri 11:00
Location: P-Autographs
Title: Jenny Blackford Signing
(I hope this is a mass signing or I might get very lonely)
When: Sat 19:00
Location: P-510D
Title: Ghost Stories
All Participants: Ann VanderMeer, Jenny Blackford, Adrienne Foster,
Sarah Smith, Jill Snider Lum
Description: Come listen to some ghost stories! Sorry, no campfire
(but we can dim the lights).
Track: Kids Programming
When: Sun 12:00
Location: P-510C
Title: Award Winning Books
All Participants: Helen Gbala, Henry Melton, Jenny Blackford
Description: Does winning a children's literature award guarantee a
good book for kids? What awards should you respect?
Track: Kids Programming
DragonCon
Fri 5.30 to 6.30, Brit-track
Dreamtime: The Worlds of Neil Gaiman
Wasn't Coraline awesome?! The Neil has done it all. From comics, novels, films, and a kick ass blog, Neil Gaiman remains one of the most prolific literary figures of our time. This panel looks at his many creations and explores his creative process.
Sat 11.30, YA Track
YA Around the World - We love Harry Potter, but there's a whole world of YA! We''ll explore the YA fiction of international authors such as Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Justine Larbalestier, Cornelia Funke, and more. Come join our journey for literature across the globe! Todd McCaffrey, Kathleen Duey, Jenny Blackford
and, possibly, on the SF and Fantasy Literature track, Regional sf and "You say religion, I say magic".
We made a decision ages ago to go to Anticipation in Montreal this year. We visited Montreal briefly after Torcon (in Toronto) back in 2003, and liked it; the idea of a con there sounded irresistible, if expensive.
Then, a few months back, Russ said, "Why don't we stay on and go to Dragoncon?" "Why not?" I said. An hour or so later, I booked us cheapish return tickets from Melbourne to Atlanta, then spent the next few days saying, like someone in an opera who has just murdered her lover/husband/mother, "Oh no! What have I done?"
So what would we do in the weeks between Worldcon and Dragoncon? I'd been wanting to visit my publisher Eric Reynolds in Overland Park (more or less part of Kansas City), and we'd been planning to visit Damien Broderick and Barbara Lamar in San Antonio. It seemed to make sense to stay kind-of in the middle of the US, see the bits we normally missed out. And Damien said that ArmadilloCon would be on in Austin about the time we'd be visiting.
As 29 July got inexorably closer and closer, I got more panicky, and started making bookings. I hate that moment just after pressing the PAY NOW button where I'm sure I got the wrong date.
Now we've got two nights somewhere cheap in Atlanta just to sleep when we get in, then a flight to Toronto, and three nights in an eccentric antique-stuffed B&B there run by an old thespian. Then two nights in a plainer B&B in Kingston, where Russ can meet Queen's University philosopher Udo Schuklenk (co-editor of 50 Voices of Disbelief, and some of his colleagues), then we head to Montreal for Anticipation. Eight nights in Montreal, then a flight to Austin, where we go to Armadillocon for three days and sightsee for a few more, before heading to the only totally gluten-free B&B in the US, Chicken Paradise in San Antonio, and some quality time with Damien and Barbara. The plan then is Kansas City (no bookings yet) for a week, and maybe some Priestess signings, then a flight (just booked) to Atlanta for Dragoncon. And on the night before the con, we've just booked for a Star Gazing Party at the Bradley Observatory with the Atlanta Skeptics.
Aargh!
The delightful Kate Forsyth - the dark-haired enchantress of Australian fantasy - has done a lovely review of The Priestess and the Slave, which is up on the Boomerang Books blog:
http://www.boomerangbooks.com.au/blog/ex
She says, among other things,
"Replete with evocative details of food and clothing and manners and morals, The Priestess and the Slave is simply and elegantly told, with the clear ring of truth that comes from absolute control over one’s material. Jenny Blackford won a First Class Honours degree in Classics, so she really knows this world well and, with this novel, reveals it to us."
I can across the review by accident last night while searching for traces on the net of a small review that I've been told was in the Newcastle Herald on the weekend. No sign of the Herald review, but I expect my family in Newcastle will be able to find a copy somewhere.
I told Damien Broderick (in an email) that Felix had got so furry in mid-winter that he was roughly spherical, then decided to take a photo to prove it. The most spehrical-looking photos were, of course, blurry. These photos aren't so convincing, but he's still pretty cute, and moderately spherical-looking..
I'm thrilled. "Trolls' Night Out" was my second published short story for adults, and the second to get an Hon Mention from Gardner. That's two out of two so far. And it's very cool to be listed along with Russell.
I can't find any listing at this stage of what other local stories are Hon Mentioned in the weighty volume, though according to the net Garth Nix's atmospheric Dreaming Again short story "Old Friends" will be reprinted in it, as well as a Greg Egan story from Interzone.
New news: As noted in the comments, Cat Sparks' story "Palisade", from Mike Allen's anthology Clockwork Phoenix, was also Honorable Mentioned. Congratulations, Cat!
I answered easy emails while we were on the road, but there was a bit to catch up on. The hard ones are mostly answered now, and I've got three loads of washing out on the clothesline, getting cold.
I was heading out to buy lunch ingredients, but I've managed to put together what should be a reasonable meal from the odds and ends left in the fridge and cupboards after we were away for almost two weeks: two oldish potatoes, a big red capsicum, frozen chicken juices and fat from a roast, and one onion. I've chopped the veggies and put them all together in a big saucepan with the chickeny-stuff, and added a couple of cups of red lentils and a lot of water. In a while, I hope to be able to call it soup. Probably "Red Lentil Soup". Towards the end I'll add parsley and baby spinach from the garden, if I've got the energy.
Ms Enks writes, among other nice things, "If you have even a little interest in or knowledge of Ancient Greece, Jenny Blackford’s first book The priestess and the slave is well worth reading... Jenny has an extraordinary knowledge of Ancient Greece, both of the politics and the ordinary lives of the citizens. She writes with authority, providing fascinating details of life at that time. She also develops two characters with whom we can truly empathise. Both stories are suspenseful and fast moving. I hope that Jenny will continue writing historical books of such high quality."
I'd LOVE to see some copies of TPATS appearing in libraries around Australia!
