Things that made me very happy in the past 24 hrs.

[oyceter]

Yesterday night I went to sleep too late for my own good, but horribly happy, all because I started reading the essays and introductions and author bios in The James Tiptree Award Anthology 1. It's an entire award and, subsequently, an entire community on gender in sci-fi/fantasy! Two of my favorite topics! And this sheer geekery comes from only reading a few of the essays and one of the short stories. I'm really tempted to gulp the whole thing down at once, but part of me also wants to parcel it out. It shouldn't be so surprisingly that there is this sort of professional community around this topic, and while I've always known in the back of my head that it was there, it never felt all that real to me.

Embarrassingly, I went to the panel and subsequent signing on the Tiptree Awards (with Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy and Debbie Notkin) without actually realizing it was on the Tiptree Award. I think after reading The Jane Austen Book Club, my brain may have just stopped skimming after "Karen Joy Fowler" -- the process was probably something like: "Ooo, famous author at one of my favorite bookstores! Must go!" and I didn't even think about talks or anything. But I'm so very glad I went, and it made the people giving out the award and the people receiving it that much more real and close. Usually when I think of authors, they feel like some far-away deity creating works of art. But this was a dialogue! Discussion! A real community interested in this and talking about it and giving recs and reading. So yes, I was very, very happy. All the essays were fun to read, and especially the introductions. There's a good one by Ursula K. LeGuin on genre and the pluses and minuses of it, and how one can never quite abolish the idea of genre, despite how it often ghettoizes authors and books, because it's very hard to critique something properly if you have no real sense of what tradition it's coming from.

And then after I had read all the essays, I found the list of winners and the short list (or long list) in the back, and yes, of course my reading list has just tripled ^_^. Very few things make me feel richer than having a wealth of book recs in front of me. And I checked out all the author bios. Speaking of which, while I've never read anything of Kelly Link's, fannishly, you might find her interesting. Apparently Salon says her Stranger Things Happen is "an alchemical mix of Borges, Raymond Chandler, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

I can't help wishing that there were something like the Tiptree Award for romance novels. Is there? Do I just not know about it? If I made one up, I would probably want to give it to books like Laura Kinsale's Shadowheart, Megan Chance's Fall From Grace and others I can't think of. Anyone have more suggestions? In actuality, I just want the award out of purely selfish reasons. I want to encourage authors to write interesting, gender-bendy romances because that's what I like, and then there would be winners and short lists and tons of recs for me.

The other thing that has made me very happy is the large bowl of polenta with mushrooms that I had for dinner, along with angel hair pasta in a light tomato sauce. I think polenta may be a comfort food for me now. Also, the place we went to has really good bread. Food makes me happy. It's the season for comfort food now, and I desperately need it, because the waning sunshine is driving me out of my mind. I really need to invest in some full spectrum bulbs. Or move to the equator. Comfort food that I find myself hankering after right now: polenta with cheese, because there's something soothing about the slightly gritty texture of corn and the blandness of it helps offset the saltiness of the cheese, and it's piping hot. Creamy tomato soup with little bits of roasted garlic. Rice congee with preserved egg and pork. Large bowls of noodles in soup -- ramen, udon, pho. Warm, crusty bread that's soft and moist on the inside. Mashed potatoes.

Comments

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Mm, polenta. Did you have the soft-serve, porridgey type, or the kind that comes in refrigerated rolls which you slice? If you haven't tried the latter kind, it's wonderful -- we usually pour marinara over the slices (about half an inch thick), melt some cheese (usually mozarella, for salty blandness), and have something green and mushy like lima beans or edamame on the side. Mm.

[oyceter]

I've actually never had it at home, heh. The kind I've mostly has is the porridgey type, though I've had a slice of it once. I like them both. I didn't know they came pre-made! I should try that.

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

Ooo, new book. (I wondered if it was the same as Flying Cups and Saucers, for a moment.) Sounds very interesting. Would you consider posting a review in whileaway when you've read it?

(I have some of its contents in other publications... "Everything but the Signature Is Me" in Meet Me At Infinity, I skimmed through "Boys" and read "What I Didn't See" online... I saw "Travels with the Snow Queen" in some place or other... definitely have the Andersen, albeit in French... but this sounds worth buying if only for the LeGuin... and is that a new essay by Russ, or a reprint of an old one?)

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

New. Brief, but new.

[oyceter]

Would you consider posting a review in [info]whileaway when you've read it?

Sure, if I have anything intelligent to say ;).

I think both the LeGuin and Russ essays are new, although LeGuin's is from a speech she gave earlier.

I was completely suckered into buying it when the panel started talking about the small "Snow Queen" section in the book -- never mind that I already own the Dalkey one. It's one of my favorite fairy tales.

[riemannia.livejournal.com]

I can't help wishing that there were something like the Tiptree Award for romance novels.

Wouldn't that be great! I know of no such award, but then I'm not very aware of romance awards.

[oyceter]

Neither am I... I know about the RITA, but that's about it.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I love Kelly Link's writing, and I think you would, too. A review of Stranger Things Happen was one of the first book posts I ever put up in LJ; it should be in my Memories if you're interested. Her Website also has links to a bunch of her stories that are online.

I'm not aware of anything like that for romance, either. I don't have the energy or connections to start one, but if you want to do an end of the year list ... or, hmm, I've been thinking about cleaning up and reposting my recommended romances list.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

It would be nice if you could recommend some romances which are in print. I dug up your old list way back and was only able to find Laura Kinsale, out of quite a lot of recommendations.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

A lot of them have come back into print recently, actually, but yeah -- it's a problem, especially since I haven't been reading a lot of romances this year.

[oyceter]

It feels like romances go out of print much faster for some reason.

I think Connie Brockway's books are mostly still in print, although for some reason, I've found that Borders stocks her more often than B&N does. My favorite is her extremely angsty and dysfunctional All Through the Night (added bonus: female thief), though I also like her funnier The Bridal Season and My Dearest Enemy quite a bit. The latter starts out with correspondance, which always makes me happy.

Nonnie St. George just came out with a new book that lampoons some romance stereotypes, although she doesn't quite subvert them in her plot. It gave me a very serious case of giggles.

I think I've got posts on all of the above scattered somewhere in Memories if you're interested.

Other than that, I've had to track the good OOP ones slowly... though I've found my library actually has a good deal. And I have a used bookstore nearby that specializes in romance, which is cool.

[oyceter]

Oh, thanks for the heads up!

I wonder how one goes about starting an award. Hrm. Not that I'm not very busy already ;).

Some day I am going to sit down and write out several big posts on romance novels and shojo manga, advice for romance heroes and heroines, recs, etc. Just for the heck of it, what would you put on a short list of good romances that challenge gender roles?

And I would very much love a reposted recommended romances list!

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I don't know of one either. I think there's been a lot of shift in my favorites over the years. The only name that really pops immediately up for me currently is Jennifer Crusie.

Do you grow any bulbs at all? There's something about things blooming inside when the out is yick that I really like, that and lots of candles, good music, good books (always), catalogues and dreaming of gardens and vacations spent lying on the beach soaking up the sun, bubble baths, puppies, and for comfort food.. it's awfully cold and damp here, so that's trending into the warm and filling or decadently rich and fattening..

[oyceter]

Ooo, yes, definitely Jenny Crusie.

Do bulbs grow inside? Right now the plants on our balcony are doing all right, though it looks like the hibiscus has (finally) figured out that it's winter and stopped blooming. It was gorgeous just a few months ago though... flowers everywhere. And the new minis are still adjusting from being mailed.

I think it is the perfect weather for chocolate fondue or something ^_^.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

^__^ Indeed.

They do. Some have to be chilled first although you can get them already done. Let me know if you want any. Hibiscus I haven't really been sucessful with. Balcony *sigh*envy* here it's incipient snow/freezing rain weather.

The roses *wow* didn't know you were still trying. What're you growing?

[oyceter]

Ooo, I may have to look into bulbs. Though I may have to ask the boy first, seeing as how I'm always the one forgetting to water the plants ;).

The balcony is one of the best parts about the new apt. The old one had one, but it was rather small and ugly.. we're on the third floor, so this one is very quiet and surrounded by trees, and it's got enough room for a little grill and chairs.

I'm growing some from Michael's Roses - Cal Poly, Smoky Mountain, some others... I was actually pretty mad about the order. They shipped it late so I didn't get to plant them until recently, and out of four roses ordered, I only got one that I requested.... the other three were substitutes, and one of those wasn't even labeled. Grr. Oh well... at least they haven't died off, despite the weather.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'd like to try some minis myself, so if they work out for you I'd be interested. I do need to get my light set up organized still. I have a veggie crisper full of stratifying seeds that aren't going to be a ble to be there forever.

I have a thing about roses being scented which is part of why I haven't ordered any yet. But, recently, I noticed that two of the mini's in the Heirloom catalogue are scented, and sometime when I get some time (hahhaha) I've been meaning to Google.

Sympathise on the watering.. I run into the same problem. I figure if they survive my ministrations they've really demonstrated their hardiness. ^__^

[oyceter]

I had a nice scented mini from Noreast last year... Overnight Scentsation, I think. Actually, they have an entire line of Scentsation roses that are scented. But otherwise, yeah, I miss the scented roses too. There are mini heirlooms? Oooo. I really shouldn't be ogling at more, seeing as how i have a hard enough time keeping them alive as is ;).

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

http://www.heirloomroses.com/cgi/browse.cgi?page=cat&cat=Miniature+Roses not heirloom minis though (I am not sure there are any but that's not my area,) and I recommend the print catalogue just for the drool factor.

They specialize in own root and were known for a pretty good selection of Old roses.

And I know I've mentioned Barden's site before? http://www.rdrop.com/~paul/ That's a favorite of mine and where I first read about minis http://www.rdrop.com/~paul/minis/index.html and of course Ralph Moore http://www.rdrop.com/~paul/moorewritings.html of Sequoia http://www.miniatureroses.com/sequoia-nursery/catalog.htm

I do know they have a reputation for being a bit challenging indoors, just in general, things you already noticed.. but Roses. ^__^

On a different topic.. I saw your post today and I couldn't remember, and I am sure you mentioned already but were you born overseas? Or stateside?

Someone on my LJ reading list had a post last week about connections to where we were born and grew up and it had me thinking. Also about how sometimes we find places later that we really connect to.

[oyceter]

Ooooh, those are nice. I shall ogle quite a bit over them ;).

The roses in Stanford mall are blooming like mad right now. I don't think they got the memo that it's December already, hee. But oh, it's so nice going there and seeing all the trees with giant, nodding blossoms.

I was actually born stateside... moved to Taiwan when I was eight.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

I do.. oogle, gets me through the long dark days. I can't do the malls here even if they had roses because of the crowds, and you do know I envy your climate, yes? No surprise that most of the big breeders are out your way.

Now that you're reminding me that does ring a bell. I think there's periods of our life and places that can really imprint/affect us. I feel this way about Reykjavik and Montreal, and Ohio. Oddly, not at all about Albany which is by far where I've spent the most time overall; however if I cross the Hudson and head northa couple of miles to Malta or Saratoga (which I did today for my first Reiki session) I can feel an immediate connection.

I was thinking about you again today. Do let em know if there's anything I can do? Else, thinking about you and hoping things get better soon.

[oyceter]

Hee, I love my climate.

The "periods of life" thing makes sense -- how old were you when you imprinted on those places? I've imprinted very heavily on Taiwan (8-17), but even though I spent a happy four years (well, actually a happy two years and a rather depressed two years) in Princeton, I don't miss it at all. And I must have imprinted on California long before I moved here, because my family used to spend a lot of summer vacations here. California feels like home in a way Princeton never did, and I don't know if it's just because I'm really living here and college by nature feels a little more temporary or what.

Thanks for the thoughts... right now, it's all the tangles of insurance to get through, along with dealing with a very sore neck and back. Heh. The worst bit is waiting for the other shoe to drop -- bad things come in threes!

[fannishly.livejournal.com]

"an alchemical mix of Borges, Raymond Chandler, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Oh wow, I'd be hard-pressed to come up with three (fictional) things I love more. And "alchemically mixed" together? I'm there!

[oyceter]

Hee, yes ^_^. Ooo, just found some of her stories online via Mely's review.

[msagara.livejournal.com]

Kelly Link is very good, but she's got a very interesting sense of narrative structure -- which is to say, her narrative isn't linear in the conventional sense, and is more often grounded in poetic structure (imho) than in prose structure.

But -- and I just had to pop in to mention this -- have your read Halfway Human by Carolyn Ives Gilman? It was published by Avon/Eos and is no longer in print (boo, hiss), but it was easily the best gender issues SF novel I'd read in years and years when I picked it up. It was her first novel -- I want more, darn it -- but if you're interested in both gender issues and SF, you really should read it. The issues blend into the story; my husband read it and said, "I loved this book, but I don't see how it's a gender issue book."

Which, of course, gave me an excuse for hours and hours of dissection after-the-fact -- all of which, upon further thought, he agreed with, and none of which, caught up in the immediacy of the book, he thought about while reading.

Good book. Stopping now. This has been a drive-by post during official lunch hour on a school day <g>.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I personally think that Kelly Link is more than very good--I think she's one of the best (genre irrelevant) short story writers around. She can write a conventional linear narrative, and sometimes does, although the stories I like best tend to be less linear. I think you're on to something re poetic structure.

[oyceter]

I haven't read Halfway Human, but it sounds interesting! I must remember to hunt for it during the weekly bookstore trawl.

Also, drive-by book recs are always highly appreciated!