(no subject)
Yet another roundup-style update.
***
verb_noire has gotten incredible response to their start-up fundraising request. Nearly $5000 in three freaking days, when they set their sights at $1700 to start. Amazing.
They can still use your financial support: there is talk of using the overage for writer's workshops and other such positive and awesome things. If you were planning to sell off some books or write them a check, please don't change those plans.
The first VN call for submissions is now a go. Quick summary: works which "feature a person of color and/or LGBT as the central character", by authors of any race or gender, are welcome. Graphic novels and poetry are welcome: you can check out the submission guidelines and see other people's questions at the link.
Want to support Verb Noire? You can twitter the call for submissions; that's my Twitter in the link, with a couple of versions in my recent tweets. Ask your friends to re-tweet it. You can join the Facebook fan page and donate your Facebook status to announce the submissions call, too. And, of course, you can tell the writers and artists on your flist to get crackalacking on their submissions, as well as getting your own ready.
***
Remember Until Forgiveness Comes? I nominated it this morning for the storySouth 2009 1 Million Writers Award for Fiction. This award is specifically geared toward stories published online, since larger short-story contests tend to disallow stories published in that format from consideration.
Multiple nominations for the same story aren't necessary if I understand the recommendation guidelines, but you can nominate a story you like by going here; don't forget to read the guidelines. Someone should nominate Sara Genge for Clapping for the Fairies, the choose your own adventure I praised so highly last time, but I'm playing by the rules and only nominating one; the rest is up to y'all.
***
In other news of K. Tempest Bradford, she has a story in the upcoming Federations anthology. It's available for pre-order now for $10 and change. EDITED TO ADD: Friend of the Pope Catherynne M. Valente, of whom we will speak more in a while, has her first ever SF story in this anthology too. Good deal: go get one.
Other things draining my bank account: my poet crush, Amal el-Mohtar, has a poem (written with her co-editor at Goblin Fruit) upcoming in the Mythic Delirium 10th-anniversary edition, edited by that nice Mr. Gaiman. A copy of the magazine's anniversary edition is only $6.50 in the US including shipping: a year subscription for $9, two years for $16. The two-year plan is four books of poetry for the price of four packs of cigarettes. I think the poetry is a better deal, and I'm a smoker.
If you visit the page and scroll down a bit, you can also see another el-Mohtar poem I love, Song for an Ancient City, and hear her read it.
Li-Young Lee's poem, Black Petal, really should have been in the last links roundup, but I only had it saved on my work computer, so here you are.
***
RaceFail continues. As always, you can keep track of recent developments over at rydra_wong. Still, here are some links to recent posts I've read requiring preservation. (Quotations are made small to avoid wall-o-text syndrome, and not to diminish their importance.)
zvi_likes_tv has strong words for those just speaking up on this (including myself) along with an excellent list of resources and communities. I'd quote the post, but you might as well just go read the whole thing.
popfiend is being brilliant, and linking to brilliant things, here.
"I tell everyone that doing something racist, sexist or homophobic doesn't make you ANY of those things. It means you did something racist, sexist and homophobic. It MAY be a reflection of your soul, but I and or anyone else "listening" may not be privy to that, but we were and are privy to the thing you did. And we can talk about that.And in the end, what makes someone ANY of these things is an unwillingness to listen, learn or change and a consistent pattern of behavior. Or to seek validation of those racist, sexist and homophobic behaviors so that you don't have to change. When that stuff is embedded deep in your soul and you have no urge to do any moral or ethical housekeeping."
synecdochic has summed up what she has learned from conversations about race. Excellent stuff.
"Failure to speak up in any given situation may not be assent, but the ability to choose not to engage during a situation is, itself, a privilege. I should remember this, and be mindful of my choices."
chopchica discusses people who derail discussions of oppression by assuming that their experiences of marginalization in one category qualifies them to shut people up about discussing their own experiences in other categories.
"I've seen so many comments from people who whine about how they *tried* to contribute and discuss and were shot down (one person seriously used the word "collective" as if all non-white people were part of the *Borg*) and so they stopped paying attention or caring. Every single time, they don't get that maybe what they should've done was read and think and think and think and read some more and think some more before they decided what they had to say was in fact valuable. If you post and POC call you out on what you're saying, maybe that means what you said is *wrong*. Yes, sometimes it might mean that a specific person calling you on something is an asshole. Everybody is capable of being an asshole. But, giving it a generous estimate, I'm guessing that doesn't happen more than 2% of the time. Do you really think that every single time it's happened to you is some sort of special exception that excuses their behavior and not yours?"
alexandraerin, my dear friend and favorite serial novelist, has posted about tone.
"This is a conversation that's rooted in people getting shit they have done nothing personally to deserve. This phenomenon is the reason the conversation exists. It's not hypocritical of the people pushing the conversation forward to... incidentally and along the way... cause emotional hardship to a white person who is not the specific, personal, and proximate cause of any of their oppression. It's not.
What that is, is messy. It's a messy world. It's a messy problem. But dear God, worse collateral damage than bruised and deflated egos has happened in the service of more dubious causes. Demanding that POC stop and think about how it makes a white author feel to be challenged on an aspect of their writing before they do it is not necessarily an action that comes from a racist intention, but it's an action that impedes the fight against racism, it is an action that puts one in alliance with racism... in short, it is a racist action."
***
No longer new, but still excellent things I've run across in similar veins recently, some dating back to the Helix incident in 2008, others to previous stupidities...
Brutal Women rants on why writing 'colorblind' is writing white.
Ashok Banker asks Is American Science Fiction and Fantasy racist? (And sexist, bigotted and culturally insensitive too? Bonus: a link to an NPR interview of Octavia Butler in 2001, during the UN Conference on Racism.
SeeLight has strong words for white writers who think writing about race is a Catch-22.
Always worth another read: An Open Letter to the White Feminist Community.
***
Unrelated but still possibly of interest: Tiptree Award-winning novelist Catherynne M. Valente, of whom you have heard me speak before, is about to sell out the first print run of her most recent novel, Palimpsest.
Palimpsest is a lush and gorgeous book and I love it beyond words, and you should buy it now, either from your local B&N or from your friendly neighborhood Internet, without delay. Already own Palimpsest but want more Cat Valente? The Omikuji Project is entering its second year; check it out and consider giving it some support.
While you're at it, my beloved s00j is compiling Quartered, her album inspired by Palimpsest, and early versions of the songs are available for electronic download. I'm very excited to be joining Cat and Sooj at this year's wiscon and hope to see you there.
***
Leaving the intensely and entirely personal for last, my friend Evan is facing unemployment through no fault of his own, due to a major policy change at his company. Unless the stars align just right and he can qualify to be retained, that is. Any positive thoughts you can throw in his general direction will be appreciated.
***
As always, thanks for reading. What are you recommending? What are you pondering? Tell me in comments.
***
verb_noire has gotten incredible response to their start-up fundraising request. Nearly $5000 in three freaking days, when they set their sights at $1700 to start. Amazing.
They can still use your financial support: there is talk of using the overage for writer's workshops and other such positive and awesome things. If you were planning to sell off some books or write them a check, please don't change those plans.
The first VN call for submissions is now a go. Quick summary: works which "feature a person of color and/or LGBT as the central character", by authors of any race or gender, are welcome. Graphic novels and poetry are welcome: you can check out the submission guidelines and see other people's questions at the link.
Want to support Verb Noire? You can twitter the call for submissions; that's my Twitter in the link, with a couple of versions in my recent tweets. Ask your friends to re-tweet it. You can join the Facebook fan page and donate your Facebook status to announce the submissions call, too. And, of course, you can tell the writers and artists on your flist to get crackalacking on their submissions, as well as getting your own ready.
***
Remember Until Forgiveness Comes? I nominated it this morning for the storySouth 2009 1 Million Writers Award for Fiction. This award is specifically geared toward stories published online, since larger short-story contests tend to disallow stories published in that format from consideration.
Multiple nominations for the same story aren't necessary if I understand the recommendation guidelines, but you can nominate a story you like by going here; don't forget to read the guidelines. Someone should nominate Sara Genge for Clapping for the Fairies, the choose your own adventure I praised so highly last time, but I'm playing by the rules and only nominating one; the rest is up to y'all.
***
In other news of K. Tempest Bradford, she has a story in the upcoming Federations anthology. It's available for pre-order now for $10 and change. EDITED TO ADD: Friend of the Pope Catherynne M. Valente, of whom we will speak more in a while, has her first ever SF story in this anthology too. Good deal: go get one.
Other things draining my bank account: my poet crush, Amal el-Mohtar, has a poem (written with her co-editor at Goblin Fruit) upcoming in the Mythic Delirium 10th-anniversary edition, edited by that nice Mr. Gaiman. A copy of the magazine's anniversary edition is only $6.50 in the US including shipping: a year subscription for $9, two years for $16. The two-year plan is four books of poetry for the price of four packs of cigarettes. I think the poetry is a better deal, and I'm a smoker.
If you visit the page and scroll down a bit, you can also see another el-Mohtar poem I love, Song for an Ancient City, and hear her read it.
Li-Young Lee's poem, Black Petal, really should have been in the last links roundup, but I only had it saved on my work computer, so here you are.
***
RaceFail continues. As always, you can keep track of recent developments over at rydra_wong. Still, here are some links to recent posts I've read requiring preservation. (Quotations are made small to avoid wall-o-text syndrome, and not to diminish their importance.)
zvi_likes_tv has strong words for those just speaking up on this (including myself) along with an excellent list of resources and communities. I'd quote the post, but you might as well just go read the whole thing.
popfiend is being brilliant, and linking to brilliant things, here.
"I tell everyone that doing something racist, sexist or homophobic doesn't make you ANY of those things. It means you did something racist, sexist and homophobic. It MAY be a reflection of your soul, but I and or anyone else "listening" may not be privy to that, but we were and are privy to the thing you did. And we can talk about that.And in the end, what makes someone ANY of these things is an unwillingness to listen, learn or change and a consistent pattern of behavior. Or to seek validation of those racist, sexist and homophobic behaviors so that you don't have to change. When that stuff is embedded deep in your soul and you have no urge to do any moral or ethical housekeeping."
synecdochic has summed up what she has learned from conversations about race. Excellent stuff.
"Failure to speak up in any given situation may not be assent, but the ability to choose not to engage during a situation is, itself, a privilege. I should remember this, and be mindful of my choices."
chopchica discusses people who derail discussions of oppression by assuming that their experiences of marginalization in one category qualifies them to shut people up about discussing their own experiences in other categories.
"I've seen so many comments from people who whine about how they *tried* to contribute and discuss and were shot down (one person seriously used the word "collective" as if all non-white people were part of the *Borg*) and so they stopped paying attention or caring. Every single time, they don't get that maybe what they should've done was read and think and think and think and read some more and think some more before they decided what they had to say was in fact valuable. If you post and POC call you out on what you're saying, maybe that means what you said is *wrong*. Yes, sometimes it might mean that a specific person calling you on something is an asshole. Everybody is capable of being an asshole. But, giving it a generous estimate, I'm guessing that doesn't happen more than 2% of the time. Do you really think that every single time it's happened to you is some sort of special exception that excuses their behavior and not yours?"
alexandraerin, my dear friend and favorite serial novelist, has posted about tone.
"This is a conversation that's rooted in people getting shit they have done nothing personally to deserve. This phenomenon is the reason the conversation exists. It's not hypocritical of the people pushing the conversation forward to... incidentally and along the way... cause emotional hardship to a white person who is not the specific, personal, and proximate cause of any of their oppression. It's not.
What that is, is messy. It's a messy world. It's a messy problem. But dear God, worse collateral damage than bruised and deflated egos has happened in the service of more dubious causes. Demanding that POC stop and think about how it makes a white author feel to be challenged on an aspect of their writing before they do it is not necessarily an action that comes from a racist intention, but it's an action that impedes the fight against racism, it is an action that puts one in alliance with racism... in short, it is a racist action."
***
No longer new, but still excellent things I've run across in similar veins recently, some dating back to the Helix incident in 2008, others to previous stupidities...
Brutal Women rants on why writing 'colorblind' is writing white.
Ashok Banker asks Is American Science Fiction and Fantasy racist? (And sexist, bigotted and culturally insensitive too? Bonus: a link to an NPR interview of Octavia Butler in 2001, during the UN Conference on Racism.
SeeLight has strong words for white writers who think writing about race is a Catch-22.
Always worth another read: An Open Letter to the White Feminist Community.
***
Unrelated but still possibly of interest: Tiptree Award-winning novelist Catherynne M. Valente, of whom you have heard me speak before, is about to sell out the first print run of her most recent novel, Palimpsest.
Palimpsest is a lush and gorgeous book and I love it beyond words, and you should buy it now, either from your local B&N or from your friendly neighborhood Internet, without delay. Already own Palimpsest but want more Cat Valente? The Omikuji Project is entering its second year; check it out and consider giving it some support.
While you're at it, my beloved s00j is compiling Quartered, her album inspired by Palimpsest, and early versions of the songs are available for electronic download. I'm very excited to be joining Cat and Sooj at this year's wiscon and hope to see you there.
***
Leaving the intensely and entirely personal for last, my friend Evan is facing unemployment through no fault of his own, due to a major policy change at his company. Unless the stars align just right and he can qualify to be retained, that is. Any positive thoughts you can throw in his general direction will be appreciated.
***
As always, thanks for reading. What are you recommending? What are you pondering? Tell me in comments.