Scale maps of the ocean floor

[sovay]

A siren and a nixar walk into a bar . . .

Okay, so that joke doesn't translate so well in mixed-species company. But the collaboration which greygirlbeast and I have been working on for the last fortnight and change, does: and you can read it in Sirenia Digest #10, so long as you first subscribe to Sirenia Digest. Come on. We only want that one sliver of your soul . . .

(Don't mention the installment plan!)

In related news, my sea-poem "Homecoming" (Mythic #2) has been less than enthusiastically reviewed at Tangent Online. The piece was inspired by Books 9—12 of the Odyssey; I'm not sure this is obvious to anyone but me. You, however, should order a copy and decide for yourself.

And in unrelated and excellent news, Holly Phillips has won the 2005 Sunburst Award. Congratulations!

And what I knew of John M. Ford was The Last Hot Time, Casting Fortune, How Much For Just The Planet?, and "Winter Solstice, Camelot Station." Which is all, I suppose, writing in other people's worlds—even if Arthur's court has been fair game since the twelfth century—and all of it made his own.

Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

Comments

[clarionj.livejournal.com]

Ummm...THAT is not purple prose. I've never seen anything cliche or repetitive without purpose (like building tension or contrasting emotions) in your work, no image that doesn't open my eyes or wake my senses. I'd have allowed it if he said he just didn't care to read something as rich as this, to have to pause and take time to absorb it, but to write it off isn't, I think, really looking at his own reaction.

I do think there's taste involved and that's okay with me, but what bugs me is someone suggesting that fluid, striking, rhythmic, tonal, evocative, powerful language like yours is purple. There's a difference, a huge difference.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

The reviewer didn't care too much for my story either, but between you and JoSelle and the others harshly reviewed I figured I was in solid company.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

A mere few hours after reading the review I was looking at guidelines to zines I hadn't submitted to yet, and happened to run across a story by the reviewer. After too many "too-thin air"s and "velvet-black night"s and the like in just the first two paragraphs I found myself desperately missing Sonya's purple prose.

[sovay]

but between you and JoSelle and the others harshly reviewed I figured I was in solid company.

Heh. I figured between the totally uncritical nature of the review and the . . . totally uncritical nature of the review . . . I didn't feel too hurt after all. Pleased to be with you.

[sovay]

I'd have allowed it if he said he just didn't care to read something as rich as this, to have to pause and take time to absorb it, but to write it off isn't, I think, really looking at his own reaction.

Yes; I could learn almost nothing about the stories from the review, but I did learn a lot about the reviewer's personal tastes—which did not seem adaptable. "If you like harsh, cruel stories that blend poetry and prose to create a picture of suffering and death, you may enjoy this story, although I didn't . . . The only part I didn't like was . . . a likeable character, one we can identify with throughout." There was very little in the way of reading the stories on their own terms.

Consequently, I could care less. : P