She hears the heels of the dripping ghosts that ride the rough roof-beam

[sovay]

I have never been good at writing bios. My very earliest ones were dreadful. I don't think I stopped using the line about addiction to folklore and dead languages until 2010. Eventually I weeded out the awkward bits; I found a formula that worked and I stuck with it. Aqueduct Press did not want a formulaic bio from me. On being asked to provide a "chatty bio," I froze and wrote absolutely nothing usable until four in the morning a few nights ago, at the end of a lengthy e-mail chain, when my brain decided it was too tired to care.

Sonya Taaffe never knows what to say about herself when asked for a bio.

Additionally, Ghost Signs is now listed under Forthcoming Publications.

This is good writing news.

Comments

[genarti]

Oh god, writing bios is the worst. I'm awful at it. But I like the result of your exhausted labors here!

[sovay]

But I like the result of your exhausted labors here!

Thank you! I like it myself, although I'm sure that by the time the book comes out I will have found at least one cringeworthy line in it.

[(Anonymous)]

That bio is excellent! And accurate. That's what makes it so excellent, really.;)

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I like this new bio very much - there's stuff here I never knew about! Good news about Ghost Signs too.

I loathe writing the damned things; I always think they sound boring or smug. Given the choice, I'd rather write a story instaed.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Getting writers to write is the hardest part of my job, and that goes double for getting them to write bios (is that a plural?).

[alankria.livejournal.com]

Now this is the good kind of writing news, indeed! As I've said before, I immensely look forward to buying and reading Ghost Signs. Collected Sonya poetry! More, yes!

And I am very flattered and glad to see my anthology listed there.

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

I have been remiss about Neal Stephenson. I suppose I'll have to read him now, to track you down.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Yay, congratulations!

[tithenai.livejournal.com]

The sea is important to her. So are the dead. So is being alive.

This is a poem in and of itself.

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[captainecchi.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of Douglas Hofstadter's claim that he speaks pi languages :)

I'm hella impressed by your bio, incidentally. You really are writing stuff only you could write.

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

I share that sense of discomfort with writing bios; it's hard for me not to fall back on one-liners I have seen in other people's author bios. The one you just finished looks really good to me, fwiw.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I didn't know the archery fact. Excellent. And I highly approve of your last three sentences.

And nice to see your book in Forthcoming Publications!

[sovay]

For what it's worth, I like this new bio very much - there's stuff here I never knew about! Good news about Ghost Signs too.

Thank you! I am very proud of the opera. I miss archery a lot of the time, but I would need a very different schedule and transportation options to build it back into my life. (The range I practiced at was in Dedham. I don't think you can get there on public transit, carrying weaponry.) This is the kind of cat I can visit at rushthatspeaks'.

I loathe writing the damned things; I always think they sound boring or smug. Given the choice, I'd rather write a story instead.

You write such good bios, though. I get poems out of them.

[sovay]

Getting writers to write is the hardest part of my job, and that goes double for getting them to write bios (is that a plural?).

It doesn't look like it should be!

(What is your job? I'm not sure I've ever really had an idea. Your journal indicates mostly travel and photography.)

[sovay]

As I've said before, I immensely look forward to buying and reading Ghost Signs. Collected Sonya poetry! More, yes!

Thank you!

And I am very flattered and glad to see my anthology listed there.

You're a good editor! Do more of it!

[sovay]

I have been remiss about Neal Stephenson. I suppose I'll have to read him now, to track you down.

It's three pages in Zodiac: An Eco-Thriller (1988). Elements of my father ended up in a supporting character, so I feel comfortable claiming the supporting character's kid. I never owned a She-Ra mug, but the cran-razz juice is perfectly true.

[sovay]

Yay, congratulations!

Thank you!

[gwynnega]

It is an excellent bio. I am so looking forward to this book!

[sovay]

This is a poem in and of itself.

Thank you.

You could write it.

[sovay]

I'm reminded of Douglas Hofstadter's claim that he speaks pi languages

Hah. I like that.

I'm hella impressed by your bio, incidentally. You really are writing stuff only you could write.

Thank you!

[sovay]

it's hard for me not to fall back on one-liners I have seen in other people's author bios.

Fortunately I couldn't do that for Aqueduct, because their authors write bios like this. Or this. Or this.

The one you just finished looks really good to me, fwiw.

Thank you!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I design and maintain websites. A number of my clients are writers - oh, well, nineweaving and desperance f'example.

[sovay]

I didn't know the archery fact. Excellent.

I started when I was in seventh grade. I won some medals for my age and gender. Mostly it made me very happy.

And I highly approve of your last three sentences.

Thank you!

And nice to see your book in Forthcoming Publications!

That makes me happy, too.

[sovay]

It is an excellent bio. I am so looking forward to this book!

Thank you!

[umadoshi]

The resulting bio is great, though!

[sovay]

The resulting bio is great, though!

Thank you!

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

That bio is excellent! And accurate. That's what makes it so excellent, really.;)

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Excellent bio! I have trouble writing mine as well.

Additionally, Ghost Signs is now listed under Forthcoming Publications.

Hurrah! Congratulations!

[sovay]

Excellent bio!

Thank you!

[sovay]

That bio is excellent! And accurate. That's what makes it so excellent, really.

Heh. Thank you!