Tony Hillerman 1925-2008

Tony Hillerman, author of Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels featuring Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee — died in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday of pulmonary failure. He was 83.

Born May 27, 1925, in Sacred Heart, Okla., population 50, Tony Hillerman was the son of August and Lucy Grove Hillerman. They were farmers who also ran a small store. It was there that young Tony listened spellbound to locals who gathered to tell their stories.

Hillerman wrote many novels including "The Blessing Way" in 1970, "People of Darkness" in 1978, his commercial breakthrough "Skinwalkers," 1987, "A Thief of Time," which made several best seller lists, "Talking God" and "Coyote Waits." In all, he wrote 18 books in the Navajo series, the most recent titled "The Shape Shifter."

Many of his novels explored cultural conflicts and differences in undersstanding. Tony Hillerman said, "I want Americans to stop thinking of Navajos as primitive persons, to understand that they are sophisticated and complicated."

Although he was accused of exploiting the Navajo culture for personal gain, the Navajo Tribal Council honored him in 1987 with its Special Friend of the Dineh Award. He said he took greater pride in that than from the many awards bestowed by his peers, including the Golden Spur Award from Western Writers of America and the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, which elected him its president.

Although best-known for the Navajo series, he also wrote more than 30 other books, including the memoir, "Seldom Disappointed"; and books on the history and natural beauty of the Southwest.

In "The Spell of New Mexico" a collection of essays, Hillerman wrote "Those places that stir me are empty and lonely. They invoke a sense of both space and strangeness, and all have about them a sort of fierce inhospitality."

He also edited or contributed to more than a dozen other books including crime and history anthologies and books on the writing craft.

I had the great pleasure to meet Mr. Hillerman when we were both members of Southwest Writers, and I will always remember him as being very personable and down-to-earth. He will certainly be missed.

On Genres: A Necessary Evil

Here's an always informative and thought-provoking subject from the Fictionautics:

On Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction and Genres

This article focuses on informing readers what falls into what genre (or the best guess) and why.

As a writer, I struggle with how to pitch my work. The boundaries that define many of the genres and subgenres are blurred at best. If I describe my novel as "near future military science fiction romance with paranormal elements," most agents or editors won't read past the first line. Calling it simply speculative romance, slipstream or paranormal romance doesn't begin to give a sense of the elements of the story. I normally fall back on science fiction romance and then try to cover or at least hint at the other elements in the pitch paragraph.

So why even have genres?

Doing away with genres altogether creates a new set of problems. As a reader, I want to be able to filter or search for books that tend to have science fiction romance elements (even though when I execute that search, I often get novels that I'd categorize as pure fantasy). If there are no genres, will I have to sift through thousands of titles and blurbs to find the type of story that interests me?

So we struggle with genres, subgenres and cross-genres as best we can. The author of the article made a point that I agree with. When writing, don't restrict creativity to labels. Just write it and worry about pidgeon-holing it later.

On Collaboration

I recently had a revelation. My brother also writes. This was a huge surprise. I mean, you’d think two siblings would talk about the driving forces in their lives. Not always so, apparently. It took a family tragedy to get us talking.

And as we talked, an even bigger surprise followed—he writes Science Fiction with some decidedly male/female interaction. (Notice that I don’t call it “romance,” because, well you know, he’s a guy and there’s this stigma against guys writing romance.) Makes you wonder if there’s some sort of genetic connection to our writing compulsion, doesn’t it? Or maybe it’s just the way our brains are wired, not just genetically, but since we were shaped by the same environmental factors in our formative years. I dunno. But I do find it, as Spock would say, “Fascinating.”

So after a deluge of emails back and forth, we decided we’re going to try our hand at collaborating on a series of short stories, and possibly a novel that he’s been working on for a number of years.

I thought this might make an intriguing series of posts for Take it to the Stars. I’ll keep you all informed about our progress. I’ll title these articles: The State of the Collaboration. Maybe Terry will even chime in with a post or two. And if we get to the point of publishing or e-publishing something, well, you’ll hear it here first. Deal?

*sticking figurative toe in figurative water*

This could be a blast. Or not.

I Want to Believe

Ah yes, our classic question, once again.

Is it Science Fiction Romance?

I Want to Believe, the latest X-Files motion picture is about to be released. Are you an X-Filite, like I am? What intrigued you the most about the show? The never-ending quest for the truth about extraterrestrial presence on Earth, or the relationship between FBI partners Fox "Spooky" Mulder and Dana Scully? I considered myself a huge fan of the series, but recent reviews dished out a tidbit that I missed somewhere along the way and left me open-mouthed. Mulder and Scully had a child? OMG! How did I miss that plot twist?

I hope to see the movie when its released. Although hints reveal the Mulder and Scully still won't find the truth that's out there, I wonder what new developments might happen between them? So, is the X-Files a Science Fiction Romance? In my book, you bet!

Read more here:
http://www.dailynewstribune.com/movies/x634931841/I-Want-to-Believe-will-leave-X-Files-series-fans-with-same-questions

Welcome to Rejectionville...

or You Gotta Have Faith

To quote Joan Rivers, “Can we talk?”

I’m not supposed to blog that I’m not breaking down doors and setting the world on fire with my queries letters. Ah, well. My Mom taught me never to lie.

Since the most common advice to an aspiring author is “keep trying” I don’t think I’m alone in this experience. But, it does get frustrating. (I know, I’m not supposed to admit that either.) And not just for my own work, but also when I see my peers meet with the same closed doors* when I know first hand how wonderful their work is. I’m beginning to think “market” should be a four-letter word. [*Barbara, of course, has now broke through the debut author barrier, since she’s published one novel and has sold two more.] I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it once more (today, at least): Some of the best novels I’ve ever read have yet to be published.

So I’ve done a lot of chatting, commiserating and war-story exchanging with my peers and I’ve come to a conclusion. What’s the most important factor in turning an unpublished project into a published novel? Faith.

To put things in perspective, here are a few familiar names that made it through the chamber of torture we call the query process.

William Saroyan received about 7000 rejections (a 30-inch stack!) before he sold a short
Ray Bradbury has received around 1000 rejections over his 30 year career
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -- Rejected 150+ times
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach -- Rejected 140 times
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde -- Received 76 rejection letters
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell -- Rejected 38 times
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Hansen and Canfield-- 33 rejections, dropped by agent
Watership Down by Richard Adams -- 26 rejections.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle's – Rejected 26 times
Dune by Frank Herbet – Rejected nearly 20 times
M*A*S*H by Richard Hooker -- Rejected 17 times
Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot -- Rejected 17 times
The Diary Of Anne Frank -- Rejected 16 times
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – Rejected 9 times
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child – rejected repeatedly

Surprised? Look at the comments on some of these:

Tony Hillerman was once told to "get rid of all that Indian stuff."

Someone said of J.G. Ballard: "The author of this book is beyond psychiatric help."

About Sanctuary, William Faulkner was told: "Good God, I can't publish this. We'd both be in jail."

Of Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, someone wrote: “The whole is so dry and airless, so lacking in pace, that whatever drama and excitement the novel might have had is entirely dissipated by what does seem, a great deal of the time, to be extraneous material.”

And how about this classic: “I'm sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just don't know how to use the English language."

You see? We are not alone in the rejection universe! There’s a lot of famous people here with us.

Everyone gets rejected. Yes, rejections hurt, but they aren’t intended to cause injury. Agents and editors have a genuine interest in seeing authors—especially debut authors—succeed in a big way. If you’re ready to give up after a few rejections (and many do) then maybe all you need is some perspective.

Writing is a business. I think the failure rate of most new businesses is probably more than 90%. The ones that make it are the ones that believe in their product. They know what they sell is quality and that it deserves to be on their shelves. Writers are no different. First and foremost, they have to believe in what they’re selling.

Being an agent or a publishing house is a business, too. Most agents are taking a huge chance when they give a writer’s work the nod because they see something shiny and sparkly in the work. They’re taking a chance that their attention, time and effort is going to pay off. They are acting on faith. There’s no guarantee they’ll get any return for all their hard work. Publishing houses are also taking a huge chance, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is. They spend a lot to produce and distribute an author’s book, and they take on a lot of risk. They do this because they believe the book is going to make a profit. In order for an agent and an editor to believe and have faith in your work, you have to believe in it first. Believe it’s the best possible product it can be and that it’s going to turn the world on its ear. If you don’t believe it, who else will?

Receiving a rejection does not mean that your work sucks. The most likely reasons it was rejected have to do with market or not being a good fit for what an agency or publishing house represents. Sometimes it can be about the agent’s or editor’s mood that particular day, or personal taste, or an element in the story that strikes a negative chord with them. None of this has anything to do with your writing ability. None of this means the next person you query isn’t going to fall in love with your work.

You can save yourself some pain by researching who you should query. Sure, you can send out a hundred queries at a time, spray the industry with random bullets, as it were, but what’s the chance of hitting the target when you aren’t even aiming at one? Put another way, if you’re selling beef, you wouldn’t blanket query a bunch of vegetarians, would you?

Query smarter. Select your targets carefully.

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to boldly go out and find that certain genius who’s going to recognize the potential in your manuscript. Let’s hope it doesn’t turn into a five-year mission, but be prepared to do what it takes, as long as it takes. To quote one of my MC’s favorite phrases: “Keep your eye on the prize.”

And meanwhile, remember…you’re in very good company in Rejectionville.

Here’s a few links that might also help inspire you:
http://literaryzone.com/?p=340
http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/Article/31Rejections.html
http://www.debbieohi.com/personal/rejections.html

Another Ramble: Coincidence in Fiction

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is coincidence.

Sound familiar? How about this? "Life imitates art."

The question of coincidence has been a plot point in at least one popular movie. In Basic Instinct, Sharon Stone's character is a wealthy heiress and author. When her parents and a lover die in circumstances very similar to murder scenes from her books, detectives are suspicious. The coincidence might be incriminating evidence.

Coincidence in fiction is a real concern, or there wouldn't be a reason for the above paraphrased blurb.

Coincidence happens.

As writers, the need to pen "fresh, original" material craved by editors and agents, but even when we think our ideas are exciting and new, that may not be the case. I mentioned Dawn's run-in with the Crystal Skull problem in my Cliches and Icons post. Sometimes writers create situations in their minds that have already happened, will happen in the future, or become part of pop culture. Ever heard the adage about putting a monkey in a room with a typewriter and eventually he'll (or she'll) write an entire novel? Yeah, it's kinda like that. If you can dream it up and type it, it's probably something that actually happened somewhere, sometime, or is in someone else's novel.

But coincidence in fiction isn't just about names or a sequence of events. Sometimes things can take an almost prophetic turn.

I wrote an early draft of Draxis many years ago. As fate or bad luck or forces of irony would have it, my main character's name is Katrina and there's a reference to her in an ancient legend as "The Wind of Change." Lo and behold, years later the name Katrina comes up for a developing hurricane in the Atlantic, and this terrible storm proceeds to devastate New Orleans and much of the Gulf coast. People die or endure terrible hardship, and an entire region is left a water-logged wasteland. Suddenly, critiquers who had no problem with my character's name the week before became incensed that I would invoke such terrible memories by using it. I thought a long time on what to do. I resisted changing her name; I felt it suited her character. My decision was to--pardon the inappropriate pun--weather the storm. A friend pointed out that no would would have taken exception to a character named Andrew or Camille, but those had also been devastating class five hurricanes. Time passes and painful memories fade. It was only the timing that made my character's name controversial. I kept her name Katrina. I haven't had a negative comment for over a year. Public sensitivity ebbs and flows.

Names can be a touchy subject. No one quibbles if your character is named Mary, John or Thomas. Come up with something more exotic and chances are someone else did first. I changed the names of two of my characters multiple times before I was satisfied with Ryn, my staunch, manipulative admiral in P2PC, and Timmar, my Jeckyl-and-Hydesque assassin in Draxis. As it turned out, both of my "original" names were character names in novels I later read. So much for originality. Since I'm an avid reader of both authors' work, I worried about this quite a bit. I emailed them to express my concerns (dismay) over the coincidence and wondered if I should (*sigh*) change the character names, yet again. Both had a similar response. [paraphrased] Don't worry about it. This is far from a rare occurrence in fiction.

Yup, coincidence happens.

I haven't changed the names (again) to date, but I may in the future. This will be a good question to ask an editor when the books reach this stage. As writers, we have to think of our work like clay. A WIP is exactly that, a work in progress. It can be reshaped, tweaked, and manipulated at any point in the editing/marketing process. Nothing we write is carved in granite.

Saturday Morning Ramble: Cliches and Icons

My co-bloggers and I have had a few conversations recently about the new Indiana Jones movie, the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You see, in one of Dawn's novels, a major element is a crystal skull. Now she's in a situation. Forge on at the risk of agents or editors deeming it "a cliche' that's been done before" and assuming she copied the idea from popular media, or come up with a new artifact in its place that might not fit the story as well.

Dawn said: The thing about it is, nobody had anything like it. It took a lot of research to pull it off and make you feel like you were in SA when I've never been there. I chose the crystal skulls because they've been found on every continent on the planet and the true mystery is that nobody knows where they really came from. And here's something to chew on, if a silcone chip can store the data it does on a computer, what could an object that size hold?

We try to dream up original, fresh ideas, but how original is original? How fresh is fresh? That can change in a few weeks. Sometimes in a day. Even in minutes. If you've been working on a manuscript for a while, chances are someone is going to come up with something close to your premise, your characters or an important story element, or there's going to be a major news event that echoes it. How quickly can you roll with the punches and transform an overnight cliche' into something else?

Writing requires a lot more than talent with words, plots, dialogue and character development. Like any business it's about knowing the market, the market trends, and the competitions' product (though it rankles me to think of other writers' work in that way). As writers, we have to be in the know. Sometimes we have to make gut-wrenching decisions about our work because of recent events. At other times, we have to weigh the risk. In time, a cliche' may no longer be a cliche' but a rediscovered idea. Something that's fresh once more.

Part II: Coincidences will be posted soon.

Writers At Play

In my internet wanderings, I found this blog of like-minded writers and accepted their invitation to "steal" their "Writers At Play" logo and install it on our blog. See lower right. (I figured since they posted an invite, they wouldn't mind a spontaneous snatch.) Since we are also writers at play, I couldn't resist.

Click on the icon to visit their site, or click in the link list under "Other Blogs/Sites of Interest."

PERFECT TIMING Party!

I found the perfect cake for our little Take it to the Stars Book Launch Party.

What do you think? ;)

OK, pass the champagne and party snacks. It's almost time...

Congratulations, Barbara, on your book debut!

Another Landmark

Take it to the Stars surpassed 2,500 hits today. :)

Thanks for reading us.

MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND Nomination

Lisa Shearin has shared some great news:

This is what I've been waiting to tell everyone!! *HUGE GRIN* Since it's been announced over on Science Fiction Awards Watch http://www.sfawardswatch.com/ I can officially announce it myself:

Magic Lost, Trouble Found is one of five finalists for the Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award for the best debut novel of the year. The award is voted on by members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society and will be awarded at their annual convention (Balticon) on Memorial Day weekend.

Needless to say, I was thrilled and amazed to be included in such great company. Check out the other nominees -- WOW!:

The Blade Itself, Joe Abercombie (Pyr)

The Outback Stars, Sandra McDonald (Tor)

The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss (DAW)

Magic Lost, Trouble Found, Lisa Shearin (Ace)

One Jump Ahead, Mark Van Name (Baen)


Being a huge fan, I'm very excited. (As if you couldn't tell?)

Congratulations, Lisa!!!!!

P.S. Lisa's next book in the series ARMED & MAGICAL premiers on April 29, a day before Barbara's PERFECT TIMING is released on April 30.

*\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* *\o/*

The Countdown Begins!

Everyone here at Take it to the Stars is so excited that one of our own, Flick, aka Barbara Elsborg, will be published with Ellora's Cave on April 30! Congratulations, Barbara!!!

Here's a link to the LadyJaided's Getting Nosy with Newbies interview with Barbara on PERFECT TIMING. Barbara has a rare gift with humor, as you will see!

http://www.ladyjaided.com/authors.html

Here's the link to Ellora's Cave main page:

http://www.ellorascave.com/

Those of us who have had the priviledge of reading Barbara's other novels know this will be the first of many to come. Calling her a "very talented writer" is a huge understatement.

Excuse me, but I must run. Time for Take it to the Stars to plot our internet release party for PERFECT TIMING.

*motions Dawn, Arlene and Flick into a huddle*

Happy Monday.

Oh My....We Missed a Major Landmark!

Take it to the Stars has achieved a major landmark!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

2,000 hits!

tra la la la laaaaa

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For a young blog, I'd say that's quite an accomplishment.

So...I know we've got readers out there. Feel free to chime in on any of our topics. You are most coordially invited. Unlike The View (as per our comparison in the blog description above), we invite, encourage and enjoy audience participation. Even hecklers. Hey, it worked for the Muppets, didn't it? (But beware. Our Co-Blogger From Hell, Bunny, may make her presence known if you get too roudy, and she weilds a wicked pitchfork. :) )

Q & A: Question 1

Since we now have a new co-blogger, I thought I'd kick off a Q and A series about our work. It's always fun to take a step back from the keyboard and do a little self-analysis of what and why we write.

So...first question.

Q: Which of your WIPs (Works in Progress) is your favorite and why?

Introductions, Greetings and Salutations...

...to our newest co-blogger, Arlene. Arlene writes a fascinating Sci-Fi series with a very original premise and an unique voice. We've all become great fans of her work.

Things should get even more lively around our little blog with Arlene's arrival.

Welcome, Arlene. :)

*applause*

Had to Post This

Andrew Olmsted was a soldier in Iraq. He kept a blog. He wrote his final words in the event of his death and asked a friend to post them if that day ever came. It did. On January 4, 2008, Andrew's last words were posted.

This is worth taking a few minutes out of your day to read and consider. The honesty, humility, and humor of his message is profound. May these final thoughts reach millions.

Rest in Peace, Major Andrew Olmsted.

http://andrewolmsted.com/

And You Thought P2PC was Far-Fetched. *smirk*

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23261794/






Guess what's coming? Mind-controlled games. Now you know the spin I put on this in P2PC can't be far behind. *looks at Dawn and Flick and smirks*

Later this year, Emotiv Systems Inc. plans to start selling the EPOC neuroheadset ($299). The headset's sensors detect conscious thoughts and expressions as well as "non-conscious emotions" by reading electrical signals in the brain. The company demonstrated the wireless gadget at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

I'm telling ya....Holotron Mindshare can't be far behind. ;) Ok, so Drea's version is quite a bit more streamlined. Remember, they'll have 1500 years to perfect it.

What I'm Reading Now

HOW TO LOSE AN EXTRETERRESTRIAL IN 10 DAYS


Author: Susan Grant

Genre: [Probably obvious, but] Sci-Fi Rom

Where am I: About three-quarters done.

What I think so far: Likin' it!

ETA on book review: In the next two weeks

Added note: Since we're on the discussion of cover art in another post, this is my idea of a perfect cover for the novel. I would be ecstatic to get one this good. And notice...no faces. Leaves the readers to their imagination, so no conflict with what's on the cover and what they see in their head.

ARMED AND MAGICAL (ARC) Book Review

ARMED AND MAGICAL (ARC)
By Lisa Shearin
Ace Books
Urban Fantasy
Release date April 2008

Pardon me while I take a moment to enthuse. (Is that a word?) This is, without a doubt, one of the best reads I’ve had in a long, long time. There are twists, turns, shocks and surprises—all contained in a fast-paced story. Unpredictable would be an understatement and the witty dialogue, both spoken and internal, is exceptional.

ARMED AND MAGICAL is the much anticipated Raine Benares Adventure sequel to MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND. I read it in a day. I could not stop. It rolled from one engrossing, hooky scene to the next. There is much to discover and some absolute pound-fists-on-the-table-and-kick-heels-in-glee surprises. When Raine isn’t immersed in a situation full of terrific humor, she’s up to her ears in bite-your-nails creepiness.

By page 6, Raine’s got trouble—BIG trouble—and I’m once again pulled right into the crux of the action by the first person POV as villains pop out of the woodwork, a major character is in jeopardy, and an innocent is snatched. We’re off!

Raine Benares is a seeker, a finder of lost things, and a sorceress of moderate powers. Make that a world-wise, quick-witted, been-around-the-block-a-few-times sorceress from a family of rogues and criminals. She’s savvy and unpredictable, and you never know what she might say next. Tell Raine to keep quiet? Not gonna happen. In MLTF, she found something she wasn’t looking for that attached itself to her with the tenacity of a Pit Bull. Mychael Eiliesor, a fellow elf, Conclave Guardian and paladin (read that: top cop) came into her life to help her shake off her disturbing accessory, but his job often puts him at odds with her instincts. Mychael is her self-appointed protector, but Raine resists being protected, and coming from a family of criminals that view Mychael’s sort with suspicion, she has doubts about his true motivations. Tam, nightclub owner, exotic bad boy, and goblin with a dubious past also finds himself entangled in Raine’s business, though an entanglement of a different sort is more what he has in mind. Tam has a damning secret, and when Raine discovers who and what he was—and may still be—she is smart enough to heed his warnings. Or try to.

As with MLTF, there are many who might qualify as “villain material,” but two stand out in their special charming, slithery way. Sarad Nukpana is back in all his evil glory, and Rudra Muralin, a goblin with a dark past (or make that an even darker past than most goblins) presents a new force for Raine to contend with. There is also large and well-drawn contingent of minor characters, including incorrigible kin, loyal Guardians, corrupt officials, seedy minions, and an overbearing, malevolent librarian that reigns over his turf like a dark thundercloud.

It is a rare case where a sequel bests the original in brilliant style. MLTF was a delight. ARMED AND MAGICAL is even better. The lightning pace makes for a quick, engrossing read, but real-life ingredients like politics and legal matters add rich complexity and twists to the story. The element of surprise is always present. You just never know what…or who…might pop up next. Magic is used in imaginative and surprising ways and in at least one scene had me ROFL at the irony when Raine takes on a very convincing disguise and suffers the consequences. Paybacks are hell, huh, Raine?

If you love an imaginative Fantasy romp with a winning blend of laugh-out-loud humor and chilling suspense, this novel is a “Must Read.” Look for it in April 2008.

This is a condensed version of a review I posted on the the Toasted Scimitar Fantasy Pub. http://www.toasted-scimitar.blogspot.com/

Terminator Fans Take Note

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles premiers tonight on FOX for a two-night run. I'll tune in to this one. Hope it's well made and fits the original story line. Different actors, of course. I think the actress who played River on Firefly is in it. Can't think of her name right now. Summer Glau?

Looks great. But we'll see. ::: puts on Show Me hat :::

Here's the link: http://www.fox.com/terminator/