Comments on: Question of the Week: Fantasy and Science Fiction http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/ where writers come to play Fri, 16 May 2008 02:37:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: litpark » LitPark will re-open in September http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-54186 litpark » LitPark will re-open in September Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:12:00 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-54186 [...] Controversy * Hair * 80s * Luck * Collaboration * The Pitch * Vacation * Balancing Art and Family * Fantasy and Science Fiction * The Book Tour * Snippets * Telling Mom * Setting * High School Secrets * Your Hidden Side * [...] […] Controversy * Hair * 80s * Luck * Collaboration * The Pitch * Vacation * Balancing Art and Family * Fantasy and Science Fiction * The Book Tour * Snippets * Telling Mom * Setting * High School Secrets * Your Hidden Side * […]

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1699 Susan Henderson Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:09:58 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1699 Hey everyone, I've been reading along in the comments section, and everyone here will be in the Weekly Wrap. I'm finally back on track with my novel after my emotional meltdown, and then Green Hand's post concussion headaches (he's excused from gym for TWO months). Thanks to all of you who sent me nutty things to cheer me up, including the loaded pistol, the photo of my goalie and Lemmy giving me the finger, and some great shoulders to cry on. Friday I'll also post the fabulous Publishing Spot interview series Jason Boog did with me. Okay, sorry for the rambling. Carry on. xo Hey everyone, I’ve been reading along in the comments section, and everyone here will be in the Weekly Wrap. I’m finally back on track with my novel after my emotional meltdown, and then Green Hand’s post concussion headaches (he’s excused from gym for TWO months). Thanks to all of you who sent me nutty things to cheer me up, including the loaded pistol, the photo of my goalie and Lemmy giving me the finger, and some great shoulders to cry on.

Friday I’ll also post the fabulous Publishing Spot interview series Jason Boog did with me.

Okay, sorry for the rambling. Carry on. xo

]]> By: Kasper http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1691 Kasper Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:12:52 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1691 Aurelio's comments on the strategies and treacheries of Hollywood are keen here. He ought to know. I have enjoyed the privilege of holding some sheets of his animated character designs in my hands and asking questions about how he got these little genius scribbles past the H-Wood hardheads. All the comments are neat here-- about a genre in which I have always flourished and swum about since I was thirteen. Maybe part of enjoying sf and the humor attendant therein requires remaining 13 in your head? ( or maybe remaining 7?). Thanks writers, and Susan, the meta-impresario and cosmic fondness we all thank. Kasper Aurelio’s comments on the strategies and treacheries of Hollywood are keen here. He ought to know. I have enjoyed the privilege of holding some sheets of his animated character designs in my hands and asking questions about how he got these little genius scribbles past the H-Wood hardheads.

All the comments are neat here– about a genre in which I have always flourished and swum about since I was thirteen.

Maybe part of enjoying sf and the humor attendant therein requires remaining 13 in your head? ( or maybe remaining 7?).

Thanks writers, and Susan, the meta-impresario and cosmic fondness we all thank.

Kasper

]]> By: Julie Ann Shapiro http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1681 Julie Ann Shapiro Wed, 06 Dec 2006 03:52:23 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1681 Susan, I'm you're less sad than when you first posted. What is the crying week? I've been on again off again tears. I know I should be happy that my novel, One Shoe Diaries is going to be serialized in 07 and I am. It's just I always dreamed it would be in print. This month my second novel, Three Drop Pennies has been rejected twice. But alas I can't be sad. I have my third novel to finish and the fun of the journey. One of my favorite sci-fi writers is Ray Bradbury. I've read his short collections over and over and still think fondly about some of the stories that touched me five, maybe ten years ago. As a kid I loved the Narnian Chronicles and a Wrinkle In Time. I don't read much science fiction now, but I do love Magic Realism and stories with ghosts where the paranormal is on the fringes, not in a horror sense but in the shadows of normal living. Some of my favorites are House of Sprits, 100 Years of Solitude and Kafka on the Shore. Julie Susan,
I’m you’re less sad than when you first posted. What is the crying week? I’ve been on again off again tears. I know I should be happy that my novel, One Shoe Diaries is going to be serialized in 07 and I am. It’s just I always dreamed it would be in print. This month my second novel, Three Drop Pennies has been rejected twice. But alas I can’t be sad. I have my third novel to finish and the fun of the journey.

One of my favorite sci-fi writers is Ray Bradbury. I’ve read his short collections over and over and still think fondly about some of the stories that touched me five, maybe ten years ago. As a kid I loved the Narnian Chronicles and a Wrinkle In Time.

I don’t read much science fiction now, but I do love Magic Realism and stories with ghosts where the paranormal is on the fringes, not in a horror sense but in the shadows of normal living. Some of my favorites are House of Sprits, 100 Years of Solitude and Kafka on the Shore.

Julie

]]> By: girlgrey http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1679 girlgrey Wed, 06 Dec 2006 03:10:23 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1679 it had to have been the moon. my eyes are <i>still<i> puffy. as for scifi, bradbury is my favorite and a god (he even writes poetry!), though a friend recently introduced me to robert anton wilson. i'll always consider madeliene l'engle a seminal influence in my life, as well, though maybe not everyone considers her to be scifi enough. i guess maybe i like old school scifi, and haven't tried any new for lack of good directions and a sour taste from dabbling in shortstory collections of my middle school's library. it had to have been the moon. my eyes are still puffy.

as for scifi, bradbury is my favorite and a god (he even writes poetry!), though a friend recently introduced me to robert anton wilson. i’ll always consider madeliene l’engle a seminal influence in my life, as well, though maybe not everyone considers her to be scifi enough. i guess maybe i like old school scifi, and haven’t tried any new for lack of good directions and a sour taste from dabbling in shortstory collections of my middle school’s library.

]]> By: Noria http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1673 Noria Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:21:53 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1673 Some favorites in the speculative/fantastic genre: Angela Carter, PK Dick, Philip Pullman, Kelly Link, Karen Joy Fowler. It's funny -- before I actually became a writer (does one become a writer, or are we born that way?) I assumed that I'd write speculative stuff -- that was what I liked to read, and I was brought up on fairy tales and myths. Turns out I'm more of a realist. Go figure. But lately that's changing, and the world in my fiction is becoming much more plastic and pliable. Some favorites in the speculative/fantastic genre: Angela Carter, PK Dick, Philip Pullman, Kelly Link, Karen Joy Fowler.

It’s funny — before I actually became a writer (does one become a writer, or are we born that way?) I assumed that I’d write speculative stuff — that was what I liked to read, and I was brought up on fairy tales and myths. Turns out I’m more of a realist. Go figure. But lately that’s changing, and the world in my fiction is becoming much more plastic and pliable.

]]> By: teresa http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1672 teresa Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:19:49 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1672 It's not answering your topic, but for me in my used bookstore,the best selling genre in the joint is sci-fi/fantasy. The readers are loyal and they buy in bulk. The covers on the books are striking looking and people tell us they like the way they look on their bookshelves. People also tell us they enjoy the various series, because they don't want to let go of the characters or the worlds they inhabit. And the readers will frequently cross over into reading books about myths and legends as well. And when they resell the books back to us, it's never just one or two titles, it is usually several boxfulls for some reason. In honour of our readers we painted silver spaceships and planets on the floor in Sci-fi!! And a cut out of Captain Kirk welcomes all and sundry!--teresa It’s not answering your topic, but for me in my used bookstore,the best selling genre in the joint is sci-fi/fantasy. The readers are loyal and they buy in bulk. The covers on the books are striking looking and people tell us they like the way they look on their bookshelves. People also tell us they enjoy the various series, because they don’t want to let go of the characters or the worlds they inhabit. And the readers will frequently cross over into reading books about myths and legends as well. And when they resell the books back to us, it’s never just one or two titles, it is usually several boxfulls for some reason. In honour of our readers we painted silver spaceships and planets on the floor in Sci-fi!! And a cut out of Captain Kirk welcomes all and sundry!–teresa

]]> By: Aurelio http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1668 Aurelio Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:44:46 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1668 Hey Susan, I was thinking that if Green-Hand was eating pomegranites, then he must now have red and green hands - just in time for the holidays! Clever little fellow. Hey Susan, I was thinking that if Green-Hand was eating pomegranites, then he must now have red and green hands - just in time for the holidays!

Clever little fellow.

]]> By: Simon Haynes http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1663 Simon Haynes Tue, 05 Dec 2006 08:54:54 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1663 Sorry to hear you had a rotten day, and I hope things get better quickly. As to the question: spaceships, swords 'n' sorcery, magic ... it's easy to define the core of SF & Fantasy, but when you move to the edges things start to get slippery. Because the SF/Fantasy genre is seen as juvenile rubbish in many quarters you even get mainstream authors loudly proclaiming to anyone who'll listen that their borderline SF novel is in NO WAY science fiction. There's enough prejudice that Ansible still has a regular segment called 'As others see us' in their monthly newsletter, wherein they quote people saying the most breathtakingly arrogant things about the genre and those unfortunate enough to be writing in it. The Ansible newsletter has been running since 1979. By the way, SF/Humour is my genre so I'll certainly be looking out for the round table. Sorry to hear you had a rotten day, and I hope things get better quickly.

As to the question: spaceships, swords ‘n’ sorcery, magic … it’s easy to define the core of SF & Fantasy, but when you move to the edges things start to get slippery. Because the SF/Fantasy genre is seen as juvenile rubbish in many quarters you even get mainstream authors loudly proclaiming to anyone who’ll listen that their borderline SF novel is in NO WAY science fiction. There’s enough prejudice that Ansible still has a regular segment called ‘As others see us’ in their monthly newsletter, wherein they quote people saying the most breathtakingly arrogant things about the genre and those unfortunate enough to be writing in it. The Ansible newsletter has been running since 1979.

By the way, SF/Humour is my genre so I’ll certainly be looking out for the round table.

]]> By: *Joe* http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1661 *Joe* Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:48:35 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/12/04/question-of-the-week-fantasy-and-science-fiction/#comment-1661 Shouldn't that picture be captioned "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" as opposed to framed? OK, I won't spoil your surprise if I've guessed right. Watch, I'll have egg on my face when you walk in on Wednesday towing Steven Spielberg at the end of a rope. I get a kick seeing how people feel a need to justify or excuse reading Science Fiction or Fantasy. It's like watching a contortionist stuff himself assbackwards into a plexi-glass box. Very entertaining. It must be painful. Defining Science Fiction is a tough one. Labels, labels, labels. I guess it helps you authors sell your stuff. Me, I've never liked the term "Speculative Fiction" (it was actually Heinlein who coined it). It just comes across all hoity-toity like calling a store a "shoppe". Speculative fiction as opposed to what, Proven Fiction? I read Science Fiction: Classic Science Fiction, Pulp SF, Alternate History, Time Travel, Social Fiction, Alien Invasion, Space Operas, Dystopian Fiction, Cyber Punk, Biopunk, Steam Punk, New Wave, Retro SF.... and so on. I don't know of a definition that would encompass all of that. It's like pornography, I know it when I see it. Woo hoo! I'd just say that good SF or F is true to it's own internal logic - regardless of how far from familiar territory it takes you. My non-exhaustive list of authors might include - In Sci-Fi: Frank Herbert, Dan Simmons, David Brin, Vernor Vinge, John Varley, James Tiptree, Jr., Joe Haldeman, Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, HG Wells, Anthony Burgess, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K Dick, Samuel R. Delany, Arthur C. Clarke, Alfred Bester, Walter M Miller, Jack Vance & Ray Bradbury. In Fantasy: JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Ursula K. LeGuin (she fits in to both SF & F) Guy Gavriel Kay, T. H. White, China Mieville, George RR Martin, Stephen R. Donaldson, Tad Williams, Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, Roger Zelazny and of course William Shakespeare though he did cross over into other genres. Shouldn’t that picture be captioned “Who Censored Roger Rabbit?” as opposed to framed? OK, I won’t spoil your surprise if I’ve guessed right. Watch, I’ll have egg on my face when you walk in on Wednesday towing Steven Spielberg at the end of a rope.

I get a kick seeing how people feel a need to justify or excuse reading Science Fiction or Fantasy. It’s like watching a contortionist stuff himself assbackwards into a plexi-glass box. Very entertaining. It must be painful.

Defining Science Fiction is a tough one. Labels, labels, labels. I guess it helps you authors sell your stuff. Me, I’ve never liked the term “Speculative Fiction” (it was actually Heinlein who coined it). It just comes across all hoity-toity like calling a store a “shoppe”. Speculative fiction as opposed to what, Proven Fiction? I read Science Fiction: Classic Science Fiction, Pulp SF, Alternate History, Time Travel, Social Fiction, Alien Invasion, Space Operas, Dystopian Fiction, Cyber Punk, Biopunk, Steam Punk, New Wave, Retro SF…. and so on. I don’t know of a definition that would encompass all of that. It’s like pornography, I know it when I see it. Woo hoo! I’d just say that good SF or F is true to it’s own internal logic - regardless of how far from familiar territory it takes you.

My non-exhaustive list of authors might include - In Sci-Fi: Frank Herbert, Dan Simmons, David Brin, Vernor Vinge, John Varley, James Tiptree, Jr., Joe Haldeman, Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, HG Wells, Anthony Burgess, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K Dick, Samuel R. Delany, Arthur C. Clarke, Alfred Bester, Walter M Miller, Jack Vance & Ray Bradbury.

In Fantasy: JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Ursula K. LeGuin (she fits in to both SF & F) Guy Gavriel Kay, T. H. White, China Mieville, George RR Martin, Stephen R. Donaldson, Tad Williams, Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, Roger Zelazny and of course William Shakespeare though he did cross over into other genres.

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