Monthly Archives: July 2020

July 23, 2020 · 5:10 am

I feel vaguely guilty about disengaging

So I “took a break” from three people on FB recently. This doesn’t technically unfriend them, it simply blocks me from seeing their posts unless I visit their home page.

One of them, who regularly spews forth right-wing BLM Bad, Trump Good, Democrats Bad talking points had one of those shared posts I see a lot explaining how awesome Trump is. Don’t we realize he gets up before dawn and works until midnight, just for the good of America? Don’t we realize that becoming president cost him $2 billion (actually what he claims is not that he lost money but that he’d have made another $2 billion in private life — which is not true). How can we look at this old man and not respect him as we would our own grandfathers? And you know, if you overlook the fact neither of my grandfathers were narcissistic sociopaths, that’s a valid point.

The second one posted a similar rant, credited online to Steve Harvey (it’s actually an 80-year-old white dude). Followed by a swarm of comments from other readers (Bengazi! Socialism! Emails! Spying on Trump!). The third specifically equated BLM to the KKK, because saying “police should not have a free pass to kill black people without penalty” is just like “black people must accept white domination or die!” I posted responses, politely, on all three, but then I took the break. I feel conflicted, because it feels like I should speak up when people spew this crap. But then again, it’s unlikely I’m going to change their minds, and other people’s right-wing FB posts is not the most effective way to make a difference. And if I respond to every single bit of bullshit, I’d feel like a troll.

Sometimes I’ve wondered if the people who post this nonsense aren’t trolling people like me. But Dahlia Lithwick, in reviewing Mary Trump’s book, suggests it’s the same thing that’s protected Trump his entire life: admitting they’ve sided with a narcissistic sociopath because of party or racism or misogyny or because Trump looked so kickass on The Apprentice is just too hard so they’ll persuade themselves and/or us that that’s totally not the case. They backed a winner!

Meanwhile the winner continues failing in the fight against the Trump Virus. New Zealand’s getting back to normal; we’re nowhere near it and we have many more deaths to come thanks to Trump and his party (unlike some nations, the thought of actually spending enough money to tide people over horrifies Republicans) Even though some of them are seeing the light it’s too late for forgiveness. If Trump is re-elected, his pandemic performance deserves being impeached again.

It’s not about our international standing, which is something I’ve seen articles bring up. Lots of nations that are not power players on the world stage do a good job taking care of their people. But Republicans, from Trump to Moscow Mitch to Gov. Kemp, are failing at that too. It was thinking about the sheer scope of this disaster, all the wasted and ruined lives and the wasted time … I just couldn’t deal with the bullshit, and I hate shouting obscenities. So I left.

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Tagged as covid-19

July 22, 2020 · 5:10 am

Covers for (mostly) classic specfic

An effective, though uncredited cover for a Ray Bradbury classicVictor Kalin does the cover for this short-story collection.Victor Olson does the next one, which I’m guessing is not a classic, and definitely isn’t specfic. Though it is, apparently, harsh and pitiless.Powers does the next cover.And Mitchell Hooks for Matheson’s excellent novel.And I’ll close with a good cover for a non-classic book, a blatant knockoff of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom novels.#SFWApro.

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July 21, 2020 · 5:10 am

I am not the role model for the human experience

So I was reflecting this week that I have no idea what life is like for people who are going out of quarantine and back to work outside their homes. Or eating out. Or going into stores. While I don’t write much fiction set in the present, if I did that would be something I’d have to keep in mind. Maybe for certain types of nonfiction too.

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of lifestyle/dating articles that start from the assumption the writer is the template for all members of their gender. Thus they assure the reader that all men cheat. Or all men see women primarily as disposable, interchangeable bodies. All men tell their friends details about sex. No, they never talk. Wait, they talk but only about hookups, never a serious relationship. As you can see, there’s some disagreement on what all men are like, even among men. Or consider one article I remember by a woman who emphasizes that no, all men are not alike and do not want or do exactly the same things — but then she asserts that all women look to their boyfriends to be a father figure.

I suspect part of this is the assumption (which some of the male-written articles are specific about) that “I’m totally a regular guy!” from which it’s easy to generalize that other men are just like you, raining down from the sky in an endless stream (thereby justifying my inclusion of that great Neal Adams cover). Claiming a universal gender difference also helps separate the men from the women; the “all men cheat” article added that women can’t understand this because “it’s a guy thing.” Yes, that’s right, no women cheat. Oh, wait, they do. And part of it, with topics like that is, I’m sure, an excuse: if everybody does it, if it’s just our Y chromosome asserting itself, you can’t blame me!

But getting back to quarantining … Since TYG started working from home four months ago, things have been pretty much consistent for us. We go out if we need to get meds from the vet or something like that; order lots of stuff on Amazon; rely on chats with our neighbors and Zoom meet-ups to provide social stimulation from people other than ourselves. When I read about stay-in-place orders ending, my main thoughts are about the risk to the people forced back to work. From a personal viewpoint, it has no more significance than a new bypass being built in Atlanta.

The only reason I have a clue what it’s like for people who have to go back to work is FB posts and blog posts by my friends. Without that it would be easy to think everyone’s still staying home (and Durham is, in fact, still under a Stay order). Or forget that some people who are staying home can’t work, and therefore don’t have money coming in.

So if I were writing something in the present that deals with the pandemic I’d have to make an effort to start thinking about what it’s like for the rest of American society rather than just following my own impressions.

Because it’s not all about me.

#SFWApro. All rights to cover remain with current holder.

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July 20, 2020 · 5:10 am

Sometimes it’s paranoia even if they are after you (and other links)

QAnon is oozing into the anti-vax and UFO conspiracy communities. And related stories are circulating online (along with other bullshit such as Michigan’s governor being related to George Soros). More on QAnon here. And QAnon believer and would-be congresswoman DeAnna Loraine says God doesn’t want us wearing masks.

“The lawsuit then claims that Garrison cannot be anti-Semitic because conspiracy theories about Soros and the Rothschilds are real.”

No, NASA has not changed the zodiac.

A university student accused a couple of being known terrorists. It turns out he didn’t exist. It’s also fake news that Steve Harvey didn’t write a pro-Trump rant.

Unmarked, unidentified cops are attacking law-abiding protesters in Portland. And the Trump administration and much of law-enforcement keeps treating antifa as a threat when it’s the far right that kills people. Portland wants the feds out, but DHS says they’ll crack down harder. Which may be legal. But at least moms are fighting back (though they shouldn’t have to).

If you have ADA-valid reasons for not wearing a mask you can ask the store to arrange curbside pickup or to let you wear a loose scarf. It doesn’t give you the right to walk in without a mask.

Rush Limbaugh has spent most of his career switching from Government Is Your Enemy to Government Is Your Savior depending which party was in the White House. In similar vein, he’s gone from the Trump Virus Is Nothing to It Kills Lots of People, Big Deal! Fellow ultra-rightie Tom Fitton isn’t on the same page as he says the pandemic is over but the “Medical Media Establishment” is making it an issue. As are McDonald’s customers.

The religious right loves to pretend the U.S. is based on Christianity. Phony historian David Barton is glad to help.

Even before global warming starts to eat Florida’s coast, the property may be worthless.

“Right wing media would rebel against everything Hillary does to fight the virus. Maybe they hype up the virus and claim that the deaths are her fault. Maybe they claim that the virus is a hoax designed to allow the federal government to take control of our lives.” — a post on what would have happened if Clinton were in charge during the pandemic.

A South Carolina teacher wonders why school history doesn’t teach that slavery was good and the North was wrong.

To end on something upbeat, here’s Sen. Tammy Duckworth responding to Tucker Carlson’s whining that this decorated veteran hates America. And here’s a look at a wave of new Democratic candidates on the left.

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July 19, 2020 · 5:10 am

Nerds and dreams: books read

QUEENS OF GEEK by Jen Wilde is a Y/A romance focusing on three teen Aussie nerds attending a massive U.S. con. Taylor is overweight, Asperger’s and suffering acute social anxiety but desperate to meet the author the Queen Firestone fantasy series (which has a devoted Harry Potter-like fandom); Charlotte is bi, Chinese-Australian, a vlogger and there to promote her breakout film; Jamie is Latino and in love with Taylor, who feels the same but can’t read his feelings and is nervous to express herself. Will they finally get together? Will Taylor meet the author? Will Charlie start a new romance with another female vlogger or will her obnoxious co-star and ex-boyfriend throw a spanner in the works?

As I’m long past 18, it’s pleasantly surprising how enjoyable a lot of this was. Wilde also does a great job conveying what social anxiety is like and capturing the feeling of being totally, utterly in love with a book or series (which makes it surprising that Tay’s description of the books comes off very bland). On the downside, this is really lacking in conflict; several problems I was anticipating never arose, and while the book acknowledges fat-shaming, cyberbullying and crazy fan behavior, almost everyone we actually meet is incredibly nice (Skyler, the Firestone author, reacts to Taylor like she’s just met her new best friend). While I’m happy to have an overweight lead who’s not being fat-shamed, it still feels there needed to be more of a challenge that the girls’ own insecurities.

SANDMAN: The Doll’s House by Neil Gaiman and various artists is a good follow-up to Volume One. We meet Dream’s sister Death, visit a serial killer’s convention, catch up on various runaway dream-entities and learn how the Bronze Age Sandman fits into Gaiman’s mythos (it’s clever, though I blame the story, perhaps unfairly, for rendering Roy Thomas’ character Lyta Trevor useless). Weaving through it all is Rose Walker, a young woman searching for a lost relative, stumbling into danger and ultimately having closer ties to Morpheus than either realizes. A pleasure to reread.

#SFWApro. Art by Dave McKean, all rights remain with current holder.

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July 18, 2020 · 5:10 am

The eighth wonder of the world, plus teenagers; movies and TV viewed

Rewatching KING KONG (1933) for the first time in more than 20 years (a digitally cleaned up DVD print including and the infamous censored scenes), it hit me afresh was an amazing movie it is (TYG was quite impressed too).

Part of what makes it great is that it takes its time; despite being half the length of Jackson’s 21st century remake, it’s very leisurely about setting up its characters and premise, not getting to Skull Island until halfway through. We open with Denham (Robert Armstrong) explaining that before he leaves NYC to start work on his new film he has to find a female lead; his previous films have been “swell” but the distributors and theater owners keep complaining that there’s no love interest. This time he’s going to find one. When Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) passes out in a breadline, Denham buys her dinner and pitches her on signing up (he assures her there’s no casting couch involved). On the voyage to Skull Island, Ann and crewman Jack (Bruce Cabot) fall for each other, which of course amps up the tension when the local savages kidnap her as the bride of — Kong!

I’m guessing you probably know the rest of the story; I do, but it’s still amazing to watch. That the cast shows no sympathy for Kong (in contrast to the two remakes) only makes it stronger — by the end of the film, who isn’t rooting for the big ape to get away somehow. And the ending on top of the Empire State Building remains one of the iconic screen moments, one I recognized years before I saw the film (the 1976 film’s decision to use the World Trade Center was just dumbass). Imitated and remade, but never matched. “We came here to get a moving picture — and we found something worth more than all the movies in the world!”

I loved the 1982-3 TV series SQUARE PEGS so when I found a cheap DVD on sale at the library, I snapped it up. The premise is that Weemawee High School freshmen Patty and Lauren (Sarah Jessica Parker — yes, later of Sex and the City — and Amy Linker) are determined to become popular and get in with the cool kids; the cool kids aren’t having it, so the girls wind up hanging out with New Wave space cadet Johnny Slash (Merritt Butrick) and smart ass would-be funny guy Marshall (John Femia). It’s a simple premise but with a capable cast to act it out, it works well.

The series is very much a 1980s time capsule: The Waitresses provide the theme song, Devo, Father Guido Sarducci and Bill Murray guest-star and there are plenty of references to other pop-culture notes of the era. Along with the New Wave guy we have preppy Muffy Tepperman (Jamie Gertz) and Valley Girl Jennifer (Tracy Nelson). It’s also a product of its time in having no gay characters and a black character — Jennifer’s BFF LaDonna (Claudette Wells) who rarely gets more characterization than Sassy Black Friend. And Weemawee’s use of Native American iconography for sports and such is more eye-raising now than it was at the time.

What I really like about the show on rewatching — other than that it’s still funny — is that the high school dynamic doesn’t follow the usual tropes. A typical TV/movie high school (this is a subjective impression — I haven’t attempted a deep analysis) has the Cool Kids going out of their way to torment the protagonists; even without the torment the protagonists are miserable because they’re outcasts and so life isn’t worth living. Here Muffy, Jennifer and the others (who aren’t a united clique — Jennifer and LaDonna can’t stand Muffy either) mostly just ignore Patty and Lauren; it’s the girls’ determination to crack the clique that gets them in trouble. And with Marshall and Johnny, they have a good social circle, they just don’t see it. Well, mostly Lauren doesn’t see it; Patty often seems on the brink of asking why on Earth they want to hang out with Jennifer anyway. It’s available streaming (as well as a less bare-bones DVD set) so if you get the urge … “You said you’d guard this with your life — and you’re still alive!” #SFWApro. All rights to images remain with current holder.

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July 17, 2020 · 4:30 pm

Sometimes dogs snuggling in bed is not the cutest thing ever

Plushie, for example, has decided the solution for any stress during the night is to cuddle up with me and lick my face. Which is sweet … but not when I’m asleep. Trixie likewise came and snuggled with me one evening this week, but every time I drifted off that was apparently a sign for her to fidget and shift. One of my weaknesses is an inability to get back to sleep if I’m brought to wakefulness for more than a few seconds so this did not end well for me. I spent much of the week sleep-deprived, though I’ve made up for it today. Good thing they’re too cute to stay mad at!

My main accomplishment was doing a lot of Leaf articles. I’m not quire sure how many they’ll have to write in any given week so I did three extra this week, wrapping up today. In theory I can make up the time lost to other projects by doing less Leaf next week. That doesn’t always work because sometimes they have articles I just can’t resist writing. This week for example I had articles on how to join an actors union and how film actors get paid (every week, on Thursday — yes I did say more about it than that!).

I got a couple of chapters proofed on Questionable Minds, though I’m thinking of one possibly big rewrite of the “finished” draft. I’m honestly not sure I need all the villain POV scenes, which were meant to explain his seemingly puzzling crime patterns; it’s possible they’re necessary but it’s also possible nobody cares, or at least not as much as I do. As we get into the later part of the book I’ll see if I can wrap anything essential into some of the other exposition scenes.

I got partway through Chapter Five in Undead Sexist Cliches, which is one of the two chapters on rape cliches. I’d planned to work on Chapter Four but it’s much less tightly organized and in my tired state I couldn’t get anywhere with it.

My daily exercise routine has suffered since TYG and I started taking one dog each for morning walkies (my doctor is very clear that walking doesn’t get my heart pumping fast enough to make it the primary source of exercise). Normally, even in summer, I go out bicycling at least once a week but it’s too damn hot except for the early mornings, and those are for dogs. In theory I could make it up working on our stationary bicycle or doing some other sort of exercise later in the day, but somehow it doesn’t seem to happen. I’m going to have to work to see that it does.

And we have begun putting out a pet carrier and leaving Wisp’s cat food inside it. Hopefully she’ll get used enough to it we’ll be able to trap her and take her in for her annual checkup soon.

#SFWApro. Photos are mine.

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Filed under Story Problems, The Dog Ate My Homework, Time management and goals, Undead Sexist Cliches: The Book, Writing

July 17, 2020 · 5:10 am

These are unusual bookshelves

As I mentioned last week, TYG bought a bunch of new bookshelves, which led to putting one of the old ones upstairs in my office. This weekend I got everything more-or-less sorted out. The new bookshelf upstairs holds stuff I’ve written and writing how-to books—Which has created more space on the wire-frame bookshelf next to it, allowing me to spread out my tchotchkes a little.You have no idea how weird it is to look at them. Seriously. I have lots and lots of books and comics and it’s unusual for me not to crowd stuff into every inch of space. But for the moment, at least, I have more than I need. And my book-buying pace has slowed down to the point it may be a while before that changes.

I like sitting in my recliner and working next to the new set-up, but it really does feel strange.

#SFWApro.

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July 16, 2020 · 5:14 am

Writing, reading and race; some links

While I love Avenue Q, I’ve always winced at the line in one song telling us “Ethnic jokes might be uncouth/But we laugh because they’re based on truth.” because no, they’re not based on truth (black men are not oversexed and Jews are not insanely greedy, to cite the subtext of two that I’ve heard over the years) and the reasons people laugh at them are a lot uglier. Vox looks at the musical and the concept of ironic racism. The Mary Sue vents about what it sees as the similar ironic nastiness of Cards Against Humanity (though I have to say I enjoy playing that too).

” The film also romanticizes slavery as if it was nothing more than a workplace sitcom in which all the slaves were happy baristas at the plantation’s Starbucks.” — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on what to do with Gone With the Wind. It’s a question we’ve been debating for a long time.

Five years ago, Eric Flint wrote a blog post explaining why Hugo awards don’t match popular taste. I thought he made sense but Camestros Felapton makes a good case that Flint doesn’t. Felapton also discusses the appeal of works that subvert expectations and why those stand a better chance of winning awards (and conversely, why novels that give us exactly what we expect are long shots).

Michal Wocjik writes about reading 1984 for the first time.

Michele Berger on writing in a year like 2020.

Various cartoons look at recasting nonwhite roles with nonwhite voice actors.

Black-owned bookstores during a time of anti-racism protests.

A new movement compares advances paid to white authors and to authors of color. The publishing industry does not come out looking good.

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July 15, 2020 · 5:17 am

The Pat Savage syndrome

One of the points Tim Hanley makes in his Batgirl and Beyond is that in the Silver Age Batwoman, Batgirl I (Betty Kane) and Batgirl II (Barbara Gordon whom you’re probably all familiar with) were all shown to be competent, but still constantly sidelined. Reading I Died Yesterday this month has me thinking how I’ve often seen that trope, and it definitely applies to Doc’s cousin Patricia Savage.

When we first meet Pat in Brand of the Werewolf, she’s 18 years old, just lost her father and is determined to figure out the mystery behind his death. She can shoot, fight and track and has the same taste for adventure her cousin does. When she shows up in New York in Fear Cay, she tells Doc that after the previous adventure, life in the Canadian wilderness is just too dull. When the bad guys target a young woman, Pat trades places and lets them kidnap her instead. She admits later it was more excitement than she’d anticipated, but she’s up for the gig. By the following book, Death in Silver, she’s opened Patricia, Incorporated, her New York beauty salon/health spa which charges skyhigh prices (I Died Yesterday says Pat’s ruthless about turning away potential clients, thereby reassuring people she’s exclusive enough to be worth paying through the nose). And whenever she can, cutting herself in on Doc’s adventures.

It’s understandable Doc’s never very enthused about this. He’s in his thirties, Pat’s barely an adult; as he says in The Feathered Octopus, he knows she could hold her own with his team but he doesn’t want his last living relative risking her neck. It doesn’t change the fact that she is sidelined even in the stories she appears in; I Died Yesterday is one of the few that really shows her capable, and even there Doc’s conducting himself like a jerk to discourage her. It’s the kind of trick Ricky Ricardo might play on Lucy, if they’d been PIs. And it’s not unique; while one WW II book mentioned Doc recruiting Pat because his regular resources are stretched so thin, Violent Night has him using US spies to scare her off the case (it doesn’t work). Given he’s supposed to be hunting down Hitler, it’s a remarkable waste of resources. Pat almost never gets to shine, though both Millennium’s and Dynamite’s Doc Savage comics made it a point to give her more action.

Pat’s hardly unique. I’ve seen lots of books and movies where they establish the female lead is competent and capable, but then treat her as just the love interest. Or assume that no matter how competent or professional she is, all she really wants is to land a man; once she does that, forget her career! Or simply assume she’s just not good enough. I read a sequel in the 1970s to Robert E. Howard’s stories of mercenary Dark Agnes and it ends with this tough, capable warrior woman going all weak at the knees — good thing there’s a man around to hold her close and tell her everything’s okay (it makes me appreciate why Sigourney Weaver said she was so glad they never put a scene like that into Aliens). It’s an equivalent of sorts to the hot mess approach to writing women: show that no matter how tough, capable or adventurous she is, she’s not really going to be the hero Because our culture tells us that’s a a man’s job!

#SFWApro. Covers by Carmine Infantino, James Bama and Walter Swenson, all rights remain with current holders.