Q&A 7

[truepenny]

To all the people who want to read the false start to The Mirador: I am trying to think of a really really polite way to say, Oh HELL no.

---

Also, a reminder: many auctions at con_or_bust end today, including mine.

---

Q: Did you consciously intend for Mavortian and Bernard to be a kind of warped reflection of Felix and Mildmay?

A: Yes. Or at least, once I figured out that they were half-brothers, I did.

Q: Corambis...as in the jumping spider?

A: Corambis as in the name of Polonius's character in Hamlet Q1.

Q: I know there's no map included in the Doctrine of Labyrinths books, but is there one in existence? Did you ever make one simply for your own reference?

A: There is a map of Mélusine.

Q: Did you ever reach a point while writing the Doctrine of Labyrinths, even in the very early years, where you just felt like giving up?

A: I started writing these books somewhere around 1993, when I was a sophomore in college. I was then and continued until May 2004 (i.e., after I'd sold Mélusine and The Virtu to Ace) to be a full-time student, first getting my B.A. with a double major, then doing UW-Madison's one-year English Lit. M.A. program, then working on my Ph.D. and--for several semesters--also teaching. I started writing and submitting short stories seriously in 2000. And I've always been a writer who has a lot of projects started simultaneously (this is not, btw, necessarily a virtue). So with the first three books (since I had a draft of The Mirador written before I sold Mélusine), if I was frustrated or stuck or just didn't feel like writing, I had plenty of other things to turn my attention to--and no reason I couldn't. Up until October 2003, when Ace said, "Yes, we will give you money for these stories," nobody but me cared whether I finished them or not. So there wasn't any angst about it.

Ironically, there were several moments during the writing of Corambis when I would have been pathetically grateful to be allowed to throw in the towel--or just to leave the fucking thing alone for a month or three--but at that point I had a deadline and a contract and three published books' worth of obligation to finish the story.

---

Q: Does Felix know that Kay is molly/violet? Am I imagining the possibility of possibility between them?

See Q&A 5 for discussion of Felix/Kay romance.

I don't know if Felix knows, at the end of Corambis, that Kay is violet, but it's not going to take him very long to figure it out.

---

I'm going to combine two questions here, and then cut-tag for length:



Q1: What do you think about fanfiction? I can understand why many writers are uncomfortable with the idea of other people messing around with their characters and worlds -and possibly people with awful spelling and worse style-, but I can also see the attraction in, well... let's say filling in gaps. Asking "what if...?". Things like that. So do you feel flattered? Offended? Unsure?

Q2: I've noticed you have some awareness of fan fiction and its manifold offspring, Hamlet slash and a Due South/A Companion to Wolves crossover come to mind. I was wondering what you think of such writing on an academic level.

I'm coming at this from the view point of a cultural/social historian who revels in the recent trend to try and portray the daily lives of ordinary people; in the move away from elite focused history. This has led to a strong focus on popular sources, where value is placed on as few barriers between author and reader as possible.

Fanfiction seems to be such a source. There are few gatekeepers and fewer editors. Profit motive is absent, and there frequently seems to be little desire to modify content to pursue a wide readership. Thus fanfiction, and similarly disseminated pieces of original fiction, seems to be the purest form of popular literature. Instead of being designed to appeal to the masses, it is written by them (more or less).

I believe (and may someday pursue) there is value in performing an academic study of fanfiction, due to its ability to transmit cultural, social or literary ideas without the interfering medium of commerce. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Or should I just stick to history? :P

A: Okay. Let's start at the most immediate and personal level and work outward.

First of all, yes, I am aware of fanfiction. Yes, I have read fanfiction. (No, I did not write fanfiction, nor read it, before writing Mélusine.)

As an author, I accept that fanfiction happens, including fanfiction of my own work. I couldn't stop it if I tried; while it is certainly possible for an author to announce he or she is opposed to fanfiction and would prefer fans not to write it, enforcing that request is beyond the resources of almost all writers, so it's entirely up to the goodwill of the fans and their willingness to respect an author's wishes. While, yes, I think fans should respect an author's wishes on this subject, I personally would rather not waste my fans' goodwill on forbidding something which is, in the grand scheme of things, (a.) an expression of goodwill in and of itself, (b.) pretty much harmless, and (c.) may in fact be beneficial (I am aware of the phenomenon by which people find new fandoms via fanfiction or fanvids). And certainly, I'm not offended by it.

However, comma, if you write fanfiction of my work, please don't tell me about it. For two reasons:

1. There is ugly potential for legal trouble--and, yes, I know you would never be That Guy, but that doesn't change the fact That Guy is out there.

2. On a purely personal, subjective level, fanfiction of my own work makes me uncomfortable, embarrassed, and slightly skeeved. I don't mind you doing it, but I really, truly, with all my heart, do not want to know.

On the more theoretical level--

matociquala describes fanfiction as the folk process in action, and I tend to agree with her. (One of the things I most regret about being a writer rather than a musician is that we don't have a good way of doing covers. Because I adore covers. I think they're one of the most awesome things about music as a living artform.) I also think that storytelling is one of those natural human impulses, and I really like the fact that fanfiction makes it possible for all kinds of people to tell stories. Some of them tell stories really really well and some of them tell stories badly, but that's okay, too. (Also, of course, almost all of these people are female-type people; I have a crackpot theory that whereas men, by hardwiring and social conditioning, tend to want visual pornography, women, by hardwiring and social conditioning, tend to want emotional pornography--which may or may not include sex. Please note that I labeled this a crackpot theory before I shared it.) I don't think it's a good idea to talk about "the masses," simply because that's a cop-out. There are lots of different "masses"; this one tends toward the white, female, heterosexual, and middle-class.

(And I used the verb "tend" too many times in that paragraph. We shall take it out behind the chemical sheds and shoot it.)

I believe there are academics already studying fanfiction (and fanvids). It definitely is a fertile ground for inquiry into popular culture.

---

Q: In the real world, the colder a place is, the shorter the people living there are. However, it is the opposite in the world of Melusine, where Troians are higher than Marathines, and Marathines are higher than Colaxan. Is there any reason for that?

A: 1. Is this true? I certainly don't have the knowledge or training to argue it, but I can think of counter-examples.

2. Troia and Mélusine are pretty much in the same latitude, and Caloxa is much further north (and therefore, because I am a northern hemisphere writer, colder) than either.

However, that makes it look like I actually thought about the issue in those terms, when in fact Troians are taller than Marathines because Troians are pseudo-elves, and Caloxans are slightly shorter on average because of the admixture of Usaran genes, and the Usara are pseudo-dwarves.

---

And we end today's installment with another repeated question:

Q: What was the story behind the client who wanted Coruscant's copy of Artemisia de Charon's Principia Caeli? For that matter, do you even know, or was it just a means to an end in this particular case?

A: Someday I will figure this out and will write the story about Cardenio Richey, Vey Coruscant's copy of the Principia Caeli, and a serial killer stalking the Lower City (c'mon, you all knew Mélusine would have to spawn a Jack the Ripper eventually). So, yes, it does point toward something else, but I don't yet know what the something else is.

---

[Ask your question(s) here.]

Comments

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

To all the people who want to read the false start to The Mirador: I am trying to think of a really really polite way to say, Oh HELL no.

They could always take a trip to Northern Illinois University (http://www.ulib.niu.edu/rarebooks/monette.cfm). *g*

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

I don't think you have it. Neener neener.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

Oh, well. I guess they'll have to settle for reading The Fourth King. *evil grin*

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

That's actually less embarrassing. I was sixteen.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

All those early versions of ATWS, on the other hand...

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

I thought you buried all of your juvenilia in an undisclosed location? ;)

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Things written in 2001 are not juvenilia, sir.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

I apologize. I thought versions ATWS stretched all the way back to your high school days.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

That's Blood and Iron. And there's probably a few pages of that from college in there. But all the stuff from when I was a kid is long lost to history.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

That would explain my stupid brain. I think I mixed that up with images of you as a little girl getting inspired by Thundarr: The Barbarian.

I personally believe that time-traveling archivists will rescue all of those missing manuscripts. *g*

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

God, I hope not.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

I like to think they'd use their resources for better purposes, like rescuing The Ile of Dogges. *g*

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

In fact, I think fanfiction is the cover version. Sometimes a faithful one, sometimes a total departure.

I also think that Lovecraftiana, Sherlockia, Arthuriana, and fairy tale retellings are cover versions.

*g*

The folk process, she is mighty.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Yes!

Certainly, the two fanfic-like objects I've posted, "The Ones Who Walk Away from the West and the Sea (http://truepenny.livejournal.com/492946.html)" and "Absent from Felicity (http://truepenny.livejournal.com/621802.html)", are cover versions.

I like this idea. It is Teh Shiny.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

I agree. Now I wish somebody was doing this essay for rarelylynne's book Chicks Dig Time Lords.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Sure. My PA stuff is braids and braids of cover versions. Shadow Unit is a cover version--cover version of a trope, rather than a specific thing, but still.

The Edda of Burdens is a cover version of Norse mythology.

And so on.

I love cover versions.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Shiniest thing since chrome.
<3

Hmm...

[themadblonde]

I see pastiches as the filk of the literary world. Then again, maybe it's not so different.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I've described fanfiction as a fiction-based version of literary discourse. It even seems to have a similar ration of ideas with merit vs. blather and roughly the same spread of reactions from authors.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh yes *please* write a story about Cardenio :P

And to tie that into the fanfic question...I think extremely interesting characters that get the back seat for plot or convention reasons are a big reason why fanfic exists.

[hlglne.livejournal.com]

this is a mighty entry that takes away the sting of the bad news about Amazon and erotic romance. We hadn't got Dark Roast Press in there yet and already we are getting remaindered. >:(

But yes, you eminences are absolutely right about the might and shine of fanfiction. Thank you.

[maki-to13.livejournal.com]

To all the people who want to read the false start to The Mirador: I am trying to think of a really really polite way to say, Oh HELL no.

Heh. It's not as if we (t3h fans) would hold it against you if it was absolutely putrid.



Oh, Cardenio! I'd love anything written about him--that would be amazing!

[pitselly.livejournal.com]

To all the people who want to read the false start to The Mirador: I am trying to think of a really really polite way to say, Oh HELL no.

I figured that'd be the reply, BUT it was worth asking >>

Someday I will figure this out and will write the story about Cardenio Richey, Vey Coruscant's copy of the Principia Caeli, and a serial killer stalking the Lower City (c'mon, you all knew Mélusine would have to spawn a Jack the Ripper eventually). So, yes, it does point toward something else, but I don't yet know what the something else is.

See, the first time you answered this question, something either about how you phrased the answer, or my mental state when I read the answer, lead me to think Cardenio was the serial killer. Which, in retrospect, makes no sense. Siiiigh.

[214314.livejournal.com]

For human height, this is what led to the question:

"Take climate as an example: northern Asians are on average larger than their Southeast Asian counterparts. According to Bergmann's rule, the reasoning for this phenomenon could be that larger animals adapt to the cold climate by the lowered the surface to volume ratio which reduces the body heat loss per volume, whereas the smaller animals have greater surface to volume ratio which facilitates the heat loss in the hot regions."
http://ttmtan.myplace.nie.edu.sg/BI6101/2007/05/height.htm

But you're right, it's not exclusive.

[oceruleanskies.livejournal.com]

Now here's an odd thing, for me. I used to like fan fiction in other fandoms, in the very early days you had the 'silly specks' from obsessive Anne Rice fans. Now comes the twist...it would make stomach turn in on itself if I would stumble upon fan fiction about DoL...but the notion of it being a continuation of folk songs and folk stories, that's great.

I have this idea, that fan fiction, and every davy sue (hey, mine were like Ziggy Stardust, okay?) is a soap opera, like in dreams, they function as a tool to process whatever happens to the psyche, emotions. No matter how contrived or toe-curling.

[pitselly.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely some badfic functions as a processing of the id. And sometimes even good fic. I think a lot of it has to do with this (http://stultiloquentia.livejournal.com/105871.html?style=mine).

[oceruleanskies.livejournal.com]

That was a good (and funny) post, the link you added. I remember loving my course of introduction to literary science so much because we had a completely democratic and enthousiastic teacher. To read, is to devour. With real food, you leave out the large parts of fat (unless you really want that hamburger) but the written word is a playground. I sometimes am in awe of all that´s out there. From the books and genres and really marvellous post-post modern books (House of Leaves! which I still need to read) out there, to fan fiction, blogsphere, text-message poems being printed in a small cartouches in a newspaper. Nothing´s better than this continuous connection, this ever chain-reaction of inspiration, where everything is food for thought. (I think that by 2020 people much younger we are, are not ONLY a reading generation, but an enormous creative generation as well.) But I digress so easily.

[alex51324.livejournal.com]

Hello! Popping in to engage in a brief but unseemly display of fanpersoning--I love your books, love your blog--which I learned of during racefail '09 but didn't have the time to dive into at the time. Now I've just finished my re-read of Melusine through Mirador, and am trying to decide whether to start Corambis now and give up on the idea of sleeping while it's still dark out, or save it for tomorrow. So, as would be obvious if you knew me, I've plumped for the option that neither lets me start the book nor gets me to sleep anytime soon, and am browsing through your blog, which could clearly keep me occupied until the sun comes up. I'm quite impressed with the books, but have nothing intelligent to say about 'em. I also like your due South meta--I read one (it happened to be the Spy vs. Spy writeup), and have bookmarked the rest for later. I'm using my "Ray Kowalski in a fairy costume" icon, because it seems like it would amuse you. (It's from a fanfic contest, whimsy versus reality. Sadly, nobody actually wrote about Ray as a fairy in stompy boots, but whimsy won anyway.)

[kate_nepveu]

the Usara are pseudo-dwarves

Oh! I knew something was niggling me about them.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

They live under the mountains, they're very short, they work magnificently in metal, they're hostile to outsiders and "greedy" by the standards of people who also want their resources...

I make my own fun. *g*

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I don't believe the height/cold thing could possibly be true. Historically, we see some very short peoples ("pygmy" is not cool, but there's not really a more civilized word) fairly near the Equator, and the big tall Celts and Scandinavians living in cold northern climes.

height & implications

[(Anonymous)]

Height can be a short-hand for general health and nutrition, though the model isn't perfect and is better for populations than individuals. I've read (in the New Yorker a couple of years ago) that the Dutch are now the tallest people in the world (or one of the tallest), and they sure didn't used to be. This has caused problems b/c their older buildings are scaled for shorter people - there is literally a generation gap.

I always figured that Felix's height, besides making him stand out in a crowd (important for character & plot reasons) reflected (a) his Troian father and (b) possibly better nutrition prenatally and as a very young baby (pre Methony's departure from Troia). It does make the idea of his career as a martyr/shadow interesting - generally someone who looms over everyone else isn't automatically read as being "submissive".

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

In a podcast a while back, dduane commented that "She who commits fanfic will live to have fanfic committed upon her."

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Ah, there it is. :-)

http://www.youngwizards.com/wizcast/10_July_2005_Some_Thoughts_On_Fanfic.mp3