Gavin Grant has a new short story up at Strange Horizons that is truly wonderful, "We Are Never Where We Are". (link via Gwenda) There is such a richness to this story, such wonderful lush writing to the language and the descriptions. It reads like chocolate, if that makes any sense - like something you taste that intoxicates you as it is eaten. I love it when words reach that level of sensory overload, it's why I keep reading so much.
I have been writing writing writing on the YA novel. I don't write a lot about writing because it seems a bit too lazy to write about a story (or book) instead of just writing it. Sort of like the person who always says they have a great idea for a novel, but never writes the novel. So much easier to discuss the process then actually do the thing. But anyway, much writing. I'm fascinated by how this story has changed so much in the writing of it - not the basic elements (and it is still on track to end as I imagined it), but parts I did not think at first would be significant have surged to the forefront and become essential in ways I did not intend. It's such an interesting thing to write, to see how your very own words can surprise you. Who would think that could happen?
Firebirds Rising is proving to be one of the better anthologies I have read in ages. There are so many excellent story within it. Last night I fell in love with "The Seven Librarians" which is really a romance for everyone bookish. How not to love the idea of living in a library - of staying there 24 hours a day and just learning?! Of course you would be too removed from the world, from interacting with others, from helping to fix things and change things. But it is charming fantasy, and in this case, a very well written one as well.
There has been the suggestion from my agent that I write again about Alaska and I'm a bit shocked at the thought. I planned to only write this one book - this book that demanded to be written - and then lose myself in other worlds or other times. In many ways Alaska was place of self destruction and bad habits (although many good things happened there as well). I just don't know that I want to immerse myself in that time again, or all the personal angst that went with it. But then again, it is the time that changed my life, not just because of what happened in Alaska, but losing my father during that time as well.
Do I really want to go there and be honest about how it was?
Decisions, decisions. First, completely, the YA novel because it burns the brightest. And then maybe back to the cold for awhile, just a little while. Maybe I'll be better at handling it all this time.
