tag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504kmowoman of letters in training; occasional hot messkmo2013-12-26T02:12:22Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:18281December Meme: Seasons & the Kushielverse2013-12-26T02:08:21Z2013-12-26T02:12:22Zpublic5So, the problem when you start drinking mimosas at 11am on Christmas morning and then continue to drink all day means that you have a hangover by 6pm. You would think I would learn this after several years. Also that i probably shouldn't be mixing champagne cocktails and IPAs. But all of my drinks were lovely and <em>je ne regrette rien</em>. It was especially necessary as my cousin and his wife just announced that they are expecting and while I am genuinely happy for them there is only so much unbridled enthusiasm for heterosexual milestones and obvious disappointment that i have not (nor may I ever) achieve such milestones I can take sober. <br /><br />Ahem. <br /><br />I was a Yuletide dropout this year and I'm really having defaulter's remorse today. Defaulting seemed like the responsible thing to do at the time and I am sure it made this past week a whole lot less stressful. But over the past 2 years, Yuletide has come to be the high point of my holiday season and not giving or receiving a story this year (my writer defaulted, too, and them's the breaks) was disappointing. But I am still having fun making my way through the archive and leaving comments and opening other people's presents. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/18281.html#cutid1">The Wheel of the Year in Terre d'Ange</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=18281" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:17672Joie!2013-12-21T22:31:51Z2013-12-21T22:31:51Zpublic0 Happy midwinter! Just an fyi for those on my flist, the archive for the first ever <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Midwinter_Masque_2013">Kushielexchange Midwinter Masque</a> is now OPEN! Please read, comment, and kudos as thou wilt. We have 7 lovely stories for you to enjoy, which is a small number, but hey we gotta start somewhere. I received a thoughtful and imaginative <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Midwinter_Masque_2013/works/1085477">world-building fic</a> with original characters set in Orchis House. Which as a fun-loving lady is the Night Court House I always most wanted to see! I also wrote one (or more) fics...see if you can guess which! <br /><br />I also wanted to thank <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://silverflight8.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://silverflight8.dreamwidth.org/'><b>silverflight8</b></a></span> for co-modding this challenge. She really took the lead with all of the AO3 business and this challenge could not have happened without her. Everything went off relatively without a hitch and everyone got a story by the deadline. We would definitely consider running it next year (or even a midsummer masque if there is interest) but are considering making it a January-February challenge instead of a December one. Longest Night is perfect, but it's really hard to fit it in with Yuletide and end of the semester biznass. <br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=17672" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:17411December Meme: What I Would Change About the Kushiel Books2013-12-10T03:14:06Z2013-12-10T03:14:06Zpublic4 Today's December meme comes from <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://netgirl-y2k.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://netgirl-y2k.dreamwidth.org/'><b>netgirl_y2k</b></a></span> I feel like most people have heard my opinions on this on one platform or another (in fact I think it was part of the <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://kushielsorting.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif' alt='[livejournal.com profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='16' height='16'/></a><a href='http://kushielsorting.livejournal.com/'><b>kushielsorting</b></a></span> questionnaire) but I will try to add some new insights to make it interesting. In my mind, this almost feels like 2 questions: what I would change to make the books objectively better from a literary standpoint vs what i would change to make them the story of my heart. I'll try to tackle both angles. And disclaimer, I don't claim to be the arbitrator of literary taste by any means...at the end of the day, it's still an opinion. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/17411.html#cutid1">Minor spoilers for all 3 trilogies...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><em>, </em><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=17411" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:16356Shameless Challenge Pimping and an Overdue Book Report2013-11-10T19:10:32Z2013-11-10T19:10:32Zpublic11 I realize it has been forever since I posted something of significance aside from the odd "Dear Author" letter. Forgive me oh readers, first semester as a new faculty member has knocked me rather flat on my ass. It's all new preps for me, one of which is totally outside my field of study. (heh, why <em>did </em>i say i'd teach world civ again...) The latter did allow me the opportunity to basically create a lesson plan that may or may not have been inspired by parts of <em>Naamah's Blessing</em>. My colleagues are lovely, my students are a mixed bag as students often are. I'm busy, but overall it's a <em>good </em>busy. I'd rataher this than the daily existential crisis of it's-4pm-and-I-haven't-written-anything-and-am-still-in-my-pajamas that was my life as a grad student. <br /><br />While I have your attention- signups for the 1st ever Kushiel's Legacy fanworks exchange are ongoing through Sunday December 17th. As of now, fanworks are due Dec 15th and reveals will be on the Longest Night, Dec 21st. We decided to extend the signup deadline because of wonky AO3 tag issues and may extend the due date accordingly. You can find more information at the <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://kushielexchange.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif' alt='[livejournal.com profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='16' height='16'/></a><a href='http://kushielexchange.livejournal.com/'><b>kushielexchange</b></a></span> comm or you can check out the AO3 signup form <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Midwinter_Masque_2013/signups/new">here</a>. If you are on the fence about signing up and are unsure of your other fannish commitments, you will also have the opportunity to sign up to beta or pinch hit as the spirit moves you. <br /><br />I am very overdue on my book reviews. Work has slowed me down, but I have been reading. <br /><br /><em>Indigo Springs, A.M Dellmonica<br />The Sparrow, Maria Doria Russell<br />Point of Honour, Madeleine Robbins<br />Changeless, Gail Carriger<br />Grave Mercy, R.L Lefevers<br />Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs<br /></em><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/16356.html#cutid1">Overdue book report, -5 points for tardiness</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=16356" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:15820Dear Femslashex Author,2013-09-27T18:28:17Z2013-09-27T18:28:17Zpublic3<p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">First of all, let me thank you for agreeing to participate in this challenge and write a story for me! I watched the challenge by the sidelines for several years before finally taking the plunge last year- and I'm so glad I did! Please take all my optional suggestions and fannish blatherings as just that...suggestions. If there's a story idea you have for these characters that you like better, go for it! I’m comfortable with any rating. And I really enjoy everything across the whole femslash spectrum- from UST and one-sided unrequited longing to fic about established relationships and smutty sexytimes. Follow your muse and I know you'll write a great story! If you'd like to see the type of stories I write and like, please feel free to check out my work on <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/kmo/profile" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">AO3</a> or at fanfiction.net where I write as <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2535865/green_lion" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">green lion</a>. Very little of my journal is flocked, so feel free to explore my entries here as well.</p><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/15820.html#cutid1">General Likes and Dislikes</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/15820.html#cutid2">Femslashy Optional Details</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=15820" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:12926Dissertation Defended! Plus Rarewomen Recs2013-05-15T04:22:13Z2013-05-15T04:22:13Zpublic7Trust me, I'm a Doctor. Sorta. I have some minor revisions, so it's not completely over, but basically they let me into the guild. Yay! When people ask me what it feels like, I keep telling them it's really surreal. When you devote six years of your life to something, it's very strange to have it come to a climax in one afternoon. But gradually it's sinking in. And since I do have a job waiting for me, I can honestly say that I feel ready to be a professor and no longer kept in the perpetual adolescence that is grad school. Thanks so much to all of the folks who left nice comments and cheered me on through the final lap! <br /><br />Oh and so in the middle of it all, I received a lovely Rarewomen gift from <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/ivy/profile'><img src='https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico' alt='[archiveofourown.org profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='16' height='16'/></a><a href='https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/ivy/'><b>ivy</b></a></span> She wrote me the Sidonie/Amarante fic I have always longed for. Both women are so beautifully rendered. The Kushielverse has such rich female characters and it was wonderful to see these two finally get some well-deserved attention. <br /><br /><a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/778140"><strong>Trust</strong></a> (1809 words) by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/ivy"><strong>ivy</strong></a><br />Chapters: 1/1<br />Fandom: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Kushiel's%20Legacy%20-%20Jacqueline%20Carey">Kushiel's Legacy - Jacqueline Carey</a><br />Relationships: Amarante de Namarre/Sidonie de la Courcel, Bérèngere de Namarre & Phèdre nó Delaunay<br />Characters: Amarante (Kushiel's Legacy), Sidonie de la Courcel, Ysandre de la Courcel, Phedre no Delaunay, Bérèngere de Namarre, Alais de la Courcel<br />Summary: Neither trust nor friendship come easily, especially when they are thrust upon you.<br /><br />In return, I wrote <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/781493">Armistice Day</a>, an Edith-centric <em>Downton Abbey</em> fic set post-season 3. It focuses on Edith's career as a novelist and a reconciliation between her and Mary. Harkening back to discussions on "id-fic" with <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://likeadeuce.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://likeadeuce.dreamwidth.org/'><b>likeadeuce</b></a></span> I can honestly say that Mary and Edith reconciling and Edith having a career of her own are definitely rooted in my deepest desires for both characters. If i were Julian Fellowes, this is what I would do in season 4. Oh and I gave Edith Dorothy Sayers' life. If only I could have worked in Gwen taking a job as Edith's personal secretary....<br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/12926.html#cutid1">Recs for Kushiel's Legacy, Hunger Games, Political Animals</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=12926" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:11105My Review of Dark Currents2013-03-06T18:46:14Z2013-03-06T18:46:14Zpublic0 <br />So, although Jacqueline Carey's newest book, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Currents-Agent-Jacqueline-Carey/dp/0451464788/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1362592589&sr=8-4&keywords=dark+currents">Dark Currents</a></em>, the first in her Agent of Hel trilogy, came out in October, I only just got around to reading it. Partially, I was afraid that my expectations were just too high and that I would end up disappointed, as I was with much of the <em>Naamah</em> series and <em>Saints Astray</em>. And I'll be honest, I was dubious because paranormal romance/urban fantasy is not a genre I've ever really been into. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and found <em>Dark Currents </em>very enjoyable. Daisy, the "reluctant hell-spawn," makes a fine heroine. She's half- All American girl, half-demon, and this gives her a grittiness and a sort of down-to-earthness that makes a nice change of pace from Carey's other protagonists (who I LOVE but, it's great to see an author that's got range) At the same time, Daisy has a lot in common with her predecessors. Like Loup and Phedre, she has strange genetic predisposition that she hasn't quite mastered. Like Imriel, she has a bloodline people fear. And like Moirin, she's the child of a single mom. Carey is fond of certain tropes- you could say she recycles them. But they just happen to be tropes I like, so I do kind get a kick out seeing how she mixes and matches them in her work. <br /><br />The first book is essentially a paranormal police procedural. It's quite a contrast to the travelogue type books Carey usually writes, as the action takes place within the boundaries of Daisy's hometown. But again, I enjoyed the mixing of the fantasy and the mundane. And as a police-procedural type mystery, the plot moves steadily and it's entertaining. A lot world-building happens in this first book, so it can at times feel a bit like "these are the people in my really strange neighborhood." I expect we're being set-up for a more in-depth showdown over Daisy and her demonic birthright and the supernatural and mundane residents of Pemkowet in the next two books. I don't know why but the tone and the pacing and the presentation of many love interests for Daisy reminded me a lot of the Stephanie Plum books than any fantasy series that i'd read. Go fig. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/11105.html#cutid1">Likes</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/11105.html#cutid2">Critiques</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />In short, if you like urban fantasy/paranormal romance along the lines of <em>True Blood</em> and <em>Lost Girl</em> or quirky female police procedurals like <em>Stephanie Plum</em>, I'd recommend this series to you. Kushiel fans- what can I say? If the Kushiel series is a long, elaborate feast of many exotic courses, Dark Currents is like a hamburger and a microbrew at your favorite pub. Which is not a knock against it- because who doesn't enjoy a good burger and beer? Preferably in this case a delicious <a href="http://bellsbeer.com">Bell's Oberon or Two-Hearted</a> for Michigan pride. <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=11105" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:8648Fandom Snowflake Days 6-82013-01-10T22:45:40Z2013-01-11T02:25:47Zpublic13<br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8648.html#cutid1">Day 6- Comms & Challenges</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><span style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247);"><font color="#111111" face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><strong><br /><br /></strong></span></font></span><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8648.html#cutid2">Day 7- About Me, Non-Fannish Edition</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8648.html#cutid3">Day 8- Fannish Resolutions for 2013</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><span style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247);"><font color="#111111" face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></font></span><span style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247);"><font color="#111111" face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br type="_moz" /></span></font><br type="_moz" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" /></span><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=8648" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:8211Fandom Snowflake Days 2-52013-01-09T06:28:18Z2013-01-09T06:30:50Zpublic7Just got back from my conference late last night and I'm playing catch up on the Fandom Snowflake Challenge! Luckily the Snowflake people are as chill as their name suggests and aren't too particular about late entries. So, allons-y!<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8211.html#cutid1">Day 2: Fic recs in Carmen Sandiego, Kushiel's Legacy, Doctor Who</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><strong>Day #3- Friend some new people.</strong> Done and done! Hi new people! Between this and yuletide, I'm still reaching out to try and friend new folks. I always welcome new followers, especially if you drop me a note just to say where you're here from. <br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8211.html#cutid2">Day 4: Wish list!</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br><br><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/8211.html#cutid3">Day 5: Something New in New Orleans!</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=8211" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2012-11-30:1837504:7689December Booklog2012-12-31T18:47:49Z2012-12-31T18:49:42Zthoughtfulpublic0 <br />I received some excellent books as Christmas gifts. I usually ask for things I've been wanting to read but don't quite desire enough to buy myself and are too popular still to be checked out of the library. So, this year I received <em>The Night Circus</em>, <em>The Magician King</em>, and <em>A Discovery of Witches</em>. I'm particularly excited about the latter, since I have heard it is basically Lady Historian porn and my adviser is BFFs with the woman who wrote it. Who is actually in real life a big name Lady Historian of Early Modern Europe and coincidentally, a lesbian. We'll see if that makes the het romance in the book more or less believable. <br /><br />In other news, I gave my BFF of 26 years <em>Kushiel's Dart</em> for Christmas. A few months ago, she asked me "Have you read<em> Fifty Shades of Gray</em>?" Should I read it?" And I was like "HELL to the NO." Friends don't let friends read bad porn, amirite? I told her that if she wanted to read a book about S&M, she could do better. And I meant to send it to her ages ago, but forgot. I have a feeling she'll enjoy it- she's gotten into ASOIAF (though more so, the tv series) so she's no stranger to fantasy epics. Prediction: she will love Phedre/Joscelin and the religious aspects because of our messed up strict Catholic upbringing. She will approach Phedre/Melisande with the same disapproval and lack of comprehension she displayed every time I pursued an inappropriate relationship with a mercurial older woman. (i have a TYPE, ok? and her name is Queen Bitch) I seem to remember she went through an angel phase during high school. If she can make it through the first 300 pages of ornate prose and intrigue, I think I might have a convert.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://kmo.dreamwidth.org/7689.html#cutid1">The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, The Dark Wife, Doctrine of Labyrinths</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=kmo&ditemid=7689" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments