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To my friends, acquaintances & family: you do not have to read my books! Truly. My being a writer is not meant to oppress you in any way! Read what you want or don't want. Forget I write books at all! Be free!
Okay, scratch that, family, you do have to! But everyone else is in the clear.
Reading an entire book is a big time commitment. And the older you get the more painfully aware you become that you are not going to be able to read all the books you want to before you die. It's a very long time since I finished a book I wasn't enjoying. If it's not grabbing me within a page or two then we ...
Posted by Justine at 12:40, May 10th, 2012 under Excuses, Frippery, Ranting, Whingeing, Writing life |
Team Human has its first piece of fan art and it hasn't even been published yet! I am beside myself with excitement. Seriously, I screamed when
Sarah Rees Brennan tweeted it.
Unlike many of my YA author friends, my books do not attract a lot of fan art. It would be more accurate to say that they attract almost no fan art at all. Seriously click on the
fan art category for this blog and see how little there is. Now go over to Scott's blog and check out his
Fan Art Fridays. Or check out the paucity on
deviantART. ((Not that I do that and not that I weep salty tears when I don't do that.))
I've put it below the cut because it's spoilery and if you're anything like me you don't want to read anything that might even possibly lead to the vague chance of spoilification. So really don't look at it!
Posted by Justine at 9:10, April 29th, 2012 under Fan art, Fans & readers, Praising, Team Human, Whingeing |
Every time I mention
my RSI people suggest that I use voice recognition software. I do use it. And though I hate it I know that it has transformed gazillions of people's lives. There are people who literally could not write without it. For them VRS is a wonderful transformative thing. Bless, voice recognition software!
I am well aware that what VRS is trying to do is unbelievably complicated. Recognising spoken language and reproducing it as written language is crazy hard. ((Very few humans are one hundred per cent accurate at the task. Even court reporters make occasional mistakes.)) The way we make sense of what someone says is not just about recognising sounds. We humans (and other sentient beings) ...
Posted by Justine at 8:42, February 17th, 2012 under RSI, Ranting, Whingeing, Words & Language, Writing life, Writing process |
This is
my annual post where I sum up what happened in my professional life in that year and look ahead to what's going to happen in 2012. I do this so I can have a handy record that I can get to in seconds. (Hence the "last day of the year" tag.)
This was not a fabulous year for me but it was a whole lot worse for so many other people around the world that whingeing would be tacky. I'll focus on the good:
Finally, finally, finally we were able to announce,
Sarah Rees Brennan and I, that we wrote a book together, Team Human, ...
Posted by Justine at 11:02, December 31st, 2011 under 1930s NYC novel, Food, Garden, Last Day of the Year, Praising, RSI, Team Human, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life, Writing process, Zombies v Unicorns |
Yesterday's post on
my lack of love for voice recognition software seems to have left some with the impression that I'm doing badly. Not so!
There are many people with RSI or other injuries like carpal tunnel much worse affected then I am. There are some who can no longer hold anything, let alone a pen. My RSI doesn't impinge on many activities other than writing. Also I have the resources to get the help I need (physiotherapy etc) to manage my condition. I'm extremely lucky.
I am, in fact, in the best shape of my life. Strengthening my core muscles and shoulder girdle (boxing is excellent for that as one of the commenters yesterday noted) has helped a great ...
Posted by Justine at 7:31, August 13th, 2011 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery, RSI, Whingeing, Writing life |
I hates it.
Before I typed a lot faster. This thing slows me down and drives me crazy.
This software does not learn. Instead it tries to school me. I have had to change the way I speak so it can understand me. Slower, with more precise diction, like I am impersonating a robot. I do not feel like myself when I use it.
I never intended to use it for novel writing only for e-mail and blogging and twitter and the like. But even there this software destroys my natural voice. Who spells e-mail with a hyphen! It does not recognise any of the slang, abbreviations, or made up words that I use and, of course, homonyms are a mighty pain. ...
Posted by Justine at 3:40, August 12th, 2011 under Admin, Ranting, Whingeing, Writing process |
As some of you may have noticed I've not been around much online. Sorry! Thank you so much for all the concerned supportive emails. They are much appreciated. (You made me all teary.)
Here's where things stand with me:
The good news: The
original injury that caused me to cut back on blogging is completely healed. Yay!
The bad news: The RSI in my hands and forearms got worse.
I took four weeks off from the computer entirely. I have reorganised my computer setup. I've been doing a vast amount of physical therapy. I'm improving. Slowly and frustratingly but surely.
However, my time at keyboard
remains limited and my top priority is my novel. All else---blogging, tweeting, emailing---is on hiatus until ...
Posted by Justine at 11:44, June 7th, 2010 under Bloggery, Excuses, RSI, Reading, Sport, Whingeing |
As some of you know I've been dealing with an injury that means I spend way less time at my computer. I thought I'd say a little bit more about what that means as I've had a few people frustrated at my not responding to them.
When I'm at my computer for my scant four hours my top priority is my novel. After that I deal with the most important email (from agent, publishers etc) after that I tackle this blog. So far that's pretty much all I get to. Which means I am not reading anything on Twitter and I have not read any blogs in a donkey's age.
Thus I do not know what you've been saying about ...
Posted by Justine at 17:31, March 12th, 2010 under 1930s NYC novel, Admin, Bloggery, Garden, Reading, Whingeing |
(Or answering email or responding to IM requests or to comments or been on Twitter or read many blogs.)
Like almost every writer I know, I have a number of chronic---though not particularly bad ((I know people who have been crippled by RSIs and now can only write with voice recognition software.))---injuries, that were caused by (or flare up when) I spend a lot of time at my computer.
Sitting at a computer for long hours is not good for your body. Which is why so many writers, receptionists, data processors, computer programmers etc etc ((There are bazillions of jobs that involve long hours sitting in front of a computer.)) have repetitive strain injuries, headaches, chronic back and neck problems, ...
Posted by Justine at 21:15, February 28th, 2010 under Bloggery, Excuses, RSI, Whingeing, Writing life |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Today's guest blogger is debut author, Karen Healey, whose first book is coming out quite soon, I believe. She may mention it in her post below. Possibly. She's a busy woman. She's prolly not paying much attention to things like that. I can tell you that her debut ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, February 17th, 2010 under Guest post, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life |
I know many people are all bah humbug about new year's resolutions but I love them. This year I resolve to find a balance with my time online.
Let me explain: when I first became a published author of an actual novel I kind of went a little bit insane. I tracked down every teeny tiny reference to my book or me. I used every tool then available (and remember this was the long distant past of 2005) to stalk mentions online. At first there were few, very few, and I was convinced no one was ever going to read or review my baby Magic or Madness. Wah! Then there was what seemed a lot, which provided momentary flickers of ...
Posted by Justine at 1:17, January 9th, 2010 under Bloggery, Magic or Madness trilogy, State of the World, Whingeing, Writing life |
I have a rule that I never respond to bad reviews. I have blogged on several occasions about why I think doing so is pointless. However, I can't help noticing a certain tenor in many Paranormal/Fantasy YA reviews lately. Everything seems to be talked about in terms of Stephenie Meyer's Twlight books.
On the one hand it's inevitable given that they are the most popular books, not just in YA, but in the entire world. Meyer's had a huge influence and, yes, there are many Twilight knockoffs out there. But on the other hand, people seem to forget that Meyer's books are very new. Twlight was first published in October 2005. YA fantasy had already existed for decades before Meyer. There ...
Posted by Justine at 19:17, December 2nd, 2009 under Whingeing, Young Adult literature |
Disclaimer: I am writing about YA publishing in the USA. Although I'm Australian I know much more about the publishing industry in the US than I do about Australia. Or anywhere else for that matter.
I know that the title of this post is going to lead to some comments insisting that it's not true that white writers have any advantages and that many white people are just as oppressed as people of colour. I don't want to have that conversation. So I'm going to oppress the white people who make those comments by deleting them. I don't do it with any malice. I do it because I want to have a conversation about white privilege in publishing. We can have ...
Posted by Justine at 13:13, October 1st, 2009 under Publishing business, Ranting, State of the World, Whingeing, Writing life, Writing process |
Lately, I have heard several published white writers express their trepidation about the idea of writing non-white characters. Some of them have mentioned that they feel they'll get in trouble if they continue to write only white characters, but that they also feel they'll get into trouble if they write characters who aren't white cause they'll bugger it up.
Damned if you do, they say, damned if you don't.
To which I can only say, and I mean this nicely, "Please!"
What exactly are you risking? Who exactly is damning you? Which of your previously published novels have attracted no criticisms and no damnation? Cause that's amazing. You wrote a book no one critcised? Awesome. Please teach me that trick!
Every single book I've ...
Posted by Justine at 16:46, September 26th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Ranting, State of the World, Whingeing, Writing life, Writing process |
T'other day I was gasbagging with John Scalzi as I do when the writing isn't going well and IM calls to me. We got to discussing as how we are frequently annoyed by reviews which dismiss a book because the reviewer did not like it but can give no reasons beyond saying that the book sucked. This is something that annoys many writers. We put in all that hard work agonising over every word and someone dismisses the book like this:
This book is bad. It sucked so much. Don't read it.
Or even more frequently,
This book had golden retrievers in it. I really hate dogs. Also the mother washed her son's mouth out with soap and the book ...
Posted by Justine at 13:12, September 15th, 2009 under Frippery, Whingeing, Writing life |
Maybe I'm being unfair, but Dwight Garner's
New York TImes review of LeBron James' & Buzz Bissinger's Shooting Stars gave off the distinct reek of Eau de Condescension (via
Mitali Perkins):
“Shooting Stars,” a new collaboration between LeBron James, probably the greatest basketball player alive, and Buzz Bissinger, the author of “Friday Night Lights,” is a different kind of book. It avoids speaking about James’s professional career with the Cleveland Cavaliers (he was the National Basketball Association’s most valuable player last season) almost entirely. And since James skipped college, well, ixnay on that too.
"Ixnay"? Seriously?
“Shooting Stars” reads like a better-than-average young-adult novel, “Stand by Me” with breakaway dunks and long, arching three-pointers. I suspect it will find its best ...
Posted by Justine at 12:23, September 9th, 2009 under Ranting, Reading, Whingeing, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 12:48, July 10th, 2009 under Whingeing, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 11:43, July 7th, 2009 under Bloggery, Liar, Scott's books, Whingeing |
One of the hardest things for me in the US of A is getting a glass of water (or any other not hot beverage) without ice. The default, even in the very depths of winter, is a glass that's at least half ice, half water.
They even put ice in orange juice! In bubbly water! It's INSANE!
I do not get it. Why so much ice? Why do USians want to have their teeth painfully assaulted with sub-arctic temperature liquids?
Is that truly what they want?
I will never understand it.
Posted by Justine at 13:28, June 28th, 2009 under Frippery, New York City/USA, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 10:41, April 12th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Admin, Liar, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 16:56, February 16th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Whingeing, Writing life, Writing process |
I know many of the readers of this blog also drive and I'm quite sure none of you are evil but perhaps you could help explain to me how some drivers develop a pathological hatred of law-abiding pedestrians once they are behind the wheel of their petrol-guzzlers?
Yesterday I was minding my own business crossing the road legally: I had the pedestrian green light about half way across it started to flash. A very angry taxi driver in an unoccupied cab started trying to push his way past me and the other pedestrians in a most threatening manner. Readers, I confess that I and another pedestrian made a USian hand gesture in his direction at which point he turned red and ...
Posted by Justine at 17:13, December 16th, 2008 under State of the World, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 17:11, December 15th, 2008 under Praising, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, November 13th, 2008 under Ranting, Whingeing, Writing life |
Does it really need to come on at 4AM and not let up until 9AM?
Why does it have to sound like banshees being tortured by trolls? What's with the even LOUDER clanging? That's almost, but not quite, like the bell that tolls for thee? Or me in this case.
Am I ever going to get a good night's sleep again?
Stupid NYC with it's stupid steam heating. I don't ever remember it being this loud before. Is it because I have a book due on Friday?!
I'm so TIRED! Waaaaaahhhhh!!
I wish I had a horrible-noise dampening fairy.
/whinge
Yes, I am aware that steam heating is super energy efficient and good for the planet. So, no, I don't really hate it. But if ...
Posted by Justine at 8:21, November 12th, 2008 under New York City/USA, What's your fairy?, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 15:46, November 9th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery, Excuses, Fans & readers, Liar, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 28th, 2008 under Liar, Whingeing, Writing life, Zombies |
Riddle me this:
Why do I so often think that a dream sequence will solve my plot problems when as a reader I hate dream sequences?
Gah!
Yeah, I just deleted the dream sequence.
Posted by Justine at 12:23, October 26th, 2008 under Liar, Whingeing, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 14:08, October 3rd, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Praising, Viewing, Whingeing |
My
imminent tour---I get on a plane to California in a matter of hours---has left me contemplating the one bad thing about book tours: junk food. Sometimes while going from school visit to book shop appearance there's little time for eating and the options available are limited to substances I would rather not eat. ((How do I know this? From accompanying Scott on his tour and from hearing tales of other people's tours.)) I does not like the junk food.
I have nothing against anyone else consuming it, but me, I does not want to. My lack of junk food love never used to be a problem back home. But here in the US many people are personally insulted by ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 14th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Food, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Whingeing |
I was chatting with my trusted partener in time wasting friend,
Mr Scalzi, in a fairly desultory manner when we made the startling discovery that both of us hates signing books with a Sharpie. And yet that is what we most often are given when we do signings.
What gives?
Sharpies bleed all over the page and their line is way too thick. They're pretty much useless for signing books. Great for graffiting toilets and making posters but for book signing? Hopeless!
Why do we keep being given them to sign with? Anyone know? Care to venture a theory?
Are there writers who actually like signing with Sharpies?
For those wondering we both deal with the problem by bringing our own trusted signing pens. ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 10th, 2008 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Whingeing |
Because I've spent the ENTIRE MORNING on hold with AT&T. And people wonder why I HATE the phone.
Posted by Justine at 11:57, September 5th, 2008 under State of the World, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 18:52, August 8th, 2008 under Liar, Travelling, Whingeing |
Just when you're approaching the end of one book and you really must give that book all your time and all your brain, another one comes along and starts insisting you write it instead.
This is WRONG and must stop. IMMEDIATELY.
Bugger off, stupid new book. GO AWAY!
Posted by Justine at 12:08, July 17th, 2008 under Liar, Ranting, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 12:57, July 16th, 2008 under Bloggery, Liar, Ranting, Whingeing, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 0:03, July 10th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Ranting, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones |
Posted by Justine at 0:06, July 9th, 2008 under Book tour, Liar, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones |
Posted by Justine at 0:04, July 8th, 2008 under Liar, Whingeing, Writing life |
This is going to be a bit mutual linky-linky. (("You're fabulous!" "No, you're fabulous!" While those watching gag.)) Maureen Johnson linked to
my quick little whinge about writing sometimes being hard before going into more detail about the sometime
not fun-ness of it. And now I am linking to her. Quoting her even:
When writing goes well, it feels magical . . . but there is no magic to it. Writing goes well because you have done some work. You have spent MANY MANY MANY HOURS sitting at your desk, written pages and pages and pages of useless crap, read piles of books, done a lot more wrong than you have right, questioned your sanity and talent . . ...
Posted by Justine at 13:24, July 7th, 2008 under Whingeing, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 15:24, July 3rd, 2008 under Liar, Whingeing, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 7:53, June 24th, 2008 under State of the World, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 13:29, June 11th, 2008 under Liar, Whingeing, Writing life |
I know that you mozzies have an ecological niche to fill. I'm sure that if you were wiped out some fabulous bird species would become extinct. I even get that my blood is your food. I'm not thrilled when you bite my hands and feet, my arms, legs, back and belly, none of that is exactly fun, but for the love of Elvis---could you stop biting my ears?
My EARS?!
Is that really too much to ask?
Posted by Justine at 13:23, June 10th, 2008 under Whingeing |
I think the title says it all. Rather than me bore you with a description of same how about you lot cheer me up? Links to amusing sites, comics, whatever. Suggest fun reading, viewing, listening. Share an amusing anecdote. Make me think about something other than my not being in Sydney.
Yours in whingerland,
Justine
Posted by Justine at 11:42, May 23rd, 2008 under Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Several peoples have writ me saying, "See you at
WisCon!" Alas and alack they will not. Scott's niece Renee is graduating and we will be there to cheer her on. Go, Renee!
This is the second year in a row we have not been. I does not like it. WisCon is my favourite con in the whole world filled with all my favourite peoples. I love it so much that for a while there I organised the academic track and then the readings. I feel like I am a WisCon hometown girl. And here I am missing it again. Wah. Bad enough that I haven't been to
my real home in a year.
Hope everyone has fun without me. Even ...
Posted by Justine at 16:12, May 22nd, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:01, May 16th, 2008 under Ranting, Reading, Whingeing, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 5:57, March 21st, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Travelling, Whingeing |
Seriously, I'm not sure I want to watch tellie any more now that
The Wire's gone. What's the point?
Posted by Justine at 1:50, March 15th, 2008 under Viewing, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, January 16th, 2008 under Magic or Madness trilogy, Mangosteens, Whingeing, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
In the vociferous arguing about the ins and outs of who behaved worst over the second test etc etc there are people implying that criticising the Australian cricket team is unAustralian and whingey. ((Though what's more Australian than whingeing?!))
Please! I love my country, I love cricket, but when the men's team behave like dickheads they should be called on it.
People who play sport at a professional level are not exempt from the social contract. No one is. Writers (to pick a random example out of the air) shouldn't behave like dickheads either. Recently I was at an award ceremony where the speeches of the winners were generous and moving. All but one. This one person got up to accept their ...
Posted by Justine at 0:01, January 9th, 2008 under Cricket, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
