How a Vicious Review Opened My Eyes

This is one of my favorite photos from the RT Booklovers Convention in Las Vegas last week. Darynda Jones and I were on a panel and I think we were laughing here about people dissing fantasy heroines as unrealistic while loving Conan.

Hard to say, but it makes me smile every time.

Speaking of problematic labels... It's come to our attention here at the Bordello that our moniker, while entertaining in a snarky way, has become a problem. Apparently most firewalls object to the use of "whores" in the URL and, well, everywhere else on this blog. So, while we shall remain forever Word Whores in our hearts (and elsewhere), we've decided to rebrand.

And we're looking for suggestions for a new blog name! Put your ideas in the comments and we'll select our favorites, then run a poll in the sidebar. The winner will receive their book of choice from each of the seven of us! Caveat: our selection will strongly depend on domain/blog name availability, so you might check on that if your eyes are on the prize.

This week's topic is: Reviews.

Just that, and only that. Not like it's an enormous topic or anything, people.

The first thing that springs to mind is my very first encounter with a book review. Not a book report, which I feel like I began writing with a #2 pencil when my first grade teacher asked me to put into words all my feels about a book. No, this came a bit later, sometime after I was forced in 6th grade to read The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper. (A book I loathed with the fire of a thousand suns - also a first for me.) I felt alone in my hate. The teacher who forced me to read it certainly didn't understand - and did not appreciate my mouthy opinions on the topic. Everyone else who'd already learned to loathe reading didn't understand either. My parents, friends, everyone I ranted to, responded along the lines of, "So? Everyone has to read books for school that they hate." But I never had read a book I didn't like before.

A horrible thing to discover.

At any rate, some time later - maybe a year or two - I came across an essay by Mark Twain called, "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses." (Apologies in advance for some of the racist language in it - you know how Twain was.) Reading that terribly snarky essay LIT UP MY WORLD, people! Twain detailed everything I hated about The Deerslayer and taught me more. Through his eyes I finally understood why I'd loathed the book.

This is what a good review does.

These days it's anathema for one author to so viciously criticize another. It's not even acceptable, in many circles, for a reviewer to completely eviscerate an author's work this way - though it can and does happen. A huge difference here is that Twain does so with wit and incisive intelligence, which not all modern reviewers can lay claim to, particularly of the internet troll variety.

Still, a well-thought out essay on why a book did not work for a reader can be a wonderful helping hand. From Twain I first began to understand how a book could go wrong for me. He walked me through how to parse prose from plot, character from ... well, whatever Fenimore Cooper used to transmit dialogue.

Do I like it when I get a scathing review of one of my books? Of course not. But a well thought-out discussion of why a book didn't work for a reader reveals important qualities of the story to other readers. And it makes us think, which is always a good thing.

Local Reader/Writer Cons to Attend!

Last week, to celebrate the release of THE TALON OF THE HAWK, I also released a prequel story to the series, NEGOTIATION, and set it to free. You can still download it free for a couple more days!

Our topic in the Bordello this week is Three Reader or Writer Cons/Events Near You (that you'd recommend). Love that Calendar Queen KAK tacked on "that we recommend." I've bitched about cons I hated before, so it's good to focus on the love.

Also, I'm going one step further and suggesting four!

Bubonicon

2015 will be Bubonicon's 47th year! Held annually in Albuquerque, New Mexico, usually at the end of August, Bubonicon is a Science Fiction and Fantasy reader convention. It's organized in part by some of the fine folks at Page 1 Books, who hosted the Standing Room Only signing I did with Darynda Jones yesterday. (Or, as I like to see it, that she did with ME.) Bubonicon attracts many of regionally local SFF authors - a surprising density given the relatively sparse populations of our big square states - like George R.R. Martin, Connie Willis, Stephen R. Donaldson and Melinda Snodgrass, to name only a few. This year also sees long-distance guests Tamora Pierce, Mary Robinette Kowal and Catherynne M. Valente. At $40, the registration fee is dirt cheap and the organizers generously do not charge their featured authors to attend. Highly recommend. August 28-30, 2015. Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Reading Until Dawn

I confess I have not attended Reading Until Dawn before - because this is the first year! However, I've met organizer Casey twice now, at the Coastal Magic Convention (which I also love, but it's not near me) and when she and two of her buddies road-tripped down from Denver yesterday to attend our signing. Her whole concept is to create a low-key atmosphere where readers and authors can hang out, mingle and have real conversations about books. At $85 for the weekend, this is also very affordable to attend. I'm looking forward to it! October 8-11, 2015. Denver, Colorado.

Sirens

Okay, I haven't been to the Sirens conference before. I only heard about it last fall at the World Fantasy Convention (also great, a movable feast that so far has not moved near me). (Also WFC - foolishly, to my mind - uses a different URL every year, so that's the 2014 link.) Amy Boggs, SFF agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency told me about it. I was all fired up to go to this all-female Fantasy convention, also held in Denver - until I found out it's the dead-same weekend as the aforementioned Reading Until Dawn con. ALAS! Still, I'm a woman of my word and, though sorely tempted to renege, I'm going to RUDC instead. (Though I'm totally sneaking out at some point so I can meet Kate Elliott and Thea Harrison for drinks!) This one is pricier - $195 now and $230 at the door. Still the attendees and programming look amazing. October 8-11, 2015. Denver, Colorado.

Enchanting the Page

Every-other year my local chapter, LERA, hosts a very small, one-day conference, Enchanting the Page. This is always a stellar day of workshops, discussions and pitches. This year we have Alexandra Sokoloff giving her awesome workshop on Story Structure, along with editor Brenda Chin and agent Laura Bradford. At $85 for members, $95 for non-members, plus an optional $25 for the pizza and movie night - where Alexandra will walk us through the screenwriting tricks used in a major blockbuster film - it's a great value for the aspiring writer. November 7, 2015. Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Four Great Books, One Not So Great - My Five

So many books, so little time. This year, I dissected books. In the midst of the stories I most enjoy, I spent a few minutes pausing to ask why I enjoyed them so much - how had the authors pulled me into the narrative? I did this both with fiction and with nonfiction - just to see how the tools and techniques differed - or even if they did differ. Here, in no particular order, are my five:

Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth – Alan Weisman  You recognize this name from his previous book The World Without Us, which was, at its heart, an optimistic book. Countdown is not exactly a happy, feel-good book, but it is fascinating and compelling. And the thing I think I admire most is this writer’s ability to convey difficult messages with writing so fluid, I got sucked right in. It never once crossed my mind to give up on this book. That’s worth studying.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck – This is the book that details research into the psychology of Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset. I grew up in Fixed Mindset. I hate being wrong. Hates it with a white hot passion – even when I know, intellectually, that making mistakes is the only way to learn something. Someone with Growth mindset believes he or she can get smarter and smarter – that the brain is a muscle that with exercise only gets stronger and better. I’d read this because it promised to teach me how to change my mindset from Fixed to Growth. Still working on that. What? I like reading psychology. I get that it makes me a complete weirdo.

Rogue’s Paradise – Actually, I’m lucky enough to have read everything Jeffe published this year and it’s always a treat. Her characters and her stories always draw me right in. Studying her techniques, too, believe you me. But this trilogy, in particular, makes me happy. And I have secret hope that it won't remain a trilogy for long.

First Grave on the Right – Darynda Jones – yeah, I know I’m slow on the uptake. It’s just where this book happened to be in my TBR pile. In fact, this is my current holiday guilty pleasure read. No strings. No study. I just get to read for enjoyment. Except, while I am enjoying the book a lot – I think her take on someone seeing dead people and how and why that happens feels fresh – I’m also taking mental notes about how the author is constructing scenes and showing conflict and emotion. So, Ms. Jones? Sorry. I can’t seem to kick this morbid habit of peeling back the skin of a story like I’m some kind of deranged serial killer. Yes. This is me. Rubbing my hands in glee.

Unnamed novel by an unnamed author – I’m not naming the book or the author because this book would have been thrown across the room had it not been on my Kindle. Did not finish this book. I gave it ten chapters to throw me a bone, but it ended up being toss worthy itself. The heroine was just a great big ,closed off bundle of NOPE. She had not a single nice bone in her body as far as I could tell and the moment she stomped on the hero’s dreams, coldly rejecting them out of hand, I was done. Would have been had the reverse been true – had the hero crushed her dreams under heel, I’d have wanted to use the book as kindling, too. So why am I putting this book here? Knowing what annoys the crap out of me is hugely useful as a teaching tool. I’m taking notes and filing this book under HOW MAKE MARCELLA DETEST A CHARACTER. Also – in my opinion, the most interesting part of this story happened before this book starts. The scene choices made are also telling – in that I’m taking more notes about which scenes I would have chosen to write and none of them are the scenes this author actually wrote. A book that doesn’t work for me has a whole bunch to teach me. That’s why I included it. Will I finish the book? Oh hell no. Life is too short and there are way too many great books out there.

Five Tips for Building a Successful Conference Workshop

Yesterday my lovely, smart and generous friend Darynda Jones gave the workshop for our monthly local chapter meeting. Giving presentations for small groups like this can be a great way to develop conference workshops. One of five I have to offer today.

Jeffe's Five Tips for Building a Successful Conference Workshop

1. Give the Peoples What They Want

I don't know about you guys, but people mention to me all the time what they'd like to learn. Sometimes they drop subtle hints. Sometimes they come right out and say "you should do a workshop on this." This is gold. Listen and give it to them. Caveat: convincing conference organizers can be a different matter entirely.

2. Basic Is Okay

I trip over this one time and again. I always figure people know stuff already and don't want a rehash. However, people don't necessarily know - and the fundamentals are called that for a reason. They always bear revisiting because they form the foundation for everything else. Also, people are most self-conscious about asking the basic questions, so it's good to touch base there.

3. Practice and Adapt

Find groups to give your workshop to, like Darynda is doing with us. Your local writers group or a group that sponsors online classes can be great places to test out a new conference workshop idea. Then pay attention to what people glom onto. What do they ask questions about? What gets them excited? If something doesn't work, no biggie. Now you know.

4. Use Your Own Experience

This is what people will want from you - what YOU have actually experienced, not what you read someone else doing. Seriously. Even if you think you don't have that much, it's still better to give your authentic, in-the-trenches feedback. Be honest and forthright - you likely have much more to offer than you think!

5. Leave Them Inspired.

Really, all anyone wants from a workshop is to leave it feeling fired up to get their own work done. Share your enthusiasm and energy and offer positive suggestions for moving forward. Even if you feel you only have a few substantive nuggets of information to offer, if you send people away feeling inspired, you've given a successful workshop.