(no subject)

I spent the morning editing a story for the umpteenth time and finally sending it out.  It’s amazing to me that I can still find errors (dropped articles, incomplete character name changes) after editing the thing scores of times.  I had the computer read it out to me—again—and found a few more errors. 

The door on short fiction continues to close.  I read of many more venues closing or slowing production.  There is a button on google documents that reads “publish”.  I wonder if I should merely do that.   

I had a wonderful Jewish weekend attending several lectures at Temple.  We had a very substantial weekend with one of the scholars from the “My People’s Prayerbook” series.  (And wouldn’t those books be a great series of classes?  Dream on.  5 people would show up. )

Next week is Sisterhood Shabbat and I have to read Torah—so I have to practice for that.  And next week is the Krewe de Jieux party after the Krewe de Vieux parade.  A busy time of year. 

Anyway—I have got to get back to housework.  And I have to make it to the gym.

CBS recommends

I've contributed to the CBS, so I was only too glad to post this list--even if I haven't read all of the books.  (The "I" of the comments is not me.)
I will note the books and authors that I've read in color.  In a few cases, I've even purchased the books, but I haven't gotten around to reading them.


THE CARL BRANDON SOCIETY recommends the following books of speculative fiction by writers of African descent for Black History Month:

DARK MATTER: A CENTURY OF SPECULATIVE FICTION FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA (Sheree R. Thomas, ed.):
I think it's an important book because it shows that people of color were indeed represented in the speculative literature world back in the day, something I frankly didn't realize until I read the book. I'm sure even, maybe especially now, the book will do the same for many others

SLY MONGOOSE Tobias S. Buckell:  Fourteen-year-old Timas lives in a domed city that floats above the acidic clouds of the Venus-like planet Chilo. To make a living Timas is lowered to the surface in an armored suit to scavenge what he can in the unbearable pressure of Chilo's dangerous surface, where he'll learn a secret that may offer hope to a planet about to be invaded.

FLEDGLING Octavia E. Butler:  A different take on the vampire novel. 

THE GOOD HOUSE Tananarive Due:  The story of a house, magic, and pure
terror. I loved every scary moment of reading this book

MIDNIGHT ROBBER Nalo Hopkinson:  Caribbean folk in space, coming of age,
magnificent aliens, how 'reality' becomes folk tales. Magnificent.

THE SHADOW SPEAKER Nnedi Okorafor:  When fifteen-year old Ejii witnesses  her father's beheading, her world shatters. In an era of mind-blowing  technology and seductive magic, Ejii embarks on a mystical journey to  track down her father's killer. With a newfound friend by her side,  Ejii comes face to face with an earth turned inside out -- and with her  own magical powers. WAS ON 2008'S LIST. 

THE ICARUS GIRL Helen Oyeyemi:  The first book by a talented new author.  Set in England and Nigeria, this the tale of magic gone wrong and  twisted around an unsuspecting child. 

WIND FOLLOWER Carole McDonnell:  Loic, the son of the wealthy headman of  the Doreni clan, falls in love at first sight with Satha, the  impoverished but proud daughter of his father's old Theseni friend.  Loic requests an immediate marriage and Satha's parents agree, but for  Satha, passion takes longer to ignite, and Loic's father's jealous  third wife plots to destroy their happiness. The two must reaffirm  their faith in each other and the Creator God to find their way through  their troubles. 

SONG OF SOLOMON Toni Morrison:  A novel of southern  -fried magical  realism that rivals anything our esteemed neighbors in the Southern  Hemisphere have produced. 

FILTER HOUSE Nisi Shawl:  A long-awaited collection of short stories by  a Carl Brandon Society founder. Shawl's roots in African American  community of the Great Lakes area, and her commitment to using  speculative fiction to decode power relationships and uncover magic  come through loud and clear in this wonderful bookNISI SHAWL, Filter  House A long-awaited collection of short stories by a Carl Brandon  Society founder. Shawl's roots in African American community of the  Great Lakes area, and her commitment to using speculative fiction to  decode power relationships and uncover magic come through loud and  clear in this wonderful book.