tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40980490714598227482024-03-14T01:54:39.567-07:00The Zoë-TropeZoetrope: From the Greek ζωή - zoe, "life" and τρόπος - tropos, "turn". May be taken to mean "wheel of life".Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.comBlogger621125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-62788815429774941182021-12-09T03:14:00.002-08:002021-12-09T03:22:22.564-08:00AN EDDYING FLIGHT<p>Hello, Dear Readers - if there are still any of you out there.</p><p>It's been a long time since I updated this blog last, and there's a reason for that. My life has been through some big changes. Rather than being a full-time YA novelist, I'm currently an OOC DTP funded PhD student at the Open University, working full time on my doctorate (which is in Creative Writing) and also my first book for adults.</p><p>For me, I think the time has come to admit that this blog is now defunct. It's been a wonderful journey over the past decade, and we've been through a lot together, but in the last couple of years the hiatuses just became longer and longer because it was harder and harder to find things to share with you which fit the audience of this blog. I've finally decided, feeling guilt or anxiety about that is a waste of energy. This blog will always be here (as long as Blogger provides hosting) and nothing can erase its history. However, that doesn't mean we're not allowed to move on from it to new things.</p><p>So I introduce my new blog: <b><a href="https://www.zdmarriott.com/" target="_blank">An Eddying Flight</a></b>. This is an academic writing blog, where I'm charting my 'eddying flight' into academic circles, and am already talking about many of the same topics that I did here. In fact, I've just finished revising and reposting the famous Plot Diamond workshops. There will be more along those lines to follow. So if you're interested in learning more about what I'm doing now, my adult book, my Creative Writing research, and what it's like to do a PhD, please join me. </p><p>Farewell, Dear Readers. <b><a href="https://www.zdmarriott.com/" target="_blank">Hello again, Dear Readers.</a></b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih9IZOrFmJP8tR9F5UkUz6MZxDv4TGJ30-wDwaxE1s1zNnqCOPdc1c8pvnG9IZrSw8UJBfEAPOtqxq17hgxW7RDOIyzAP3XYKZOLvsPvw5zgGTteCMfDFtgGBENWjaCUrrl_Kp30tNZutvYGiV9oYqzSXJg3bJtShNPTxtY1y_3Vgs1zCcndvbAQ=s1500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1500" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih9IZOrFmJP8tR9F5UkUz6MZxDv4TGJ30-wDwaxE1s1zNnqCOPdc1c8pvnG9IZrSw8UJBfEAPOtqxq17hgxW7RDOIyzAP3XYKZOLvsPvw5zgGTteCMfDFtgGBENWjaCUrrl_Kp30tNZutvYGiV9oYqzSXJg3bJtShNPTxtY1y_3Vgs1zCcndvbAQ=w400-h239" width="400" /></a></div><br />Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-52914819168196991552020-12-28T01:13:00.004-08:002020-12-28T01:13:51.733-08:00GET THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE FREE!<p>Hello, Dear Readers - happy Monday! I hope that those of you who celebrate it were able to have a relaxing or fun Christmas despite it being The Hell Year, and that everyone is doing OK out there.</p><p>Just a quick update today, but I hope a good one. As a fun way of celebrating our getting to the end of The Hell Year - and 2021 hopefully being marginally better, please Lord Cthulhu, please - I decided to offer up a treat: the ebook edition of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Feminist-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08B58DTW8">The Book of Snow & Silence</a></i> will be free to download from today for the next four days. That an international offer: it's good wherever you live. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw4hGoCwLco/X-htmv3JW8I/AAAAAAAADZY/hmPn_qS7yAUQNvWIxRSTQeAnULD8Q6K6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/The%2BBook%2Bof%2BSnow%2B%2526%2BSilence%2Bebook%2Bcomplete-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw4hGoCwLco/X-htmv3JW8I/AAAAAAAADZY/hmPn_qS7yAUQNvWIxRSTQeAnULD8Q6K6wCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/The%2BBook%2Bof%2BSnow%2B%2526%2BSilence%2Bebook%2Bcomplete-2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div> <p></p><p>So if you're in the mood for snow bears, ice palaces, ballgowns, and princesses and mermaids who fall madly in love, and you've been wanting to grab the book but haven't yet? <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Feminist-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08B58DTW8">Now is the time.</a></p><p>Here's the book's official playlist:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4ebfHD535LsWohNB41MwBE" width="300"></iframe></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/redzolah/tsm/">And to the Pinterest board.</a> <br /></p><p> Happy upcoming New (Slightly Less Awful) Year!<br /></p>Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-84596156082654402162020-10-16T00:23:00.000-07:002020-10-16T00:23:01.015-07:00PREPTOBER, PODCASTS AND PROUDNESS (oh my!)<p>Hello, lovely Readers! A quick October check-in for you today - or Preptober, actually. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NBr2D47m6iI/X4h9bmAt19I/AAAAAAAADX8/PkApS699fyYhCOFJQyyq6-pbIGphAKcCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s785/NaNoWriMo-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="785" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NBr2D47m6iI/X4h9bmAt19I/AAAAAAAADX8/PkApS699fyYhCOFJQyyq6-pbIGphAKcCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/NaNoWriMo-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Yes, you read that right. Following the successful completion of CampNaNo this year, I've decided to defy the NaNoCurse - and perhaps common sense - by giving NaNoWriMo a shot again this year. This will be the third time that I've attempted NaNo proper and both previous times I ended up both hurting myself and getting ill in the first few days of November. But a) third time lucky, maybe? and b) what is life without the spice of risk? And since I've basically had to put the draft of the Most Special Secret Project Ever on hold for the last few months while I was teaching, working on my dissertation, and finishing up other projects, this seems like a really good cue to dive back into it.<p></p><p><b><a href="https://nanowrimo.org/participants/zoe-marriott/projects/the-souls-of-things-e9bd2948-3ae2-4267-bd1a-289e92e69555/badges">I've signed up as a NaNo rebel this year,</a></b> since I've already got a detailed outline and have drafted out a chunk of chapters/scenes of the MSSPE. For me, Preptober is more about diving back into research (of which there is... a lot. A lot. A. LOT), re-reading the scenes I've already got, and re-familiarising myself with the characters and tone of this story. Which I love so much, you guys. My gizzards are knotted with hope that this one finds a home when it's done.</p><p>Now, for Dear Readers who are into podcasts, <b><a href="https://t.co/txvz7ziXWV?amp=1">there's a really fascinating interview here between me and the absolutely lovely Amanda Whittington as part of the RLF <i>Writers Aloud</i> series.</a></b> We talk in depth about my books, about Feminism and diversity, and about publishing, in addition to a bunch of other random topics. I had so much fun recording this with Amanda, and really enjoyed listening to it again when it went live, so check it out.<br /></p><p>Finally, you might have noticed that above I mentioned working on my dissertation - and some of you may already know that I was scheduled to complete my Master's Degree in creative writing this year. This is a huge deal for me because... well, because I'm not from a family where people were expected to go to uni, or get degrees, especially advanced degrees. <b><a href="https://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-question-of-education.html">There's a post about my opinions and experiences with education here for context.</a></b> Very luckily, considering that this is the Year of Our Lord Cthulhu of Unending Horrors, I had opted to take the course by distance learning, which meant that it wasn't substantially affected by the pandemic as all the work was set and handed in online anyway. </p><p>I handed in my dissertation - which is the final, and most substantial piece of work the course requires - in August, and the (provisional - they're still waiting for review) marks came yesterday. When the email arrived in my inbox I almost couldn't make myself open it
because I was so sick with nerves about the outcome, with
all my fears about education not being for 'people like me' flooding
back in. But when I did open it, I discovered that I had passed with Distinction. I earned straight As for all my work throughout the degree. I somehow got an 84 on my final essay, which is nearly unbelievable considering that it's only the second degree level essay I have ever written in my life (MA essays are a very far cry from the stuff I scribbled out at GCSE). <br /><br />I'm equal parts dazed and delighted, and my big ambition now is to keep going and pursue a PhD, if I can win a studentship. Then the next step would be to teach Creative Writing at university level: a previously utterly unattainable dream which now has at least the potential to one day become reality. </p><p>Generally I have a difficult time feeling proud of things I've done myself - this was always seen as arrogance and big-headedness in my family, and the response to good news was generally a request to not go on about it too much. But dammit, I am proud of this. In another month or so, I will officially have a degree and be at least partially qualified for something, even if I probably won't get a graduation ceremony (thanks, Corona). So <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/69WAiCaEdxACKzB4B7Bv27?si=bQJzi6gtTf6IzHINNsxOJA">have a nice dance anthem</a></b> and let's raise our glasses (there's Ribena in mine) and do a little proudness hip-shimmy in honour of bravery and second chances.</p>Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-68136577117022292442020-09-07T00:44:00.000-07:002020-09-07T00:44:38.249-07:00READER QUESTIONS! My Writing Process<p><span>Hello, Dear Readers! Happy Monday and happy September - I hope that the week and the month are shaping up to be pleasant for you all. Humanity damn well deserves some form of seasonal hot drink (maple rooibos tea in my case), a nice fluffy jumper, some crisp, golden leaves and a run of sunny, frosty days after the year we've had so far. </span></p><p><span>In an attempt to start autumn off right, I bring tidings of great joy for US Dear Readers - a Kindle Countdown deal on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Snow-Silence-Feminist-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+book+of+snow+and+silence&qid=1599226806&sr=8-1"><i>The Book of Snow & Silence</i> over on Amazon.com.</a> The book's currently 99 cents (sorry, my UK keyboard doesn't have a cent symbol) and will slowly increase in price over the next week, so it's in your interest to grab it as early as possible if you want it. Don't feel too left out, my UK lovelies - there's a similar deal on British Amazon coming up shortly. <br /></span></p><p><span>Today's post is in response to reader AS, who left a delightful comment on another post, and asked: <br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><blockquote><p><b><span>"If it isn't too much trouble, then
can you please do a blog post on your writing process? How you research,
edit and take final decisions etc? And whether you pen the draft first
or type it directly?"</span></b></p><p><b><span></span></b></p></blockquote><p><span>I've talked about this a lot in various posts and interviews, but I'm not sure if I've ever collated all my answers in one place - and I always find glimpses into other authors' processes fascinating - so I decided to make this a new post.</span></p><p><b><span>A Disclaimer: </span></b><span>This is not The One True Way to Write. There is no one true way. This my own method that I've developed over years of hit-and-miss, trial and error experimentation - it's what works for my particular creativity, with my particular routine, utilising my particular brain circuitry. Feel free to try any or all of the methods I talk about, but also to read with interest and then decide that every single thing I do is completely wrong for you. The only 'Right Way' to write is the way that makes you happy and productive. Ok? Ok.<br /></span><b><span></span></b></p><p><span><b>First up, I am a long-hand drafter.</b> </span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGQ3E-p8W7c/X1N4lSyQsXI/AAAAAAAADWA/tciYIoT9SHgNO5evGHAXQiS3Jx93TqkQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/photo-1542426144-3e6c375380e9.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGQ3E-p8W7c/X1N4lSyQsXI/AAAAAAAADWA/tciYIoT9SHgNO5evGHAXQiS3Jx93TqkQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/photo-1542426144-3e6c375380e9.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span>It's a habit that I developed from 2001, back when I was working as an extremely underpaid and overworked civil servant, scribbling in my notebook during breaks and on the longish bus journey to and from the office. Frankly, there were days when being able to dip into my imaginary world whenever I had a spare moment was the only reason I managed to keep my grip on reality in this one, and this being before smartphones or tablets (because I am ancient, kids), writing in longhand was my only option. </span><p><span>In 2010 I became a full-time carer for my father - who relied on me to administer his haemodialysis - and decided to try and speed up my writing process by hauling my laptop with me while I was looking after him, and drafting directly into a Word doc. This was a huge mistake: swiftly capturing all my darting thoughts in the form of scribbles and then transcribing those handwritten scribbles into the screen, editing and rethinking along the way, turned out to be a massive part of my drafting process. Without it, the 'first draft' that I produced was a complete mess, painful to read even for me, and torture to edit. I learned my lesson and have been a hardcore notebook collector ever since.</span></p><p><span>However, there's a downside to writing by hand for hours everyday, and that downside is Repetitive Strain Injury. In order to combat this, I usually write either with a fountain pen (nothing fancy - I lose them too often for that) or a brush pen, as they don't require a strong grip or much pressure to work. I also utilise the Pomodoro Technique, which basically requires that you work flat-out for short periods of time with no interruptions, then take a short break, then work again. </span></p><p><span><b>I try to do four thirty-minute writing springs in the morning</b> (with a five minute break between to bathe my hands in warm water and gently stretch them, as well as to visit the bathroom, refresh my drink, or chuck a toy for my dog) before breaking to take the dog for his mid-day walk and have some lunch. Then, in the afternoon, I re-read and edit everything I typed up the day before, and finally type up my newest scribbles. This technique can yield between 600-6000 words in a day (my record was 9000 words in a day, but my writing hand swelled up and became intensely painful for weeks afterward, and, as above, I learned my lesson and don't push it anymore) and it effectively means that the completed 'first draft' of my novel is actually more like the third or fourth draft.</span></p><p><span></span></p><p><span><b>I'm also a hardcore researcher. </b></span><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xU0aTKHpaDg/X1N41vJpWyI/AAAAAAAADWc/iTPdZrFxfHco7ACYV75eXGFIkSLpwbytgCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/photo-1455390582262-044cdead277a.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xU0aTKHpaDg/X1N41vJpWyI/AAAAAAAADWc/iTPdZrFxfHco7ACYV75eXGFIkSLpwbytgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/photo-1455390582262-044cdead277a.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span>Most of my novels have been inspired in one way or another by elements of the real world - a setting/landscape, a culture, a piece of folklore or mythology or history. When I get an idea for a story that really grabs me (generally when several tiny idea fragments that have been floating around in my head for a while suddenly collide and become one Big Idea) I pick out one of my extensive collection of notebooks, something that feels like it would suit the main character to use, and label it with the date and my working title.</span></p><p><span>Then I start reading. First, I'll use the internet - yes, including Wiki - to figure out how much I don't know, which is usually A LOT. Then I'll start visiting all of the local libraries I can get to in order to borrow or order any and every book relating to my story that I can. These might be books, for instance, on the architecture and art of Edo era Japan, or on the landscape and wildlife of Northern India and Tibet, or every version of the Beauty & the Beast story throughout world history. Once I've munched my way through every book that I can get my hands on for free, I will start ordering the ones I a) feel I can't live without and b) can manage to afford on my budget. I'll also start ordering or streaming any documentaries, drama series, music, films, cooking shows, art history programmes... anything related to my research topic. </span></p><p><span>If I can afford it (which is sadly not always the case) this is also the stage where I will arrange a research trip or too, to scout out possible locations and take photos, or visit museums or exhibits.<br /></span></p><p><span>My aim is to immerse myself so completely that I feel like I'm walking around in a cloud of information 24hrs a day. If possible, I want to be *dreaming* about this stuff. And through it all, I'll be writing ideas and information and key details down in the back of my notebook (starting with the last page and working forwards).</span></p><p><span><b>At a certain point, I'll feel this sort of internal 'click' and know that my research has reached critical mass</b> and it's time to start writing. This doesn't mean I stop researching or that I know every detail that I'll need to know; it's more that I know enough to start, and I also know that if I don't start at this point, the fragile framework of the story might begin to collapse under the weight of all the facts and figures. Basically, writing is now the full-time job, not research. Once I start drafting/scribbling, I switch to writing in the *front* of the notebook (like a normal person) but I still make research notes or put down ideas for future scenes in the back. When drafting and research meet in the middle, it's time for a new notebook. On average I go through two to three notebooks, as well as a couple of 'refill' pads of paper per book.<br /></span></p><p><span><b>For insight into how I make the choices that will turn my ideas about a story and characters into a coherent plot,</b> <a href="https://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/wa_episode278/">you can listen to this podcast over on the RLF website (my section starts at about the 15min mark),</a> or read this <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2011/07/retrofriday-turning-ideas-into-plots-1.html">three-part</a> <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2011/07/retrofriday-turning-ideas-into-plots-2.html">blog series</a> <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2011/08/retrofriday-turning-ideas-into-plots-3.html">from my archive</a>. This is actually the step that I struggle with the most, so it's the thing I've talked about the most extensively. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waZwd6NtfwQ/X1N5Al88X9I/AAAAAAAADWg/4Xq-lV9TCCQLesZKZTADFyf-9iZDDxdDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/photo-1576014984719-500e07ce212b.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waZwd6NtfwQ/X1N5Al88X9I/AAAAAAAADWg/4Xq-lV9TCCQLesZKZTADFyf-9iZDDxdDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/photo-1576014984719-500e07ce212b.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span></span><p></p><p><span><b>I'm generally a linear drafter. </b> </span></p><p><span>I start at the beginning of a story - what will be the prologue or first chapter for the reader - and work my way through until I get to The End. That's not to say that I'm never struck by blinding inspiration about a scene that's chapters away, or that I don't write those scenes down. It's just that, once I've written it, it'll stay in scribbled form in the back of my notebook until I've worked my way forward in the story to that point, at which point I'll type it up. So far, at least, I've never felt the need to write a whole book, or even most of it, out of sequence, and then put it all together afterwards. It can take me anywhere between six months and eighteen months (again, so far!) to complete a 'first draft'. </span></p><p><b><span>When it comes to editing, I start by going back to pen and paper. </span></b><span><a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2017/09/editing-how-i-do-it.html">Here's an archive post that basically covers the proces</a>s - but I'll note here that 'optional extra' I mentioned back then, of completely changing the format of the document before I print it out? Is now one of the most vital steps. It actually makes a massive difference to me, because by the time I've completed that draft I've often been staring at certain parts of it for months on end and I've stopped being able to distinguish between 'head story' (which is what I meant to say) and 'page story' (which is what the words arranged on the page actually convey to a reader). I know where every word, comma and piece of dialogue are *supposed to be* on the page, which means I don't notice what is *really there*, even if there are missing words or I've copied and pasted something random in. By rearranging all those words, commas and formating choices, I make it much easier to come back to the manuscript with a genuinely fresh eye. </span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptmr85doHFc/X1N57lfqRmI/AAAAAAAADWo/euECo9iYZ2IIXpZonW5T0b0JPJyxxsVFACLcBGAsYHQ/s700/photo-1508780709619-79562169bc64.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptmr85doHFc/X1N57lfqRmI/AAAAAAAADWo/euECo9iYZ2IIXpZonW5T0b0JPJyxxsVFACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/photo-1508780709619-79562169bc64.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span><b>I like to change the portrait format of the document to landscape and then set the text into two columns so that it resembles the page layout that I'll often get from a copy-editor/proofreader.</b> </span></p><p><span>Then I amend my line spacing (from double to single) and reset the font (from Times New Roman into something that's sans serif, like Calibri) and the text size (from 12 pt down to 11 pt, uusually). </span></p><p><span>Coincidentally, these changes can also potentially save me a chunk of paper in the printing, bringing a 300 page ms down to around 150 (yes, it's that dramatic).<br /></span></p><p><span>So that's my (current) writing process. And that's also where I'll leave today's post. I hope that it was useful or at least interesting, AS - and anyone else who is reading. Do you have a writing process, or are you still experimenting? Do you have any tips or tricks to share? If so, sound off in the comments, and in the meantime, have a great week, muffins!<br /></span></p>Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-24664777274388157942020-08-03T08:07:00.000-07:002020-08-03T23:09:06.503-07:00WHAT I'VE BEEN READING LATELY<div>Hello, hello, hello, Dear Readers! Happy Tuesday to all. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>First up: <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Feminist-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE is on a Kindle Countdown deal right now and you can snap it up for under £2,</a></b> but only for today - then the price increases by £1 (although that's still £1 off the normal price). So if you're interested in owning it, now is the time to snap it up.<br /></div><br /><div>Today I bring you a veritable blizzard of reviews, all of books I've read pretty recently. I was on a major fiction-reading slump while working on my dissertation - mainly because I spent all my time devouring academic books to try and prove that the point I'm arguing in my essay isn't utterly bonkers - but now that it's finished and I'm nearly ready to hand in, I've gone... a bit book-mad. I just had a lot of novels queued up on my ereader, and once I started, I couldn't stop!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these reviews are looong. Some are short and sweet. There's no way I can copy and paste all of them here in full, so I'm just going to list the books with a one sentence summming up, and a link to the full thing over on Goodreads. These are presented to you in reading order, not order of preference, and I'm only sharing reviews for standalone books. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>A Warning:</b> I do not hold back on expressing my feelings, here! If I inadvertantly trashed your favourite book, I apologise for any hurt feelings - but just know that however negative my review may seem, I myself have been the recipient of ones ten times worse, and survived. Also, although I may refer to the authors, I will always focus on the book or character's traits, not the writers' (presumed) ones.</div><div><br /></div><div>Onward!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adatiNgIIiE/Xyf-pOrKsCI/AAAAAAAADUQ/oSULu2pdJrIucHp3-AsY82Dv2yrpbdYFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s463/Starless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adatiNgIIiE/Xyf-pOrKsCI/AAAAAAAADUQ/oSULu2pdJrIucHp3-AsY82Dv2yrpbdYFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Starless.jpg" /></a></div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Starless Sea</i> by Erin Morgenstern. Finished: the 28th of June. <b>My Summary:</b> gorgeous but incoherent and ultimately unsuccessful. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3415234304">Full review.</a><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fh4-4GniKE/Xyf_dpkhjRI/AAAAAAAADUY/bgKGAcE-tIMIU9ru8C9KFerA7hwRqdAqACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fh4-4GniKE/Xyf_dpkhjRI/AAAAAAAADUY/bgKGAcE-tIMIU9ru8C9KFerA7hwRqdAqACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Angel.jpg" /></a></div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Angel Mage </i>by Garth Nix. Finished: the 4th of July. <b>My Summary:</b> Enjoyable mash-up of fun elements that left me feeling somewhat let down by the close. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3425562978"><b>Full review.</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6i02fjI2W8/XygAPa3m69I/AAAAAAAADUk/tS8Koxoef5oYj6D2_Jc9sEwLmLGpqMAxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Evelyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6i02fjI2W8/XygAPa3m69I/AAAAAAAADUk/tS8Koxoef5oYj6D2_Jc9sEwLmLGpqMAxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Evelyn.jpg" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle</i> by Stuart Turton. Finished: the 13th of July. <b>My Summary: </b>an intriguing take on the well-worn Groundhog Day trope which has a lukewarm start, a bubbling-hot middle, and then goes off the boil at the end. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3441067482">Full review.</a></b><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PpyWEanyUwk/XygBUNkxuqI/AAAAAAAADUs/p5ippagw0kwoVn-3T8IDyxfouoBNfQH0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Yesterdays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PpyWEanyUwk/XygBUNkxuqI/AAAAAAAADUs/p5ippagw0kwoVn-3T8IDyxfouoBNfQH0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Yesterdays.jpg" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Bookshop of Yesterdays</i> by Amy Meyerson. Finished: July the 30th. <b>My Summary: </b>I went in looking for a whimsical, life-affirming, bibliophile-friendly tale, but I got uninteresting family drama and a heroine so miserable and dense that it was a struggle to finish. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3454162992">Full Review.</a><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0mlXFOTLR0/XygCFTouEMI/AAAAAAAADU4/2R-NFq00Egw0TEMwuJQo7OvD_HGBX_6FwCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Thorns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0mlXFOTLR0/XygCFTouEMI/AAAAAAAADU4/2R-NFq00Egw0TEMwuJQo7OvD_HGBX_6FwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Thorns.jpg" /></a></div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Sorcery of Thorns</i> by Margeret Rogerson. Finished: July the 29th. <b>My Summary:</b> Fast-paced, thrilling fantasy which is vaguely reciminiscent of my favourite bits of LIRAEL by Garth Nix and has an ending which is Just Right. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3462917643">Full Review.</a></b><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIje1SzuOGQ/XygDXeSnGTI/AAAAAAAADVA/8g87FLhQeNMn1PwwxfSrUDyFNe7sjCargCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIje1SzuOGQ/XygDXeSnGTI/AAAAAAAADVA/8g87FLhQeNMn1PwwxfSrUDyFNe7sjCargCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Shadows.jpg" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Shadows Between Us</i> by Tricia Levenseller. Finished: July the 31st. <b>My Summary:</b> A brilliant premise sadly wasted because the characters are unbearably shallow and boring. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3463011704">Full review.</a><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rn2jdaRxeaA/XygESNiPsaI/AAAAAAAADVI/yhM6v1I94LA5OmU-1woF2bXeABBoHmDGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rn2jdaRxeaA/XygESNiPsaI/AAAAAAAADVI/yhM6v1I94LA5OmU-1woF2bXeABBoHmDGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Girl.jpg" /></a></div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Girl, Serpent, Thorn</i> by Melissa Bashardoust. Finished: August the 1st. <b>My Summary:</b> A twisty fantasy which offers Persian inspired mythology and worldbuilding and characters that absolutely scintillate with inner life. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3473543900">Full Review.</a><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Let me know if you've read any of these (or plan to) and what you thought in the comments, Muffins! </b><br /></div>Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-40332080619613760332020-07-27T13:00:00.000-07:002020-07-28T23:10:39.090-07:00CAMP NaNoWriMo 2020 - I WON!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it? Whooop!<br />
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Yes, I managed to get the most super special secret project ever (should I start just calling this TMSSSPE? Or maybe come up with a codename?) to 30,000 on Monday last week, which completed the challenge I set myself for Camp NaNo this year.<br />
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Honestly, it was a <b>massive relief</b>, and I nearly cried with the sheer release of anxiety over getting there. Trying to work on the WIP from 9:30 to 13:30 every day AND rewrite my thesis proposal AND edit my dissertation essay AND read and offer detailed feedback on the work of twenty-four students every week AND find time to, you know, adult (walk my dog adequately, exercise every day, eat something approaching healthy food and prevent my house from turning into a black hole inhabited only by person-sized sentient dust bunnies, warring clans of silverfish and a slowly decaying TBR pile the size of a Welsh mountain) was starting to make me go a bit frazzled. And sure, I could have given up, but having managed an unbroken streak of 20 days of writing made my competitive streak burn to life and I just couldn't make myself do it.<br />
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If you're thinking that it may have been a bit overly ambitious to decide to do Camp NaNo during what is apparently already an incredibly busy period - yes, you are right. But on the other hand, it accomplished what NaNo is intended to accomplish, which was getting me to that target. And I knew without some kind of motivation, even if only my own competitive streak, TMSSSPE (codename: Times Pee? That definitely doesn't work, does it?) would almost certainly have stalled completely in July, which I didn't want.<br />
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So I'm not mad. I might even try Camp NaNo again next year, provided I have slightly more breathing room in July 2021.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Please do not cause me to be cursed in some inventive fashion, discover I am really a troll princess in the middle of a troll civil war, or send a flying house to crush me during July next year, universe - it would not be funny, just mean. Thank you very much)</span><br />
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I'll be popping the WIP on the back-burner for a couple of weeks to give myself space for everything else. I don't really want to: I'm still loving it. But it's the only thing that doesn't have any deadlines or contractual obligations attached to it just now. And I'm still researching and scribbling down notes as they occur to me.<br />
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Are you still pressing your noses to the NaNo grindstone - or other grindstone - muffins? And do you have any suggestions for a codename for TMSSSPE? Let me know in the comments!Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-33913251744537117592020-07-23T00:20:00.000-07:002020-07-23T02:12:32.046-07:00WRITERS ALOUD - THE NORTH STARHello, Dear Readers! Happy Thursday to you all - I hope the week is going well for you so far.<br />
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<a href="https://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/wa_episode278/"><b>This week I have a podcast for you from the Royal Literary Fund's Writers Aloud series!</b> </a>I absolutely loved writing and voicing this (and especially working with lovely Amanda, who recorded it) and I think it turned out really well. We actually recorded it a quite a while ago and I've been waiting for ages for it to be ready, so please do check it out.<br />
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The first part is by a writer called Marcy Kahan and talks about how she fell into playwriting manuals (which might be of interest to any Dear Readers who are into screen or plawriting). The second half is mine, and I talk about how characters are central to creating a fully realised fantasy world - like a Northern Star by which I navigate.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/wa_episode278/">My section of the podcast starts at roughly 15.15,</a></b> if you want to go there directly, but do try Marcy's part as well if the topic's appealing to you.<br />
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I hope you enjoy the podcast - and that you can find a Northern Star by which to navigate the journey to Friday, muffins 😊Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-12375204742064759552020-07-14T02:44:00.000-07:002020-07-14T04:38:27.984-07:00CAMP NANOWRIMO 2020 - THE NANO CURSE STRIKES AGAIN!I was honestly doing so well, Dear Readers. And then... the Nano Curse. For once it didn't attack me ( a refreshing change). No, it killed my computer for a whole day. A whole day. For just... no reason.<br />
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I still did longhand writing, but I couldn't input it, AND I couldn't get any other work done, so on Monday I was totally snowed under, and all I could do was type up my longhand notes and then (in fairness) divide the word total between Sunday and Monday. <br />
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This is how I was doing before:<br />
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And this is what it looks like now:<br />
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Eugh, that drop. Speaks for itself, really. *Sigh* <br /><br />EDITED TO ADD: And, now, having spent the morning revising the first half of the sections that I typed up yesterday, I go to what should be the start of a new chapter and find... no new chapter. All the work I did after about 1pm yesterday is gone. Even though I KNOW I saved it. So. I don't even know. Nano Curse, you are a cunning and evil gremlin indeed.<br />
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I should have known. But I'm going to keep ploughing on anyway, because a) I've made hella progress overall and b) I love Camp NaNo's progress interface and you can only use it during July (or April) so why not? Let's hope the Curse doesn't take my fingers out next time.<br />
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How are you doing? Sound off in the comments, muffins! Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-36745765662370580732020-07-07T01:25:00.000-07:002020-07-07T01:25:40.790-07:00CAMP NaNoWriMo 2020!Hello, hello, hello Dear Readers! Happy Tuesday to all. I hope your weeks are looking positive so far and you're all safe and well.<br />
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So here's a question. Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month? 'Cos I'm going Camp NaNoWriMo this month.<br />
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I know, I know, the NaNo Curse. It's true, as long-time Dear Readers know, that I've never managed to complete the OG NaNoWriMo successfully because every. Single. Time - every time, going all the way back to 2011! - either before I can start or within days of starting... something really awful happens to me. Sometimes it's horrendous illness or hideous injury. Sometimes it's even worse. After the last time I just gave up, honestly.<br />
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BUT. This is Camp NaNoWriMo, which is technically something different, right? It's July, not November. You can set your own word count and even work on edits if you want, without 'cheating'. It's got a different logo and everything!<br />
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And, just between you and me, I need the help. I've got a really special WIP right now that is truly and utterly different to anything I've ever worked on before, and I LOVE it. I desperately want to get it finished by the end of this year. But between researching and writing the dissertation for my MA, designing modules for and preparing to teach two writing courses on <a href="https://creativewritingink.co.uk/courses/">Creative Writing Ink</a> from this week, and launching <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Feminist-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">The Book of Snow & Silence</a></i> (in addition to the world, you know, being AN ACTUAL TRASH FIRE) I've been choked on it for months. I haven't made any real progress since January. I just kept opening the file up, fiddling with a few lines, and then getting vapour-locked.<br />
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So: Camp NaNo. I decided to give myself a really small and manageable goal, not only to ease myself past my writing roadblock on this one, but because I know that the teaching is going to take up a big chunk of time going forward. I can't see myself writing anything good if I'm panicking over finding time for that AND hitting 3000 words a day.<br />
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I started July the 1st, and I'm pleased to say that not only did I not get a horrendous injury/hideous illness, or suffer a personal tragedy, but I actually managed to write some new stuff for the first time in months:<br />
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And that I've managed to keep it up and make steadily increasing progress:<br />
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It's good enough for me. I know that when the teaching starts, my daily word count might sag down again, but that's OK - so long as I can manage to get to my overall target by the end, I'll count this a massive success. Hurray!<br />
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You can start Camp NaNo anytime during the month, and (as I said above) set your own overall word goal - so if you've been struggling to get something started or wade out of the middle muddle, now might be the time to give it a shot. Or maybe you're already up and writing. In either case, feel free to add me as a buddy if you want.<br />
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Oh, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2PSTbetf21cNnxp4LDD3tW?si=rg223mDkT0iVW312DOSbHw">and here's a new writing playlist I made,</a> although it's super project specific and very heavy on the Enya, so if you're not into that, maybe give it a miss.<br />
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Happy writing, muffins!Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-44321889914660283392020-06-30T00:11:00.001-07:002020-06-30T00:11:20.770-07:00THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE BOOK BIRTHDAY!Hello, Dear Readers! Happy <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Zo%C3%AB-Marriott/dp/B08BWGWGK8/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE</a> Release Day!<br />
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Wooohoooo!<br />
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From today, if you order the ebook of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B58DTW8/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738">The Book of Snow & Silence</a></i> it will arrive instantly on your Kindle, laptop, tablet or other device, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Zo%C3%AB-Marriott/dp/B08BWGWGK8/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">AND you can order the absolutely GORGEOUS paperback version of the book too</a>.</b> Look at this, guys, just look:<br />
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I've had some really amazing covers - as well as some duds, I'll be honest - over the years, but I think this one is my favourite since the original cover of my very first book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-Kingdom-Zoe-Marriott-ebook/dp/B005E87XYY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">The Swan Kingdom,</a></i> back in 2007. It's just so damn <i>pretty</i>. These sorts of deep, jewel-toned bluey-greens are actually my favourite colours in the world, and I could honestly sit and stare at them, and all the lovely details in this artwork, for hours at a time. So pretty, my precccciousssss... *Strokes cover gently*<br />
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If feeling this way about cover art is wrong, baby, I don't wanna be right.<br />
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Ahem. Where were we? Oh, right. To celebrate the release of my <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Snow-Silence-Zo%C3%AB-Marriott/dp/B08BWGWGK8/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">TENTH NOVEL FOR YOUNG ADULTS</a> (omg omg, breathe, Zolah) I've got some lovely treats in store for readers.<br />
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<b>First,</b> to encourage everyone who possibly can to review the book - <b>because reviews are life, Dear Readers</b> - I'll be doing a <b>special giveaway</b> when <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B58DTW8/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738">The Book of Snow & Silence</a></i> reaches ten reviews on Amazon. The reviews don't have to be long, or extensive, and they should be completely honest, don't worry! Once we get to ten, I'll pick one lucky winner from the entrants to recieve:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>One proof paperback copy of <i>The Book of Snow & Silence</i>, signed and personalised</b></li>
<li><b>One paperback copy of my last book <i>The Hand, the Eye & the Heart</i>, signed and personalised </b></li>
<li><b>Two signed and personalised bookplates</b></li>
<li><b><i>The Book of Snow & Silence</i> full-colour postcard</b></li>
<li><b><i>The Hand, the Eye & the Heart</i> full-colour postcard</b></li>
<li><b>Other assorted swag</b></li>
</ul>
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If you would like to be entered into this giveaway, you don't have to do anything fancy - literally just tell me in the comments below. THAT'S IT. Just leave me a comment. <b>When we reach ten reviews</b>, I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner. Of course, sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or other social media will speed things up - because hopefully that will encourage people to read and review the book - as would posting a review of your own on Amazon, but all you *have* to do is leave a comment below this post. <br />
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<b>Secondly</b>... <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BXPLTQZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i10">I made another book for you</a>?<br />
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I made this one all myself! Do you like the cover? It's pretty good,
right? I honestly impressed myself with this - I wasn't sure I could
figure out how to get it all done, but I really wanted to offer readers
something special for release day. This is ebook only - it's novella length - <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BXPLTQZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i10">BUT it will be FREE for you to download for the next five days</a>. </b>Unfortunately Amazon won't let me make it permanently free. After that it will only be 99p, though. <br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BXPLTQZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i10">SEA FOAM</a> has an exclusive prequel story for <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B58DTW8/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738">The Book of Snow & Silence</a></i>. It also has poetry, deleted scenes, and fragments from my writer's notebooks, some of it related to published works, some from things that never saw the light of day at all. There's an epilogue to <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0057OCGC4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3">Shadows on the Moon</a></i>, scenes that I wished I had included in <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DIA8T34/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i6">The Name of the Blade Trilogy</a>, and the start of a <i>Twilight</i> spoof that I was never able to take further. Hopefully you'll enjoy it and find it interesting, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BXPLTQZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i10">so if you want it FREE, then get over there and download it ASAP. </a><br />
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To sum up: if you want to enter the giveaway, comment below (and cross your fingers that we get to ten reviews fast). If you want a free novella-length book which includes a <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BXPLTQZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i10"><i>Snow & Silence</i> prequel short story, get over to Amazon now</a>.<br />
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Have a lovely Book Birthday, muffins!Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-71241980130788218582020-06-22T23:57:00.001-07:002020-06-22T23:57:36.410-07:00A DEADLY EDUCATION BY NAOMI NOVIK - My reviewHappy Tuesday, Dear Readers! I hope you're all safe and well (and if you're not, feel free to let me know in the comments, I promise to offer you comfort and virtual hugs).<br />
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Remember that <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B58DTW8/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738">THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE</a> ebook is currently available for pre-order on a special Kindle deal for under £2 just now, so get in there if you want it. And if you do buy it, please consider reviewing once you've read it, since reviews are life. Speaking of which... today's blog is a review and I am *excited*. <br />
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Naomi Novik is one of my favourite writers working today.<br />
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She's famous for the Temeraire series: alternate history Regency-era fantasies where intelligent dragons essentially act as airborn artillery in the British armed forces as they battle against Napolean. I really liked the Temeraire books and have read all of them - but not until after that series was complete and Ms Novik published UPROOTED, which can be taken as a very loose Beauty & the Beast retelling, did I become a superfan. And I do mean a superfan. UPROOTED pressed every button that my fairytale and folklore obsessed heart possessed, and I loved it so much that I recommended it to literally every bookish person I met for the next year.<br />
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I had her next book, SPINNING SILVER, on pre-order the moment it was available on the Waterstone's website, and when it turned up and my sad, RSI-weakened hands could not actually hold it long enough to read it (it's a hardback and it's chunky, OK, and I need to be able to bring books up close to my face because my eyes are rubbish) I turned around and got the ebook, but kept the hardback anyway because it was signed. <i>Me.</i> This perpetually skint, compulsively thrifty person. Who even am I? <i>This what the prospect of a new Naomi Novik book does to me.</i><br />
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So the female-focused folklore inspired fantasy was a pretty big departure for the author of a very, very successful and long-running series with a male protagonist. And A DEADLY EDUCATION is yet another daring swerve for the author. It's what I would call contemporary urban fantasy, or maybe contemporary alternate history (the 'everything's the same except there's a secret magical world' variety) and hovering right on the edge of the crossover market. When I saw this pop up in Netgalley I nearly dislocated my finger, I hit the 'Request' button with such fervour. Only afterwards did I notice that this wasn't another fairytale inspired novel, but something entirely different. I prepared myself to maybe not love it quite so much.<br />
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Ha. Yeah. Nope. I would still sell my immortal soul for this woman.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMIPse7Q3gk/Xuz6lOxA0HI/AAAAAAAADPw/CeeXPt6dpb0CliDHqCRYLPDwIcXSSQ6jwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Scholomance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="191" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMIPse7Q3gk/Xuz6lOxA0HI/AAAAAAAADPw/CeeXPt6dpb0CliDHqCRYLPDwIcXSSQ6jwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Scholomance.jpg" /></a>First, I need to get this out there: this is an <b>absolutely bonkers book.</b> I can't emphasize enough how barmy it is. Story. Characters. Tone. It's like nothing you've read before. But! At the same time, it IS. Because it is straight-up parodying not only Harry Potter but the parade of other 'magic highschool' novels which followed in HP's stratospheric wake.<br />
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This is a book that has set out to answer the question so many of us have asked regarding Hogwarts as we looked back at the series as adults: who in the heck would ever send their kid there, and WHY would they allow them STAY there when the kids are writing letters home saying: "Thanks for the new socks. Got an A in Transfiguration but only a B in Herbology. Oh, and there's a giant savage three headed dog chained up in one of the corridors that would kill any of us instantly - and we learned lock-picking spells in charms today! Love to Dad."<br />
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As a kid, you just imagine how damn cool it would be to get to go to Hogwarts and have adventures, but as the aunt of several nieces who just barely managed to survive to adulthood despite excellent quality helicopter parenting and notable lack of magic wands, I do wonder... why would an adult who is responsible for the welfare of hundreds of vulnerable children hide the Philosopher's Stone <i>in their school</i>, practically guaranteeing that Voldemort's agents would turn up there? Who approved sending eleven year olds into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night for *detention* without even ensuring they would have adequate adult supervision when a unicorn killing monster is known to be in there? Not to mention the giant spiders? What about the Whomping Willow? Allowing school to stay in session after all the adults are damn well aware that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened again and a deadly unidentified creature is on the lose within the walls? VOLUNTARILY ENTERING KIDS INTO THE GOBLET OF FIRE???<br />
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I mean, what is WITH this place? For heaven's sake, if you didn't know any better you might almost say it's like they're trying to, I don't know, kill the kids off on purpose somehow, cull out the weak, sift the wheat... from... the... ?<br />
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Yep. That's totally what the Wizarding world was doing, isn't it? Sorry, readers, but it's true. You're lucky your Hogwarts letter
never came, because chances are that you wouldn't have made it out
alive (me either, for the record).<br />
<br />
Really, only Harry Potter's bulletproof rose-tinted glasses - conveniently provided by a total lack of the proper socialisation and vital attention required by a developing child, not to mention the routine starvation, neglect, and physical and emotional abuse of his family - allowed us, the readers, to believe anything different. The cupboard under the stairs made even a life in which he was continually thrown into near-death situations by his adult caretakers and expected to save everyone seem great by comparison as long as people fed him and noticed his existence. But for anyone else... well. I think Hogwarts would seem pretty much like Naomi Novik's invention in A DEADLY EDUCATION: the Scholomance.<br />
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Scholomance is what Hogwarts was really like. No one is happy to be on this school's admission list. It's effectively a meat grinder for magical kids. You're all alone there - there are no teachers, the school itself sets your assignments and punishes you gruesomely if you fail - and if the kids kill each other off? Well, what happens in Scholomance mostly stays in Scholomance. And you're not only potentially under attack by other kids, who want to move up the rankings, oh no. You're also under constant attack by 'mals', magical monsters who slurp up the fresh and shiny life force of children as if it were Mountain Dew and which, despite the best magical protections the school has to offer, have a nasty habit of popping out of the scrambled eggs on the breakfast buffet, from out of the plugholes in the shared bathroom, and even through the keyhole of your dorm room in the middle of the night. <br />
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Now, of course you can avoid going if your parents take you off the list - but even though your odds of getting out of Scholomance alive are roughly one in four (yep, it's brutal) it's still better odds than staying out in the world, where magical children going through puberty are monster magnets and your odds are more like one-in-twenty - and that's IF your family belongs to an 'enclave', a sort of wealthy, influential and privileged Feudal compound, with powerful adults who will probably be willing to risk their lives to defend you. Once you hit eighteen or so, the monsters don't consider you particularly interesting anymore, but in the meantime, you put everyone you love, including younger siblings who aren't yet going through puberty, and older relatives who may not have strong enough magic or the right affinity to defend themselves, in danger. <br />
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And if you're not in an enclave, like the heroine of this story - Galadriel, or 'El'? Well, not going to the Scholomance is basically just hoping that when the monsters eventually DO get at you, they eat your mum (or dad, or big sister, or the neighbour lady) first and give you time to get away. This is not cool with El, whose mum is a hippy ray of sunshine, an insanely kind, positive and powerful healer who only ever uses her power to make the world a better place and refuses compensation for any of her work. She's totally alone in the world and only escaped the Scholomance herself as a teen because Galadriel's father - knowing that El's mum was three months pregnant - sacrified himself to a hideous monster to save her life. El's mum lives in a commune in Wales and is beloved by everyone who meets her. She could have the pick of any powerful 'enclave' in the world. Except. Except that El is NOT an insanely kind, positive and powerful Healer.<br />
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Oh, she's insanely powerful, all right. In fact, she can pull the lifeforce out of any other wizard she likes, no matter how strong or well-defended, at the blink of an eye, and has an affinity for enchantments of darkness, destruction and death. When free-writing poetry, she accidentally creates spells to invoke supervolcanoes. She can literally kill you with a flick of her hand, and from a small child, people who look at her are inexplicably filled with (depending on their character) fear, revulsion or awe. Her own father's family, despite having adored her deceased father and practically worshipping her mother, tried to off her when she was a kid because they, vegetarian, Pacifist Good Wizards, were convinced she would bring about the endtimes, and was better off dead. <br />
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The only reason she is not already ruling the universe 'ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND DESPAIR!' style is that, thanks to her mum, she actually doesn't WANT to hurt anyone. Which, predictably, drives her up the wall, because the way people, even quite nice people, treat her - as if she was automatically a horrible, wicked person - means that she WANTS to want to hurt them. She just can't bring herself to really DO it. <br />
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El is Bellatrix LeStrange, if she had been brought up to have an unshakeable moral compass. Killing people and being wicked, cruel and villainous would be a piece of cake for her, and in order to be good, she has to work about ten times as hard as a normal person, because every time she uses magic it wants to twist into something dark. And she knows that if she gave into that urge, even once, she would end up respected, feared, unstoppably powerful, and SAFE - but also, on the path to becoming the monster she's determined never to be. She's bitter, caustic, antagonistic, and perhaps the most purely decent and moral character I've ever read. I LOVES HER MY PRECIOUS. <br />
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So much for our setting and protagonist: this is where people reviewing fantasy books usually talk about 'the magic system'. Personally I hate that phrase. Look, you have a drainage 'system', don't you, and how it works is that it's made out of metal pipes, and when you turn a tap it runs, and if it breaks down then you call someone with a spanner who will replace a part and it will work again. Magic, being the "non-meat by-product of existence", something fundamentally non-classifiable, illogical, elemental, spiritual (<a href="http://nkjemisin.com/2012/06/but-but-but-why-does-magic-have-to-make-sense/">thank you, N.K. Jemisin</a>) may have rules or ideals or spells, but if it has a 'system' - for instance, the one in Harry Potter, where you wave your wand a certain way and say certain words and unless your wand is broken or you got the gesture or words wrong, you get the same result every single time, just like flushing the toilet - pretty much bore me to tears.<br />
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This is why I always see questions in reviews for *my* books asking why the 'magic system' wasn't better explained and why didn't we get all the consequences explored and classified and why didn't I put down <i>exactly</i> why and how it all works? BECAUSE IT'S BORING! It's not a supposed to be like a <i>magic trick</i>, where there's a logical explanation for everything and the rabbit was up his sleeve all along. It's suppposed to be <i>actual magic</i>. And with actual magic, just like art, sometimes you do all the right things and it turns out awful, and sometimes the power of love is enough to fix everything and sometimes the power of love is enough to ruin everything, and somethings the thing you hated and sweated through and got wrong in every way is the best thing you ever did.<br />
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A DEADLY EDUCATION has *that* kind of magic. The good kind. The kind where there are certainly rules and spells, but where, just like in Garth Nix's or Lois McMaster Bujold's work, effort and intention are what powers your magic, and your dread and fear or even joy can warp reality (just like Heisenberg said! Well, sort of). I love how this kind of magic can have all kinds of unexpected effects and the interaction of differing factors can invent something entirely new. <br />
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The writing is absolutely smooth as silk. Not fancy, or lyrical, but just utterly competent and powerful and brilliant. You barely notice you're reading, it's so smooth. It feels like when Neo gets a programme for martial arts downloaded into his brain and just KNOWS how it works. And as a result the story is totally unputdownable. Gripping is an understatement. I downloaded it and began reading it at about 4pm and finished at 11 at night, having taken the smallest and most rushed breaks possible to eat, shower etc., each one of which felt like waking up from a dream I couldn't wait to get back to. However! I can sense that some readers - ones not as enamoured of Ms Novik's writing as I am, or as into the MC's unique, spikey narratuon - might find some of the exposition a little heavy, especially to start with. Ms Novik plays that trick of dangling something incredibly juicy at you and then using the tempting tidbit to lead you through a few pages of necessary information. Personally I'm all for that; I love worldbuilding. But if you're not, I recommend that you just push through it. It is WORTH it, trust me. <br />
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Secondary characters are a real strength in this, sketched with humane deftness, humour, and compassion, from the tentative friends to the out-and-out villains. We understand them all, even if perhaps we might wish not to.<br />
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I do note, though, that Orion Lake, the unlikely best friend the heroine makes basically against her will - and the character who gets the most screen time next to El - is probably the one I felt I knew the least. I wonder if that's because he's so clearly there as the Harry Potter analogue: the heroic Chosen One who always charges in to save everyone without thinking twice about his own life, or the consequences, but really just wants to be treated as human. I felt as if we were already meant to know him. But the thing is, he WASN'T Harry. For one thing, he comes from a life of immense privilege, not one of poverty, abuse and neglect - and he completely takes that privilege for granted, ending up totally shocked and bamboozled everytime El is forced to bitterly point it out to him. And every now and again he would do something deeply NOT HARRY-ish and make me really keen to get to know him better. But I never really did? Hopefully future books take care of this. Actually, I can't wait!<br />
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Overall - as is absolutely no secret by now - I adored this, wish I could go back in time immediately and read it again for the first time, and would be willing to read another five to ten books of it - preferably right now? This is a solid gold 100% recommendation from The <span class="K3JSBVB-R-i"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-a"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-f">Zoë-Trope. A DEADLY EDUCATION is out at the end of September. Run out and pre-order or put it on hold/request at your library instantly, or a maw-mouth will get you!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="K3JSBVB-R-i"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-a"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-f"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="K3JSBVB-R-i"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-a"><span class="K3JSBVB-R-f"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Language Geek Alert: maw-mouths are the worst monsters in this book. I laughed for five minutes straight when I saw the name, and I like to imagine Ms Novik cackled in a similarly unhinged fashion when the name occurred to her, too. You see, a maw-mouth is a creature that has a lot of mouths. Thousands. And the word 'maw' just means mouth. So their name basically means 'mouth-mouth'. But the word 'maw' is pronounced 'more'. So they're mouth-mouths and more-mouths at the same time - and that's literally what they are! GENIUS).</span></i></span></span></span>Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-63728295856719785672020-06-16T00:13:00.000-07:002020-06-16T01:40:24.776-07:00THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE COVER REVEAL! (And pre-orders!)Hello, Dear Readers! Happy Tuesday, and I hope you're all having a pretty good week so far. Thank you so, so much for your RTs and shares for the announcement of <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_Qj15EbAKWM4Q7">THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE</a></i></b> last week. This book is really special to me. I love it. It's probably my favourite thing that I've written since <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057OCGC4/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_fDH4EbXR7PAY7">Shadows on the Moon</a></i>. Your support means more to me than you can possibly know, especially after I've been on such a long break from the blog and the book community. *Smooshes all*<br />
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Your general loveliness about <i>The Book of Snow & Silence</i> makes me all the more gleeful that I get to bring you this utter lusciousness today without having had to make you wait for aaaaaaages as in times past. The cover is coming right up below - BUT! Before we get there - yes, you, I know you were about to begin scrolling, just wait for a second, OK? - I also have MORE VERY GOOD EXCELLENT NICE NEWS.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_Qj15EbAKWM4Q7"><b>As of today, pre-orders of the ebook of <i>The Book of Snow & Silence</i> are LIVE. Yep, you can order the ebook right here, right now!</b></a><br />
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This is great in more ways than one. The official release date for both the ebook and the paperback is the 30th of June, two weeks away - but if you <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_Qj15EbAKWM4Q7">pre-order the ebook</a> before that release date, you'll get it for £1.99. I don't know about you, but I think that's a saving well worth getting your paws on. <br />
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If you don't want to pre-order for whatever reason - for instance if you don't like ebooks and are planning to wait for the paperback - don't worry! I promise there will be goodies for you as well. But I'll wait for release day to get to those 😘<br />
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I also wanted to give a head's up to blogger/reviewer friends: if you're interested in reviewing this, email me at z d marriott (at) g mail dot com and we can arrange to send you a PDF proof.<b> A book like this lives or dies based on reviews - mainly Amazon reviews</b> - so it would honestly mean so much to me if people would be willing to leave *honest* reviews, even just a few words, on the book's Amazon page.<br />
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And now, without further burbling on my part... the cover art reveal!<br />
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<b>DRUMROLL PLEASE!</b></div>
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<b>Look at the beauteousness! </b><br />
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The icy blue-green northern lights colours! The ominous stormy clouds billowing up behind that tempting crown -
which happens to appear to be constructed of snowflakes and ice!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auBoitdYRIg/XuhpatuE_fI/AAAAAAAADO4/Vr-__NTf9og0qG2Y3HXqkSYaqaiXX5eswCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auBoitdYRIg/XuhpatuE_fI/AAAAAAAADO4/Vr-__NTf9og0qG2Y3HXqkSYaqaiXX5eswCPcBGAYYCw/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The subtle glacier cracks on the title font!<br />
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WE LOVES IT MY PRECIOUS.<b> </b>I'm always so happy when details that are important in the story are so strong on the cover art, and this is not only perfect for this book, but a damn knock-out in it's own right. Thank you so much Lauren, Cover Designer Extraordinaire! Me and my characters salute you!<br />
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OK, to sum up - <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B58DTW8/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_e665EbTQ2GX93">pre-orders are now live</a></b> (eeeeeiii!) and reviewers and bloggers can email z d marriott (at) g mail dot com to ask for a (non-pretty, but final text) proof if they're interested. Reviews are life, muffins!<br />
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Let me know what you think of this cover art in the comments 🙂</div>
Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-24920760691021884862020-06-12T00:18:00.003-07:002020-06-12T00:18:50.830-07:00NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT!Hello, hello, hello and happy Friday, Dear Readers! Forgive me friends, for I have sinned: I know it's been a year since my last post - but please don't hate me!<br />
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A lot has happened in that year, some of which I don't really want to go into, including serious illness in my family. I also finished my time as an RLF Fellow at York St. John University - a posting I loved so much and will always look back on as one of the happiest times in my life - and I'm now in the final term of my Master's Degree in Creative Writing, working on my dissertation. So, you know. It's been busy. I'm sure you've been busy and had amazing ups and down since I last posted too - sound off in the comments if you like. I promise to reply to each and every one, as always.<br />
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But in addition to all that, I also did something you might be a bit more interested in.<br />
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<b>I wrote a new book.</b><br />
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And it's going to be out... er - well - <i>at the end of the month</i>? EEEEEEEIIII!<br />
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Ahem. Sorry to spring it on you like this - but I hope you don't mind too much? It basically just means you don't have to wait for ages while I accidentally tease you, right?<br />
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Today I'm going to share some of the details of my ACTUAL FACTS TENTH NOVEL (omg) and I hope that next week I'll be able to do the cover reveal, and tell you the official release date, as well as a few other juicy details.<br />
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So first up - what's the title?<br />
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DRUMROLL PLEASE!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE</b></span></div>
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Ta-dah! So what's it about? Here's the back cover blurb:</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Girls of Paper & Fire</span></b><i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
meets </span></b></i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A Game of Thrones</span></b><i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> in </span></b></i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">THE BOOK
OF SNOW & SILENCE</span></b><i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, a darkly romantic queer fantasy inspired by Hans
Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.</span></b></i></div>
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</b></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fierce Princess Theoai is devastated
when betrayal by her own sister destroys her chance to inherit their mother’s
crown. Exiled across the sea to wed a prince she has never met, she soon finds
that taking possession of her new crown will be more perilous than she could
ever have imagined. The snowy realm of Silinga is rotten to the core, and
Theoai’s handsome Prince is spoiled and reckless, with eyes only for the
beautiful mute who washed up on the shore the day after Theoai’s arrival:
Shell. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But though she enchants the entire palace with her unearthly dancing,
Shell is more than just a romantic rival, and against her will Theoai is drawn
to her. As they both navigate the glittering, treacherous court, their
relationship changes from hostility to friendship – and then to a love that
will shake the very foundations of the cold kingdom that seeks to tear them
apart.</span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE is a sweeping, Feminist novel
of enchantment, ambition and, above all, love.</span></b></i></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53952626-the-book-of-snow-silence">Here is the link to add it on Goodreads if you want.</a></b><br />
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And the link to the <b><a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/redzolah/tsm/">book's Pinterest board</a></b> and the <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ebfHD535LsWohNB41MwBE?si=W-TKuWsRSvOtByT5Y4P7ng">playlist on Spotify</a>, </b>although<b> </b>I probably spent a good 50% of my time listening to the <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2La7crUpW4po25IYpveXws?si=NlZQaz-ARkmb6xw5MIJPow">Blue Planet soundtrack</a></b> as well; it's so perfect.<br />
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Some aesthetics!</div>
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And finally under, the cut below - <i>a new and completely exclusive snippet from the first chapter of the book!</i> 🠋🠋🠋🠋🠋</div>
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What do you think of this, my lovelies? Let me know your thoughts below - and I'll be back next week with even more bookalicious juiciness for you. Take care of yourselves until then.</div>
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I was home again. Soaring weightless on the desert wind, as
if borne up by the wings of some silent nightbird, high above the black and
yellow rippled dunes. On the eastern horizon, the moon – wearing the sharp
horns of her warrior’s crescent – rose to greet the icy glint of the guardian
stars that would ride with her through the night sky. Below me, the welcoming
lights of Segemassa. The city where I was born. </div>
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The tributaries of the river Sege which ran through and
beneath the city like veins glittered with the lights of slow-moving pleasure
barges as they passed beneath the spreading thorn trees and between the reed
beds. Buildings, roads and parks spread across the lush lands my ancestors had
reclaimed from the sand, a rumpled green velvet cloak scattered with jewels.
Lamplight glowed in the windows. Torches bobbed briskly along the shadowed
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In the Southern Quarter, the night market filled the air
with raucous music and laughter, its colourful drifts of paper lanterns rocking
in the same wind that carried spicy scents – roasting kid and honeyed figs,
rosewater, cassia and ambergris – up to me. </div>
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And above it all the golden towers of the Palace stood
sentinel, watching over the city from the apex of the river delta as they had
done for five centuries.</div>
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The cool, sand-gritty wind gusted again. I circled the
Palace, eyes hungrily examining the shadowed gardens and fountains, the tiled
courtyards and pools. But something was wrong. Something was different. </div>
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<i>No. I don’t want to see this place again.</i><br />
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The wind did not listen. It carried more laughter to my ears
– a memory this time. The merry chime of Aramin’s amusement as she ran from
room to room in the sun drenched afternoon, hiding from her nursemaid beneath
my bed and begging for my silence even as her giggles gave her away.<i> “Sssh,
Theo! Don’t tell...”</i></div>
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<i>I don’t want to see this. I don’t want to remember.</i><br />
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Thunder clapped. Lightning lit the sky above the Palace.
Suddenly I was falling. Seeing again my Mother’s face, sorrowful, resolute –
pitying. The lightning flashed from the glittering facets of the rubies in her
crown.<i> </i><br />
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<i>“We can hide the truth no longer, my daughter. You are
unfit. You are... broken.”</i><br />
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<i>Stop! Stop it!</i><br />
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I hurtled toward the ground, screaming – and woke with a
choked off gasp, biting my lip hard enough to taste blood.</div>
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The thin planked walls of my cabin shuddered and creaked,
transmitting the relentless churning of the water outside directly to my uneasy
guts. It was daylight already – cold blue light spilled through the
frost-rimmed porthole. I checked the corners of the small room to ensure none
of my maids were present before I permitted myself a small groan, pulling the
thick layers of fur Mother had sent with me up over my head. The books and
papers which I had been queasily studying last night before my lamp burned
through its oil fell to the floor with a variety of thumps and bangs.</div>
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Almost immediately there was a tentative knock at the door.
“Your Highness? Are you awake?”</div>
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<i>Well, I am </i>now<i>,</i> I thought pettishly. Did they take turns
hovering outside my door so that one of them was available to prod me at all
times?</div>
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“Yes, Elo – what is it?” I called back, making the required
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The answer almost trembled with eagerness. “They sailors have sighted
land at last, Princess! The Captain says we’ll arrive today. Do you want to get
dressed?”</div>
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<![endif]-->Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-61320225843201966762019-05-28T12:46:00.003-07:002019-05-28T23:36:38.709-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: DEAR TEEN ME(Originally posted on this blog in April 2011, now retrieved from the archive, gently dusted off and reposted for your reading pleasure) <br />
<br />
***WARNING! ADULT LANGUAGE BELOW!***<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DqmEj1v7XyU/Ta7PcLtlUKI/AAAAAAAAAWI/y9u-VqoLlhk/s1600/DSC00057.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DqmEj1v7XyU/Ta7PcLtlUKI/AAAAAAAAAWI/y9u-VqoLlhk/s1600/DSC00057.JPG" /></a>
Hey you! Yes, you – the fourteen year old with the nail scissors! Put
those down and pay attention. I’ve got something to say to you,
something you need to hear. Listen up.<br />
<br />
You’re in a
pretty awful place right now. You’re in a place not many people get low
enough to experience in their lives, and even fewer climb out of. This
is probably the worst you’ve ever felt about yourself, and you’re
thinking: <i>can I go on like this for another day? Do I even want to try? Maybe there’s only one way out...</i><br />
<br />
No, don’t try and brush me off. I’m not going to
be fooled by that big goofy grin or your hyperactive chatter. I know
the truth. Those half-healed cuts and scratches on your arms and legs?
The ‘accidental’ ones that you lie about so well that no one ever questions
you? <br /><br />Yeah. I still have those scars, kiddo. So let’s not play games.<br />
<br />
Today,
on the way home from school, a group of about ten boys, ranging in age
from twelve to sixteen, cornered you. They pushed you up against the
wall of a building. They ripped your clothes, groped you, laughed in your face, and spat on you. That was the worst part, somehow. That they spat in your face, on your hair, everywhere. They taunted you while they did it. When you
finally, finally, finally managed to get away and get home, you scrubbed yourself until your
skin bled, washed your hair until handfuls started coming out. But no
matter what you did, you couldn’t get clean. You feel like you’ll never
be clean again.<br />
<br />
You won't even bother telling anyone about this. Not your parents, sister, teachers. Because you've tried before - you've tried so many times - and it never makes anything better. None of them are surprised anymore, horrified anymore, interested anymore. They'll just ask 'What did you do? Why were you there? Didn't you have any friends to protect you?' and by the time they've finished asking questions you, too, will have started to wonder if it was all your own fault. <br />
<br />
And you and I both know that this isn’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj4qyyjYuGY/Ta7QES9jtNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/AMe4OW3VuWQ/s1600/DSC00056.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj4qyyjYuGY/Ta7QES9jtNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/AMe4OW3VuWQ/s320/DSC00056.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Every
day since you were eleven, you’ve gotten up, eaten breakfast, left
your house, and walked into a nightmare. <br /><br />You’ve been kicked, pinched,
punched, tripped, pushed down stairs, stabbed in the back of your hand, had ink poured down
your back, and on one memorable occasion, had eight separate pieces of
chewing gum stuck in your hair. You’ve been shunned. Screamed at.
Tortured in every way that a person can be, short of hot pokers and
bamboo shoots under the nails. <br /><br />You’ve watched every person you ever
called a friend scatter because just being close to you was too
dangerous. <br /><br />You’ve seen teachers who pounce on improperly fastened school
uniforms or kids holding hands in the corridor brush off your suffering by telling you
to ‘Stop making a fuss' or 'just ignore it’. You’ve lived through punishments on the occasions
when you dared to fight back. <br /><br />You’ve heard your own parents ask
each other, when they thought you couldn’t hear: ‘Why does this keep
happening? What is she doing wrong? What is wrong with her?’<br />
<br />
That’s the question I’m here to answer for you, fourteen-year-old Zolah. Just what the Hell is wrong with you?<br />
<br />
<b>Nothing.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vIaz0ZyeaFY/Ta7QLK8DO0I/AAAAAAAAAWc/X2JQuVz6WkY/s1600/DSC00055.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vIaz0ZyeaFY/Ta7QLK8DO0I/AAAAAAAAAWc/X2JQuVz6WkY/s320/DSC00055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Not a single, solitary fucking thing.<br />
<br />
Shut up. Don’t start arguing with me. Don’t start crying. You’ve never let them see you cry, and now is not the time to start.<br />
<br />
This
isn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything to deserve this. There’s
nothing missing inside you, no essential flaw, no reason at all why 50%
of the kids at your school take pleasure in tormenting you, or why none
of the adults in your life seem to be able to help you.<br />
<br />
THERE IS
NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU.<br />
<br />
There’s some stuff right with
you, though. Some stuff you’ve never realised because you’re too miserably depressed, lonely and self-loathing to realise it. Let me spell it out.<br />
<br />
You’re
brave. You’re incredibly, stunningly, wonderfully brave. You don’t
know this. In fact, you think you’re a coward, that if you were just
brave enough you could get people to leave you alone. But the truth is
that the courage it takes to keep walking into that school, day after
day, to keep putting your hand up in class, to keep studying and doing
your homework, to keep reading your books and talking exactly how you
want to talk? Is possibly the greatest courage in the world. I’m awed
by that courage. One day you’re going to be awed by it too.<br />
<br />
You’re
also compassionate. Don’t ask me why that matters. I know it’s not a
virtue anyone gives a crap about in your life right now, but one day
your kindness is going to make you real friends. Friends who will do
anything for you, friends who’ll stick with you no matter what, who
would never abandon you and take cover. Friends who’ll make your life
worth living.<br />
<br />
And you’re clever – and it’s not anything
to be ashamed of. You sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be better if you
were like everyone else, if you thought books were stupid, if you
didn’t want to learn. But you’re dead wrong. Your intelligence is a
gift, an amazing gift. Stop cursing it.<br />
<br />
So here’s the
deal. I’m not going to lie. Things aren’t going to look up straight
away. In fact, you’ve got some bad stuff to come. Really bad. But you
are going to survive it. And in the not-too-distant future, good things
are going to start happening, things which will make up for everything
you’ve gone through so far. I promise. YOU will make those things
happen. The very traits the other kids hate about you, the bravery,
compassion and intelligence that they try to beat out of you, will
allow you to follow and find your dreams.<br />
<br />
So put those
scissors down, okay? You don’t have to punish yourself. You don’t have
to keep hurting yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong. There is
nothing wrong with you. You’re going to put the scissors down, Zolah.
And someday - not any day soon, but someday - you’re going to be all right.<br />
<br />
**This is a guest post that was written for the wonderful site <a href="http://dearteenme.com/">Dear Teen Me. Check it out to read hilarious and inspiring letters from authors</a> all over the world to their teen selves**Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-59010716534603553252019-05-20T10:41:00.003-07:002019-05-20T10:41:56.913-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: YOU CAN STUFF YOUR MARY-SUE WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE(Originally posted August 2011, now retrieved from the archive, gently dusted off, and re-posted for your reading pleasure)<br />
<br />
Today I intend to tackle a controversial topic. You can probably
guess what it is from the post title, but if not...well, here's where we
wade into the Mary-Sue Morass. It's a deep one. You might want to bring
a snack. And a spare pair of socks.<br />
<br />
If you regularly
read book (or film or TV or other media - but most especially book)
reviews of any kind, whether in magazines or on Amazon and Goodreads or
on book review blogs, you will more than likely (moooore than likely) have
come across the term Mary-Sue. And if you didn't already know what the term
meant, you might have tried to work it out using the context in
which the term was used. But, because hardly any of the people throwing
this term around themselves understand what it means, you'll have a
tough time of it. <br /><br />In fact, even if you've read a hundred reviews talking about
Mary-Sue characters, you probably still don't know for sure, although
you'll have gotten the idea that Mary-Sue = bad news. Bad character. Bad
writing. BAD WRITER, NO COOKIE!<br />
<br />
When I read reviews, I see the term Mary-Sue used to mean:<br />
<br />
1) A female character who is too perfect<br />
2) A female character who is too badass<br />
3) A female character who gets her way/a male love interest too easily<br />
4) A female character who is too powerful<br />
5) A female character who has too many flaws<br />
6) A female character who has the wrong flaws<br />
7) A female character who has no flaws<br />
8) A female character who is annoying or obnoxious<br />
9) A female character who is one dimensional or badly written<br />
10) A female character who is too passive or boring<br />
<br />
Do
you see, Dear Readers, how many of these aspects of the commonly used
term Mary-Sue are...umm...just a teeny bit contradictory? How can
Mary-Sue mean 'a female character who is too perfect' when it is also
used to mean a female character who is 'annoying or obnoxious'? How can
it mean that a character has 'too many flaws' and also 'no flaws'? How
can these people have anything in common? It's all so confusing!<br />
<br />
Except that it isn't.<br />
<br />
Take another look at the list of complaints against so-called Mary-Sues and you will see one thing all of them have in common.<br />
<br />
'A female character.'<br />
<br />
What
many (though not all!) of the people merrily throwing this phrase
around actually mean when they say 'Mary-Sue' is: 'Female character I
don't like'.<br />
<br />
That's it. That's all.<br />
<br />
So
why don't they just say 'I didn't like the female character' and
explain why? I mean, there's no problem with a reviewer not liking a
female character, is there? Everyone is entitled to like or dislike a
character according to their own lights. A character that one person
loves may seem utterly vile to another reader, and that is a wonderful
thing we should all be very happy about as individuals. <br /><br />How did this
strange, contradictory, badly defined term come into such common use in
the first place? Clearly it doesn't mean what people think it means - so
why not just honestly lay out the reasons you didn't like the female
character, the same way you would any other character (by which we mean,
a male one) instead of throwing the term Mary-Sue like a mud-pie?<br />
<br />
Maybe
it's because the reviewers in question, the reviewers who keep saying
'Mary-Sue' as if it was all that needed to be said, don't want to have
to explain the reasons why a particular character didn't work for them.
Maybe it's because their reasons for finding these female characters
just too obnoxious, unrealistic, stupid, passive, badass or talented are
as contradictory and badly defined as the term itself. Maybe it's
because the reason they don't like the female characters isn't that
they're just too...anything. Except just too...female.<br />
<br />
For
the record, at this point let's see if we can't dig out the actual
meaning of the term Mary-Sue. Because it did have a useful definition
once, before it was co-opted and turned into a two-word mud-pie to
diminish female characters. And that definition was this:<br />
<br />
"A
Mary Sue (sometimes just Sue), in literary criticism and particularly
in fanfiction, is a fictional character with overly idealized and
hackneyed mannerisms, lacking noteworthy flaws, and primarily
functioning as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author or reader. It
is generally accepted as a character whose positive aspects overwhelm
their other traits until they become one-dimensional." <br />
<br />
The
term was made up by people writing StarTrek fanfiction, to describe the
author-insert characters (often given names like Ensign Mary Sue) who would
show up in pieces of fanfiction as a new ensign or science officer and
immediately prove to be the best looking, most intelligent, spunkiest,
wittiest and most perfect StarFleet officer ever recruited. All the
other characters would immediately realise this and hail Ensign Mary Sue
as a genius. If they did not, they were obviously motivated by
spite and jealousy, since Mary Sue was so clearly perfect (and modest!
And humble! And unaware of how beautiful she was!) that no one who
wasn't wicked could do anything but embrace her.<br />
<br />
She
would not only miraculously solve every problem that the Enterprise
faced and make instant friends of all the crew, but all the significant
male (and maybe female) characters would fall in love with her. Usually
Ensign Mary Sue would bravely die at the end of the piece of fanfiction,
because the established characters and setting would have become so
warped around her utter perfection by then that if she had lived she
would have gotten married to either James T Kirk or Spock (or both) and
become Captain of the ship, and no one would ever have had to have any
adventures again.<br />
<br />
In short, Mary-Sue is a wish
fulfilment fantasy.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying characters like this don't exist.
I'd argue they're not even necessarily *bad*. In fact, an example of a Mary-Sue
in a well-known novel is the character Bella Swan in <i>Twilight</i> (I'm sorry
Twilight lovers, I'm not dissing Bella, I'm just
stating a fact about the kind of character she is).<br />
<br />
Bella
moves to a new town and immediately finds that everyone there wants to
be her friend (except for two female characters who are mind-cripplingly
obviously jealous) despite the fact that she is not interested in any
of them. Bella has no flaws apart from being adorably klutzy. She is
convinced that she is plain, and wears no make-up, but everyone reacts
to her as if she was ravishingly beautiful. She captures the interest
and then the undying love of the main male character despite the fact
that he nearly has to turn his whole character inside out to make it
happen. She also gets the love of the secondary male character. And all
the other boys her age start fighting over her too, even though she's
got no interest in any of them either. Bella undergoes no character
growth or development within the story because she is already perfect
when the story begins. And, as has often been pointed out, the detailed
description of Bella is a perfect description of the author, Stephenie
Meyer.<br />
<br />
So this is what a Mary-Sue is:<br />
<br />
1) A character who is based, at least partly, on the author<br />
2) A character whom has no significant flaws (except possibly ones the other characters find cute)<br />
3)
A character to whom everyone within the story reacts as if they were
beautiful and wonderful except characters who are clearly evil and/or
motivated by jealousy<br />
4) A character with whom, during the course
of the story, every available character of the opposite (and
occasionally the same) sex will fall in love given any contact
whatsoever<br />
5) A character who undergoes no significant growth, change or development throughout the story<br />
<br />
Believe me, when you come across one, you will know.<br />
<br />
And
yet I see the term Mary-Sue applied to characters who bear no
resemblance to this definition at all. I see it applied to such diverse
people as Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, Mae from <i>The Demon's
Lexicon</i> by Sarah Rees Brennan, Clary from the Mortal Instruments series
by Cassandra Clare, Alanna from The Song of the Lioness Quartet by
Tamora Pierce, and Katsa from <i>Graceling</i> by Kristin Cashore. These guys,
honestly, couldn't be much more different from each other. The only
thing they all have in common? Is that they're all girls.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vn1mycheK94/T-ihsI8q3xI/AAAAAAAAA0s/9fJJqT2w2Mg/s1600/Hermione_Granger_poster.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vn1mycheK94/T-ihsI8q3xI/AAAAAAAAA0s/9fJJqT2w2Mg/s1600/Hermione_Granger_poster.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a Mary Sue!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I recently read a book that I loved. In the course of
the book the heroine underwent immense physical and mental and
emotional ordeals. She was by turns denigrated and treated with contempt,
and excessively sheltered, patronised, and lied to. She was kidnapped, dragged
across rough terrain, attacked, threatened, lost people that she loved,
was betrayed by people she had trusted, and had almost unbearable
burdens thrust onto her shoulders. She evolved - inch by painful inch -
from a very smart, yet extremely insecure and self-centred person, to
one who was compassionate and empathetic and able to use her
intelligence for the good of others. She changed from a passive and
largely physically inactive person to one who was physically strong and
active. She worked and scrabbled and fought and whined and cried for
every bit of progress she made. She lost everything she loved and wanted
and pulled herself up and made a new life for herself, bittersweet
though it was.<br />
<br />
And I thought: How wonderful!<br />
<br />
And
then I saw a review calling this character - this amazing, flawed,
revolting, inspiring, broken, beautiful, ugly character - a Mary-Sue.
Dear Readers, my head nearly exploded.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJBf2SV-Arw/T-ihuiWmKQI/AAAAAAAAA00/J3rXCGjsUC0/s1600/5.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJBf2SV-Arw/T-ihuiWmKQI/AAAAAAAAA00/J3rXCGjsUC0/s1600/5.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not a Mary Sue!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm sick of it, Dear Readers. I'm sick of seeing
people condemn any female character with a significant role in a book as
a Mary-Sue. I'm sick of people talking about how the female characters
were too perfect or not perfect enough, too passive or too badass, too
talented or too useless, when what they really mean - but don't even
KNOW they mean - is that the characters were too much in possession of
lady parts.<br />
<br />
So now I turn away from my wonderful blog
readers, who are lovely, kind, sweet people who would never make my head
explode, and I turn to you, the reviewers. Not all the reviewers. Just
the ones who are making my head throb dangerously and causing the
silvery lights to float in front of my eyes.<br />
<br />
I beg, I
implore, I get down on bended knee and grovel: next time you're about to
use the term Mary-Sue, stop and look at my little checklist above. And
if the character you are about to describe does not hit all the points
on the checklist? DON'T.<br />
<br />
And if you're going to ask how
on earth you're supposed to know, without photos of the author, if the
character is partly based on them? You've just proved my point. YOU
CAN'T. Therefore, you shouldn't be using the term Mary-Sue. Because in
doing so, you are making a claim about the character/author relationship
which you cannot substantiate. Simple as that.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dinpkLt7CNM/T-ih3tDKkkI/AAAAAAAAA08/MoDXI9bMrbQ/s1600/alanna+the+lioness.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dinpkLt7CNM/T-ih3tDKkkI/AAAAAAAAA08/MoDXI9bMrbQ/s1600/alanna+the+lioness.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absolutely, positively not a Mary Sue!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Instead of slapping 'Mary-Sue' in your review and
leaving it at that, make a list of four or five traits or decisions or
actions that you think were bad, or unrealistic, or obnoxious, about the
character. Perhaps you should discuss those points, and why they
bothered you, in the review instead.<br />
<br />
But before you do,
take a moment to imagine that the character you are thinking about was a
boy or a man. And don't say 'Well, that's different' or 'But I just
can't see a girl behaving this way' or 'It's not about their gender!' or
any other excuse. Look at your list again, really look at it. See if,
suddenly, magically, all those traits, decisions or actions don't seem
bad, unrealistic or obnoxious anymore but like perfectly normal,
perfectly acceptable traits or decisions or actions...for a boy.<br />
<br />
By
attempting this exercise, you might come to realise that you (like
every other human being ever born on this planet, except maybe Jesus and
the Dalai Lama) have an unconscious prejudice, an unexamined blind
spot. And it doesn't mean you are A Sexist Pig, or A Bad Person, or that
I Don't Like You. It means you're human. And humans, oh glory, humans
can change.<br />
<br />
If you can change enough to realise how
damaging and unfair the term Mary-Sue is when used indiscriminately and
incorrectly to denigrate female characters, you might start to notice
some of the damaging and unfair assumptions which are generally made
about ACTUAL FEMALES in this messed up sexist world of ours. You might
change enough to start dealing with that and make this world a better
place in the process. I believe you can. I believe in you.<br />
<br />
But
only if you shove the term Mary-Sue into a deep dark closet somewhere
and leave it there except for very, very special occasions.<br />
<br />
Note:
I'm well aware that there's a male variant of the Mary-Sue, called a
Gary-Stu. When was the last time you saw that term used as a method of
dismissing a male character who was clearly nothing of the kind? Or even to dismiss one who clearly WAS a Gary-Stu like, oh I don't know... Batman? Yeah.
That's what I thought.Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-57726765929787026952019-05-11T00:17:00.000-07:002019-05-11T00:17:22.156-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: DO NOT MISTAKE PLOT FOR CHARACTERISATION(Originally posted November 2012, now retrieved from the archive, gently dusted off, and re-posted for your reading pleasure)<br />
<br />
Hello, Dear Readers! It's time for another one of my opinionated
posts about writing. Half of the credit for this one goes to the
inimitable and lovely Holly of my online writer's group, with whom I was recently grousing on this topic. Hi Holls!<br />
<br />
So, what
were we grousing about? The fact that both of us (reading on opposite
sides of the Atlantic ocean, no less) had lately picked up stacks of books
which had fantastic central premises, which were well paced, pretty
well written, full of exciting incidents and maybe even had some
initially interesting characters but which - despite all this! - somehow
in the end left us feeling... unsatisfied. Cheated. Unmoved. Convinced, somehow, that the whole
exercise of turning pages - despite the exciting incidents and great
premises and decent writing - had been a waste of time. <br />
<br />
After
we'd been talking in detail for a while about the various books which
had disappointed us this way and trying to figure out just what was
WRONG with them, one of us suddenly put our finger on it. The problem was
character development. Or, rather, a strong lack of it.<br />
<br />
Now,
you might think this would be an obvious problem for two writers
to notice and figure out. But what we realised was that the lack of character
development in these books was masked by the fact that the main
character's life was often left totally transformed by the end of the
story. All kinds of seismic shifts in their abilities, their home
environments, their romantic lives and their understanding of the world. It seemed crazy to say that these characters weren't changing. <b>But they weren't.</b><br />
<br />
In
all these books, the hero or heroine saw massive changes in their <b>situation</b> by the end of the story, but they very rarely experienced any shift or development in their <b>character</b>. They were always essentially the same person by the finale of the story,
no matter what they had been through. And the finale normally consisted
of this person getting what they had wanted all along - <i>without</i> ever having reassessed those desires, made a significant sacrifice to fulfil them, or even question <i>why</i> they desired what they did in the first place.<br />
<br />
In fact, it was like the authors had gotten confused on the difference between plot and character. <br />
<br />
In
my head, I could just imagine these writers proudly saying: 'Look at my
character's amazing arc! She
goes from a lonely teenager with no idea of her true heritage to a
superpowered elf with a hot elvish boyfriend and lots of elvish
friends!' Or maybe: 'My character develops from a cold and solitary
existence as a lab rat in a secret government facility to a free person
and a member of a
warm, happy family!' I found many reviews which
talked about the plot and the character development in this way, as if
they were interchangeable. <br />
<br />
But
those descriptions above do not touch on any character's arc at all. Nor
do they count as character development. They describe <b>plots</b>. And
when a plot is serving double duty - trying to be a character arc too -
the events (no matter how well paced, well written and exciting) of a
story will feel essentially empty. It doesn't matter if the stakes are
as small as a girl longing for a date to the prom, or as epic as The End
of the World. If the change in the character's situation isn't
significant enough to change *them* in any way, then how could the book feel satisfying, let alone leave the reader feeling changed?<br />
<br />
These books would
turn the POV character's whole world upside down. They might kill off a dear
friend or family member right before their eyes, remove them from the only family or environment they'd ever known,
or reveal that they had a secret heritage they never knew about. They
would pit the main character or characters against life-threatening danger, maybe force them to
develop frightening new abilities, offer them the chance to fall passionately in love. I should have been gasping, crying, thrilling.<br />
<br />
Yet
none of those events, no matter how outwardly shocking or traumatic or
wonderful, ever really moved me. They were just that. Events happening to a person.
The narrative skimmed over the surface, failing to explore or even acknowledge the profound emotional effects that should have been the point of those story events in the
first place. It was as if the writers thought that these Big Important
Events <i>by themselves</i> were enough to involve my heart. But the End
of the (story) World and everyone in it
means absolutely nothing to me if the writer cannot show me what this
means <i>to the POV character</i>/s.<br />
<br />
In the best books,
characterisation and plot are so entwined, so integral to each other and
to the events of the book, that they do almost feel like the same
thing. But they have fundamentally different functions within a
narrative, and trying to create a decent story without one or the other
is like trying to have spectacles without frames, frames without the
lenses.<br />
<br />
Even if you do turn your plain, lonely teen
into a superpowered elf and give her a hot boyfriend and an elvish
family, you still need to make sure that her established traits,
beliefs, insecurities and priorities are challenged, strengthened,
destroyed or resolved by the end of the book. <b>We need to see that everything she has been through has affected her meaningfully. </b><br />
<br />
Remember that you're a
writer, not the wish-granting fairy from Cinderella. Don't just look at
your plot as a series of events that get your hero or heroine to their desired outcome. Not even a series of awesomecoolsauce events. Look at
them as ways to push and challenge your character, to expose her deepest traits
and develop her personality. Readers long to see the main character
become the person they could or should be, not just get the stuff they want.<br />
<br />
Your main character doesn't need to evolve into into an entirely new
being by the end of the story. In fact, it's better if she doesn't.
Changes that happen to the character throughout need to grow naturally
from who they are at the start - their core qualities - and the
particular pressures that the story and the plot events put on them. The
last thing you want is to have the character do a complete u-turn and
become someone unrecognisable. That's not satisfying either.<br />
<br />
So
maybe your elvish heroine started the story as a selfish and insecure
girl who was callous to others because she was afraid people would see
how vulnerable she was - and in order to get the family and the love she
always wanted, she first had to realise that she must treat others
well, and be willing to risk giving love, with no guarantee it would be
returned?<br />
<br />
Maybe she was frightened and timid, a girl
who refused to take risks - and she had to find the seeds of courage
inside herself, even risk losing the ones she hoped would love her,
before she was worthy of them? <br />
<br />
Or maybe she was filled
with self-loathing, yearning for affection but still convinced she
didn't deserve it - and had to learn to value and care for herself
first, before she could finally find a place among people who would
value and care for her the same way?<br />
<br />
Those are
CHARACTER arcs. See how they differ from the plot ones? They're about
learning, changing, growing, not about getting stuff.<br />
<br />
You
need to ensure you're putting time and thought into your character's
development even if you're writing the first volume of a trilogy or
series. In fact, it's even more vital, because if I think you're holding
stuff back from me in book one I'm probably not going to bother to go
and buy book two. I need to feel that you've got a character arc in your
mind as well as a plot one. <br />
<br />
An easy way to figure out
if you've achieved worthwhile character development is to give your
main character or characters a choice. A pivot-point, somewhere near the
end of the story. Arrange events so that things could go either way -
disaster or triumph - and make the whole thing hinge on a moment of
choice for the character. If they act the way they would have at the
beginning of the story? Disaster. Even if they act the way that
they would have midway through the story. They need to have grown and
developed enough that you feel they could reasonably go in the other
direction. Then you and the reader will be able to see that they have
become who they were meant to be, and that they deserve their happy
ending (if you've been nice enough to give them one!). <br />
<br />
A great example of this is Katniss' decision at the end of <i>The Hunger Games</i>.
At the beginning of the book Katniss' one priority is to win, to
survive the Games by any means necessary, because she believes that Prim
needs her - and because she doesn't believe in anything other than
that. By the end of the book, she is willing to swallow poisonous
berries along with with Peeta rather than sacrifice her soul by trying
to kill him, and let the Capitol win. She has changed significantly
because of the events of the story - but we still see the qualities of
bravery, strength and self-sacrifice that Katniss had at the beginning
of the book, too. Those traits have just been strengthened and honed by
her ordeal.<br />
<br />
<u>In Closing</u>: plot is about going places, doing things and getting stuff - <b>changes in situation</b>. Characterisation is about changing, growing and learning stuff - <b>changes in the character's core</b>. Make sure you have both these things running side by side, and you will make Zolah a very happy reader.<br />
<br />
I hope this makes sense to you, my lovelies. Any questions? Pop them in the comments. Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-69723453550344849352019-05-07T02:09:00.001-07:002019-05-07T02:09:25.140-07:00TUESDAY POETRYHello, Dear Readers - happy Tuesday to all. A short and sweet post today, just a piece of poetry that I've been fiddling with on and off, and decided to release into the wild before I overwork it:<br /><br />THE GREEN GIRL<br />
<br />
Ophelia;<br /> The wild iris embraces you<br /> Though he would not.<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> And the wind that sings <br /> In the dawn-grey bullrushes <br /> And the rising heron,<br /> Speak your name.</span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
Ophelia;<br /> He may forget,<br /> But you are shrouded <br /> By reflections of the sun.<br /> And Dragonflies soar,<br /> From the ivory cage<br /> Which imprisoned your faithful heart.<br />
<br />
Ophelia;<br /> As your face fades<br /> In his memory,<br /> Do not fear.<br /> For the green river remembers <br /> The green girl.<br /> The water knows where you are.<br /><br />Read you later, lovelies! x</div>
Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-46655000140014354722019-05-04T13:22:00.001-07:002019-05-04T23:04:46.964-07:00WORLD BOOK DAY Q&A<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Hello, and happy Sunday, Dear Readers. I thought that some of you might not have seen this Q&A on <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/">the World Book Day website</a>, which is a shame because the questions are particularly thoughtful. So here it is, reproduced in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">World Book Day: April 2019 </span></b></div>
</div>
<br /><div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <b>
</b></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Your
beautifully rich new book, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hand, The
Eye & The Heart, </span>is a fantastical adventure about courage, love and
gender identity. Can you tell us a bit more about where the inspiration for it
came from?</span></b></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thank you! The
initial spark that gave the story life arrived around five years ago, when I
was watching Disney’s Mulan with my young nieces. I hadn’t seen the film since
I was a child myself and when the song ‘Reflection’ started I felt a chill of
realisation sneak down my spine. I suddenly saw it as a song about the
experience of a trans or non-binary person, and felt that Mulan was crying out
for someone to see who they were inside – a person who did not identify with
the narrow role given to them by society, or the gender label imposed on them
at birth - and begging for the ability to let that identity breathe. But that
never actually happens in the film, which left me unsatisfied and cross, and
immediately made me want to write my own version. At the same time, taking on
such a legendary story seemed like a huge challenge, and I was a bit
intimidated.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I went onto social
media and began asking if anyone else felt this was a story that needed to be
written. Secretly I was hoping that someone might say ‘No!’ Instead, on Tumblr
and Twitter, I was met with an avalanche of readers and writers, young and old,
who told me ‘Yes!’. The response was overwhelming. So then I had no choice but
to roll up my sleeves and get started.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Zhilan,
the main character who has a gift for illusionary magic, is an incredibly
courageous and determined person. What are the three qualities that you most
admire about them?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Firstly, their moral
courage. I don’t mean physical courage, but spiritual bravery. Zhi – which is
the name the main character chooses – has an instinctive grasp of what is truly
right, of the essence of good and evil, no matter how much the mores of their
particular society may contradict them and tell them certain things are wrong
or shameful or incorrect. Of course they’re human, so they sometimes falter or
doubt, but ultimately they always take the right path, and that kind of courage
is immensely rare and precious.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Secondly, their
kindness. Zhi lives in a harsh world where it is easier and safer to be
distant, or callous, even cruel. But Zhi is deeply kind, and helps others
wherever they can, even when it causes them difficulty, pain or inconvenience.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Finally, I admire
Zhi’s resourcefulness! Faced with difficult situations, I think most of us tend
to panic and list all the things we think are impossible, focusing on what we
can’t do. Zhi looks at what they have, what they need, and what they can do,
and then makes things happen. They’re like the McGyver of the story!</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Your
story is set in an imaginary place called The Land of Dragons/ Red Empire that
is reminiscent of historical China. How did you research this setting to ensure
that your depiction was respectful and accomplished?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reading. Lots and
lots of reading. I’m an immersive researcher – I act as if I know nothing of
value going in, and my assumptions about what I need to learn will therefore be
worthless. So I try to read everything I can get my hands on, cover to cover,
to give myself a strong background, before I actually begin to pick and chose
details to focus on. I spend nearly a year doing very little actual writing,
just reading books about Chinese history, natural history, philosophy, culture,
food, wildlife, music… I tried to get my hands on works in translation where I
could, so that I was reading Chinese people’s perspective on their own culture.
I watched lots of historical films from China and several TV serials
recommended by a Chinese friend. I listened to a lot of music and read poetry. I
looked into multiple different versions of the Mulan story, from the original
ballad to the Chinese opera to the recent feature film. The story is deeply
informed by everything I learned, and I’m very grateful that I had time to do
this. Huge thanks to Arts Council England for their Grant for the Arts, which
gave me the space and resources to do the kind of research the story needed.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I also put out a call
to readers who were Chinese or of Chinese heritage on my blog and social media
to ask them what they would like to see in a book like this, what would bring
them joy and what they would prefer not to see ever again. I was lucky enough
that several people were willing to offer me that kind of insight, and that had
a strong impact on the book, too.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Your
book explores gender identity andhas characters with a variety of sexual
orientations. Why is it important for books to have diverse characters and for young
people to have LGBTQ+ fiction to read?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Because diversity is
reality. I’m stunned by the amount of grown-ups I come into contact with who
seem constantly baffled by or resentful of the fact that the world isn’t full
of people just like them. That loads of different kinds of people exist, and
take up space, and to go about their own day to day lives in a way that isn’t
the ‘normal’ represented by mass media – that is to say, a ‘normal’ where 99%
of people are straight, white, cis, able-bodied etc. And this – the simple
reality of the real world - makes these grown-ups so frightened and angry that
they act as if people who are different to them merely existing is some kind of
attack on them and their lives. They strike out, and they cause hurt and
suffering to others who’ve never harmed them at all, and then call it a victory
for ‘common sense’ or ‘family values’ or ‘decency’ when really it’s only a
victory for fear and spite.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">All children, whether
they’re LGBTQA+ or not, need to see diverse portrayals in the media they
consume. They need to learn that empathy is not only for people just like them,
but for all humanity – that all perspectives have value, that all stories are
valid and important. </span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On a very personal
note, growing up I read zero portrayals of people like me – asexual aromantics
– in the books I loved. I had no idea that anyone else like me even existed. The
closest thing I ever saw to that were characters who heartlessly or spinelessly
‘rejected’ love and were either miserable or villainous. As a result, I
struggled so hard to feel the things that other people seemed to feel, and make
central to my life the things that the whole of society taught me were vital
and important. It didn’t work. It wasn’t me. It caused me a great deal of
unhappiness, and it was not until my late twenties that I had a label for
myself and was able to begin the ongoing process of accepting who I am. I pray
passionatelythat others don’t have to go through this, but I know they probably
are, even as I type these words. As a writer, the only thing I can do to help
is to try to write the most diverse books I can, and hope they find their way
into the hands of the young people who desperately need to read them.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When
civil war breaks out, Zhilan takes their disabled father’s place to save them
from the battlefield. Without giving any spoilers, in what ways is this a
positive character-building experience for them?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I think being thrown
into a new world – even one that is so frightening and at times cruel and
unfair – gives Zhi the chance to understand their own strength. Their own
potential, and their gifts, and how truly special they are when they stop
holding back and simply do what feels right to them. They’ve been loved and
valued by their family, certainly - but only if they conformed to what their
family believed they should be, and walked within the confines of a very narrow
role. Going out into the world allows Zhi to see that while the life they led
before had beauty and safety – and yes, value - they also have so many other
things to offer, which they would never even have discovered within themselves,
let alone been allowed to use, if they hadn’t been forced to by change and
danger.</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A
point that stood out for me is how fairy-tales can also be used to pigeon-hole
people and take away their independence, such as Zhilan being compared to Dou
Xianniang. Is the place of idealised stories in society something that you
specifically wanted to explore?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Very much so. Perhaps
not so much with fairytales these days, since a lot of very talented writers
have done a wonderful job of reclaiming those and putting diverse, Feminist
spins on them. But for women, and for marginalised people in society, there’s
often such a dearth of depictions that we become hemmed in by One Story (as
author Chimamanda Ngozi puts it). We’re told there’s one way to be A Good
Woman, that we must behave a certain way and conform to certain traits or else
we’re bad and wrong. For instance, for a long time girls were told: “To be good
is to be nice. Smile. Care for animals and small children. Take pride in
looking a certain way so that others find pleasure in looking at you – but do
not show off, or be bossy or attention-seeking. Give others a chance to talk
before you. Make way. Make room.” </span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And then we were
given the Strong Female Character, who was loud and often angry, and apparently
didn’t care how she looked, and instead of making room for people, shot them
with arrows or stabbed them with swords. Suddenly the people who’d been
struggling to fulfil that first stereotype of Goodness were told - "You’re
wrong! You’re passive! You’re boring and shallow! You’re not A Strong Female!
This is what it means to be A Good Woman now!"</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But then there was a
backlash against the Strong Female too. She was unrealistic, she was
aggressive, she was a Mary-Sue. She was being sexist against men!</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The problem isn’t in
the idea of kindness and gentleness, of course, or of standing up for yourself
and being angry and loud. It was that society was, and is, still telling people
what to be. Trying to write the stories for them and force them to follow
along. We need to empower people to inhabit their own stories, and give them
the confidence to be unique, fully realised individuals, and not penalise them
for failing to conform.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">At the heart of your book is a warm message about
being true to yourself and fighting for what you believe in. What do you hope
readers take away from the book?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I think Zhi says it right at the beginning of the story: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no one is what they seem, not even ourselves</i>.
I want readers to learn to know themselves. To face who they are, honestly and
with respect – to love themselves despite what they may see as weaknesses, and
to embrace the best parts of who they are. Don’t take yourself, or others, for
granted. None of us really know what we’re capable of. We all have the capacity
to be much stronger, braver, more beautiful and more compassionate than we can
imagine. But we also have the capacity to be selfish, cruel, oblivious and
ungenerous. Life is a process of learning about the world, about ourselves and
other people that we meet. We should all be prepared to undergo that journey of
learning with joy, and an open heart.</span><b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></i></b></div>
<div class="gmail-m1197720573947575394msolistparagraph" style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">nd finally, as part of our Share A Story campaign,
we celebrate the magic of sharing stories. For readers who would like to read
another story like <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hand, The Eye
& The Heart, </span>do you have any favourites to share?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: small;">I heartily recommend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girls of Paper and Fire</i> by Natasha Ngan
– an extraordinary, beautifully written diverse fantasy set in an
Asian-inspired world – although this is an adult novel and therefore has some
warnings for sensitive content. In books specifically for young adults, I love
Megan Whalen Turner’s on-going <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thief</i>
series. This is set in a world inspired by ancient Greece and is tragic and
hilarious and very much deals with the topic of multiple identities and ways of
perceiving people. <br /><br />I’m a big fan of short stories, and Leigh Bardugo’s dark
fairytale anthology <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Language of
Thorns</i> and Laini Taylor’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lips Touch:
Three Times</i> are favourites of mine.<br /><br />Updated to add: I'm also currently reading <i>Descendent of the Crane</i> by Joan He, and absolutely loving it.</span></div>
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Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-56021362765068124252019-05-01T23:10:00.002-07:002019-05-01T23:10:28.898-07:00YALC 2019 ANNOUNCEMENTHello and happy Thursday, Dear Readers. I hope life is showing you all the joy and success that you deserve.<br />
<br />
I've been struggling to come to terms with the Twitter-storm triggered by <i>The Hand, the Eye & the Heart's</i> release, and my mental health has continued to be not-so-great. Which - because nature just loves to keep on giving! - has a knock on effect on some of my chronic health conditions, becoming a bit of a vicious circle. In addition to this, my mum has recently been seriously ill again, something which we thought would no longer be an issue after she had her operation at the beginning of the year. So I'm... stressed, in a word. <br />
<br />
But I want to say how much I appreciate every single message, comment, DM and email of love and support that I've received from readers and fellow writers. I've read all of them, some multiple times, even when I haven't managed to reply. Your kindness has meant the world to me.<br />
<br />
And now there's a lovely chance to say thank you to some of you in person, which I can FINALLY talk about! YALC is coming up and I will be there, Dear Readers, on Friday the 27th! I'll be doing the panel <i>10 Things I Love About YA Retellings</i>, and the other panelists are *amazing*.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A64TZDnjc3o/XMn1VcHtVBI/AAAAAAAADE8/S-Tl-5ZefsUBxpMdwwwO1oy2qsVYYQ6NwCLcBGAs/s1600/D5Yuxb9WsAAD0k_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A64TZDnjc3o/XMn1VcHtVBI/AAAAAAAADE8/S-Tl-5ZefsUBxpMdwwwO1oy2qsVYYQ6NwCLcBGAs/s320/D5Yuxb9WsAAD0k_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I ever win the lotto, I swear I will replace this author photo, which is approx 300 yrs old</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Look at that</i>. Renee Ahdieh! Kiran Millwood-Hargrave! And Sharon Dogar! I'm so excited and honoured to have been invited as part of this line-up. Slightly concerned I may swoon/fangirl all over all of them, but still excited and honoured. I'll try my very best to be cool ha ha ha ha ha. Ahem.<br />
<br />
Please do come along and say hello if you can, my lovelies. Even though the panel itself will be an amazing experience, 90% of my reasons for attending YALC at any time, and especially this year, are to have a rare chance to connect with you in real life. You could not be more important to me, so if you can make it? Rest assured that your presence will absolutely make my day.<br />
<br />
Sending love and gratitude to you all. xxZoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-78105320430268690322019-04-21T23:27:00.005-07:002019-04-21T23:27:56.388-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: IS YA FICTION TOO DARK?(Originally posted 5/06/2011, now retrieved from the archive, gently dusted off, and re-posted for your reading pleasure)<br />
<br />
When
I woke up this morning to find my Twitter feed being eaten alive by
references to an article in the Wall Street Journal about YA literature,
my first reaction was confusion, because that article came out ages
ago. Didn't it? Oh, no - this was a <b><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html#articleTabs%3Darticle">NEW article from the WSJ</a></b>, ANOTHER
article belittling my genre and chosen medium as an artist. Did a YA
author kick the editor of the WSJ in the ankle on the train recently or
something? These guys just don't seem to like us. But then,
thinking about it, no one really seems to like us, do they?<br />
<br />
Pretty much every other day YA writers have to put up with another
condescending article in which the entire field of young adult and
children's writing is compressed down to the sparkly vampire elements so
that the journalist can smirk. Or a comment from some lauded adult
literary writer who thinks anyone who bothers writing for people under
the age of eighteen is mentally defective. Or an article like this one,
that bemoans the debauched, depraved tone of YA literature and compares
it unfavourably to the books of the writer's own childhood.<br />
<br />
The
first thing most of these articles do is to point out how new YA is.
And they're right. Young Adult only got its own shelf in the library or
bookshop sometime in the late eighties or early nineties. Before that,
there was just children's and adult's. And not long before that, there
was adult, all on its own, and children read the Bible and classics and
that was it. A lot of people seem to wish for a return to this state of
affairs - or, at least, that's how it seems to those of us who keep
finding ourselves under attack for daring to see young adults as a
worthy audience with high intelligence, enquiring minds, and their own
particular experiences and concerns, who deserve books specifically
written for them.<br />
<br />
In the minds of these
article-writers, new = bad. Just as, apparently, truthful, intense,
dark books which explore the real world young adults share with the rest
of us = bad. The YA haters, whatever their stated concerns, always seem
to be looking back, longing for some past Golden Age of Innocence, when
books for younger readers were bright and cheerful and happy and
uncomplicated. A hazy, non-specific 1950's lite period, when kids were
respectful to their elders, no one had to lock their doors, child abuse
was unheard of. When children never cried alone, or hurt themselves or
others. When, presumably, young people themselves were bright, cheerful,
happy and uncomplicated.<br />
<br />
Here's a little newsflash for you. That time never actually existed.<br />
<br />
It is a product of the adult imagination. Nothing more than convenient fantasy. Weak and feeble nostalgia. And kids know it.<br />
<br />
The
world has never been 100% cheery and happy and uncomplicated. Tragically, kids
have always been abused. They have always suffered in silence, hurt
themselves and others. Children have always, always, <i>always</i>
partaken of the pain and agony of humanity, as well as its joy and brightness. They have always had to live
with the same darkness, the same wars, the same nightmares as adults
do. In fact, they've normally caught the worst of it. Take a look at
childhood and infant mortality rates in any third world country if you
don't believe me. Actually, take a look at child poverty statistics for
the U.S. right now. Still feeling nice and cozy there on your moral high
ground?<br />
<br />
One of the most heart-breaking parts of Meghan Cox Gurdon's article is the way that she dismisses <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scars-Cheryl-Rainfield/dp/193481332X?ie=UTF8&tag=zoe21&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scars</a></i>, a novel by <a href="http://cherylrainfield.com/blog/">Cheryl Rainfield</a>.
Ms Cox Gurdon thinks the subject of the book - a girl who cuts to help
herself cope with years of systematic abuse by her father -
'normalises' self-harm. That the topics it covers are 'lurid'. She
criticises the cover with it's photograph of a 'horribly scarred
forearm'. Apparently all this stuff is just too 'depraved' for teens.<br />
<br />
Does
Ms Cox Gurdon realise that Cheryl Rainfield herself was ritually and
sytematically tortured by her parents as a child? That the forearm she
dismisses as <i>horrible</i> actually belongs to Cheryl? Here, the
author uses her own experiences to write a book that reaches back to
her childhood self, reaches out to the thousands of other children who
are going through what she went through, and tells them 'You can
survive this. Don't lose hope.' <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scars-Cheryl-Rainfield/dp/193481332X?ie=UTF8&tag=zoe21&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scars</a></i> is an artistic act of the highest courage possible and one I admire more than I can say.<br />
<br />
But
Ms Cox Gurdon, like others of her kind, does not care about the
children whose lives might be saved by this book. Or the thousands of
other children who, through reading such a book, will gain
understanding, empathy and compassion for the survivors of abuse and
become better, more rounded individuals. She wants to pretend that bad
things don't happen to anyone real - especially kids - that 'normal'
people don't find this stuff relevent, that no one she knows or cares
about could be damaged and hurting like the character in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scars-Cheryl-Rainfield/dp/193481332X?ie=UTF8&tag=zoe21&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scars</a></i>.<br />
<br />
Let
me now address the YA haters directly - for my own satisfaction, but
also in hopes of getting through some seriously thick skulls:<br />
<br />
The
reason you feel free to attack YA this way is because you think it's a
soft target. You think it's valueless. You think no one takes it
seriously. You think the YA field is a fleeting flash in the pan,
getting undeserved attention and success. You think if you sit in
judgement in your safe little corner, it'll all go away and proper
literature (that's the stuff you like) will eventually take its place.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately for you, this attitude betrays you. It makes clear your true feelings about young adults,
the very people for whom you profess to have such concern.<br />
<br />
You
think young adults are valueless. You don't take them seriously. You
dismiss their feelings and experiences as fleeting and shallow. You
think if you just din your own personal values and beliefs into young
adult heads hard enough, you'll be able to drown out their questions,
their inconvenient new ideas, their worrying complexity, and produce a
Mini-You, an adult in teenage clothing. <br />
<br />
Nope.<br />
<br />
YA
is too dark for you? Too bleak? Too sad, and challenging and REAL? You
think we should all collude in some kind of mass hallucination in which
we pretend bad things never happen, and kids exist in a perpetual
state of rosy-cheeked glee and laughter? Well, I'll tell you what. You
build yourself a nice spaceship, find a new planet and create that
ideal, shiny world. Invite your family and friends. I'm sure it'll be
just swell. So long as everyone represses their real feelings forever, of course.<br />
<br />
But the rest of us are live HERE. Including those of
humanity who are too young and vulnerable to have voices of their own.
They look to the writers of YA fiction to speak to them, to speak the
truth. To write books that are brave enough to touch them in their
isolation and loneliness.<br />
<br />
In spite of you,
and everything you do to tell young adults that they don't get a say,
that their experiences are lesser, that if they just ignore the pain it
will go away, that none of it matters and in years to come they will
look back and laugh? They will grow into the people they should be.
They will grow into new writers and artists, trail-blazers, kicking the
status quo in the teeth and telling things like they are.<br />
<br />
Young adult literature<i> is </i>new.
It's raw and brash and brazen. It's trashy, silly, funny and
beautiful. It's stomach-churing, harrowing and dark. It's subtle,
complex, transformative and brave.<br />
<br />
It's ART, for God's sake. What do you expect?<br />
<br />
And when young adults dive into it, they will find all these horrors and wonders - <i>and they will find themselves</i>.<br />
<br />
If you don't like it? Your spaceship awaits. <i>Bon voyage</i>!Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-80485444338908970802019-04-19T23:54:00.000-07:002019-04-19T23:54:19.348-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: THE I'M-A-GOOD-PERSON BUBBLE (Originally posted on this blog 26/08/2011, now retrieved from the archives, carefully dusted off, and reposted for your reading pleasure) <br />
<br />
Hey everyone! This is a follow-up to last week's post <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/wake-up-and-smell-real-world-diversity.html">Wake Up and Smell the Real World</a>, where I'm going to try and clarify a few things that were discussed in the comment thread. <br />
<br />
First of all, I urge you to read these very interesting posts - the first one about about the <a href="http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2011/08/23/step-into-my-film-school-the-importance-of-casting-in-breaking-open-movie-stereotypes/">movie business, and how film students, even film students who were not male, not able-bodied and not white</a> found themselves caught up in responding to headshots of potential actors a certain way. Then there's this <a href="http://coelasquid.tumblr.com/post/9368726757/how-media-clearly-reflects-the-sexism-and-the">response,
which isolates the fact that when you try to point out other people's
unconscious prejudice, you're often accused of prejudice yourself</a>.<br />
<br />
As
both these posts point out, the warped view of the world we're all
presented with near-constantly by the media mixed with human instinct to
'type' other people according to difference means that none of us - <b>NONE OF US</b> - is free of unconscious prejudice. Imma say that again. <u><i><b>NONE OF US.</b></i></u> I'd put sparklers around that if I could. This is important.<br />
<br />
I
freely admit that I'm not free of prejudice. That's not a big
admission to make because NONE OF US are. What matters is to be aware
of this fact, and willing, when you have a response to something, to
examine it and <i>be honest about where that response comes from</i>.<br />
<br />
Let
me elaborate. What is the usual reaction among your friends and family
if you hint that something they have said or assumed may spring from
prejudice? Any suggestion that they are not perfectly liberal, prejudice
free, shiny-bright and unbiased? I bet it's defensiveness and anger.
'I'm not a racist/sexist/ableist/homophobe!' they cry, their brains
filled with images of Neo-Nazis, evil, sweaty monsters, and vile,
chuckling villains. 'How can you SAY that about me?' They don't listen
to what you've actually said. They only react to in order to repudiate
it.<br />
<br />
Anger and defensiveness are a really good warning sign - because people only get angry and defensive when they have <i>something to defend</i>.
That 'something' is their own image of themselves, the comfy
assumptions that allow them to walk through the world feeling content
with who they are. They know they're <b>a good person</b>, not a hateful, chuckling Neo-Nazi. Therefore they <b>cannot</b> be a racist/sexist/ableist/homophobic.<br />
<br />
Except that they probably are.<br />
<br />
I
am. Every prejudice that those angry, defensive people have? I have
too. They lurk there in the back of my mind, pretending that they're
'instinct' or 'common-sense' or 'realism' when actually, they are just
bigotry.<br />
<br />
That doesn't make me a horrible, hateful,
chuckling Neo-Nazi. It just makes me not perfect. That's all. A work in
progress. A person who is willing to be honest with themselves and the
world.<br />
<br />
And in admitting that, I become a far more able
to recognise and reject prejudice than I ever was when I was striding
through the world in my insulated bubble of I'm-A-Good-Person
ignorance, refusing to admit that my actions could *possibly* be
influenced by evolutionary imperatives to reject those who are
different, and centuries of religious and secular bigotry, and a mass
media who refuse to represent the world as it really is.<br />
<br />
The
moment you let go of that image of yourself as a perfect, shiny-bright
Good Person who couldn't possibly harbour prejudice, is the moment you
will begin truly working AGAINST prejudice. <b>Honesty is the key.</b>
Honesty is the thing that allows you to confront your own ingrained
assumptions about other people and then put them aside so that you can
act, as much as possible, as if you were NOT prejudiced.<br />
<br />
Try it. Go ahead. It doesn't hurt, I promise. Take a deep breath, and then say, out loud: <b>"I am not perfect. I am flawed. I have ingrained prejudices. I will do my best to recognise and overcome them."</b><br />
<br />
Doesn't
it feel like a weight off your chest? To admit to yourself that you
don't have to be perfect, that it's OKAY to have nasty, knee-jerk
reactions to things, sometimes, so long as you're willing to make sure
no one else suffers as a result?<br />
<br />
Now that we've gone there, <a href="http://nicolelisa.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/writing-the-other/">I link you to this post, which was prompted by the original Wake Up and Smell the Real World post,</a> and which in turn prompted THIS post.<br />
<br />
And
the reason that response post is crucial? Is that as a creative person
who tries to embrace diversity and who writes about a lot of
characters who have experiences and come from backgrounds nothing like
mine, I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to write characters or
create plots or situations that rub people up the wrong way. Some of
those reactions will come from people who've put up with bigotry all
their lives and who are just godammned sick of tripping over everyone
else's privilege. And they're unlikely to give a flying pamplemoose
about my ongoing project to kick bigotry in the behind. They're just
going to say 'YOU SUCK' and walk away.<br />
<br />
And that's OK.
That's really the whole point of this post. It's not anyone else's job
to educate me, or give me a pat on the head for trying really hard.<br />
<br />
The
correct response to having someone notice the fact that, despite my
endeavors, I'm still flawed and unconsciously prejudiced, is NOT to
flee back into the I'm-A-Good-Person bubble, claim that the ones
telling me I suck are horrible, nasty, ungrateful and prejudiced
themselves, and say sulkily: <i>'Fine! I'll just write about white people from now on and THEN YOU'LL BE SORRY!</i>.<br />
<br />
Nor is it to curl into a ball on the floor, weeping, and bash my head repeatedly on the tiles chanting: <i>"I am a terrible, horrible, no-good bigot who should be flayed UNTIL SHE IS SORRY!</i>" <br />
<br />
It's to learn - and to keep going. Don't get me wrong. <b>It is hard.</b> But it's
necessary. Because, I'm coming to realise, it's not enough for writers
(or actors or artists or politicians or firemen or teachers or
dog-walkers or CEOs) to <b>write</b> the change that they want to see in the world.<br />
<br />
<b>We have to BE the change we want to see in the world, and keep on being it, even knowing that we'll never be perfect</b> <b>- only better than we were before.</b><br />
<br />
OK, I've been rambling on for a while here, so let's sum up. In order to fight prejudice in our day to day lives, we must:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Step out of the I-Am-A-Good-Person bubble and admit that we are imperfect and flawed and prejudiced, like the rest of the world</b></li>
<li><b>Be honest with ourselves when we say or do something as a result of prejudice </b></li>
<li><b> Accept that fighting against prejudice is our own responsibility
and our own choice and that no one owes us gratitude or any particular recognition for it </b></li>
<li><b>Allow other people to tell us when we mess up without dismissing
what they feel or fleeing back into the IAAGP bubble again, or trying
to drink bleach because we STILL aren't perfect</b></li>
<li><b>Rinse. Repeat. </b></li>
</ol>
Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-80800299065983004002019-04-18T00:00:00.001-07:002019-04-18T02:39:41.407-07:00ARCHIVE TREASURE: WAKE UP & SMELL THE REAL WORLDWAKE UP AND SMELL THE REAL WORLD: DIVERSITY IN FANTASY (Originally posted here 26/1/2011, now unearthed from the archive and carefully dusted off for your reading pleasure)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EGznymgt5v4/TT84oij5aQI/AAAAAAAAARo/rNY8JBZUWTw/s1600/knMAPS_main%252C0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EGznymgt5v4/TT84oij5aQI/AAAAAAAAARo/rNY8JBZUWTw/s320/knMAPS_main%252C0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This
post started out one way, and ended up becoming something else. I sat
down with the intention of writing a How To article on the topic of
world building, with the bullet points and all that. But as I sketched
out my process for coming up with a textured and diverse fantasy world, I
began thinking about a discussion I've been having with some writing
friends lately, and some really interesting blog posts that I've
recently seen from other writers, and instead, it turned into an essay.
<br />
<br />
So first, I need to make a confession. I'm white,
though from a mixed race family. And I can pass as straight, although
I'm actually not (which is kind of a complex issue, and not the topic of
this post, so I'll move on). And I can usually pass as able bodied -
the chronic health conditions from which I suffer are not visible and
during 'good' periods I come very close to normal health. I'm not
neuro-typical, but again, most of the time I can pass. I'm also cis,
which means that my biological sex and gender expression match up to
ideals of 'femininity' as accepted by the modern Western world.
Therefore, I have what is called <b>privilege</b> (not as much as
others, because even though I can pass as straight and able-bodied and
neurotypical, I'm not, but again - another topic for another post). <br />
<br />
The
term 'privilege' encompasses a lot, but for the purposes of this essay
it means that when I turn on the TV, go to see a film or pick up a
book, the overwhelming number of characters depicted, the overwhelming
number of stories told, will be about people who look 'like me'.<br />
<br />
For
much of my early life, I unconsciously felt that those people were the
majority of the world, and that those stories were somehow universal,
archetypal, the default.<br />
<br />
They are not.<br />
<br />
When
I slowly began to become aware of this, at first I didn't know what to
do about it. It was easy for me to argue that I simply didn't have the
experience required to write about people who <i>weren't</i> like me.
I'd never walked down the street and seen automatic caution or fear or
disgust in someone's eyes just because of how I was born. I'd never
experienced racial abuse - although members of my family had, it's just
not the same. I'd never had to defend my right to to hold hands with
someone I loved, or come up against the assumption that I was a brave
little soul or a freak of nature from a complete stranger. My private
life, of course, with friends, co-workers, acquaintances and family
members, was a different matter. But in essence, when I walk down the
street people look at me and see an inoffensive white girl and, unless
they are vile misogynist street harassers (with whom I have had my fair
share of run ins) let me be.<br />
<br />
I've seen this argument a
lot, from writers. That they don't have the experience, that they'll get
it wrong, that they don't want to offend anyone - and so it's better if
they just write about characters like themselves. And I've seen writers
who have made that arduous effort to include the odd gay or non-white
or not-able bodied character talk about how difficult it is to
correctly portray someone who is not like them. And I've seen other
writers say that they feel they're being pressured to make 'all their
characters' non-white or non-straight or non-able bodied, or you know,
not <b>just like them</b>, and it makes them feel restricted and uncomfortable, like their choices are being taken away.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EGznymgt5v4/TT85G2iv2wI/AAAAAAAAARs/7weocfJ5CQY/s1600/mixed-race.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EGznymgt5v4/TT85G2iv2wI/AAAAAAAAARs/7weocfJ5CQY/s1600/mixed-race.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
But
here's the thing. White people are not the majority of the world. 100%
heterosexual people who fit perfectly within modern Western gender
binaries are not the majority of the world. Able bodied people are not
the majority of the world. We - and I include people like me, who don't
actually fit into many of those categories - just think they are
because the vast majority of the time, people who are NOT white, and
straight, and cis, and able bodied, only show up in the media in token
roles. Look, we included a sassy gay boy who can give the heroine
advice on clothes (but will never get a meaningful relationship of his
own)! Aren't we tolerant? Look! We included a sassy
black/Chinese/Indian best friend to give the heroine advice on being
true to herself (who may get a relationship but it will only be with
someone of the same ethnic group)! Aren't we racially aware! Look, we
included a sassy boy in a wheelchair to give the heroine advice on
understanding what is important in life (who won't even get to express
an interest in a life of his own because after all people in wheelchairs
are just there to prove a point)! Aren't we broadminded!<br />
<br />
No. I'm afraid you aren't.<br />
<br />
Currently,
the media is showing a horribly skewed picture of the real world.
Fiction writers, with our limitless power to reinvent the world, to hold
a mirror up to it or subvert it, are showing a horribly skewed picture
of the world. If you are not white, if you are not straight, if you
are not physically perfect (and to some extent, if you are one of the
slightly more than 50% of the population who is female) you know how it
feels to wonder why no one wants to write about people LIKE YOU for a
freaking change. Write stories that are unique to your unique
experiences and which treat the characters involved like fully
developed, complex and evolving people, not just props for the white,
straight, able-bodied lead actor/character to lean on.<br />
<br />
Why isn't everyone - even the straight white (male) people - bored with straight white (male) characters yet? <br />
<br />
The
more I force my mind to open, the stranger it seems to me. Straight,
cis, white, able bodied people are such a small minority in the real
world that when you're attempting to create any kind of a realistic
fantasy world it's quite *un*realistic to keep putting characters with
those traits in the majority of the major roles. Why would you limit
yourself that way?<br />
<br />
I mean, that's not to say that
writers with blonde hair can never write blonde heroines. It's not to
say that straight, cis, white, able bodied people don't deserve to be
in books and films, ever. But...come on. With such a startling variety
of skin colours, races, ethnicities, cultures, physical traits, sexual
and gender identities and preferences available for writers to
extrapolate from, I think it's sad that so many writers do
unconsciously chose to write books which only feature main characters
'just like them', or even 'just like' all those homogenous white,
straight, cis, able bodied people on TV. If nothing else, it's boring.<br />
<br />
When
I wrote a guest post for another blog which briefly touched on this
issue, the response in comments really shocked me (that was before the
Mary-Sue thing. After that, I'm not sure I can be shocked anymore).<br />
<br />
Some people were defensive, saying that their all-white, all-straight, all-able-bodied casts '...just <i>come</i> to me! I don't decide on their race/sexual orientation/physical status! My character are who they ARE!' <br />
<br />
Bull.
Sorry, but it's bull. You have nothing to do with how your characters
turn out? They just magically appear to you, fully formed? Let me tell
you what is magically and mysteriously presenting these all-white,
all-straight, all-able-bodied casts to you: <b>your own unexamined prejudice</b>.<br />
<br />
I'll
let you in on a secret. Those TV-ready casts of white, straight, cis,
able-bodied characters 'just present themselves' to me quite often as
well. But when it happens, I stop, remember that I'm the author and I'm
in charge of the stories I write, and <i>make a decision</i> that it's not good enough. And I go searching for characters who deflect a more realistic and diverse picture of the world.<br />
<br />
Other
commenters on the post took a 'Pshaw! What do YOU know about it, white
girl?' stance. It's harder to argue with that one because I'm very aware
that I'm making all these statements from a position of privilege. But
at the same time, I'm one of the people who is writing works of fiction
and putting stories out into the world, changing it - or shoring up its
existing systems and structures of prejudice - even if I don't mean to.
So don't I have a responsibility to speak out on this subject? Doesn't
everyone, really?<br />
<br />
Even though it might sound strange,
when we're creating fantasy worlds I think it's vital to look at the
real world first. The REAL real world. Overcoming our own unconscious
assumptions and prejudices is an ongoing process for all of us - not
just the white, straight, able-bodied ones - and no one is going to get
it right first time or probably all the time, even if they're truly
making an effort. But the first step to changing the world of fiction
so that it reflects everyone instead of just a tiny, privileged
portion, is to think about it and realise that things DO need to
change.Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-27496613605765788022019-04-11T05:10:00.000-07:002019-04-11T05:12:01.064-07:00BOOK BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY: WINNERS!Hello and happy Thursday, Dear Readers! It's time to announce the winners of last week's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hand-Eye-Heart-Zoe-Marriott/dp/1406383546/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=zoe+marriott&qid=1554982067&s=gateway&sr=8-1">The Hand, the Eye & the Heart</a></i> Book Birthday Giveaway! <br />
<br />
Since we ran this thing through Rafflecopter, I used their random winner function to pick out the lucky entries that will each receive a signed copy of the book, as well as a post card and a signed bookplate. The winners are on display on the competition widget below:<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="c2c954ae6" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c2c954ae6/" id="rcwidget_v9bgny3m" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br />
<br />
Is that you? CONGRATULATIONS!<b> <a href="http://www.zoemarriott.com/contact.html">Email me here</a> </b>and let me know how you'd like me to personalise your book and bookplate AND where to send your prize!<br />
<br />
Out of these random winners I used random number generator to select the Grand Prize winner, who will also receive this gorgeous, custom-made, hand-carved jade phoenix pendant.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EjthxmtUAno/XKSACaaIWLI/AAAAAAAADDs/MPQnEASS-1AYGbzd5puo12OJlSVh-16hgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Jade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="1588" height="286" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EjthxmtUAno/XKSACaaIWLI/AAAAAAAADDs/MPQnEASS-1AYGbzd5puo12OJlSVh-16hgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Jade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm very happy to announce that the Grand Prize Winner is: <b>Barker and Jones Staff!</b><br />
<br />
Get in touch as soon as you can, guys - I can see that some of you live in far-off climes and your prize is going to have a real journey to reach you, so the quicker I know your details the better.<br />
<b> </b><br />
Apologies for the short post here, everyone. Release week was pretty hectic - including that wonderful panel with so many amazing authors at Waterstone's Piccadilly - and I've been constantly unwell the whole time, so I'm quite frankly knackered at this point and just want to curl up quietly under a blanket and read and sip cautiously on ginger and lemon tea. Luckily it's Easter half term so I have a couple of weeks off to recover as well as a pile of new books to read. I intend to be a good adult and listen to my body for once. <br />
<br />
Here's a picture of me signing books at the MARVELOUS <a href="http://gaystheword.tumblr.com/"><i>Gay's the Word</i> bookshop</a> on Tuesday to make up for it:<br />
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And there's a bunch more exciting news which I should hopefully be able to share with you soon-ish, so keep your eyes peeled. Read you later, my lovelies!Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-67372049290348483642019-04-04T00:04:00.003-07:002019-04-04T00:04:52.842-07:00A VERY HAPPY (BOOK) BIRTHDAY TO ME!HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY DEAR READERS! *Sets off party poppers* *Blows a kazoo* *Flings confetti*<br />
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After nearly FOUR YEARS of planning, researching, writing, revising, after nearly two years of working with my publisher and with various wonderful sensitivity readers, and after 10 days of blogtour magic, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1406383546/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_dNhPCb77PHPN5">THE HAND, THE EYE & THE HEART'</a>s release day is finally here! The book should now be available to buy from the real life or virtual shelves of your preferred bookshop or vendor and can also be requested from your library. PLEASE DO WHICHEVER ONE OF THESE THINGS YOU CAN AFFORD OR FIND TIME FOR, DEAR READERS. Above all, <i>please do not illegally download this</i>, even though it might be easy and tempting to do so. Support your local starving writers if you want them to keep on writing! And also support their pets, who need to eat too! <br />
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Ahem.<br />
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Long-time Dear Readers know that this book has had what is commonly referred to as 'a journey' to get published. <a href="https://authorallsorts.wordpress.com/2017/05/17/honesty-is-a-dangerous-policy-by-zoe-marriott/">More information in the personal costs of writing this book can be found here</a>, but today - as I'm looking at the amazing, heartfelt and joyous responses to my weirdo, chunky, queer af little book baby, it all becomes completely worth it. Look at this from Tuesday night:<br />
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Number one! *Flings some more confetti* Of course, it's not there anymore, so if anyone felt like nipping across and buying a copy for themselves or as a wonderful gift for a family member or a friend... <br />
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Ahem.<br />
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Massive thank yous to Arts Council England, the Royal Literary Fund and my agent for believing and investing in this story, to Walker Books for bringing it to the world, and to Fox Benwell, Jay Hulme and Dr Susan Ang Wan-Ling for helping to make it as good as my measley artistic powers would allow. My<a href="https://t.co/3RqOEStMIq">
THE HAND, THE EYE & THE HEART themed Q&A for World Book Day, which has many thoughtful questions about this book, identity, representation
and diversity (and my rambling answers) is now up.</a><br />
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Other news! The Queens of Fantasy panel and signing at Piccadilly Waterstones on
the 8th of April is SOLD OUT. Don't say I didn't warn you tickets
were going fast! I really, *really* hope to see a lot of you guys there - it will be a combined birthday AND book launch treat! - but if you couldn't make it, don't worry, just remember
that there's also <a href="https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/saturday/zmnn">Cymera in Edinburgh on the 8th of June</a>. Hopefully I'll
soon be able to talk about some other upcoming, exciting events...<br />
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Now, just in case you missed any, here's a round up of blog tour stops which have taken place since my last update:<br />
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<a href="http://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-hand-eye-and-heart-music.html">Andrew at PewterWolf's fantastic book-themed playlist (you know I am all about that book-playlist life). I love, love, LOVE the fact that Imogen Heap is on here. I'm such a massive fan, and this track in particular is *perfect* for one of my favourite parts of the book which is incredibly dark and intense.</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/2019/03/a-date-with-book.html">Cora at Tea Party Princess dates <i>The Hand, the Eye & The Heart</i> in exactly the loving yet respectful way that any book mum would hope for. </a><br />
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<a href="https://t.co/bTKbeo6SXu">Maddie Browse did a gorgeous calligraphy spread of one of my personal favourite quotes from the story (so glad other people found it meaningful too).</a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/JemimaJOsborne/status/1113126520946556928">Jemima Osborne did a freaky fabulous make-up look inspired by the book and which must have taken a *lot* of work. Respect.</a><br />
<a href="https://rosiefrecklereads.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/blog-tour-the-hand-the-eye-and-the-heart-by-zoe-marriot-inspired-poem/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://rosiefrecklereads.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/blog-tour-the-hand-the-eye-and-the-heart-by-zoe-marriot-inspired-poem/">Rosie Freckles finished the tour of in fine style for a book filled with poetry by composing a stunning poem of her own in tribute to many of the important themes and moments in the story.</a> <br />
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Here's the whole book tour line-up if you want to go back to the beginning or ensure you haven't missed any. RT and share these fine people's work, muffins - book bloggers, especially our very own #UKYA book blogers, don't get nearly enough love. <br />
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And to ensure that they get a bit MORE love, and also to spread that love to as many of you as possible, I'm going to hold a massive giveaway, because that's how we roll!<br />
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I have five signed copies of this gorgeous book to give away to a Dear Reader. Each one will be personalised for you, and will arrive complete with signed bookplates for you to put in any other books by me that you currently own or may own in the future, book-themed postcards, and other swag. <b>ONE special prize will also include this:</b><br />
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This is a hand-carved jade pendant which I've commissioned from a Chinese artist, and it shows twin phoenixes - symbols of female strength and power, which are key themes in <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hand-Eye-Heart-Zoe-Marriott/dp/1406383546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542989574&sr=8-1&keywords=the+hand+the+eye+and+the+heart">THE HAND, THE EYE & THE HEART</a>.<br />
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The giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and will run for one week (which is the max time &#5@ing Rafflecopter will allow, sorry!) from today. In order to enter you just need to RT this post on Twitter or share it on Facebook or any other social media site, or RT or share any of the entries on the blog tour (but please don't put a link in the comments on other people's blogs, it's kind of rude).<br />
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You can get more entries by sharing and RTing more posts! Just paste the links of your RTs or shares into the giveaway below. Simplez! <br />
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Much love, and thank you again for all of your support for this book, my precious muffins!<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="c2c954ae6" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c2c954ae6/" id="rcwidget_dbn7zg6q" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br />
<br />Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098049071459822748.post-78519568181475598532019-03-29T02:41:00.000-07:002019-03-29T03:11:45.819-07:00BLOG TOUR ROUND UP!Hello and happy Friday, my lovelies! I hope your week's been delightful so far, and if not, that you're prepared to pamper yourself over the weekend to make up for it. Today (as the title suggests) is a round-up of all the wonderful blog activity on <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1406383546/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_yjlNCbRAVB9N8">THE HAND, THE EYE & THE HEART</a>'s marvellous tour so far. Frankly, I've just been blown away by this, so let's dive right in.<br />
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<a href="https://t.co/4sKT4qKEwW">Monday's post was a musical tribute to the book by Alex at The Paperback Piano which is just unspeakably beautiful.</a><br />
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Tuesday's stop was gorgeous Dear Reader Hannah, founder of Luna's Little Library, <a href="https://t.co/mHB5CVcwoM">who engaged in a fairly awe-inspiring chapter by chapter breakdown of her reactions to the book - sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes spoilery</a> (you have been warned!) <br />
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<a href="http://www.laurapatriciarose.co.uk/2019/03/blog-tour-hand-eye-and-heart-by-zoe.html#.XJt3ULinyUk">On Wednesday Laura Patricia Rose contributed a fashion spread of just the loveliest outfit (that I would definitely wear) inspired by the book. Bird belt inspired by Bingbing: 10/10.</a> <br />
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Thursday we were blessed with <a href="https://wonderfullybookish.co.uk/the-hand-the-eye-and-the-heart-blog-tour/">Charlotte from Wonderfully Bookish Blog's beautiful, atmospheric and spoiler free image/mood board</a> which is a very interesting insight for me, personally, into the visual impressions a reader might glean from my writing.<br />
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And we're closing the week out with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirstyes/">Kirsty's endearingly nerdy yet gorgeous Anagrammatical Shenanigans</a> (that's the only term I feel is fitting).<br />
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BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!<br />
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The blog tour continues right up until release day, so I will be rounding up again next Thursday as part of my release day post. I urge you not to wait that long to check these fantastic posts out, though - I'll be sharing and RTing during the week and I'd love it if you did the same to build excitement and buzz, not only about the book's publication but also our fantastic #UKYA blogging community. <br />
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And as if that wasn't enough excitement, my lovely publisher Walker Books are currently running a super exciting giveaway on Twitter - you can win not only a copy of the book but also a stunning Chinese calligraphy brushpainting set. UK Dear Readers can win by following them here:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
EXCITING COMPETITION ALERT! Want to win a copy of 'The Hand, The Eye & The Heart' by <a href="https://twitter.com/ZMarriott?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZMarriott</a> alongside a stunning calligraphy set? Follow & RT to enter! By entering this competition you confirm that you accept our terms & conditions of entry (see t&c link in bio). <a href="https://t.co/JJ44GvAl3i">pic.twitter.com/JJ44GvAl3i</a></div>
— Walker Books (@WalkerBooksUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/WalkerBooksUK/status/1110889755145842688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
If you're not in the UK then you should definitely be checking back here on release date for a post about the book's journey and also a new, international giveaway which maaaaaay be of interest...<br />
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I've been getting messages on Facebook and Goodreads asking me if I'll be doing any signings for this book, so even though I've been banging on about this non-stop I feel it behooves me to remind everyone again that <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queens-of-fantasy-zoe-marriott-samantha-shannon-tasha-suri-and-zen-cho-in-conversation-at-tickets-57799363452">I'll be in London the week the book's release - on the 8th of April, right after my birthday! - to chat about the book (and other awesome books) with a raft of awesome, award-winning and bestselling authors at Waterstone's Piccadilly.</a> We will also sign copies! AS MANY COPIES AS YOU WANT. Book tickets now so as to avoid the sad, frowning grey unicorn of disappointment!<br />
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Finally, perhaps it is time for another NEW and EXCLUSIVE SNIPPET of my precious book baby? Don't mind if I do, muffins! Read below the cut:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“You
are sure you are well enough to be up?” Father asked gently as Mother knelt
opposite him at the end of the low dining table. The servants glided silently
around us, casting long, flickering shadows on the red silk walls, arranging
platters of steamed rice, stewed meat and stir-fried greens, soft steamed buns
and soup.“I can have the maid bring you a tray in your room.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Of
course! I am not ill – it was only standing up so suddenly,” she said, as
bright as shards of broken glass. I could almost see their glint in the soft
lantern light. The servants finished laying the table and departed, the last
one drawing the screen door shut behind him with a soft click.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">My
heart was laden in my chest. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She isn’t
going to tell him.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Mother
had not confided in me. She hadn’t told anyone. But though I may not understand
my Mother, or she me, I did know her. The fearful hope I glimpsed on her face
was as obvious to me as a declaration, even if I had not observed the telltale
signs of sickness in the mornings, the slight puffiness in her face, the way
she had been eating picked plums by the jar... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Looking
conscious of the awkward pause, she reached for her wine cup. “I should have
been more careful. Leaping around that way was foolish. A woman of my years
knows better – ” she cut herself off with a tiny choke, and took a sip from her
cup.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Yes,
I knew her, and I knew the thoughts behind that expression. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I can do it this time.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> That was what she was thinking.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I can do it.</i> No longer would the
townsmen look at my Father with confusion and pity, wondering why he refused to
take a second, more fruitful wife. She knew he would never do it while she
lived, that he would view it as a betrayal even if no one else judged it so. He
had never blamed her. But their eyes did. Only one boy in the house! Only one
boy for the war hero! The waste of it! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">She
had never once said it to me, but I had seen her think it many times: You
should have been a son. Why couldn’t you have been a son?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">If only I were a son.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“I
am glad that you are well,” Father said. “Now, what of you children? You are
all very quiet today. What have you been up to?” His cheer was less brittle
than Mother’s, but no less feigned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">He
wasn’t going to say anything either. We would sit here, and eat, and pretend
everything was normal. That the red-sealed scroll was not tucked neatly into
his belt pouch. That he had not just received the equivalent of a death
sentence from the army. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The
Leopard’s men did not fight with honour. They did not take prisoners or negotiate.
They were butchers, and if my Father went to fight them he would die. That was
the reality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I
heard the dry swallowing noise as Da Xiong, beside me, visibly struggled to
speak, then shook his head, bowing his shoulders over his bowl. Xiao Xia
frowned at him, finished chewing a dumpling, and said: “What was that big noise
today, Father? Zhilan said you were going to a meeting! Who with?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Xiao
Xia – ” Mother began.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Is
that bad Leopard man coming here? I think you should fight him. Then he would
run away.” My little sister nodded wisely and slurped her soup. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“That’s
enough,” Mother said, too late.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Xiao
Xia’s face crumpled in confusion. “Why – ”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Da
Xiong’s finally looked up. “I’m sorry, Father.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“For
what?” Father asked calmly. His refusal to comprehend was like a stone wall,
and Da Xiong quailed before its blankness. His head bowed further and he said
no more, although the words were splattered before us for all to see. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m sorry I’m not big enough. I’m sorry I’m
not old enough. I’m sorry I can’t take your place.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">And
Da Xiong didn’t know the worst thing. He didn’t know what Mother might do, if
this pregnancy ended like so many others, in miscarriage, or a heartbreaking
stillbirth. What she might do if she failed, for the last time – and Father
was... gone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">She
had nearly done it once before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The
doctors said she had not been in her right mind, that the loss of two late-term
pregnancies within a year had unbalanced her humours and temporarily stolen her
reason. But I would never forget the sight of her face, calm and determined,
hair and clothes perfectly neat, as my panicked Father wrestled the cup of
poison from her hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">It
had taken all his strength to do it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Father,”
I said, making sure that my voice was utterly calm, that my face was composed
and my gaze even. “I realise that you do not know the new Emperor well – ”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“That
unnatural woman,” Mother muttered, apparently from habit. She kept her voice
just low enough that Father could pretend not to hear it, just as he always
did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I
cleared my throat and went on, hands clenching into an icy knot under the table.
“But surely your exceptional service under her husband would win you some
recognition. If you were to write to her, or visit court perhaps, and explain
your state of health – I have heard of exemptions being granted in some cases.
Just for a few years. Until Da Xiong is old enough to carry the family honour.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">My
Father gave me a long, serious look. My lead-weight heart seemed to plummet
through my ribs to the pit of my stomach. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“Drink your soup.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The
rebuff was kind, but unmistakeable. Da Xiong’s small hand found mine under the
table and squeezed for an instant before it darted away again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 22.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">We
sat. We ate. We did not talk anymore.</span></div>
<br />Zoë Marriotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01275368005359548134noreply@blogger.com0