In Which Some Books

4

Today I split my time between the two next books in the Craft Sequence.  All morning I drafted the third novel, which is taking shaky shape, and in the afternoon, after a brief period of recovery, I dove back into reviewing my publisher’s copy edits for Two Serpents.  I don’t want the copy edit review process to slow down proper writing, and it hasn’t so far.  I wrote as much as usual today, and edited as much as I needed to, and I hope I can keep up that pace.  We Shall See.  One day is hardly a pattern.

I’ve been avoiding reading fiction for the last week or so as I get deeper into the new book, which is an interesting experience, and might not be helpful.  I find myself salivating for new worlds.  I linger over descriptions of books, and run my hands down spines as I pass them.  Sometimes I peek, just a little line from somewhere in the middle.  I already have my Christmas reading list, which I plan to dive into once I put the next book to bed for the holidays.  Shall I share?

Wallace isn’t fiction, sure, but he has such a strong voice I’m wary of reading his essays during the first-drafting process.  That’s what edits are for, I guess—belt-sanding away everyone else’s words from mine.

I noticed that the Wallace book has an essay on David Lynch.  I hope he’ll talk about the Dune movie.  I’m not all that optimistic, but who knows?  The spice may flow!

4 Responses to “In Which Some Books”

  1. Marina

    Hi, I just finished Three Parts Dead: love it, love it, love it. I learned about your book from an article written by a friend of yours when your book was first released, (@ Slate?, don’t remember which site). Pleased is what I felt when I clicked the link and learned from the cover that your lead character is powerful, intelligent, Black and female. Fitting that description myself (without Craft, of course), I just had to purchase your book and learn what kind of world or worlds you created and how she would inhabit that world(s) (as well as, her associates and enemies). I am delighted at the hints your dropped about the future. Her last name? After the Civil Rights leader? Fabulous, if so. Looking forward to reading Two Serpents.
    – Marina

    p.s. Skeletons really are underused in fiction.

    reply

    • max

      HI Marina! So glad you enjoyed the book. Thank you very much for dropping by to let me know! Tara wasn’t consciously named after Ralph Abernathy, but I found the connection when I googled her name later in the drafting process, and appreciated the synchronicity.

      If you like skeletons, you should really enjoy the next book!

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  2. Marina

    Max – It’s not that I like skeletons, rather that you’ve embodied them with power and reason – a voice. This is what I mean by underused: most writers treat skeletons like zombies – mindless, frightening and then a few chapters or episodes later, boredom sets in. In your work, for some, skeletal is more than a mere bi-product of death.

    BTW: I learned about your book through Alyssa Rosenberg’s blog at Think Progress, (not Slate).
    http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012/10/02/942611/three-parts-dead/

    reply

    • max

      I like the thought of conversing with skeleton, or the skeletal remnants of a person: almost human but not quite, and how on earth can they talk (or drink coffee?) without mouth and lungs and all those other usual accoutrements of conversation. There’s a commentary there on the way we tend to think of the body as a sort of carrying-case for the mind, but I’m too tired to make it at the moment.

      Alyssa’s awesome—I’m selfishly very glad she’s back from her trip, so I can read more of her work!

      reply

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