Analog SFF, November 2008
Page 25
Several points of order: Firstly, you're a grownup; you cannot be unaware that not all narrative voices and/or points of view are an author's own: I'm not a genius-level, preteen female; I am a long-time possessor of Y chromosomes, handicapped by a pedestrian intellect and the passage of some sixty-mumble years. Further, as Stan points out, Candy is under 13; she's 11, something which, if you'd explored a couple more pages, gathering facts, before detonating in this fashion, you'd have discovered for yourself.
Secondly, you should be aware that Mr. Faulkner confessed to analyzing the tastes of the market and writing his story “for the money.” I don't seek contracts before writing a story; I write them for my own entertainment. Then, and only then, I offer them for others to share. I am of course delighted when some of those others, such as Stan and a substantial majority of readers, also derive entertainment from them.
As an aside, I dislike, most intensely, popular music in all its guises; yet it's never once occurred to me to send Mick Jagger, any of the American Idols, or even those hate-spewing rappers a rage-filled, bitterly critical letter or email. In other words, those who make such noises are welcome to pass my share on to those who enjoy them—but it would never occur to me to be rude to them merely because their tastes differ from mine.
Thirdly, writing mechanics: In only the first several pages, using a nearly irreducible economy of words, Candy's “random” synapse firings set the “hook,” introduce and character-sketch Adam, Teacher, Danya, and Terry; offer a precis of her advanced education, progress in martial arts and military skills; and touch upon the fact that previous exploits have left her clinically dead twice. She also brushes lightly over the extinction of H. sapiens, the emergence of their successors, H. post hominem, and the fact that her most recent “death” occurred while saving the latter from oblivion.
By contrast, Benjy seems to have spent much of his time obsessing about fire, his sister, and a golf course.
I'll leave it to the judgment of impartial observers whether his concerns are more “significant” than Candy's....
In any event, I hope your difficulty with the story does turn out to be the result of reading mechanics, and that you're able to modify them sufficiently to join Candy's legions of loyal fans, substantial numbers of whom have waited impatiently in excess of 25 years (yes, I still get letters asking about her) for me to drop another shoe—some of whom are in fact second—and third-generation admirers of her reluctant derring-do.
So good luck; I hope you can make it work.
If not, if these stories simply are not your cup of stimulant, I would encourage you to write some of your own—for your own entertainment. That's how most of us got started....
Very truly,
David R. Palmer
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Mr. Schmidt,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For thirty years I have been wondering if David Palmer was going to re-emerge (pun intended), as his novel Emergence had always been one of my favorites. I had two copies of it, as one was always out on loan. I even remember a heated fan discussion about it with the sales associate of the (now—sadly—closed) Science Fiction Book Store off Houston in New York City, sometime in the ‘70s. When I picked up this month's issue, I idly wondered if the David Palmer listed in the table of contents was related, only to discover Candy Smith again in the first paragraph of the serial. Her voice is distinctive, and just as I remember. I look forward to the balance of the serial.
Sally Cohen
Alamo, California
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Reader's Department: UPCOMING EVENTS by Anthony Lewis
21-23 November 2008
NEW ENGLAND FAN EXPERIENCE (popular culture conference) at Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02139. Guests include George Takei, Bob Eggleton. Experience Membership: $45; Weekend package: $225; rates available for individual events. Info: http://www.nefe.us/; New England Fan Experience, c/o United Fan Con Inc. 26 Darrell Drive, Randolph, MA 02368. Please make all checks or money orders out to United Fan Con Inc
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21-23 November 2008
ORYCON 30 (Oregon SF conference) at Waterfront Marriott, Portland, OR. Writer Guest of Honor: Harry Turtledove; Editor Guest of Honor: Ginjer Buchanan; Artist Guest of Honor: Jeff Fennel; Fan Guest of Honor: Cecelia Eng. Membership: $40 until 31 July 2008; more thereafter. Info: http:// www.orycon.org/orycon30/; OryCon 30, PO Box 5464, Portland, OR 97228-5464
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28-30 November 2008
DARKOVERCON 31 (Marion Zimmer Bradley-oriented conference) at Holiday Inn Timmonium, Timmonium, MD. Guest of Honor: Patricia Briggs; Special Guest: Katherine Kurtz; Musical Guests of Honor: Clam Chowder. Membership: $45.00 until 1 November 2008; $50 thereafter (payable to Armida Council, PO Box 7203, Silver Spring, MD 20907). Info: http://www.darkovercon.org
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28-30 November 2008
LOSCON 35 (Los Angeles area SF conference) at LAX Marriott, Los Angeles, CA. Writer Guest of Honor: John Scalzi; Artist Guest of Honor: Gary Lippincott; Fan Guest of Honor: Michael Siladi. Membership: $35 in advance. Info: http://www.loscon.org/35a/; Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc.,11513 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601
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6-10 August 2009
ANTICIPATIONSF (67th World Science Fiction Convention) at Palais des congres de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Guests of Honor: Neil Gaiman, Elisabeth Vonarburg; Fan Guest of Honor: Taral Wayne; Editor Guest of Honor: David G. Hartwell; Publisher Guest of Honor: Tom Doherty; MC: Julie Czerneda. Membership: until 31 July 2008 (see website for latest details): USD/CAD 190, GBP 95; EUR 130; JPY 20000; supporting membership USD/CAD 55; GBP 30; EUR 35; JPY 6000. This is the SF universe's annual get-together. Professionals and readers from all over the world will be in attendance. Talks, panels, films, fancy dress competition—the works. Nominate and vote for the Hugos. Info: www.anticipationsf.ca/English/Home. C.P. 105, Succursale NDG, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4A 3P4
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