h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is the third time I've tried to post here, and it's dumped my post on me. Time to visit Pastey's bug farm, I'm thinking.

Good to see you back in the Salon, and I'm happy to see I'm not the only Jim Butcher fan over there! Urban fantasy is an iffy territory, but I've loved the Dresden Files, just finished the last one, Ghost Story. Now I've got to wait a year to see the next installment...damn time machines, never around when you need them!

As a writer, you might be interested in a venue I've just discovered, which seems like a good place to get short fiction out there. It's called Daily Science Fiction, http://dailysciencefiction.com/ I've only written short fiction so far, and I'm trying to psych myself up to submitting something.

I am quite impressed with people who write short fiction. I'm trying to write short stories at the moment, and it's really, really hard. Incidentally, Affy, sea, and I have been known to trade preliminary drafts, and to offer each other constructive criticism. If you are willing to share your work, I'd be willing to give any input I can. Not that I'm qualified.

Would you believe I started reading Jim Butcher *after* I'd done a few drafts on my urban fantasy detective novel? It's true. I'm still way behind in the Dressen Files (about 6 or 7 books in), and I'm loving it. I'm not very well read in the genre, but I definitely enjoy Dresden. I tried the first book of the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I didn't love it. I suspected that was more of a reflection on Briggs than on the genre, but from what you're saying, perhaps Butcher is the exception, not the rule?

I haven't written much short SF in years; just working on a few guides I'm thinking of turning into ebooks, but I'll send one of those on when I'm done, thanks for the offer. I've found that what I consider readable may have differing mileage for other folks...

Gotta agree about Patricia Briggs, her stuff seems a little 'bumpy' to me. On the other hand, I really like Carrie Vaughn's "Kitty" series. It's not very "chick-lit", even though the lead character is a contemporary female werewolf, whose night job is as a radio talk show dj. Carrie does good male and female characterization, and only one of her books hit an off note for me. If you read them, I'll tell you which one, later.

(BTW, that comment on the Rock was indeed about Gibralter, but that ring is very much a 'rock', and beautiful -- you've got very good taste.)

(Well, that's an embarrassing 'wrong side of the Pond' mistake on my part... )

I may have to look into Carrie Vaughn. I will say that my problem with Patricia Briggs wasn't that it was "chick-lit," but more structural. The first book took on a LOT of issues all at once, as though the main character needed to solve all the world's social problems all at the same time. When she easily, single-handedly, fixed the "gay werewolf" problem for the entire pack -- in about half an hour -- I kinda lost my willing suspension of disbelief.

Hmmm, that's sorta my problem with it, too. I ran into a few chapters where I found myself thinking a main character had suffered a brain dump or something similar. I'd be reding along, and all of a sudden a very bright person earlier can't see the forest for the trees...

If not thinking "Gibralter" is a pond problem, I've got the same handicap -- I live in LA.

Ah, so, just a bone-headed moment on my part, then

Some would say living in LA is bone-headed -- if so, then quilty as charged!