Recent reading

[luzula]

Today I am going back and forth to Stockholm in one day, which is quite tiring, in order to have a meeting with a minion of the Swedish minister for rural affairs, together with representatives from some other organizations. I guess it went okay? He did give us a whole hour after only promising half an hour, so he did listen to what we had to say, even if I don’t think it will change the government’s abysmal forest politics.

Writing-wise, I am still working on my werewolf fic, and struggling with a plot element which needs the skills of a mystery writer. I very much do not have those skills. /o\

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (2022)
Wow, this was pretty powerful, and I loved the art style. I am used to thinking about the environmental harm of fossil fuel extraction, but not as much about the harm those kinds of working conditions make for the workers, especially the women. OMG, what relentless sexism and harassment. But it has compassion for the male workers, too.

Hornblower and the Crisis by C S Forester (1967)
This is the last, unfinished one (I am reading them out of order, directed by sanguinity’s recs and my whims), and I quite enjoyed it. What an opening--prime example of Hornblower taking things out on Bush. And then it’s exciting naval adventures all the way, which I was in the mood for. The Irish revolutionary in one of the short stories quite stole the scene; would read a book about him. Hee, and the one with Bonaparte was hilarious.

Comments

[ride_4ever]

*cheers you on for your werewolf fic* *\0/*

[luzula]

Thank you! Making progress, but slowly...

[sanguinity]

which needs the skills of a mystery writer. I very much do not have those skills. /o\

Happily, all writing skills are learnable! (She says, cheerily and no doubt obnoxiously!) To meet the needs of various stories, I've deliberately taught myself to write romance, porn, casefic, and wordplay, all of which I once said I categorically didn't have the skills to do. It might take you a while to work out how to write a mystery (I don't pretend that's a fun or trivial task!), but once you do figure it out, the skill is yours to keep.

And I know you already have a beta, but if another eye would help with the casefic part, I'm happy to pitch in and help.


Oh, I'm glad you liked Crisis! Hornblower is an ass in those opening pages, it's true, but it still feeds my little slashy heart -- and even moreso when he gets the court martial summons. I half have in mind an idea for... eh, not so much finishing the novel, but definitely picking up from its open ending, but as with so many of my story ideas, it's simmering on a backburner for now.

Re Barry McCool, tgarnsl has said that if she were to do a TV adaptation of the books, she would start with McCool to establish setting and character, and then move straight into Lieutenant and Bush's introduction, and go from there. She makes a compelling argument!

[luzula]

I did write some casefic in my previous fandom due South, but always laboriously! But I feel like I've gotten out of the habit, if I was ever in it. I don't expect to need that skill much in my current fandoms, so I suppose I'm reluctant to go all out in learning mystery/casefic plotting. I think I've got the logistics settled now, but in the hands of another author, it could have been much better. But the story as a whole has other parts which do play to my strengths, I think!

I half have in mind an idea for... eh, not so much finishing the novel, but definitely picking up from its open ending, but as with so many of my story ideas, it's simmering on a backburner for now.
Perhaps stories, like stews, only become better for simmering a long time!

Ducks was stunning

[jesse_the_k]

Thanks for trying with the minister -- your steady activism is hard and useful work.

Ducks floored me. The art and the story are inseparable, and so sad with some kindness.

Re: Ducks was stunning

[luzula]

Thanks for the encouragement. <3 And what a fitting icon for the comment...

[vatine]

I have day-tripped Malmö->Stockholm->Malmö (in order to use pubic transport to get from the Sun to Mars, no less), but that is a VERY long day. I imagine Göteborg->Stockholm->Göteborg is on a similar level of "well, that was a long day with a lot of trains".

[luzula]

Well, Malmö-Stockholm is notably longer! Hmm, does Stockholm have one of those solar systems where planet sizes/distances are to scale? Gothenburg also has one.

[chestnut_pod]

Oh man, I loved Ducks when I read it earlier this year. It still stands out as one of the best books I've read in 2023. The compassion you name here really struck me, too.

I hope you get good rest today to recover from your minion-meeting. I had one today too, with a minion of the start governor, in similar travel circumstances. I feel the frustration!

[luzula]

*minion-meeting solidarity*
I haven't exactly had a rest, but I have had some excellent birdwatching this weekend!

[chestnut_pod]

Do tell! I saw a rail for the first time this morning, standing on a bridge.

[luzula]

See my new post for a birdwatching report! : D

Hmm, what kind of rail? It seems to be a whole family, of which some species are common in Sweden and some rare.

[chestnut_pod]

It was a Virginia Rail, which I assume doesn’t make its way all the way to Sweden! But I’ve never previously seen a rail of any kind, so it was quite exciting.

[luzula]

Oh, what a sleek little beauty!

[starshipfox]

I'm glad he at least listened to you!

I loved Ducks: it's so complex, and she looks at the situation from so many different angles.

[luzula]

Thanks! I haven't done meetings with politicians often, but someone told us that they don't often double the length of meetings like that. However, I still don't think the government will change their politics...

[regshoe]

That government meeting sounds like a very worthy thing to do, and I'm glad it was at least somewhat successful.

And yay for exciting naval adventures :D

[luzula]

Thanks! We can but do our best, even when it's not enough...

[seascribble]

Kate Beaton does not miss.

[luzula]

No! She's, uh, right on the beat. (Sorry.)