Top Ten Posts of 2014

2014 is almost at an end. (You probably don’t need me to tell you that, though, huh?) Anyway, I thought it would be fun to post links to the most-read posts of my blog for 2014. Interesting mix of topics and content, at least to me. I’m glad folks are finding them.

“‘Tis not right, a woman going into such places by herself.”* – A Book List

As promised, here’s the list of books containing older women as important characters that my friends and I came up with on Twitter a couple weeks ago. Clicking on the photos will take you to the book’s Amazon page.

Thanks to @grumpymartian, @whateversusan, @chrysoula, @AthenaHelivoy, @JustinSRobinson, @byharryconnolly, @LJLietya, @KateElliottSFF, and @clundoff for chiming in!

	Mindscape, Andrea Hairston: an older woman gets the action going; another older woman has a hand in trying to destroy what the first set out to accomplish.
The first four books of the Deverry series, Katharine Kerr: I didn’t get any details on this one.
	Crown of Stars series, Kate Elliott: “One of the POVs … is a scholar who is about 50. She’s technically a secondary POV.”-@KateElliottSFF
Silver Moon, Catherine Lundoff: main character becomes a werewolf as part of menopause at 50.
	Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold: the main character is in her 40s/50s, possibly late 30s (there was some discussion about this).
The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle: Molly Grue and Mommy Fortuna
	Downbelow Station, C.J. Cherryh: I’m not sure of her age, but as commander of an interstellar battleship, Signy Mallory must be a mature woman, close in age to Captain Janeway.
Tehanu, Ursula K. Le Guin: the main character is Tenar, a woman who has aged through the Earthsea series and is now middle-aged.
	Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed: “majority of characters are older”-@grumpymartian
The Day Before the Revolution (from the short story collection The Wind’s Twelve Quarters), Ursula K. Le Guin: the protagonist from The Dispossessed returns as a much older woman.
	Swan Song, Robert R. McCammon: “mostly the older characters tell the story”-@grumpymartian

Another book was brought up in our conversation that hasn’t been published yet: The Great Way, an epic fantasy trilogy by Harry Connolly. It’ll be out later this year.

@chrysoula @MFennVT I'll be releasing one later this year because I couldn't find one I wanted to read.

— Gluten Dragon (@byharryconnolly) February 12, 2014

And, to finish up, these are the Discworld books that involve Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. To quote Wikipedia:

[Weatherwax] has starred in six Discworld novels (Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade and Carpe Jugulum), has appeared briefly in Wee Free Men, acted as a significant supporting character in A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, and I Shall Wear Midnight, and was referenced in three other Discworld books (by name in Mort, and anonymously in Thief of Time as well as Going Postal). She also appeared in the short story “The Sea and Little Fishes” and in The Science of Discworld II: The Globe.

Nanny Ogg appears in the same Discworld novels as Granny W., as well as the short story “The Sea and Little Fishes.” She also makes a cameo appearance in Thief of Time. Have you read any of these? Are there others you’d recommend? Let us know!

*–Granny Weatherwax, Wyrd Sisters (Terry Pratchett)

Link Treats

Time to share another collection of links with you. A little bit of everything today. Enjoy!

Fat and fit?
Andreas Heinakroon takes on another controversial topic with his typical aplumb. Something worth thinking about.

A Compromise: How To Be A Reasonable Prescriptivist
Kory Stamper talks about the ongoing duel between prescriptivist and descriptivist language folk. I have run-ins with the kind of prescriptivist she talks about quite often. A lexicographer’s trebuchet would be handy.

MLK: Sanitized for Their Protection
The sanitizing of Martin Luther King is something that’s troubled me for years now. The Weekly Sift looks further into the co-opting of a brilliant revolutionary.

Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women
This link is nothing but shameless self-promotion for me and my fellow Winter Well authors. A starred review from Publishers Weekly!

You Are Worth It
Feeling down and not so thrilled with yourself. Give this post by The Belle Jar a read. She’s talking to you.

I think there’s a trebuchet in this picture. I love it anyway. Česky: Obránci hradu (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Link Treats

Well, this has been the longest break I’ve taken from the blog in a while now. Life has been busy. Last weekend involved a drive down to the Eastern Shore of MD to see family. Much fun was had and many crabs were eaten. We returned with many pics of family gravestones and pounds of scrapple. (You can’t get scrapple up here in New England. Yes, that’s a bad thing.)

These links have been sitting around for a while, so there’s a good chance you’ve already read them. You know, if you hang out in the same neighborhoods I do. Hopefully, they’re not too redundant. I like them, anyway.

Hey, Everyone — Stop Taking This Picture! (No, I Mean It.)
This is the oldest one–from last year. Fit, Feminist, and (almost) Fifty hipped me to it.

Beta Readers
Minerva Zimmerman shares her thoughts about a writer’s dearest asset, her beta readers.

These Are a Few Of My Favorite Things, On Tiers
I used to be one of those folks who creates best-of lists. I was very Rob Gordon about it, but then I met Alpha Reader who refuses to makes lists like that. At first, I found that kind of quaint; over time I saw his point. It was interesting to see Scalzi’s take on the concept.

Your Ultimate Feminist Mixtape
A good collection of tunes from Vagenda’s Emily B. Fun suggestions in the comments, as well. What would you add?

#510: Falling out of love with your creative work and losing momentum
I so needed to read this today. As I said on Twitter yesterday, I’m trapped in the third act of The Travelers and can’t get out. Well, the only way out is through, isn’t it? Finish the fucking novel, M.

Link Treats

Where have all the link treats gone? Well, they’ve been sitting in my drafts folder waiting for me to get off my ass and post them, is where. *sigh* It’s been kind of busy/nonblogmotivational around here lately. (and that is so a word) There’s been writing, just not of the blog. (New story about to be submitted if I can come up with a title! Psychic Depression-era noir-ish detective thing–any suggestions?)

Not That Girl
I’m not that girl either. Oh wait. I totally am. Some fine writing from the Belle Jar

Today’s Time Waster: Literary Figure Collective Nouns
John Scalzi with a new game. Lots of creativity in the comments.

Evolution 101
Andreas Heinakroon talks about evolution. It’s fun and smart, as his posts always are.

10 Worst Mistakes That Authors of Alternate History Make
Good stuff to take into consideration if you’re writing alternate history. I think I did all right with “So The Taino Call It.” Did you read it? What do you think?

Rules of Writing: Get to the Fucking Monkey
Some good writing advice from Justin Robinson plus a killer song.

Okay, how could I not use this random pic?

Link Treats

It’s been kind of quiet over here, hasn’t it? Well, the dayjob’s been keeping me busy, as has the new story I’m working on. But now, I’m in the midst of a long weekend from work, and the story is almost ready to send to my betas. One more alpha read and it should be there.

So, that’s hopeful. Today’s batch of links is a mixed bag of goodies. I hope you’ll find something interesting here.

Writing up that Staircase
Minerva Zimmerman, one of the contributors to Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women, takes a look at the writer’s journey. I like the metaphor.

10 Literary Authors You Didn’t Know Wrote Science Fiction
Jason Diamond at Flavorwire tries to fool us with a list of literary authors who wrote science fiction. Interesting list. I never thought of Woolf’s Orlando as science fiction, but okay,

Top 10 worst sex scenes in modern literature
As a member of Livejournal’s weepingcock community, I’ve read way worse sex scenes than most of these, but these actually got published! I’m torn between the lepidopterist and Zorro (both of which made an appearance over at wc) being my “favorites.” What are yours?

How to prove to a global warming denier that climate change is real, in 14 seconds
At this point, I don’t know if you can convince a climate change denier that it’s real. Deniers gonna deny. Still, it’s pretty damned obvious to those who actually want to use their brains.

A Poem By Patricia Lockwood
Ms. Lockwood’s poem, The Rape Joke, over at the Awl. Powerful stuff. Trigger warning.

Link Treats

Huh. Now that I’m coming up with links randomly, I’m getting a decent list more quickly. That’s good, right? Or maybe I’m spending too much time surfing? That is a possibility. Nice mix today. What do you think?

The World Needs Writers
Johanna Harkness on writers and storytelling. Telling those tales is important.

So You Just Had Your Book Published
Chuck Wendig talks about the interesting mind game that is being published.

Changing the Creepy Guy Narrative
I love this. Chris Brecheen turns the tables on a subway creeper.

New Big-Nosed Horned Dinosaur Found in Utah
Christine Dell’Amore reports at National Geographic on the new dinosaur that’s been found in Utah. Neat!

Take a Closer Look at Bizarre Dinosaurs
And thanks to that last link, I just spent half an hour playing with this National Geographic interactive dinosaur thingie. Much fun.

Big Nosed Dinosaur! Illustration courtesy of Lukas Panzarin

Link Treats

This batch of links isn’t quite as heavy, at least in my mind. I hope you find something of interest.

Lessons sports teach you: Perfection is the enemy of excellence
Sam B. at Fit, Feminist, and (almost) Fifty shares her thoughts on the problems of perfectionism.

Trayvon Martin, The East, and the Consequences of Inaction
My inner seven-year-old is a lot like the Belle Jar’s. It’s part of why I’m so cranky all the time.

OMG, like there are totally things called Valley Bees!
I’m so sure, Bug Girl!

Angry Young Woman
A poem from Wordlander. It’s awesome.

To Succeed, Fail Boldly
The Weekly Sift offers some words of hope.

Link Treats

It’s Wednesday, it’s still humid as hell (plus more rain. Yay?), but I have links for you. Kind of heavy, but I try to end on an up note. Enjoy!

 

My New Convention Harassment Policy
This is a little dusty now, but still good to know. John Scalzi on what he requires from any con he might attend. Oh, and if you want to co-sign, like I and over 900 other folks have, you can do that here.

 

If My Vagina Shot Bullets Could I Conceal It From Rick Perry and John Kasich
Margaret and Helen on the latest crush of forced birth, anti-woman legislation that’s happening in Texas and Ohio. And, well, everywhere. It’s North Carolina taking the lead this week.

 

Hell Yeah: Texas Woman Lays Into Legislators at Abortion Bill Hearing
But women are fighting back, like Sarah Slamen. Watch her rock over at Jezebel.

 

This Court Sucks
The Weekly Sift on what’s wrong with the Supreme Court

 

Life Lessons from Mystery Science Theater 3000
My favorite tv show (yes, even more than anything Whedon’s done). Leah Schnelbach at Tor shares a bit of what she learned from the show. #8 might be my favorite, but they’re all good.

 

Dr. Forrester detaches the Satellite of Love from Deep 13. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Link Treats

It’s Wednesday, and I’ve counted to five, so let’s have some links.

The Times, They Are A-Changing (And So Should Your Dictionary)
Kory Stamper takes on the idea of preferring older dictionaries. Not really a good idea.

10 Signs that Feminism May Not Be For You
The Belle Jar guest-posted at the Outlier Collective last week. Some good tips here.

fill up your rainbow tank
Poetlandia was one of many celebrating SCOTUS’s decisions on DOMA and Prop 8 last week.

Reporting Harassment at a Convention: A First-Person How To
Elise Matthesen’s thoughts over at Whatever on reporting sexual harassment at conventions.

An Open Letter to Paula Deen
Michael W. Twitty at Afroculinaria shares his thoughts about and for Paula Deen. It’s an awesome read.

I thought a random rainbow pic might be nice today, but decided to go with this: the Northern Lights outside our house several years ago. Neat, huh?