Weekly Linkroll (Monday edition)

Yeah, links didn’t happen yesterday. But here they are today.

An Open Letter to Jane Doe, the Victim of the Steubenville Rape Case (Trigger Warning)
Lucy’s Football made me cry last week. This post is beautiful, and I’m torn between hoping that Jane Doe reads it and that she is staying the hell away from the Internet for a while.

I Am Not Your Wife, Sister or Daughter. I Am A Person.
The Belle Jar discusses the problem with the language used when standing up for women. Even if this is used in a well-meaning way, it’s still defining women by their relationship to men, not on their own. Patronizing and not good.

New Peacock Spider Video!
Bug Girl’s Blog posts a really cool video featuring peacock spiders. Even if you’re afraid of spiders, you might dig this. So cute!

Dark woods
I love cemeteries, so this Wordland post hit the spot. So many stories lay hidden.

Long Hidden: Speculative Fiction From the Margins of History
One week left to get in on this wicked cool kickstarter that will fund a speculative fiction anthology with stories from the points of view of folks who normally don’t get to write history (wow, long sentence is long). I gave what I could and am excited to read it when it comes out. The list of writers already signed up is pretty amazing. Check it out.

Eisenstadt v. Baird: The 41st Anniversary of Legal Contraception for Single People
Can you believe that  legal access to contraception for single people has only been around in the US for 41 years?

New poll finds the majority of women voters consider themselves feminists
Feministing shares the results of a recent Ms. poll. Surprisingly good news.

Pterosaur: Dinosaur Named After Daisy Morris
Five year-old girl discovers a new dinosaur and has it named after her!

Well, That Turned Out Well…

The Preditors & Editors Poll results came out today. A lot of Candlemark & Gleam folks did quite well, and I was tickled to see that Substitution Cipher came in at number 11 on the list of best anthologies. Just shy of the top ten, which is quite exciting for a newb such as myself. So, thanks to everyone who voted for it! I and all the other authors really appreciate it.

Did you vote in the P&E poll? What did you think of the results? What are some of your favorite books of 2012? Let me know in the comments, and you could be the lucky winner of an electronic copy of Substitution Cipher, just cuz. Well, this is my hundredth post on this blog. Why the hell not?

I’ll pick the winner on Sunday, January 13 January 20 (c’mon, M, learn how to read a calendar). And if you already own a copy? Thank you! Please spread the word.

Why, WordPress, why? Photograph of President Truman and others with their backs turned to the camera, looking out a window near the summit… – NARA – 199297 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Weekly Linkroll

So, the last linkroll of 2012. Hard to believe it’s the end of the year already. Damned metabolism slowing me down and speeding up the rest of the world.

At least, that’s my theory.

“I don’t remember that…?”
One of several blog reviews (and the funniest) that allowed me to lose any feeling of obligation I might have had to see The Hobbit. Just not gonna. Yes, I’m one of those Tolkien fans. Thanks very much.

Joyous Christmahanukwanzeidstice to all, and to all a good night.
I’m a sucker for flow charts. What can I say?

Christmas on Mars
Diane Turnshek writes into the Whatever blog about her experience at the Mars Desert Research Station.  Very cool.

Christmas Pose-Off: Lights vs. Tights
Jim Hines and John Scalzi face off again in another pose for charity. Hines just knows how to do this.

Preditors and Editors Readers’ Poll
Critters / Critique.org is hosting their annual readers’ poll and Substitution Cipher has been nominated for best anthology! The website’s a challenge to navigate, but a lot of cool titles have been nominated in several categories. Check it out.

 

The Hunger Games

I finished The Hunger Games trilogy yesterday. Quite the good read. Of course, given my latest obsession, I started to wonder if any of these folks fit into the outsider hero trope. I have my ideas, but I’m curious what you all might think about this.

So, a poll! Given the definition we’ve been working with (a person who isn’t part of the society that he or she finds him/herself in, but saves the day or has an influence in how people change their way of thinking), what you do you think?