Fan Fiction & Art

Do you read fan fiction? If so, comment below and tell me what you think of it. I tend to be a purist and I think I would just be annoyed by it, so I've never read any. Fan fiction, on first glance, seems to be one of two things. Either it's an homage without any intent to publish, or it's an amateur's attempt to ride the coattails of someone else's success as a way of breaking into writing. Either way, I just don't find myself interested. 

At the End of "The Wheel of Time" (no spoilers)

I don't even know where to begin. I put down my book and felt... speechless. In a good way.

I have loved these people and these books for 15 years. Last January, I started re-reading "The Eye of the World", and was surprised by how much it felt like visiting good friends I hadn't seen in years. Now, all these months later, having finished "A Memory of Light", I am left feeling satisfied, enriched and... oddly, refreshed. (Maybe from all that crying!)

I Think I Know How It Ends

I don't usually voice my predictions. I don't like being wrong, especially publicly. But I think I know how Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson will end "The Wheel of Time". Not scene-wise, but the actual last bit of the book...

WOT Worries Me...

In less than a week, the long-long-looooong awaited release of "A Memory of Light" will be here. And I'm nervous. Tickly-stomach nervous. I've been reading the "Wheel of Time" (or WOT) books for 15 years, since my brother introduced them to me in 1997, and now they are finally, at long last, coming to a close. 

The Gathering Storm

LOVE this cover art. Wish my books had them!

Today I finished listening to book 11 of the Wheel of Time. I nearly cheered aloud (but I didn't. I work in a library.) when I heard Kate Redding say, "Epilogue". Why was I so excited to be at the end of "Knife of Dreams"? Simply this. I love book 12- "The Gathering Storm" and even more book 13- "Towers of Midnight". Such pure enjoyment in audiobook form. I am SO excited for book 14- "A Memory of Light" to come out next month. Like, ridiculously, fangirl-crazy-excited. I want to squeal with delight just thinking about it!!

I've given an entire year to listening to the Wheel of Time books. The Wheel of Time is the ultimate fantasy series, and the characters are like old friends. I haven't read them all in many years, and this time, I actually didn't either. October got here, then November, and I was only in book 8. And dragging along, as the story slows quite a bit in books 8-10. Then my friend Marc and my brother, Dave both recommended I jump ahead to 11, "Knife of Dreams". I'm so glad I did. 

"Knife of Dreams" is very satisfying. Lots of action and the story finally progresses again. There were scenes I skipped and some I skimmed through (audio-wise) because I know what happens and certain things that certain characters do are just... annoying. But I loved it. 

And now... on with Sanderson! And there was much rejoicing. 

Book Signing: Brandon Sanderson

Tonight, I got very brave and went to my second-ever book-signing by one of my most favorite authors. I didn't let my anxiety keep me home. I sucked it up, thanks in large part to my son (16 y.o.) being willing to accompany me so I wouldn't freak out from nerves and stay home. It was so much fun! I'm really glad we went. 

Dan Wells Book Signing

As I get closer to 40, I'm trying to come out of my little cocoon of social anxiety and start doing things I don't normally do. This morning in a meeting with my boss, I asked him if he'd ever been to a book signing and in the ensuing conversation (he hadn't) mentioned that there was one tonight that I really wanted to go to celebrating the release of Dan Wells' new book, but because lately time off has become a rarity (the library is a circus from June-August) I hadn't asked. Also, because there was this little part of me that thought it might just chicken out and not go. He said, "Oh you should go. You can get off early, how does 6:30 sound?" Um... well... oookayy... I agreed, excited and trepedatious (5 point word, kids) and scrambling to find someone to go with me. (And by the way, I think I have the coolest boss EVER... just sayin'.)


First, I called my dad (the formerly famous film critic) and asked him what a book signing was like, since he's attended them on both sides of the table. He gave me the basics and said he would have gone with me had he known sooner. Dang. Then I called my sister, who is also a Dan Wells fan, but she also couldn't go. Husband? Meh... he would have gone, but I would have had to a. find a sitter for youngest child because her brothers would be at a service project and b. make him miss said service project, which he was supposed to attend. So I let him off the hook and figured I could count on my second son-- he's a reader, I thought, and he'd probably rather go with me for a couple of hours than move dirt with a shovel. No go. Stinker. I asked my friend Dannie. Nope. I called my friend Becky, with just minutes until I would be leaving, and though she's normally game for spontaneous fun (especially social time), she couldn't come either. 


What's a social-anxiety-prone girl to do?


So I ran out to my car, changed my clothes (yep, in the minivan. I'm tricky like that) and raced to Trolley Square. Every light from Tooele to Lakepoint was out. Super. Still, I made pretty good time and got there only about 15 minutes late.


Something you may or may not know about me: I loathe being late. It makes me so tense I can't stand it. So of course, I parked, left my van and went the wrong way, looking for Weller Book Works. It took me about 5 minutes to find a map and face the right direction and find the shop. Thankfully, Dan hadn't started his bit. In fact, I don't think I missed anything all that important. I'm so glad they had a guest from Wasatch Paranormal presenting first. Though, since Wells' new book isn't about ghosts, I'm not sure what the relationship was... maybe I missed that in the introduction portion of the evening, but I was happy to have not missed Dan's book reading. And while the guy was talking, my stomach flipped as I looked across the room and saw another of my very favorite authors, Brandon Sanderson, walk in! I knew he was going to be there, but it was so cool to see him in person. I'm not a crazy-stalker-fangirl, I just really like his writing. 


I took a seat (at the back, of course, luckily next to a display of the new book: "The Hollow City"), snatched one and settled in to listen. Once the paranormal guy was through, Dan took the floor, told us about the book, setting up the scene he would be reading. Only he didn't just read, he and a pair of actors (I assume) did sort of a readers theater of the scene. The scene was entertaining and interesting and did its job: made me want to read the book! These are my not-very-good pictures of Dan and Mary (?) during the reading:

After some Q&A, Dan invited us to have a treat and then line up to have our books signed (I so should have taken a picture of the goodies table... dangit.) They had donuts with bacon on top, peach rings (a reference to something in the book) and little cups with candy "pills" in them (the book is partly about mental illness). The bookstore man stood up and told us to purchase our books up front, then line up for autographs. I cheated a little. I took my un-paid-for book and zipped straight to the signatures line, shimmying in behind a rather large man. I've always been very good at getting to the front of the line fast-- partly because I'm not patient, and though socially anxious, I know how to be assertive (or aggressive) when called for. I was third in line. THIRD!! Yahoo! 


Being close to the front made me feel better about bringing all 4 of Dan's books I already owned, as well as the not-yet-paid-for new one to the table. I asked him to personalize them to Stephanie and he asked if I was the Tooele blogger. Gah! So cool that he's able to remember stuff like that! I was tickled, and we chatted a little as he signed my books- his notes are all funny (I know, he probably does the same phrases in all the books, but I love what he wrote), see the pictures. Then I shook his hand and walked away. Unlike the first guy in line who tried to have a long-ish conversation with him. Authors must both look forward to and dread book signings. :)

I made a beeline for the registers, paid for my book and turned around to see Brandon Sanderson behind me talking with some lady. I waited, trying not to hover, for them to wrap it up so I could meet him quickly before I left, but it was taking too long, so I turned and looked straight at him so he would know I was waiting to chat with him. He stopped talking and glanced at me, like, "yes?" so I said I just needed to shake his hand before I left and that I was a fan and would he be doing a big thing at Weller's for the last WOT book? He said probably, but even sooner, this fall, he'll be releasing a novella and would likely have an event. Yesss!! So excited about that... so I walked away and they resumed their conversation. I felt kind of bad about interrupting, but I like to get in, get done and get out, so I didn't really want to linger. 


I really wanted to have a photo of myself with both of the authors, but I chickened out. Maybe next time. :)


To wrap up this very long blog entry (thanks for sticking with me):

1. I faced my social anxiety and my habitual homebodiness and did something I've never done before tonight. Alone. Yes. I feel good about that.
2. I met and shook hands with two of my top 5 favorite authors. Not sure when I will have that chance again. I do wish I had gone to the Utah Writers conference with my friend Laura earlier this year, as both guys did workshops there, but this is almost as good. :)
3. I made it home before dark, and had such a good time, I think I would do something like this again. 

Now, it's time to settle in and start "The Hollow City". If you're interested, here is my book review to the first Dan Wells book I ever read, which I randomly chose off the library shelf, about a year ago. If you haven't heard of him or read his stuff, I highly recommend you start  there. Or with "The Hollow City", which is unrelated to his other books and stands alone.

Oh, and one more thing. If you happen to be interested, here's Dan Wells' schedule for the remainder of his book tour. He's very nice and personable and you'd better meet him while you can, because he's moving to Germany when the tour is over. 

Book Review: The Fires of Heaven

This is not the first time I've read this book, but I still enjoyed it very much. I'm still not sure what the title refers to... sometimes I miss the obvious. And sometimes I think authors toss words into a hat and draw some out to create titles of fantasy fiction novels. 

The climactic scene with Nynaeve and Moghedien is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. The first time I read it, I SO didn't see what happens coming, and the surprise and cleverness was a thrill to read. I also like the stuff with Rand and Aviendha-- I think she's my favorite of his girlfriends. I did miss Perrin, though. This is the first book where one of our main characters doesn't have a story, I think, and it's too bad.

I also like many of the other scenes, but this time through I was struck by how repetitive some of the characters' inner dialogues feel. Maybe it's because I'm listening to them, so the pace is much slower than when I read the book version, or maybe it's just that Rand is in the early stages of his whiny-depressed-I-gotta-be-hard-as-stone phase. I look forward to the next few books, and hopefully there is less repetition. I've read them so many times that every time the characters describe how the One Power works, or what an Angreal is, I want to pull out my hair. And since I'm listening to the audio versions, I can't just skim through those paragraphs. I'm also thinking that if I had a nickel for every time a woman "folded her arms under her breasts", I'd have many a nickel. ;)

The story does move forward here in book 5, with Rand becoming more and more the leader he wants to be, the Aiel doing some cool stuff, and Siuan & Leane and Nynaeve and Elayne regrouping with the outcast Aes Sedai. I personally don't like the storyline with Morgase, and I almost wish she had been killed, or just faded into the background, because (SEMI-SPOILER) she seems to go nowhere for the remainder of the series, and I don't much care what she does next. And, in spite of all these years of reading and talking about the WOT series, I still don't know who killed a certain Forsaken at the end of this book, even though Robert Jordan said it should be obvious. Obtuse=Me.

Otherwise, though, a good, necessary installment in the series. Now on to book 6!

Booyah!

Hooray for over 1,000 views of this blog! Thanks, friends and followers!

Today I finished the 4th book of the "Wheel of Time" series. Have I told you about my undying devotion and affection for this book series? Why yes, I have!

I had forgotten how much I love this book. I was thinking the second or third book was my favorite, but no, it's this one. Perrin and Faile's storyline is incredible. I love Rand's visit to the Aiel Waste and Nynaeve's first run-in with Moghedein. So many wonderful twists in the stories and some wonderful resolutions (Perrin... again. I love Perrin.) Oh, and Mat. Mat's character development is layered and I love how loyal he is to Rand, in spite of wanting to run away and escape the pull of Ta'veren. I hate and love what happens to him in Rhuidian, too. Such a good book!!!

If you haven't read these books, I do recommend them. To everyone I meet. They are clean- no language or graphic naughtiness, and the characters are loveable and authentic and amazing. The way Robert Jordan wove the various stories and characters together was magical.

I have friends who say, "I don't like fantasy" and don't give them a look. That's fine, but I really do recommend them to everyone. They are just that good. And how can you not like fantasy? Did you like Harry Potter? Cinderella? Anything with magic is considered fantasy, but it's not all wand-waving and latin-based hocus-pocus. Anyway, if you've ever liked anything other than romance or westerns, you will probably like these. And if you don't, please don't tell me. My brain might explode from trying to wrap my head around something so impossible. :)