Tag Archives: Danielle Ackley-McPhail

Arisia

Posted on by
2

My experience with cons is growing by leaps and bounds. Arisia is now the fourth con I’ve attended. (The others were Balticon in (guess where!) Baltimore, Readercon in Boston, and Worldcon–the granddaddy of all cons–a roaming con that in 2009 was in Montreal). They all have certain characteristics in common, but each definitely has its own flavor. Arisia is definitely the most crowded, and kept getting more so as the day turned into evening. This corridor was typical:

There were more sessions having to do with sexuality than I’ve seen before (“Swinging vs. Polyamory”, for example, or “Home Depot in the Bedroom”–a whole new way of looking at Home Depot). And ever so many sessions on diversity in SFF (or, presumably the general lack thereof and need for more). In Boston, I deduce, we are modern Victorians, politically correct on the surface and simmering between the sheets.

Best of all, there were more costumes per capita than I’ve seen before. And some of them were pretty amazing. I will confess to being disconcerted for a moment when I came across a very realistic (and charming) Frodo in the ladies room. But costumes have their perils, and so both the escalators and the glass elevators bore large signs:

You probably can’t read the hand lettering at the bottom of the last sign; someone thoughtfully added, “or kilt”. And in fact I’d say that far more kilts were in evidence than short skirts.

The sign just above “Watch your skirt” is an invitation to my friend Danielle Ackley-McPhail’s launch party Sunday night from 8 to midnight for her new book The Halfling’s Court. It’s a biker faery book (yes!). She did a reading from it today, and it was terrific! If you’re in Boston and like fantasy, check it out! It’s not an official con event, so I don’t think you’ll need a badge to get in. (But, hey, while you’re there, check out the con, too!)

The Halfling’s Court

Posted on by
2

My friend Danielle Ackley-McPhail, whom I have never met, is launching a new book. Strike that “never met” part: We may have said a few words at Balticon a year and a half ago. Or maybe not; in any case, it never got as far as, well, names or anything. We’ve gotten to be friendly through belonging to the same writers’ group and through Danielle’s writer-oriented Yahoo group. I’ve also gotten to be friendly with some of her other friends in these groups, and it feels kind of strange and nifty to have a circle of friends whom I like but have never met.

The new book is called The Halfling’s Court, and it sounds like a good read. I’ve read some of Danielle’s other books, Yesterday’s Dreams and Tomorrow’s Memories, and I enjoyed them very much. Danielle is good with characterization and descriptions and doesn’t draw back (as I do) from blood and gore, either. The Halfling’s Court, like the other two, blends hard modern times and the Land of Fae. Danielle mixes them well and pours a pleasant tale.

The Halfling’s Court will be launched officially at Arisia in Boston in January, but it’s already hit the ground running (er, hit the air flying?), with a listing in amazon.com and reviews starting to come in.

What an exciting time for a writer! I wish her so much success!

Guys and girls

Posted on by
2

The writer Jagi Lamplighter, author of Prospero’s Daughter, recently received some flak on her blog after reporting on a panel she participated in at Worldcon. The panel was about diversity, and some of the blog’s readers took offense at her referring to a fellow panelist as a “black girl”. Apparently, “black woman” would not have been so derogatory. Yet Jagi says that she refers to all women as “girls” and means nothing by it.

I believe her. I refer to all people of any sex as “guys”. I do it all the time. Always have.

This used to drive my father crazy. “Do you guys have any plans for the weekend?” I might ask. My father would draw himself up to his full height and dignity and respond, “Your mother is not a guy!”

I didn’t mean anything by it. Still don’t.

But this little flurry on Jagi’s blog has me thinking. First, about my father, who has been dead for over two decades now. I still miss him.

And second, about why I should call everyone “guy”. And here’s what I think: At some level, I think of myself as a guy. As in “just one of the guys”, not as in interested in women. And I do have some “guy” traits: I’m more rational than emotional (of course, we women know that men are often more emotional than rational, but you know the stereotype); prefer blue to pink; dislike frills, ribbons, high heels, dresses; prefer science fiction to romance. You get the idea.

Now, if Jagi thinks of herself as a “girl”, then of course she means nothing when she refers to other women the same way. But our mutual colleague, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, author of Yesterday’s Dreams and other books, said it better than I could.

“Hard to make everyone happy when they are pre-disposed to taking offense. Of course, as writers, these are the types of things we should take note of for future use.”

I like in particular Danielle’s complete vagueness on how we should use these things.  🙂