Prejudiced Against Science Fiction?

I've often asked myself why certain people are so prejudiced against science fiction. Here are a few of the reasons I've come up with:

1) They've read some really bad SF.
2) They've read some really good SF, but couldn't get into it because it had too much technical jargon, way-out theories, or high-faluting vocabulary. ( I could name a few examples, but I'll refrain! )
3) They presume SF will be boring.
4) They consider all SF to be along the lines of "Star Wars" ( which is really space opera, not SF. )
5) They've read only SF that is outdated, the ones reality has already far surpassed.
6) They haven't yet discovered that one book that would really, truly appeal to them.

I've read a great deal of science fiction over the years, as well as related genres. Do I enjoy all of it? Frankly, no. But since I write mainly in the field of SF, I need to be aware, at least somewhat, of what other authors have done. But that doesn't mean I consider all equally good or to my tastes.

Once in a while I find something that I really admire, something that speaks to me. For instance, long ago I fell in love with the work of Zenna Henderson. Her " People" stories perfectly suit my tastes; they have humor, emotion, characters I could easily identify with, warmth, and a great sense of place ( the southwest ).

And much more recently I've, oddly enough, acquired a taste for urban fantasy, such as Tanya Huff's "Blood" books, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books, and Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments books. A bit of an odd combination, eh?

Any suggestions about converting those who purport to "hate" SF?

MRTighe

Home Again

Readercon 22 was a very low-key, enjoyable con. We met readers and writers from Canada to California. Lots of new faces; obviously the younger generation still reads. And there were quite a few little ones in tow who will hopefully grow up to be avid readers. The future looks promising in that regard.

The book dealers room was wall-to-wall books, as was most of the space in between. We bought a good many books, ranging from Charlaine Harris to new, unknown authors. We met some of my fellow authors, spent time talking with several of the book dealers. The down side was that, unfortunately, we never managed to sell one of my own books. Competition was fierce; many people were advertising that their e-books were for sale at 99 cents! Now maybe those books are good, maybe not. I can't say without reading them. But I thought Judgment on Tartarus was a steal for $20!

I did manage to get quite a few of my business cards out there; they really did come out nice. But the postcards didn't go over as well as I'd hoped. Hubby's T-shirt, however, which was imprinted with the cover art for Judgment was a real hit. People going by kept staring at it, stopping to ask him what it represented, etc. Have to get ME one!

He also picked up a nice volume of Ann Rice's Vampire Chronicles during a side trip to Barnes and Noble. I bought the second book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series: City of Ashes. I'll post a more in depth report on Readercon after I've had some time to think and mull it over.

Til then,

MRTighe

The Power of Books

As I've been reading "Clockwork Angel" by Cassandra Clare, one passage struck me quite forcibly, and I quote: "One must always be careful of books...and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us." Amen! I would add to that: be careful which books you read. Some books can lift you to the heights, empower you; others can drag you down to the depths. To quote an old computer programmer's adage: "Garbage in, garbage out!"

I'm afraid that too many people these days spend way too much of their precious time reading sheer drivel. By that I mean books that have no intrinsic value, no true meaning: books that do not instruct truthfully, do not lift the spirit, that aren't memorable, that do not spark the reader's imagination and inspire them. These books offer nothing of value save some brief entertainment, if that.

But this is a free country; no one is forcing you to read, and your idea of what makes a good book may be totally different from my idea. That's why so many books are published, and in such a wide variety of genres. You can afford to be selective in your reading.

There are few books that I've abandoned in mid-read and those usually because I realized that my time was much more valuable than anything I was getting out of that particular book, that I didn't wish to be "changed" in any way by what I had read thus far---or what was likely to come!

And so I moved on. All for now,

MRTighe

Summer Reading

Right now I'm in the process of reading another book by Cassandra Clare titled "Clockwork Angel", which is a prequel to her Mortal Instruments series. The story takes place in Victorian England and follows the adventures of a group called the Shadowhunters who are half human and half angel. They defend ordinary humans from the predations of the demon-world. So far I am enjoying it. It's suitable for young adults, as are the Mortal Instruments books.

 And if you haven't yet started reading Judgment on Tartarus, may I ask what you are waiting for? I don't hand out engraved invitations, though perhaps I should! But if you're out of school or on vacation, why not give it a try? Judgment is a fun read, not difficult to understand, and definitely not boring.

For those who've already read Book 1 of The Tartarus Trilogy and are anxious for more, take heart. Book 2: True Son of Tartarus is in the layout and design phase. After I review and okay it, a publication date will be set. And as for Ransom of Tartarus, Book 3, it is in the hands of my first reader for critique. As soon as True Son is released to distributors, I intend to start the process to publish Ransom as well.

Why the rush? Well, I got off to a late start with this publishing business, partly due to family priorities and the need to earn a living. I'm trying to make up for lost time and yet not skimp on the quality of my writing.

Besides, I have many more stories to tell, stories I would hate to leave untold!

MRTighe

An Equal Opportunity Reader

Right now I'm reading an interesting fantasy novel ( no, I don't read only science fiction! ) called City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. It's Book One of the Mortal Instuments series. I'm about 2/3 rds of the way through it. It's well-written, funny in places,, and obviously geared for a teen to young adult audience, but I'm enjoying it. If I turned my nose up at books out of my advanced-age range, I'd never have discovered the Harry Potter series which I dearly love!

The plot involves a group called the Shadowhunters who defend "mundanes" ( that's us ) from demons. A refreshing change from centering on vampires and werewolves as the main characters---no offense to Twilight fans as I am also one!And I don't dislike either class; I'm an equal opportunity reader! So if you enjoy fantasy/horror with a nice comic touch ( kinda reminiscent of "Buffy" ) you might want to try reading City of Bones.

Happy reading,

MRTighe