Shadow, Light, & Steel

10 things I've learned or remembered from Battlestar Galactica

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:41:00 +0000

This week, I finished watching Battlestar Galactica (the 2003 reimagined TV series). Simply put, it's the best SF/F video-saga I've ever seen, with a remarkable (large) cast and strong writing that makes the most of a dynamic premise. (Of the approximately 75 episodes, I'd only classify about two as weak.) My favorite episodes were the pilot (movie); the exodus from New Caprica; the mutiny; and especially those following the appearance of the Pegasus.

Throughout the entire saga, themes and truths emerge with a powerful relevance. I've identified 10 I want to share:

1. In storytelling, all has happened before, and all will happen again. If the characters, setting, and circumstances are compelling, it doesn't matter.

2. Names matter. Appearances matter more. Words, and their delivery, matter still more. Actions matter most of all.

3. As an artistic element, divine intervention is like good liquor: a little will warm you up and help you appreciate the wonder and mystery of life; too much will give you a headache and may make you feel used.

4. Respect your story's past. Revelation is wonderful; retcons are pesky.

5. Technology (or magic) tends to outrun morality. This is dangerous because increasing knowledge and power, without increasing wisdom and compassion, creates the potential for greater and greater disasters.

6. Sometimes you've got to roll the hard six.

7. Life is beautiful but fragile, imperfect but worth fighting for.

8. We only have one world and one life. We need to honor and cherish both.

9. Every time you see someone, he or she may be a different person. And there's no guarantee you'll see him or her again.

10. Faith, hope, and love--with them, you can transcend disaster and find a new beginning, a new world.

Cheers,
RR

Chafing at the status quo

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

The status quo is this: I've been absolutely slammed at work because I'm currently the only full-time attorney at my agency, which requires, at a minimum, two full-time attorneys. I hope and expect that we'll hire another attorney eventually, but it wouldn't surprise me if the process took six to twelve months. Meanwhile, our kids are still little but seem to grow up faster every day, and the younger continues not to need as much sleep as the rest of us. Combined, these factors have severely limited my potential writing time, of which I'm not making the best use, either, because it's so much easier to escape by reading or by seeking a sense of community on Facebook or Twitter.

The status quo is good. My wife and kids are truly wonderful, and these years are ones to enjoy. My job is difficult but important and provides adequate compensation and benefits. It also seems as secure as any right now. But my dream of becoming a successful writer--dream, hope, intention, calling--seems to be indefinitely deferred, and thus languishing. I've been at peace with this in the past; I am, after all, still young as writers go. But I may be allowing peace to slide into complacency, and that cannot stand.

When a situation fails to meet expectations, we have three choices: (1) change our expectations; (2) change the situation to the extent we can control it; or (3) be at peace. For now, I'll continue to be at peace, but I also need to change the little things I can control now, e.g. by refocusing on writing as a priority, if in fact it is my priority, as opposed to being a skilled user of Facebook and Twitter.

Who is Robert Rhodes? A writer or a pseudo-writer who's squandering his time and talents? That's the question I need to answer--not in my mind, but by my actions.

This weekend, I aspire to be thankful for my freedom, yes, but also to use it with wisdom, passion, and discipline.

Cheers,
RR

The twitterverse

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:30:00 +0000

I've succumbed and opened a Twitter account: rrhodeswriter

Thus far, the twitterverse seems a fascinating place. Am following established writers such as Neil Gaiman, Jeff VanderMeer, Jay Lake, and Tobias Buckell, as well as practical entities such as The White House and The CDC. (Am also following someone posing as Darth Vader and someone's cat--but hey, the cat is rather hilarious.) Much potential here, if and when I publish the next story/stories and the elusive first novel.

Speaking of which, am leaning toward going full-bore with Misericordia. (To oversimplify: humans versus vampires after a 150-year truce. Classic fantasy elements ... but not your classic vampires. Also, abundant room for exploration of social Darwinism.)

Cheers, RR

Lean times in fantasyland

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:41:00 +0000

And though that caption could apply to the effect of our current economic doldrums on a certain Magic Kingdom in Orlando, it applies equally to this author's writing progress. A number of factors are responsible, not the least of which are our younger son's refusal to sleep a reasonable number of hours per night and our older one's battle with chicken pox and other forms of schoolhouse fun. Conventional wisdom for aspiring authors is to write for a certain period, however brief, every day. No excuses, no exceptions. Conventional wisdom, however, has never had to raise our kids.

That said, my plans are unchanged. As Andy Dufresne proved in The Shawshank Redemption, it's simply a matter of quietly tapping the hammer against the wall, night after night after night. I imagine some parts of the wall were harder than others, particularly at the beginning. So be it. I have one story ("Devotion") awaiting publication and two others ("Death by Water" and "Love & Winter") on submission, and my stash of ideas is far greater than my available time. I plan to write and to write things good enough to allow me, in time, to become a full-time writer. I have faith that "in time" also means this will happen "at the right time" (which could be at a time when many more people have the time and money for indulging themselves with fantasy literature).

Speaking of fantasy literature, the magnificent site FantasyLiterature.net (for which yours truly is a regular contributor) has republished my interview with Rogue Blades Entertainment. I hope you'll read it HERE.

'Tis the Season ...

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:01:00 +0000

Those scoundrels at Rogue Blades have published an e-interview with yours truly in conjunction with the re-release of The Return of the Sword. It has fewer calories than a fruitcake and can be found HERE.

I wish everyone a joyful and restful holiday season and a productive new year. May we get every good thing we desire ... and give more than we get.

Light and rain

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:06:00 +0000

A gorgeous, strangely warm November day. In the evening, the reddened leaves above our neighborhood wove an illusion of lavender light. Two items of note. First, the manuscript of "Love & Winter," returned with a form rejection from a major magazine (disappointing, as it's a tale that I thought deserved some positive comment, even in rejection). But second, a surprise via UPS at dinnertime: a contributor's copy of the full, 4-volume edition of Books and Beyond: The Greenwood Encyclopedia of New American Reading, which includes the essay on sword-and-sorcery with which Howard Andrew Jones generously asked me to assist so many months ago.

One will simply have to imagine the expression on my face when I discovered the set retails for $400.

I'm reminded that people, a group that includes most writers, need both success and failure to grow and to empathize with others, just as simply as plants need both sunlight and rain. Some days, it seems, bring both ...

The hardest part ...

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:48:00 +0000

... is indeed rejection. I learned last night that "Love & Winter" is not one of the winning entries in The Writers of the Future Contest. I'd been trying, though, to prepare myself for that outcome during the last six weeks and am (very nearly) at peace with it. The Contest will continue to hold the story, in case the anthology has space for one or more non-winning finalists (who are still invited to the workshop in L.A., so this chapter is not entirely closed).

The sun is shining beautifully today, Halloween festivities are on for tonight, and I have countless other things for which to be thankful. And this story will see the light of day eventually, in the best possible place, for the ideal reader(s). All is well. Now, in the glorious turning of the seasons, I need to turn my attention to other works ...

The waiting is almost the hardest part ...

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:04:00 +0000

... second only to rejection. Be that as it may, however, I'm thrilled to announce that my tale "Love & Winter" is one of eight finalists for the current quarter of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. The eight stories will be forwarded to four authors/judges, who will select the top three ...

And wait till they see my swimsuit!

Wonderful news after a grueling day of court.

What can one do with a S&S degree ...?

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:58:00 +0000

In the fall of 2006, Howard Andrew Jones graciously invited me to assist him in completing an article--perhaps the article--on the history of sword-and-sorcery for a literary encyclopedia. We worked hard to complete the article by February of 2007, and I'm pleased to announce it will be published this October.

The article, "The Sword in the Mirror: A Century of Sword & Sorcery," will appear in the mammoth Greenwood Encyclopedia of New American Reading. I'd like to thank Howard for the experience, as at least 90% of the word count is his, and can now say that I'm officially a gentleman and a scholar, even if the latter is in as esoteric a field as S&S. (Esoteric ... but undoubtedly fun.)

"Creative Sentences" at Shared Worlds

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:04:00 +0000

This morning, I had a great time giving my presentation on speculative fiction legal systems at the inaugural session of the Shared Worlds creative writing/world-building camp at Wofford College. The students were intelligent and inquisitive, posing questions on everything from immigration to capital punishment to 'victimless' crimes, and I hope the exercises I planned will enable them to hone the governmental structures of their worlds.

The camp looks fantastic, and I'm sure it'll only get better from year to year. I look forward to being a part of it, and if you know any teenagers who might enjoy it, please do let them know about it.

As for me, I must sadly return from the camp to a terribly busy week of court ...

Back to school

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:08:00 +0000

It indeed appears that I'll give a presentation at the inaugural session of the Shared Worlds creative writing camp at Wofford College. The tentative title is "Creative Sentences: Designing Speculative Fiction Legal Systems" (which I hope is an example of res ipsa loquitor), and the tentative date is July 30th. I have no intention of lecturing for a full hour, so in the coming days, I'll devise a lesson plan that will likely involve the students drafting laws in their spec-fic settings, making accusations against each other, and finding defenses and loopholes. If all goes well, mayhem will ensue ...

Blade Runner

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:05:00 +0000

I finally watched Blade Runner (the final cut version), and ... wow. Dark and disturbing and, definitely, a masterpiece of sci-fi film-making (in details ranging from the not-quite-human behaviors of the replicants to the score). Then this dark jewel from Rutger Hauer at the climax:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain ..."

Two thumbs up.

Food for thought

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:18:00 +0000

I came across these lines in the story "Gift from a Spring" by Delia Sherman (Realms of Fantasy, April 2008):

"Isn't that what art is?" I asked .... "Making things up?"

"No," she said. "That's what commerce is about--identifying a market and satisfying it. Art is about seeing the truth and revealing it, as beautifully and forcefully and honestly as you are able."

Amen.

One more, with feeling ...

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:47:00 +0000

The Return of the Sword has garnered one more excellent review, and the reviewer named "To Be A Man" one of his favorite stories in the anthology. Pura vida.

In other news, the dominoes appear to be falling in the right pattern for me to participate, likely as a guest lecturer, in the exciting Shared Worlds Camp, the inaugural session of which begins in July. I'll know more soon.

In more or less random thoughts, Tori Amos's Little Earthquakes strikes me more and more as a work of genius each time I listen to it. I aspire to such emotional power in my own work ... and likely have much more aspiring to do. ;)

"Well-crafted writing" in "To Be A Man"

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:23:00 +0000

The Fix has posted another positive review of The Return of the Sword and "To Be A Man." Good times.

As a sidebar, I've now read every tale in the anthology and can honestly say it's one of the strongest collections of speculative fiction I've seen. Not one bad apple in a barrel of crisp, fantastical bravado. (Please scroll down for the gorgeous cover and a purchasing link.)

A Review of "To Be A Man"

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:23:00 +0000

Bryan Hitchcock, an author who makes his debut in the Lords of Justice anthology, has some fine, insightful comments on "To Be A Man":

Bryan Hitchcock's review of "To Be A Man"

A rewarding highlight for me: "This story has a moral core that caught me off guard and lifts it from the realm of pure entertainment. It's sexy and mature, and that is part of the artfulness of the tale."

Please scroll down to see the gorgeous cover and a purchasing link for The Return of the Sword.

On Tour - The Return of the Sword

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Welcome to those visiting as part of the web-tour for The Return of the Sword. Please look below for the book's gorgeous cover and a purchasing link. And to whet your appetite for adventure, here's an excerpt from Bill Ward's "The Wyrd of War":

* * *

It was the autumn of the world. On the hard earth of Toth, where the bones of twice ten thousand lay broken and scattered upon the plain, great hosts marched to war. From the north came proud armies beneath banners of rust red and red-gold and the stark white of wasteland snow. Assembled from fenland and mountain dale, city, town, and freehold, the able few of all tribes and nations stood within its ranks. They were the last of their kind upon the lands, the last to stand against the Animus – the living shadow at world’s end.

It had waxed strong, this unseen power, sweeping armies from the field and devouring whole kingdoms in its wars. It had spread across the lands, a blight, enslaving those it did not destroy. Now on this, the last day, the Animus brought forth its force of beasts and bestial men upon the parched earth of the ancient battle-plain, and there made war for the fate of all ...

Posted on StoryCrafters - 10 Guidelines

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:38:00 +0000

As part of a gracious promotion of The Return of the Sword, StoryCrafters has published my list of ten things I'd like to have known by rote when first setting out, as a fresh-faced rogue, from the Sign of the Undaunted Quill. Read them here:

Rob's 10 Guidelines for Aspiring Speculative Fiction Authors

The Return of the Sword - now available

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:19:00 +0000

Why am I here?

rrhodes.writer@gmail.com (Rob) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:14:00 +0000

At long last, I've done it. I've broken down and started a web-log.

I confess this isn't something I've wanted to do. I believe it was Guy Gavriel Kay--a fantasy author I admire greatly--who had no web-based presence for a long time because (to paraphrase) he was inclined to take after a Roman emperor and let people wonder why there was not a website (or statue) dedicated to him, as opposed to wondering why there was. (Since then, fans have developed an excellent site, brightweavings.com.)

In the spirit of that sentiment, and the simple fact that I'm all but unknown as a writer, let me be clear that starting a blog isn't a testament to my greatness, but rather a means of (I hope) forming friendships and becoming part of a community of people who believe that words and stories-- especially those that value goodness, beauty, and truth--can still enlighten, entertain, and encourage. (And what better day for a beginning than this glorious Easter Sunday?)

Thank you for walking with me on my writer's journey. Cheers, Rob