Contracted: The Mangrove Legacy

Good news! I sent off the contract this morning: Tease Publishing will be releasing The Mangrove Legacy in November or December of this year. Initially, it will be an ebook, but if sales are brisk enough, it may see print in 2011. Now I can reveal that the "author" of the book will be Kit Marlowe. Thanks again to the fabulous Stephanie Johnson for designing Kit's portrait, based on a photo of me and a very cool hat I found trawling the internet. Very Georgette Heyer, eh?

One of the immediate things this means is that I will have to refrain from posting the final chapters of the serial online. For those dedicated readers who have been with me the whole long haul, I will be happy to send you those chapters: just email me.  Your support all this time has meant so much to me. It's hard to believe I started this as a kind of lark almost four years ago! I was so afraid that I would not find time for fiction writing while I was frantically trying to publish as much academic work as possible to get out of Texas; a foolish fear (as so many are).  Writing about 500 words a week was painless; the story was light and fun. I just wanted to be amusing, playing with the Gothic narratives I enjoy and throwing in as many obscure references as I could get away with. I adore the characters. And four years later -- without considerable effort -- it's a 100,000 word novel.

Wow.

That's why I emphasize those wonderful words of Octavia Butler in "Furor scribendi" where she says the key concept is "persist": she was so right. I am capable of marathon sessions where I churn out thousands of words in a day, but that's not necessary. Baby steps will get you there, too.

So why the nom de plume? In the last year I've been doing a lot of research into the romance genre, thanks to a bunch of friends who work in that area. While it is the most reviled of genres, there's a lot good in it -- like the money! Yes, there are conventions -- there are conventions in academic writing, too and very strong conventions in the literary genres (disaffected suburbanite agonizes over relationships, doubts self, then has minor epiphany which may or may not change anything) -- but there's also a wide range possibilities. Just take a quick glance at all the different categories Harlequin has; the 'paranormal romance' field is little different from 'urban fantasy' these days. The lines are getting blurred. The only constant for romance is that happily ever after (HEA) or, increasingly, the happy for now (HFN) ending. We're so cynical these days. We'll accept all kinds of fantasy elements -- werewolves, vampires, steampunk Victorians -- but not a happy resolution! Oh no, never that. Well, except for the millions and millions of romance readers (and no, they're not all women).

So my nom de plume signals "this book is a romance": to a genre reader, it means "everything will turn out okay in the end." For my regular readers it still means it's the quirky stuff I write and if everything turns out all right in the end, it will nonetheless be a fun trip getting there. I'm still working on adapting my style to the genre; so far, I'm still erring too far on the side of quirky to get my foot in the very lucrative Harlequin/Mills & Boon door, but I will endeavour. Why? Because I would like the freedom of living off my writing and I am exploring many avenues to achieve that end.

And why this particular pseudonym? The original Kit Marlowe was of course the playwright who would have outshone Shakespeare had he lived (being far more daring and audacious). Less well known is Bette Davis' character from the movie Old Acquaintance -- a big fave of mine, based on the play by John Van Druten (of Bell, Book and Candle fame). Of course, Kit Marlowe is the "arty" writer while Miriam Hopkins' Millie Drake is the popular romance writer. What can I say? I'm perverse that way. One of the gratifying things is that the friendship between Kit and Millie outlasts rivalry and men. In fact, you can easily read the film as a coded lesbian narrative, with a lot of elements coming across as far campier to a modern audience than they would have done to most contemporary viewers, I suspect. Just look at the masculine way they dress Davis at the start in contrast to Hopkins' flounces and frills. The film was remade as Rich and Famous in 1981. It was George Cukor's last film and starred Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen. I also have a fondness for that film, though it's not as good. I do love the way Bergen, upon having her work called "trash" by her increasingly estranged husband, snarls to correct him that it's "successful trash!" Here's to success, however trashy.

Jaws of Suspiria

I already wrote a bit about Jaws and my long connection to it, but I don't think I've yet got around to the student reactions. It's hard to keep track of things in the midst of the mad swirl of the summer intensive. I've made things even tighter by planning to run down to Connecticut this weekend to see folks before I go off to the UK June 1. The quick Connecticut dash is meant to include a quick hello to Marko at the Punk Rock Jukebox, girlie night with Miss Wendy and the Queen of Everything, Saturday lunch or something with Miss Wendy and Elena, then Sunday brunch with the Boojums.

It will be more relaxing than it sounds.

Okay, Jaws: the students were not accustomed to thinking of this as a horror film, since most of them saw it as kids. The music has become so iconic, it's hard to imagine hearing it the first time or the impact it had (all kinds of impacts). The two halves of the movie complement each other so well, yet are completely different: we go from the crowded beaches of Amity to the endless ocean, from a whole town of people to just the three men and yet you don't feel that transition as a jarring change. It's a well-constructed film. Good thing they had so much trouble with Bruce the shark and had to keep him out sight for longer than they planned. It works.

Suspiria, on the other hand, is a spectacle but a far less coherent narrative on the whole. I expected to have a bit of trouble getting the students to appreciate it, so I was pleasantly surprised to have spontaneous expressions of appreciation for it. It's a Technicolor feast, it's an expressionist blood bath, where the glory of the gory explodes all over the screen -- often at the cost of logic or reason (not to mention the often utilitarian dialogue) and of course, the true crime of dubbing Udo's voice with some bland American's. Nonetheless, the students appreciated it. I think they're getting to be real connoisseurs, which is very cool.

Today it's body/queer horror with Clive Barker and a little bit o' Cronenberg.

Women's Month Interviews: Cheryl

The one, the only: Cheryl!

How do we know each other?
If I remember correctly, George King IV introduced us many years back when you and Gene were grad students at UCONN.

How would you describe yourself?
Not boring! Haha! A smart, talented, and self-reliant person who knows how to take care of things…a person who is not afraid of a little adventure. Yes, I can be loud and opinionated, but that’s half the fun of being me…I don’t hold back when enjoying myself or living life as I see fit.

In what part of the world are you located?
New England.

Where can we find you on the web?
The New England Anomaly

What don't people know about you that they ought to know?
I’m a self-made woman, who put herself through college (and graduated with honors). I am well-versed in many different subjects such as regional history, folklore, material culture, and pop culture. I am also a rock & roll fan (pre-‘95). I am very knowledgeable about current events and read everyday.

What's the most common mistake people make about you?
That I am “just” a secretary (it’s my day job while I finish my grad degree). Because I am animated and “loud” or because I wear flashy fashion, have tattoos, and I’m big busted (I don’t have any control over how big my tits are…they grew there!) then I must be stupid. You would not believe the amount of people who just write me off based on my personality or how I look. Screw them…I am proud to be loud!

What are you most proud of having accomplished so far?
I’m a self-made woman, who put herself through college (and graduated with honors). That I am living practically debt free (no credit cards here!). Also, overcoming some major socio-economic and personal hurtles to get where I am today.

What ambitions do you have ahead of you?
To make a name for myself.

What's the best compliment you've ever received?
I am a vain creature…especially as I grow older. So I like when people say I don’t look my age…that I look much younger than I am (and act it, too).

If something great happens to you, how do you celebrate?
I’m an extrovert, so I tell EVERYBODY!!!

What's your best method for coping with stress?
Screaming, yelling, swearing, crying…I feel much better when I let it all out. I am an emotional person. Then once it’s out of my system, I can get to work and get done what needs to be done. Unfortunately, other people don’t like my drama…but hey, it works for me.

What makes you laugh?
Clever jokes, word play, a witty reference, and some slapstick…also stuff that’s “blue,” naughty but not disgusting. Every once in a while, something crass will be said and done, and if I’m in the right mood, I will think it’s hilarious while most people will be offended. That’s my “biker chick” persona coming out.

What makes you cry?
Hormones…seriously. I cry at the drop of a hat for no reason. And it has been getting worse as menopause sets in.

What do you love?
Joey! He’s one of the best things that ever happened to me. I also love a sense of accomplishment, especially when doing something I enjoy. And cats. I love cats….one of my goals is to be a crazy cat lady.

What do you loathe?
Green beans. Screaming kids…especially babies (I REALLY don’t like babies.) Chauvinists, racists, and homophobes. Snooty yuppies. Organized religion…in fact, I have little use for religion in general.

What's sexy?
Hairy-chested men!!! Especially if they’re naked! Yeah!!! :-D Don’t show me some young guy with no hair on their bodies…they look like little boys, and I DON’T like little boys. I like mature men…REAL MEN! And real men have hair on their chest. Gimme…Hugh Jackman!!!

Hey, you asked! ;-)

What's the best advice you were ever given?
To be honest…I can’t recall any. I use advice as I go along, but usually follow the beat of my own drum.

How should people be spending their money?
People can spend their money anyway they want, but personally, I have a real problem with excessiveness. While there’s nothing wrong with a little indulgence, do people really need 30-plus room mansions or multiple private jets? Shouldn’t that much extra money be used for philanthropy or something?

Which woman/women have inspired you?
This is a hard question. When I look up to someone or am inspired by someone, it’s usually for something they do or did…not because of their gender. And most of the people who are my heroes are men, because they just happened to do something I am interested in or I think is cool. I never think in terms of gender until someone points it out. And it’s not because women can’t or don’t or won’t do what I like…it’s because what I like or am interested in, just happens to usually be done by a man first.

It was always that way when I was growing up. I would see or hear of something that’s cool and think, “I want to do that!” But then my mother or someone else (my mother was one of the worse perpetrators of this) would say, “You can’t do that, you’re a girl. Girls don’t do that.” My attitude was always, “Why can’t I? What does my gender have to do with it?” And then I would go and do it anyway. Of course, along the way, I would meet or hear about other WOMEN who were doing the same thing, which was cool and made me feel I wasn’t alone. But by then, since *I* was already doing it, why would I hero-worship some other woman? So, my final analysis is, I inspire myself the most.

Having said that, there are women I do admire:
Joan Jett and Wendy O. Williams. Two rock & roll women who did what they wanted and didn’t care what others thought. They ROCK!

Elena Steier. There are a lot of women cartoonists out there, but to actually meet a woman doing what I used to dream of as a kid and count her as a friend, has me a little awe-struck.

My Memèré (grandmother). She wasn’t the nicest person in the world and was too religious for my taste, but my self reliance comes from her. She is the one who taught me, “…to make do.” Use what is on hand, and fix and repair what you have. Don’t know how? Then learn. Swinging a hammer is not rocket science, neither is mending a shirt. All that I learned from Memèré…“You make do.” I know it is suddenly “trendy” to be frugal because the economy is tanking, but I was always like this! Ask my husband, he’ll tell you! He and I got through some hard times because of what Memèré taught me.


If I gave you a million dollars, what would you do?
Practical stuff…buy a house, finish school, pay off bills, give a little to my favorite causes, take a trip or two to visit friends in a part of the country I haven’t been to, and sock the rest away for retirement. Of course, I would indulge a little (I love dresses!), but for the most part, I’m too practical to get ridiculous about how money is spent.

Thank you so much for being part of this celebration: you rock!

Happy Anniversary, Boojums!