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I didn’t realize that I hadn’t posted Detcon on my appearance page until yesterday. In the freakin’ nick of time, because I’m off to Detroit this weekend!

If you’re looking for me at Detcon, the current picture to your right shows you what I more or less look like these days. Heck, on Saturday, I’ll be wearing that very sweater! I’d be happy to arrange some sort of hook-up in advance around scheduled appearances.

As to scheduled appearances, you can see me do the following things at the following times:

Reading at 11 am on Friday in Joliet A with Laura Bickle and James Door. This is the first official use of my apparent author name, Cath Schaff-Stump, in a program book. 🙂

Writing Humor and Comedy in SFF at 1 pm on Friday in Ambassador Salon 2. Moderator Elektra Hammond. Other miscreants? Jim C. Hines, Oz Wilson Jr., Sam Morgan and Cath Schaff-Stump. We talk about-um- writing humor and comedy in SFF. If it’s not a funny panel, we’re doing it wrong.

DINNER with Codex peeps at Volt at 4:30. Only telling you about this one, not because you want to watch me eat dinner, but because if you’re looking for face time, I’m blocked here.

The Bad Guys at 6 pm on Saturday in Mackinac West. Moderator Christie Meierz. Partipating also: Grant Carrington, Keith D. Young, Harry Campion (aka M.H. Mead), Sam Morgan and Cath Schaff-Stump. We talk about writing villains and great villains we admire that other people have written.

***

So, will I see you there? My plans are pretty loose, and I’d be happy to hang out. I arrive Thursday around 2 pm (much depends on Joe Biden, I understand) and the last chance you’ll have to see me is Scalzi’s 80s Dance, because I leave for Iowa at dark o’thirty Sunday morning.

See you all soon!

I made it home from Convergence where I had a very good time. There were many good panels, great social events, and much fun to be had. I will write more.

I thought that I would write down a list of a few things I want to get out when I get back to blogging more regularly.

1. Author process interviews (one out, send more out).
2. Mission Impossible post on Bernard Collier.
3. Weight and wellness catch up (currently 36 weeks).
4. Writing information and updates.
5. Books and movie reviews.
6. Mists of Avalon RAINN auction.

Number six is number one. But first I must get through the lockup this week. You have until Thursday to donate, if you’re interested.

Back to the novel, then.

We slog on with our writing, but life seems to be keen on throwing us a few curve balls. Here they are.

Strike 1: An old friend’s wife died of meningitis. In five short days, he was a widower. We were stunned by this, and even though we hadn’t seen him for some years, we took the time to drive out last week to Omaha and back on Thursday. We wanted to show support. Turns out there was some sort of cosmic purpose. He hid in our car on the way back from the cemetery to talk to us about his loss. We were glad to be of some small assistance, and hope that he will call on us for help when he needs it. He is now getting one last step-daughter through her last year of high school.

Strike 2: Global warming struck ugly and hard last night. We had a VERY scary storm with torrential rains and winds. We were lucky. There weren’t too many branches down in our yard, and we only got about 8 inches of water in our basement. Yes, we do have a sump pump, but the power went out for about six hours, so that kind of kept it from working. Today has been a full day of sawing, hauling, and watching water drain. Right now my house is open so that musty smell? Downstairs. Gotta let it air out, however. Dampness under your home is never a good idea.

I’m really hoping for no strike 3. I would like to think that my allergy to buffalo gnats (you missed that. We had buffalo gnats early June, and I am sensitive to them. You know me, the sensitive artist.) were strike one, and just like Dr. Who, this is the strikes I have listed above are off number because Steven Moffat revised this while I wasn’t looking.

Okay, so it’s been a long day with all the chores. I think we’re off the hook tonight for most things but drooling.

If someone could come up with a way to control the weather, I’d be okay with that.

Panelists: Ann Leckie, Gra Linnea, David Levine, Vylar Kaftan, Gary Kloster

Question: Are you a member of SFWA and why?

David: Since 2002. Good to have an organization. Identity as writer.
Gary: First I was an associate member. Then I was active. I support unions. It helps me be aware of markets. Also, Writer Beware is a valuable service.
Vylar: SFWA member and volunteer.
Ann: Logical to join a group. Also a union person.

Question: Five favorite things about SFWA?

Gary: Grieve con. Emergency medical fund.
David: Northwest writers series. Possibly Merrie Haskell is starting a Midwest Writers series.
Gra: Arbitration of disputes. Legal fund. Directory of names. Writers Beware. Pressure in situations like Nightshade. Informative magazine. Sample contracts.
Vylar: Learning who people are.

Question: The recent unpleasantness?

David: Noise. Old white guys shouting at clouds. Yelling about organization becoming too progressive. Small loud minority. We need to point out that imbalance.
Gra: Queer liberal anarchist white male. What I want is an organization that represents a vast diversity of people. Does your need limit the needs of others?
Gary: Outreach blows up.
Ann: I was the secretary, so I can say much. I resigned, not because of this, but to take care of myself.

General comment: It looks like 10 percent of the organization voted for an appalling candidate. No. 10 percent of the people who voted. This vocal minority does not remotely represent SFWA.

Vylar: Buy a membership. Vote. That’s okay.

Question: Should a new writer join SFWA?
Yes, join. Increase voice, increase diversity.

Comparisons with RWA. RWA supports and nurtures all along.
Gotta be this tall to ride this SFWA.
What do you have to do to stay in SFWA?
RWA accepts publishing by self as a pro thing.
RWA has more resources.

California incorporation of SFWA means some things can change.

Internet time versus real time.
Board members not used to working on that time.

SFWA is its members. Be the diversity you want to see in SFWA.
Some younger, hipper people on board now.
Friction between old and new members.
Need more outreach.
Also need to not eat your volunteers.
Also need more PR.

Some discussions on volunteers, membership requirements, self publishing, code of conduct.

Two people have already offered to donate to RAINN in regard to the MZB book. My thinking is this: after I am done with the MDA Lockup in July, I will put the Marion Zimmer Bradley book on “sale” in August. The person with the highest substantiated donation to RAINN will get the book and do whatever they wish for it, for good or ill.

All donations for the book will be welcome, and the person who donates the highest amount of money will receive the book. If there is a tie, we will hold a drawing.

Having never done anything like this before, I’ll investigate how it’s done. I think the easiest thing to do will be to have you go to the RAINN site to donate, and send me the appropriate acknowledging email. At any rate, look forward to it.

I look forward to making this book do some good in the world.

Julia Dvorin, a fellow member of the Clockwork Lasercorn Team, has written me a very eloquent letter asking for help in a fund raiser for Hadley Rille Books. Please consider supporting their fundraising cause. Here’s Julia’s letter.

And please feel free to spread the word.

***

I’m writing to ask for your help. As you may remember, my publisher, Hadley Rille Books, is an independent small press that has done a terrific job over the last few years of publishing high-quality speculative fiction from diverse voices (like mine!). For the last 9 years, it has been run as mostly a heroic labor of love by its founder, Eric Reynolds, and a few volunteers—but now Hadley Rille is in one of those growth stages where it needs significant additional funding in order to get to the next level and get more books in front of more readers. A few other authors and I have jumped in to assist Eric in putting together an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to help raise money so that Hadley Rille can publish and promote more great speculative fiction books. So I’m reaching out to people like you who I think might be interested in helping a spunky, high-quality, independent small press like Hadley Rille stay in business…and hopefully someday soon publish more of my books! 😉

How can you help? Well, if you already believe the continued existence of independent small press publishing is important*, or simply enjoy quality speculative fiction that prioritizes new voices from women and other historically marginalized points of view and want some cool prizes, feel free to click here to go straight to the Indiegogo campaign and make a contribution.

More importantly though, I really need some help in spreading the word about this funding campaign. This kind of fundraising is called “crowdfunding” because it takes a crowd to make it happen (as opposed to a couple of institutional or wealthy patron donors). When you tell your friends about this project, that doubles or triples the amount of people that we can reach, and if even just one or two additional people that you tell support the project, all together that becomes the crowd needed for funding this project. So please, please, help me reach out to all the other people out there that you know, and ask them if they might be willing to support this project too. You can talk to people—especially other readers—about Hadley Rille and the Indiegogo campaign. You can forward this email, or link to the Indiegogo campaign page on Facebook or Twitter. You can tell all your friends that work in PR about the little indie press that could (what, you don’t have friends that work in PR? Well, maybe your friends do…). The campaign runs through the end of July, so you have about six weeks to tell everyone about it and keep reminding them. Research shows that it often takes at least three or four times of telling someone about something before they take action on what you told them…so don’t give up!

Ok that’s it…thanks for listening, and thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,

Julia

P.S. I’ll be sending out a few additional email updates as the Indiegogo project continues, so if you really aren’t interested in this project or in helping me out, and don’t want me to keep emailing you, please let me know and I will take your name off my email list. I do not in any way mean to offend or annoy. 🙂

P.S.S. The full link to the Indiegogo page, in case you want to cut and paste and share it with others, is this: http://igg.me/at/supportHRB/x/7768005

*Why is small press important? We believe independent small presses provide a vital “middle way” between the faceless corporate machine of the big publishing houses and the gutsy if lonely jack-of-all-trades DIY attitude of self-publishing. We like to think that small press publishing is the way publishing really should be: collaborative with and respectful of authors, and focused on the goal of sharing quality stories in attractive packages that delight a diverse audience. If you agree, please help support us!

This one isn’t triggery. I promise.

***

First of all, thank you for the overwhelming amount of positive reinforcement about yesterday’s post. There are a few things that have been brought to light, some of them known, some of them not so well known.

1. There are an abundance of adult survivors of every kind of abuse out there. We often don’t talk about it much because there’s stigma, and there’s not wanting people to know, and there’s not wanting to relive that abuse.

2. Many adult survivors have trouble breaking the cycle of abuse. If they do, there are these irrational fears. I don’t have children, for example, and one reason is the irrational fear that I would abuse them. Yes, I know that it’s not true. That’s why it’s IRRATIONAL.

3. The best thing I’ve found that helps me cope is to talk about it. To a counselor. To the Internet. To friends. I diminish the experience each time I talk about it. I’m not saying you should follow my strategy. I’m saying that survivors of abuse need to find a way to cope, and that a counselor is a great first step.

4. Many people can separate an artist from their work. I am not one of those people. If I had remained ignorant, The Mists of Avalon would have held a special place for me still. Now, it is like poison that it is in my home. I have decided to sell it and donate the proceeds, perhaps to one of those people who can separate. If MZB can help support childhood victims of abuse, well, hey, let’s just call this the Scalzi rule. You may know that Scalzi often donates money to appropriate organizations opposed to misogyny and racism in the name of misogynists and racists.

5. I am not my abuse. I appreciate all the supportive notes and hugs that you have been sending. I appreciate the empathy. That said, while I have chosen to reveal this particular information on the occasion to encourage a fandom stand on MZB, Breen, and other abusers, I am still the same witty, urbane and charming person whom you meet at conventions. What happened to me is SIGNIFICANT and HORRIBLE, but it does not define me, much as it does not define any victim of abuse.

So, hey, please use my post as you will. It’s out there, it’s meant to be public. And please think about all of us when you do use that post, past, present, and future. My goal is to be honest, but it is also to be a poster child for recovery. There can be life after these devastating events. A good life with wonderful people.

I’d like to keep some people from taking my journey. That’s where the post comes in, and especially, that’s where sharing the message comes in.

Triggery triggery triggery triggery mctriggery from trigger town.

Continue reading “Marion Zimmer Bradley from the Perspective of an Incest Survivor”