High of 95 Today, Sept 20

 Honest to God, if it could be less hot, I could be more happy.

Tomorrow it's supposed to be cooler. I will believe it when I see it.

Review of Fault Lines

Paul Weimer, over at Birds of a Feather, (nominated for a Hugo for Best Fanzine several times), has written a review of the first novel in my Escape Velocity series. You can read it here!

It's a wonderful and very insightful review. My favorite bit: 

...this is not a space opera with a ton of action scenes in it. This is a novel far more interested in the political machinations, maneuvers, conversations, revelations and negotiations than in straight up conflicts. If you prefer your space opera with more laser guns and less wrangling, this is not quite the space opera you are looking for. On the other hand, if you want deadly dances of interstellar politics, this novel, this universe, has all you could want, in spades, and will eat up what is offered here with as poon.

Stolen from Twitter

 This is a question someone asked on Twitter. I posted it on my FB page, and the answers were interesting.

1. What did your father's father do for a living?

2. What did your father do?

3. What did your mother's mother do?

4. What did your mother do?

5. What do you do?

My answers:

1. Sold used cars

2. Chemical engineer

3. Worked in a furniture factory

4. School librarian

5. Professor 

What are your answers?

Safe Delivery!

 My copies of my book just arrived!

It's absolutely beautiful.

Whatever's Big Idea Features....

...my book!

Go read what I have to say about the Big Idea in my book.

(Spoilers: There is more than one.)

Labor Day Release

 This is true!

It is fitting that Kelly Jennings' In the Deep launched on Labor Day, since it explores several types of labor: from interpretations of noblesse oblige to savage versions of indentured servitude (with parallels to C. J. Cherryh's Union/Alliance azi). #sciencefiction #spaceopera https://t.co/BOdOt6qzis

— Candlemark & Gleam (@CandlemarkGleam) September 6, 2021

Now Live!

Happy birthday to my book!

Lift-off page is here.

You can buy it at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and direct from the publisher!

It's the sequel to Fault Lines. This time Velocity and her crew are working for the Pirians. They accept a mission to a planet in the seldom-patrolled area of Republic space known as the Deep, where they hope to rescue some Pirians impressed into contract labor, and to foment a revolution.

Meanwhile, Brontë and Adder have been left behind on the Pirian ship the Sungai, to keep them safe. Will they stay where they were put? LOL.

The e-copy can be had for as little as $6.00. 

Appearing soon on John Scalzi's Big Idea!

Coming Soon!

 One more day until my book's birthday!

Also, guess whose book is going to appear on John Scalzi's Whatever Big Idea series?

Don't worry, I'll provide links!

But Trans People Are Just a Tiny Minority, So

Elsewhere, and from Hilary Mantel of all people (I love her books), we get this argument:

 I have seen this argument a number of time from bigots on the right. It goes more or less like this: "Trans people are a tiny minority of the population, so why do we have to listen to what they say, or change the way we act, or treat them like fellow human beings?"

In case you're only ten years old, that's exactly the argument that was used against disabled people, including deaf people, blind people, and those in wheelchairs. Why do we need to change the way we make buildings, run schools, pave our roads, when "those people" are only a tiny minority of the population?

It's the same argument that was made against immigrant children coming into the public school system, and dyslexic children, and autistic children: they're such a tiny minority, why should we change the system for them?

It's the same argument that was made for centuries against Jews. Against black people. Against Catholics, in some places, and Protestants in others. 

Why should the majority change its ways so that the minority may be treated fairly? Why should the majority recognize the humanity of the minority?

Honestly, if that's a question you actually need help with, I don't know what to tell you.

I do note that Mantel was upset because she was misgendered -- someone used "they" pronouns with her when she prefers "she/her" pronouns. So clearly she understands that misgendering a person is a problem. 

But apparently only when she gets misgendered. Using the wrong name and wrong pronouns with "those" people, well, they're only a tiny minority, so what does it matter?

Update on Ida and my Family

Most of my family has left New Orleans in the aftermath of the storm -- one brother and his family are staying at a family member's house in Boone, NC (which they report is lovely, with a temperature yesterday of 66 degrees and low humidity); and my wonderful nephew is staying with his parents (my other brother and SIL) in Gulf Shores, AL. This nephew just heard that power has been restored to his apartment, and that his landlord is willing to wait for this month's rent, which is good news.

My father stayed in his assisted living facility. I spoke to him yesterday, and he seems in good spirits. Their power was out (the generator failed) but he said they were working on it. He sounded much more alert and aware than usual, though my brother tells me that when he spoke to him -- shortly before I did -- he was bewildered and confused, and kept asking why he couldn't get his Google Assistant to work. I suppose that's common with this disease -- the flashes of awareness, then the descent back to the dark.

I used to bike past this refinery back when I lived in New Orleans and was riding my bike 30 or 40 miles every day. One of my uncles worked there (the one who died of cancer in his early 50s). I've always suspected the toxins this place spills into the environment non-stop caused my cancer and the cancer of so many of those who went to my school. Cancer alley, we called this stretch of land.

That Texas Law

 A twitter thread starting here explains in detail why the new Texas law about abortion is such a deliberate and intentional act of injustice.

The way Texas's anti-choice law actually works in practice is so diabolical and dystopian that it almost sounds fake. A Rube Goldberg machine of state-sanctioned misogyny. A quick thread on what the Supreme Court allowed to take effect last night: https://t.co/CaZRYc95TP pic.twitter.com/tOw90lri3g

— Jay Willis (@jaywillis) September 1, 2021

Critical Race Theory Explained

 Clearly, being black in public is CRT

Dr James Whitfield was the first Black principal of a TX school. A parent complained Whitfield posted a wedding photo of him & his wife—who is white. The school district suspended him without explanation on accusations he was teaching CRT😳#WhiteSupremacyhttps://t.co/PFmh6mUOHO

— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) September 1, 2021

 

Summer and Fish

 It's going to be 100 degrees today, and according to the weather channel, all the way through Sept 15 we will have highs in the 90s.

Summer is hanging around TOO LONG.

I don't know if it's the ceaseless heat or my killing schedule which is making me so exhausted all the time -- I have 8:00 classes three days a week, and I'm teaching a class with a new prep, and I have a night class, and I'm TRYING to write a novel (insert more whining here). But anyway, I'm just exhausted 70% of the time.

I'll feel better when winter comes.

Ida and my Family II

 They came through without any flooding or damage. No power, which will be unpleasant in New Orleans at the end of August, but otherwise fine. 

Ida and my Family

 One of my brothers and his family, as well as my father, are all in New Orleans right now. They couldn't really evacuate -- my father, as all y'all know, has dementia and does not travel well, and my brother's family has four large dogs.

They're all in places that should be all right -- not in areas that usually flood, I mean -- but I am worrying anyway. The satellite pictures of Ida are not comforting.

My brother is updating his status frequently on FB. They have lost power at this point but still have cell services. Any magic or mojo any of you have would be appreciated.

Update: I've talked with my father, who is anxious and not at all sure what is going on. "We're having a really big storm," he tells me. "This is a big storm."

"Right, it's a hurricane. You're in a hurricane."

"What? What's happening?"

"It's a hurricane -- Hurricane Ida. You'll be okay."

"I don't know what's happening. I'm going downstairs to look. Can I call you back?"

"Yes, call me back."

"What?"

"Call me back."

"Okay. Okay. This is a bad storm."