A new link to the left: My appearance schedule. I'll update as I get more info.
A reminder that there's going to be a conference in Vail, Colorado in October called Sirens, all about women in fantasy -- Tamora Pierce, Sherwood Smith, and I are the guests of honor. The website is here and the LiveJournal is here. It's going to be FUN, not to mention gorgeous scenery!
Also, go here to learn more about the Simmons College Summer Institute 2009 in Boston in July, called Crimes and Misdemeanors. Some of the names on the program (that's a pdf file, btw): Gareth Hinds, Lenore Look, Marilyn Nelson, Martha Brooks, Kevin Henkes, Avi, Blue Balliett, JonArno Lawson, Natalie Babbit, Ellen Levine, Jack Gantos, and M.T. Anderson. (and me)
Next, a couple of answers to recent questions: Yes, there will be a Graceling audiobook. It's by Full Cast Audio and comes out in June. And yes, Graceling is available as an ebook. Buy the Kindle Harcourt (USA) edition at Amazon, or the ebook of the Gollancz (UK) edition at Waterstones. There are probably other places to buy it, but people well-versed with ebooks will know those places better than I do. I wouldn't know an ebook if it... what do ebooks even do? Zip past invisibly at the speed of light? (Is that redundant? Would anything moving at the speed of light be invisible? [Ahem, other than light, that is?]) If you know where ebooks can be purchased, please feel free to elucidate (ha!) me in the comments.
Also, Graceling has managed to advance to Round 2 of the Battle of the Books, thanks to very kind Judge Tamora Pierce. On Thursday, Judge Nancy Werlin will decide between it and Candace Fleming's award-winning The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, a book which, frankly, looks fantastic, and which I need to go read, seeing as Lincoln is not only a fascinating figure but one of my favorite writers ever. (And self-taught!) Good luck to everyone whose book is brawling this week. :o)
Finally, I'm thrilled to announce that Graceling and Fire will be published in Portugal by Alfaguara Infantil & Juvenil, an imprint of Santillana.
I hope to have time for a less business-y post on Thursday. In case I've totally bored you to death, here's something fun: Go to this newspaper article, look at the spinning lady, come back, and tell me whether she's turning clockwise or counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise, depending on where you learned to speak English). (Thanks to my friend and fellow writer Sandra McDonald, who hooked me into this optical illusion a long time ago!)
24 comments:
Yay for Vail!!! I'm so excited! I'm all signed up to go. It'll be my first writer's conference, well, first conference sort of thing beyond Dragon Con, which I'm hitting right before vail. My first foray into the 'world'! Plus, there are these incredibly cool authors that are going to be guests of honor, and we get to hear them speak about their work, and discuss how women warriors kick ass...
As for the spinning lady, she was spinning clockwise, totally, which apparently means that I only have a right side to my brain, because most people see at least a little counter-clockwise motion. :)
I saw the dancer clockwise at the beginning then I say it anti-clockwise so either I use my mind on both sides or I'm just weird:P
-Jen
the dancer started counterclockwise for me, then i looked away and looked back to find her clockwise. curious.
Clockwise! I guess lefties really are right-brained.
Mine was like Amanda. She started off counterclockwise and wouldn't change, and then it started spinning clockwise and wouldn't change. Does that make me both? Or does it mean that their flash deliberately messes with my mind?
Aw. I am just plain boring. No matter how hard I tried, I couldnt make her go clockwise. All counter-clockwise for me. Poo.
I also had to look up elucidate, but unfortuately, I know nothing about ebooks.
Congrats on winning the smackdown for round 2!
I am still hoping to be able to go to the Siren's conference. It would be SO much fun and so pretty out there!
Yupp, she's definately going clockwise. Though, my hubby, who's left-brained, saw it going clockwise too.
Rebecca- Hi fellow southpaw! Does anyone know where that saying even came from, 'southpaw'? Happy Monday :o)~
-Avery
i saw clockwise. my brain is pretty even among the sides most of the time, though I guess i do lean right. this one was hard- usually i can make the optical illusion things switch pretty easy, but i could not make myself see it going counter clockwise! somewhat frustrating, but pretty cool overall!
For the first one or two seconds she was spinning counter-clockwise, and then - *gink* - she was spinning clockwise and would not switch back.
At first, she was turning counter-clockwise and then immeadiatly she just switched and went clock-wise and I couldn't get her to switch back. So I guess the two sides of my brain are almost equally as strong. And congrats for the Battle of the Books competition I really think you deserve to win! And I would recommend the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins to all Graceling fans. Sorry, that had nothing to do with the post but it's a good book. :)
I'm both a lefty and righty (when it comes to writing), but i couldn't get her moving counter clockwise. She kept going clockwise. I was also shocked to see that most people see it counter clockwise. I guess we're all just weird.....
OMGOMGOMG. I live like 2.5 hours away from Vail! I'm meeting you in October! OMGOMGOMG. *dies*
Wow, that sent the hair on the back of my neck straight up. It changed several times for me, but I couldn't get it to change as I was focusing on it, only when I started thinking something else, particularly reading the lists on the side. That was very weird.
Now for a question that perhaps you can't really answer, but I'm curious so I'll ask anyway. What kinds of things do you talk about at these conferences? I wish I could attend one, you have such a wonderful written voice that I think I'd really enjoy hearing you talk as well. You're even going to be here in Massachusetts! Someday, perhaps.
~Jen
No matter how hard I tried I just saw it going clockwise, I even brought both of my sisters to see it and they saw it turn both sides. So I'm the weirdo who just uses her right side, meaning I believe more in fantasy related stuff than facts. I'll try and see if I can make her go counterclockwise.
I discovered a method of reversing the way she turns! Focus on the extended foot, and follow it, imagining that it's turning the way you want it to turn. (But then make sure you look away from the foot before it gets to the edge, or you'll just follow it back again in the other direction!)
I don't know how much I trust all the right brain v. left brain science, but I will say that I'm also a south paw and I usually see it going clockwise.
If I'm a conference and you're there, please come and introduce yourself!
JLH, I'm not sure yet what I'll be talking about, but I bet you can get a better idea of the conference in general from the website!
Oh! Avery: I always understood that "southpaw" came from baseball. Most pitcher's mounds face west, so that the batter is facing east and not staring into the afternoon sun while batting. Therefore, a left-handed pitcher is pitching with his/her south-facing arm.
But I just looked it up, and the OED says it comes from boxing, so now I'm not sure....
PS: Robbie: BREATHE!
Hooray for the appearance page! Hopefully you'll be in the midwest sometime soon!
I saw the dancer turning clockwise and I'm a righty who was raised with a lefty. Hmmm - not sure what that says about me! I had a hard time making her 'switch' so I'm off to try your trick Miss Kristin!
Like some people here, I saw the spinning lady move clockwise at first and then anti-clockwise, that’s weird.
This Vail Conference sound really interesting. I never been in Colorado, how’s the weather in October?
I dearly wish I could attend Sirens, but alas, I am not 18+. :(
But! Graceling audiobook by Full Cast Audio! That makes me excited! :D I'll definitely look into that when it comes out. I hope it won't be too expensive.
I figured out how to make the dancer switch at will, though she was spinning counter-clockwise at first.
I have a question, in relation to your appearance schedule... Do you have any plans for New Years? What would it take to get you to come be a guest at a SF/Fantasy/Animanga convention over in the PNW at that time?
Try as I might, I can't make that lady spin counter-clockwise. She is moving in a decidedly clockwise direction. Although I know it's silly, I feel my pride wounded just a teensy bit. Am I not imaginative? Do I obsess about rules and facts? My husband, the bastard, claims that HE sees her moving counter-clockwise. (But, I don't really believe him. See? That's just how left-brain I seem to be.... sigh.)
Congratulations on all the success, Kristin. My sister the librarian recommended Graceling to me, and I devoured it. Eagerly awaiting your next published work, but in the meanwhile this blog is mighty entertaining. I don't know how you have time to write, with all these wonderful conferences and tours. Best wishes!
Ok. So this thing bugged me all night. I pulled it up again today and now she is going clockwise and I cant make her switch to counterclockwise like she was yesterday. So weird!
Also, since you are up against Abe Lincoln, I thought I'd tell you that I read in a magazine that the guy who did Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is writing a new book...Abraham Lincoln: The Vampire Slayer!! Can you even believe that? Too funny!
I can only see it as clockwise! I tried focussing on her foot, and instead of seeing her going the other way I just felt dizzy!
Oh dear...
=)
x
O.K., The first time I looked, she only went maddeningly counterclockwise, which made me question my right-brainedness. The second time, she'd only go clockwise. Now I'm freaked out. Thanks, Kristin :)
For everyone who's thanked me for freaking them out with the spinning lady: you are very welcome! :o)
Shannon, that's why I tend to skeptical about the right-brain, left-brain thing. I mean, I am extremely left-sided -- left-handed, left-eyed, left-footed, you name it -- but I know I don't only have the characteristics that are supposed to come from the right side of the brain! I think pop science has probably simplified something that real scientists know is a lot more complicated. That's my theory, anyway.
Charly, that's my "hide under the covers and write" time of year, unfortunately -- and at this point, my fall, winter and spring are pretty booked -- so I'm sorry to say it's rather unlikely!
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