Stephanie Burgis
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18th-century titles, chainsaws, and a SFWA question
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One of the nicest things about still being a student is that I have access through the University of Leeds to Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Browsing the collection today, I came across my favorite title in a very long time:
The best part is that clearly all this was wink-wink, nudge-nudge, and every reader would have known exactly who the Countess of K-----k was (and of course who her unfortunate noble brother was, too!).
I read the first few pages of the book and enjoyed the lovely style of high melodrama, but didn't feel the need to read the rest (at least not now). The title on its own made me perfectly happy.
What I did read earlier, though, was Deborah Coates's story "Chainsaw on Hand" in Asimov's. I've loved every Deborah Coates story I've read so far, and this one was no exception - despite the fact that I'd guessed the ending pretty early on, the final pages still made me go all teary. It made me wish I'd joined SFWA so I could recommend it for the Nebulas...
And speaking of which, I have a question for all you SFWAns out there. I haven't joined SFWA, even though I've been eligible for a while now, because it seemed like too much money to spend unless there were real benefits to make it worthwhile. (And yes, this sounds even to me like a terribly stingy attitude...but on the other hand, we are having to choose our expenditures pretty carefully these days.) On the other hand, seeing the Nebula awards come round this year does make me feel slightly wistful about not getting the chance to vote on them...probably not $70 worth of wistful, but nonetheless. (Not to mention that, back when Patrick was in SFWA, until about a year and a half ago, I got to feel a little thrill every time I saw that someone had recommended a story of mine for a Nebula.) What do you guys like about SFWA? Am I missing out on something great?
Memoirs of the love and state-intrigues of the Court of H-; from the marriage of the Princess of Z-----, to the tragical death of Count K-----k: Written originally in High-German, by the Celebrated COUNTESS of K----k, Sister to that Unfortunate Nobleman. Time's Daughter will appear, although she blush To show her Nakedness. London: 1743.
The best part is that clearly all this was wink-wink, nudge-nudge, and every reader would have known exactly who the Countess of K-----k was (and of course who her unfortunate noble brother was, too!).
I read the first few pages of the book and enjoyed the lovely style of high melodrama, but didn't feel the need to read the rest (at least not now). The title on its own made me perfectly happy.
What I did read earlier, though, was Deborah Coates's story "Chainsaw on Hand" in Asimov's. I've loved every Deborah Coates story I've read so far, and this one was no exception - despite the fact that I'd guessed the ending pretty early on, the final pages still made me go all teary. It made me wish I'd joined SFWA so I could recommend it for the Nebulas...
And speaking of which, I have a question for all you SFWAns out there. I haven't joined SFWA, even though I've been eligible for a while now, because it seemed like too much money to spend unless there were real benefits to make it worthwhile. (And yes, this sounds even to me like a terribly stingy attitude...but on the other hand, we are having to choose our expenditures pretty carefully these days.) On the other hand, seeing the Nebula awards come round this year does make me feel slightly wistful about not getting the chance to vote on them...probably not $70 worth of wistful, but nonetheless. (Not to mention that, back when Patrick was in SFWA, until about a year and a half ago, I got to feel a little thrill every time I saw that someone had recommended a story of mine for a Nebula.) What do you guys like about SFWA? Am I missing out on something great?
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