Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day

[rolanni]

Today is the day: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day. Tell an SFF writer you love 'em -- or, at least that you appreciate their influence on your life.

I'm looking at the shelf here next to my desk, where the books that I reach for often live. My intention is to write a note today to each of these authors to thank them for the joy their work has given me. Unfortunately, as I look along the shelf, I see that there are some people to whom I cannot write a note.

The books, in no particular order:

Hellspark, Janet Kagan
My Father's Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannett
Starwell, The Thurb Revolution, and Masque World, Alexei Panshin
Tryst, Elswyth Thane
The Magician out of Manchuria, Charles Finney
The Witches of Karres, James H. Schmitz
The War for the Oaks, Emma Bull
Bridge of Birds, Barry Hughart
The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley
Hellflower, eluki bes shahar
Creatures of Light and Darkness, Roger Zelazny

There are writers who are not represented on the shelf, but whose influence on my life is undeniable. You might say that their stories have sunk into my bones: Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, Peter Beagle, Ursula LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, CJ Cherryh, Harlan Ellison.

Yeah.

So, today, I'm writing notes, to those who can still receive them, and maybe re-read a passage or two in memory of those who aren't on email anymore.

Oh, and I'm going to do one more thing -- sort of a Hobbit Celebration. I'm going to give one lucky person a gift.

I have here in my hand one shiny Advanced Reading Copy of Fledgling. You see where this is going, right?

Yep. Tell me in comments what you're doing/have done for SFF Writers Day -- links and photos count! The ARC goes to the person who has, in the sole judgment of the blog-owner (that's me), celebrated with Coolth, Panache, and Wit. Anonymous Folk: remember to sign your names.

Felicitations of the Day!

Comments

Re: My daughter and I ...

[grassrose.livejournal.com]

You're a better judge of your daughter's maturity level than I, but some of the Miles books might interest her... I found Asimov's Caves of Steel books (3, as I recall) and robot stories to be interesting at that age. Esther Friesner is fun... The Zenna Henderson books "Pilgrimage, the Book of the People" and "The People - No Different Flesh" captivated me somewhere between 8 and 11. Diana Wynne Jones' books are also a hoot. And if she can handle Harry Potter AND some adult concepts, she might be old enough to enjoy Mercedes Lackey's urban fantasy books.

Re: My daughter and I ...

[cschanck.livejournal.com]

Well, the rape that leads to Elana is a thread that runs through most of the books, and at 9 I am not ready to go there yet. I always hated most of the Asimov books, though I did like the robot short story collections; that's a good idea.

Not a Mercedes Lackey fan.

Friesner and Henderson are new to me so I'll check them out.

Thanks!

Re: My daughter and I ...

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

Dunno if you've discovered them yet, but let me heartily endorse Tamora Pierce as necessary fantasy reading for girls. (I do not exaggerate when I say that the Keladry series saved my daughter's life). The Circle and The Circle Opens series are probably great entries into her world, certainly appropriate with some of the other things your daughter has read.