In the city of Iravati, on the world of Skardu. . .

[rolanni]

. . .there lived a scholar who had three daughters, and they were the light and comfort of his elder years.

A reader stopped me after a panel at some con or ‘nother in order to tell me what was wrong with “Veil of the Dancer.”* The essence of their complaint was that it was written in “fairy tale” language and yet it wasn’t a fairy tale.

I told them I thought that was one of the story’s strengths.

No.  Authors, according to this earnest young person, aren’t supposed to “mislead” readers.

…and here I thought that was my job.

In any case! Quiet Knives (including “Veil of the Dancer,” and the title story)  and With Stars Underfoot (including “This House,” and “Lord of the Dance”) — Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Numbers 9 and 10, respectively — have today been uploaded to Smashwords.  There remain only 13 more chapbooks and a novel to process.

In other news, Mozart has this morning been out to Deepest Unity, braving yaks and chickens, and sheep the size of Colorado in order to see his stylist.  He is now returned, and sporting the Summer Shorts.  He looks. . .adorable, that’s the word.  Adorable.

Many thanks to everyone who weighed in on databases!  I am much enlightened, and more than ever determined not to enlist as a database programmer in my twilight years.

Me and the yellow pad are headed for the couch, now.

Hope everyone has a pleasant evening.

——
*Why do people do this? Do they think I’m going to rewrite the story, or recall all the magazines/chapbooks/webpages in which the offending narrative appears?  Or — what, exactly?

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

I must admit to a slight wonderment as to what exactly the story would look like if it was the kind of fairy tale that this reader apparently expected? A little more wish-fulfillment, a little less reality in the mix? What does this reader think makes a fairy tale? The fairies in the garden?

Ah, well, isn't it good that we have stories of so many kinds? So that I can enjoy stories like this, and that reader can enjoy... perhaps the various colored fairy books? Or Peter Pan, which must be a fairy tale since it has a fairy featured in it?

Enough rambling. I certainly enjoyed the tale, no matter whether it is fairy or nay. And as someone else mentioned, no, you can't have it back. Shudder. The idea of recallable stories, perhaps recalled due to a complaint by someone... now that's horror!

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I believe the complaint was that a science fiction story should use "science fiction appropriate" language, and that "Veil" didn't use that "appropriate language." Which it doesn't, quite deliberately.

I happen to reject the idea that there is only one language appropriate to This and language that is inappropriate to That. One might say, for instance, that Clonak's euphemism of gathering up the sundered blossoms of the DOI was not only absurdly poetical, but inappropriate to the hard, distressing actions actually being performed.

Which it is, quite deliberately.

Had "Veil" actually been a fantasy, then we could have had -- a genie! Oh, but wait! Wasn't the curiat a genie, really? Granting wishes before they were even made, with a good helping of "be careful what you wish for"?

Man, reading is hard.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Ah, so Bradbury and most of the new wave should be repressed. Give me that old time SF, and nothing else will do?

What an odd complaint. Although not the first time I have heard that the wine of SF should be kept in old bottles, none of these new skins, flavors, and smells for true-blue adherents. I do wonder why the literature of speculation should be thus constrained, but I suppose I don't have the proper attitude.

Please, do continue to use whatever twists of language, character, plot, problem, and so forth seem best for the stories you are telling. And don't worry, some of us will happily tread the measure that you've boldly laid before us. Even if it is in the air.