You're cute and fresh and wholesome, but science has a cure

[rolanni]

So, yesterday, I bought a new car.  It was an Unplanned Purchase in which a complicated combination of factors conspired to create a Perfect Moment to strike.  I am of mixed feelings regarding the whole situation.  On the one hand, I adored the little green Subaru Legacy; it was zippy and sweet-tempered; good in the rain, the sleet and the snow, and never, ever once let me down.  On the other hand, it was more than 15 years old.  The new car -- by which I mean, "new to me" -- is several generations younger.  It is apparently capable of doing things that I cannot, as yet, imagine.  It, too, is a Subaru Legacy, in color a cheerful bright blue; but Subaru Legacies have gotten taller in the intervening years -- not a bad thing; in fact, a feature.  It's roomier inside than the green Legacy, and!

. . .it has heated seats.

It also has very low miles; was apparently kept by its former owner in the lap of garaged luxury, and only allowed out on the road during the very finest and bug-free of spring days.

So.  I have a new car.

I ALSO HAVE, with Steve, a collection of our work to get into shape to send on to Madame the Editor realsoonnow, and!  I need your -- yes, your -- advice.

A common reader complaint regarding the contents of the first two Liaden Universe® Constellations was that they lacked an ABOUT THIS STORY at the top of each story.  Apparently, lots of people like those, so, to keep peace in the family, we're going to write an ABOUT THIS STORY for each of the twelve stories in Constellation Three.

And here's where we need your help.

What sorts of things do you want to know ABOUT THIS STORY?

Discuss.

_____________________

Today's title comes from "Brand New Girl," as performed by Julie Brown in Earth Girls are Easy.  Here's your link.

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

For me, it would be how the story fits into the larger Liaden universe.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

OK; I'm going to ask for clarity on this. "Fits" in what way?

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

The more I think about that, I think most of it pertains to the novels. I keep discovering different lines through them, realizing I've forgotten the details of the backstories and I wanted to follow another set of characters through several books. You mentioned Mouse & Dragon, which I got out and started re-reading, only to belatedly remember that there was backstory to that - Scout's Choice. So I backed up, and read all the way through the Theo series as well. That's the novels. The stories are often about people that I'm not sure where they fit in the larger narrative, if that makes sense. I know they're stories into themselves, and that's fine, but I guess I look for context that would help when I'm just starting a story. I know you aren't that concerned with timeline, but there is a larger context being developed, and it's nice to know how in general things fit.

On the other hand, a funny story is also a great way to do a forward. None at all is fine, too :)

No matter what you do, I'm just pleased I get to experience the rich world you and Steve are creating. Thanks!

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I realized my comment was really mostly related to the novels. So I reread the Constellations and changed my mind. The stories were just fine without any introductions. Having introductions to each would convert between-the-story Yield Right of Way signs to Stop signs.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Thank you for taking the trouble, and for reporting back.

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

That's not trouble, the rereading is pure pleasure :)

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

What sorts of things do you want to know ABOUT THIS STORY?

where it stands in the storyline.. one must read things IN ORDER... ahem.. thats my OCD screaming..

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Sigh.

I am sorry to disappoint your OCD -- and the OCD of others, but. . ."the timeline" is largely a reader construct. Especially for short stories, I'll only know that the action happens, say, between A and B, where A and B are very large events. In recent memory, for instance: While I'm very certain that it happened exactly as described, I have no idea when "Code of Honor" "is," with relation to "the timeline," save that it happened before Korval had hit the deadline to leave Liad, and after they had relocated. Where it sits with the rest of the short stories -- don't know. Don't, to a significant extent, care.

The problem is that the stories are written as they occur to us, and, in many cases, they don't bear close scrutiny with regard to a timeline. If I have a good story, I'm going to tell it; and if "the timeline" makes the story "impossible," then it's "the timeline" that has to give.

Similarly, if a short story -- I'm thinking about "Lord of the Dance," in particular -- later is found to have stated things that contravene the action in the novel, it's the short story that has to give way. Novel storylines have priority.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

but that gives the Reader a much better perspective of where its in Liad. After all, time and space.. grin.

[hildy.livejournal.com]

My parents love their Subarus. They've survived any number of DC and now Florida weather-related headaches. One even survived being caged by a tree -- the roof rack saved it!

I'd agree with commenter on wanting to know how or when the story fits into the bigger Liaden universe. And I love any of the odd stories about what inspired the story or nudged it into being. The fan likes the continuity info, the writer likes the process, if that makes sense.

[otterb.livejournal.com]

Personally, I like afterwords better than forewords, because you don't have to worry about spoilers. I like to hear a little something about the writing of the story. Where it came from, if you know. Perhaps a little something more about the backstory of the character or a detail of the setting that you know exists, but didn't fit in the story without being infodumpish. Some particular plot twist that was a challenge until you figured out the resolution.

[kay-gmd.livejournal.com]

Who are the characters I'm likely to know (assuming I'm familiar with the Liaden universe).

Where is this in the timeline? (What book is it closest to? Is it before or after that?)

What general background would be useful to understand the situation?

[drammar.livejournal.com]

Because I am fascinated by the way your minds work, what I'd like is the same sort of intro that is found on Splinter Universe. "How" the story was born; was it a scene or 3 that didn't fit into a novel but is a good story on its own -- that sort of thing.

[dormantdrake.livejournal.com]

I like a one or two sentence lead-in or summary of the story (if it can be managed) to remind me *which* story is which, because I lose track, and summaries make finding the story that I'm looking for easier.

If any interesting details could be recalled from when the story was being written, that's always lovely. :) An insight into the writer's lives at the time, as it were. (Anything from a beverage associated with the story, to a notation that a story was written while another story was being written. If such details can still be recalled, of course.)

Also, (what Bandicoot was saying made me think of this), perhaps a mention of "the characters in this story are also to be found in/are found in the novel ____" for newer readers who aren't familiar with your larger catalog might be useful. (For example, a story featuring an young Daav might mention Scout's Progress.)

[charlie russel (from livejournal.com)]

As others have suggested, and you've already made clear is problematic at best -- where the story fits in the timeline would be useful. But given that this isn't really an option for many, especially in a highly precise way, a general sort of "This story fits roughly at the time of the Korval exit from Liad" is quite sufficient.

More interesting for me is some of the thought process about where the story came from. Like you're currently doing with the recent stories up on the Splinter Universe.

Another thought of what I would enjoy seeing is where the characters in the story fit into the overall Universe. (The taxi driver is a perfect example of a character we see again. And for, say, The Rifle's First Wife, a reminder of where we first meet Diglon Rifle and how he ended up gardening for Clan Korval.)

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

I LOVE heated seats. Or rather my poor back does. Turn that sucker on and by the time I got to work or got home from work my back would be feeling many times better. ;) Pity that my new car doesn't have them.

[ellenru.livejournal.com]

While I do like to know where the short stories slot into the timeline, I have my own colour-coded timeline (yes, I'm compulsive that way) so as long as there are a couple of way-points, I can usually make it "fit". What I like are the stories behind the story - forex - telling about writing "Tinsori Light" on the train, or "Code" as part of a triptych - if you have those sorts of notes on the online stories, I always save those notes along with the stories so I have them to re-read. I also like trying to guess future events, ideas from the things that flow in the background - what is going on with his family that has Quin bent out of shape in "Roving Gambler" for instance - and trying to puzzle out what it means for the main narrative.

New Subaru

[ednaemode.livejournal.com]

Sharon,

Congrats on the Subaru! I am on my third Legacy (one and two given to the kids as their first car). 2004, low mileage and we drove to Vt. for it because...it was a manual tranny and ....heated seats.

Quick but heartfelt thanks for you and Steve for the many books you recently gave the Belgrade Public Library!
I had seen Steve's shout out to Librarians and let our Librarian know (one of the hats on my hat rack now is Chair of the Belgrade Public Library Board of Trustees). So thanks.

beth

Re: About this story

[polanka221.livejournal.com]

I always love the- In which [major character] [does something] -type of lead in. However, the idea of giving a tidbit of background to the author's thought or a rough idea of where it fits in the timeline (e.g. before/during/after a particular book) would be nice as I sometimes have trouble remembering what happened in which book.

[ebartley.livejournal.com]

Where did the authors get the idea for this story?

If applicable, what were the authors trying to do when they wrote this story?

If the protagonist(s) aren't some of the ones that show up all over the place, where else can they be found? (E.g. the other Lute & Moonhawk stories, and where they actually show up in the Priscilla & Shan arcs.)

[cgbookcat1.livejournal.com]

Figuring out where new stories go in the "timeline" is a fun game to me. What I'd like to see (echoing others) is the sort of intro given on Splinter Universe, describing what inspired the story or the writing process.

Intros

[furballtiger.livejournal.com]

I think the splinter intro's are pretty much perfect.
I understand the (mildly ocd?) desire for ever more timeline clarity, but don't really share it, nor do I think a cross reference is a good use of the author's time (Bob appears in x, y and briefly in z). If that needs doing let someone else do it. IMHO, ymmv, etc. Write more instead. I do enjoy random bits of insight into how it came to be as it is, the writing process, plot considerations, comments on loose ends, wishes, thoughts on characters and writing...mostly this; whatever comes to your mind regarding the story after a half glass of wine. Write whatever intro is fun for you, share what you feel like sharing, and get back to writing new stories so I can buy them all! :)


Happy trails... and ignore this POV freely! :)

ABOUT THIS STORY

[ireneha.livejournal.com]

I wrote a whole long description and the "god of computers" erased it.

I would like to roughly know if this is a story of Cantra (CRYSTAL), Jefri (TRADE), Theo (SALTATION), or part of the sequences of Daav & Er Thom (LOCAL CUSTOM, SCOUTS PROGRESS, MOUSE & DRAGON) or the sequence of Val Con & Shan (AGENT, CARPE, CONFLICT), or
during PLAN B, I DARE or GHOST SHIP

I don't write anywhere as good as you folks - and you've already got a "intro to Code of Honor" on Splinter BUT

What I would write about "Code of Honor": "The smoke had cleared from the skies around Solcintra, and there was a newly filled lake where once had been a park. But at Merc headquarters no one was thinking about that recent action."

For "Roving Gambler": "As the clan of Korval settles into the new Necessities of Shurebleak, Quin was waking to his new position on the road."

[vythe.livejournal.com]

The word "Science" as an active subject has become for me permanently associated with "Girl Genius"...

As for the "about" paragraphs - with a short story, we don't have time/space to "tune in" and understand what the story is about. Unless the title is really instructive, like "Theo's bad day", we spend the first few paragraphs fishing for clues which universe and which story line it is.

So, as everybody else already pointed out, any simple note with appropriate keywords will do. Maybe with a clue on whether it's a funny, tragic or political story - just, you know, in case.

In modern days, though, people learned to skip on "about this story" snippets and use tags. "Theo/Nelirikk, G, humor, spaceships". Serves the same purpose

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

Congrats on the new car. A very good find.

Most of the readers seem to agree that the "about the story" should say where it fits into the overall very long story of the novels.

[gareth griffiths (from livejournal.com)]

Given that a short story can't explain the universe and background a quick approximate time helps the reader who is familiar with the universe get in sync. 'In which a young Daav... or sometime between the events in xxx and Plan B. Some are obviously out of any particular time - like the Moonhawk/Lute stories in which the order doesn't really matter. Personal author notes always welcome - 'while we were working on ... this story which didn't really fit in he novel insisted on being written...'

In short, as I think about it, whatever you are comfortable telling us. Where stories do fit in the mainline (like stories of Shan or Val Con youth it does helps to have them roughly placed).