Labels: Craig Bowlsby, Devon Boorman, fencing, VCON

posted by Lynda at 18:22   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 


Ronald Hore of CM Magazine's review of Avim's Oath does a great job of summarizing the conflicts. He recommended it for ages 13 and up. I particularly like the attention he gave to Luthan and Sam, the women-in-skirts in this volume who counterpoint the kick-ass types like Vretla and Alivda. Here's what he says:

"Counterpoint to the brothers, and to the more aggressive women, are two of the younger princesses: Princess Samantha O'Pearl, a rustic who flees her backward home world disguised as her brother, and Princess Luthan Dem H'Us of the Silver Demish, who, at 15, is confused about her sexuality and her future role in the empire. To compound the situation, both Erien and Amel have feelings for Princess Luthan. Amel and Luthan find themselves competing for the same honour as heir to the almost mythical Golden Emperor."

Labels: Avim's Oath, CM Magazine, Review

posted by Lynda at 22:07   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 

I'll be appearing as one of the authors in the Edge line up on PodioRacket.com, hosted by Brian Rathbone and Rhonda Carpenter. Guests will be: Nancy Kilpatrick, editor of Evolve: Vampire Stories of the New Undead; Alexandra McKenzie, author of Immortal Quest and Lynda Williams, author of Avim's Oath Part 6 of the Okal Rel saga.

Labels: Avim's Oath, Brian Rathbone, Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, interview

posted by Lynda at 21:30   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 


New releases from Absolute XPress include two Okal Rel Legacies titles: Opus 4 and Misfit Leaves Home. Pass along the news to your contacts or "like" the release at New Releases: Absolute XPress.

Labels: Absolute XPress, Misfit Leaves Home, Okal Rel Legacies, opus 4

posted by Lynda at 11:05   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 


Thanks to crystalwizard of Broad Universe for the Okal Rel stories posted to Beacon News.

Labels: Book Launch, Brian Hades, Broad Universe, VCON

posted by Lynda at 22:29   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 

Thanks, Lynda, for such a great discussion topic! All right, let me dive right in.

Speculative fiction authors often create entirely new worlds. There are no Wikipedia entries for the reader to look up specific things. Either the author explains the world or loses the reader. Add to that the problem that many readers today are not geared towards patience; they want the action here and now. There isn’t time to explain things, include an appendix, and a glossary of terms.

Lynda mentioned her pet peeve was the rebel when creating a new world. Rebels don’t bother me as much. I like a good rebel, though I want to see several rebels. After all, throughout our entire history, those on the edges of society and rules have banded together (i.e. Regency open sexuality, female literacy during the Taliban rule). There were always several people. I want to see that in my alien worlds.

For me, my largest pet peeve with alien cultures is the assumption on the part of the reader (and, hey, even many authors) that the entire alien culture is based completely on one of earth’s specific countries. I don’t want every single alien world out there to be little more than a galactic version of today’s United States. I also don’t want one where the social norms seem to not have evolved past the Middle Ages.

The reverse came sometimes happen, too. In an attempt to make everything very alien, random things throughout human history are picked and smashed together. The problem is that they don’t always fit. There is a reason that the Greeks invented a written language, whereas the Inuit did not. It’s important to understand the history and interconnectivity of these things when creating a world.

I like to take an abstract thing, like art, and think about how my created culture uses art to express themselves. In something as simple as that, I learn a lot about my created worlds. Then, I am able to create laws and social norms that match that impression of something like art. After a while, I have an entire culture created where the laws and norms seem to match each other.

Then I create my rebels. Because, really, what is fantasy or science fiction without a good rebel and her plucky side kick?

Labels: discussion, Krista Ball, Writing

posted by Krista D. Ball at 14:03   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 3 comments

 
Here’s the problem. You have a character out to break the rules — but the reader doesn’t know what’s normal in your alien society. How do you set up behavioral expectations at the same time as you violate them?

In the good old days, a writer like J. R. R. Tolkien could indulge in chapters of Shire life before evil intrudes on the squabbles of the hobbits. I believe some set up is still essential if you want the bang that comes from contrast when something extraordinary happens, but modern writers rarely get whole chapters. Like the movies made of Tolkien’s classic epic, we have to establish norms faster.

The Okal Rel Universe in which my novels are set has been called “complex”, “well-thought out” and “original”. Culture clash between groups occurs regularly and a lot of the fun relies on readers understanding the world views in collision. The more ORU people read, the more they get out of it. But how to get them started?

This discussion, hosted by myself and author Krista Ball, invites you to help us explore the peculiarly SF problem of establishing “the norm” of an alien culture in the midst of having trouble-making characters tromp through it. What works for you, as a writer or a reader, and what doesn’t?

Here’s my main pet peeve to get us started: characters who don’t represent their culture even minimally. At best, a work with a seriously different setting can get away with maybe one entirely anomalous rebel. But if that’s the case, there had better be a strong supporting cast who do represent the “norm” for the rebel to interact with. Then the contrast can illuminate not only the norm but the deviation.

Labels: discussion, Krista Ball, Lynda Williams, Writing

posted by Lynda at 06:00   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 5 comments

 
To all of you that got a copy of Jennifer's OKAL REL Crossword Puzzle at VCON last weekend the answers are here.
posted by David at 14:34   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 
Pictures from VCON in Vancouver this October (2010), featuring the Okal Rel Universe event, taken by David Juniper. See the Album on Facebook

Labels: David Juniper, VCON

posted by Lynda at 06:53   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments