Comments for Victoria Janssen

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Sharon Brooks

Sharon Brooks — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:16:38 +0000

Wish I could be there. I have read and reread almost everything that Octavia Butler wrote. When she died I felt like I had lost a good friend. I’m sure the people who participate in the discussions will be meeting after hours to continue the dialogue.

Sometimes I will do good, healthy, but basic food for weeks because I am very busy and don’t want to think about cooking. When I stop to create something different my taste buds do a little happy dance in my mouth and I am reminded that man does not live by bread alone.

Yes, we need variety, roses, exercise, touch and communication with people of both like and dislike minds.

Enjoy your panel.

Sharon Brooks

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:41:08 +0000

I am hoping it will be a terrific panel (especially since it was my suggestion). “Survival” sounds like a great theme to explore – I really like how she shows that survival always comes at a cost, and explores how people (alien people included) adapt to the results both personally and through their society. And I just realized that she focuses on the adaptability a bit more because she takes basic needs out of the equation for the people who live in Lo or similar communities, because they can always have food produced by Lo. It’s interesting that the humans are shown to need more than basic food – they have their own gardens with a variety of natural plants. “We fight for roses, too.”

There will be a moderator leading the discussion, but we-the-panelists can suggest topics to address. I suspect we are going to have far too much to address in one hour, and maybe we can have a second panel next year. I will definitely link any panel reports here in my blog.

Thanks so much for commenting!

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Linkspam, 5/17/13 Edition — Radish Reviews

Linkspam, 5/17/13 Edition — Radish Reviews — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:32:22 +0000

[...] The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts I wish I were going to WisCon so I could go to this panel. [...]

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Sharon Brooks

Sharon Brooks — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:35:46 +0000

I am so glad that Octavia Butler will be given time at WisCon. I think she is under rated and under read.

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Sharon Brooks

Sharon Brooks — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:33:38 +0000

Dear Victoria,
Of all the things one could consider in Butler’s Xenogenesis series, I never expected the lack of male/male parings or female/female parings to come up. The Ooloi wished to produce progeny. In order to do that they needed eggs and sperm. One cannot get both eggs and sperm with same sex partners.

I think “survival” might be a more interesting theme to explore. There is the survival of the individual, survival of the species, survival of the planet, and/or survival of the kinship groups that could be examined with great interest.

I do not know how Ms. Butler felt about same sex parings. I do not believe that she was ever married. The one time that I was able to hear her speak at a sci fi panel discussion no one brought the question of sexuality up. Her books do not avoid the idea of sex. They explore what it means to survive through sex in many different manifestations.

Did each panelist choose a dfferent theme? What are the other panelists going to be talking about?

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:52:09 +0000

The Oankali as scientists, and how that ties in to the ooloi, is making some new connections for me. Thanks!

Comment on The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler – Many Thoughts by e_bookpushers

e_bookpushers — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:40:11 +0000

Interesting points –
1. Not all humans were picked to return to earth and create the new hybrids. Others stayed on the ships. My thought is that those who were inclined towards same-sex pairings stayed on the ship.
2. There was both individual and same species sex with the ooloi. Same sex could touch without issues but you are right there was never any sexual desire involved.
3. I viewed parenting same sex child similar to what can be seen here with parents explaining roles, expectations basically teaching how to be societally acceptable. I think that is a common thread among a lot of different cultures.
4. Agree that I see the potential in variety as the Oankali become comfortable with the gene mixture.
5. I think the Ooloi are a necessity or have made themselves into a necessity to ensure survival regardless of the physical surroundings. Almost like a survival mechanism for the Oankali as a whole.
6. I thought the Oankali were at their heart scientists with the ooloi as the ultimate expression. As such decisions were made by community vote allowing dissenters to go their own way and still survive. But this also meant that things as humans we would see as emotionally harmful they might not see in the same light. If I recall correctly throughout the entire series Nikanj’s views, thoughts, and insights about humans and their combined children were overruled until he was proven correct.

I hope this helps and good luck with the panel!
E

Comment on Apparently Dodgy Professions – Vintage Erotica Covers by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:02:41 +0000

*heh*

Comment on Apparently Dodgy Professions – Vintage Erotica Covers by Natlyn

Natlyn — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:55:27 +0000

Geez. Try to make a living without a bra on and men leer (and point rifles?).

Comment on About “8:00 PM” by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:29:45 +0000

Trix, I have noticed that people often post their viewing comments live on Twitter!

Comment on About “8:00 PM” by Trix

Trix — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:50:41 +0000

I miss that instant shorthand of people bonding over a certain TV show or album. Pop culture seems more fragmented now…

Comment on About “8:00 PM” by Alison Tyler

Alison Tyler — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:08:21 +0000

Loved your story in this collection! Thank you for giving us a little more…

XXX,
Alison

Comment on Happy Thanksgiving! by L.N. Hammer

L.N. Hammer — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:16:00 +0000

The “world famous Chicken Reel,” eh?

—L.

Comment on The Next Big Thing by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:20:55 +0000

Thanks! I’m glad it sounds interesting. Sometimes one worries….

Comment on The Next Big Thing by Gregory Frost

Gregory Frost — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:07:11 +0000

I want to read it already. You must finish it.

-gf

Comment on Mini-Review: “9 p.m. Victoria Coach Station” by Kate Pearce by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:54:35 +0000

I’m so glad!

Comment on Mini-Review: “9 p.m. Victoria Coach Station” by Kate Pearce by Kate Pearce

Kate Pearce — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:41:07 +0000

Awgh, thank Victoria-I loved writing this little barbed wire piece of a story-it was one of those that came to me really quickly. It’s always special when a writer you admire gets your story. :)

Comment on “September, 1918,” Amy Lowell by L.N. Hammer

L.N. Hammer — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:58:42 +0000

Ooo — nice one.

—L.

Comment on A Soldier’s Secret by Marissa Moss, out 9/1/12 by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:38:52 +0000

I have read other works by Rinaldi – I will look for Girl in Blue!

Comment on A Soldier’s Secret by Marissa Moss, out 9/1/12 by Anna

Anna — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:30:58 +0000

This sounds really good. I read a novel based on Edmonds last year, Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi, which is geared toward middle-grade readers.

Comment on The Research/Writing Interface by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:25:10 +0000

I’m glad you enjoyed it! I wrestle with these issues anew every time I write a historical novel.

Comment on The Research/Writing Interface by Liz Mc2

Liz Mc2 — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:16:35 +0000

I loved this post, which reminded me of dissertation-writing (well, I didn’t exactly love that!). You have to accept that you cannot know or read everything that has come before you; you have to stop reading and write.

I’m always interested in hearing writers talk about the choices they make in historical world-building, because it’s something I think about a lot from a reader’s point of view.

Comment on The Research/Writing Interface by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:13:13 +0000

I think there can be facts which readers think are wrong, even if they aren’t, and then they probably have the opposite effect on the reader from the one that was intended.

I once saw, in a panel discussion, the writer of a couple of YA novels set during and after WWII – she’d had to consider her modern audience when she wrote about characters smoking. In her time period, in that place, pretty much all adults smoked, and quite a lot; they did so less in the book. I can’t remember the exact example, but she also had the issue of a true fact that readers would likely not have accepted.

Comment on The Research/Writing Interface by Laura Vivanco

Laura Vivanco — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:59:12 +0000

I did get the impression from reading the Arboretum that they were pretty rare and that most of the varieties don’t produce good fruit in the UK even when grown in the south of England, which Manchester certainly isn’t, so you’re probably much better off not including them. Unless, of course, you actually want to send a fair proportion of your nitpicky readers off to find out if it’s a mistake …

Actually, that’s something that you didn’t mention directly, but in relation to

Facts are important. Significant details are very, very important to worldbuilding; they can give a level of reality to fiction because they are, well, real. The trick is finding those significant details in the first place, the ones that will stand out, and using them in ways that will resonate for the reader.

I think there can be facts which readers think are wrong, even if they aren’t, and then they probably have the opposite effect on the reader from the one that was intended.

Comment on The Research/Writing Interface by Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:14:49 +0000

I actually wasn’t going to include persimmons in the book, but maybe now I ought to! Thanks!