Tag Archives: mary robinette kowal

10 Things I’ve Done That You Probably Haven’t

  By John Rea-Hedrick | December 31, 2010 - 9:11 am | Randomness
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A few authors I follow (John Scalzi & Mary Robinette Kowal) recently posted lists of 10 things they’ve done that most people probably haven’t.  I thought this sounded like a fun way to close out the year on my blog so I decided to play along.

Leave me comment if you’d like more details. (Unless you’re a member of law enforcement inquiring about #4)

  1. Participated in two water births by actually being in the birth tub
  2. Successfully performed the Heimlich Maneuver on a choking person
  3. Was punched in the jaw in high school by someone who mistook me for someone else
  4. Successfully evaded the police (more than once, actually)
  5. Was sexually harassed, physically, in the workplace (by a woman)
  6. Stood on a table in a downtown university hotel food court to serenade someone an apology
  7. Was bitten by a horse and cried because my feelings were hurt, not my finger
  8. Asked someone to marry me while standing beneath the world’s tallest Christmas tree
  9. Hand-delivered a single rose to a girl who I never had the courage to ask for a date
  10. Won $1,000 dollars on the radio by being the correct caller after the “money song” was played

EDITED TO ADD:

Bonus:  I was also once chased by more than a dozen “ninjas” after some friends and I inadvertently stumbled on a martial arts style gang fight in a secluded park late one night.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

  By John Rea-Hedrick | December 5, 2010 - 1:47 pm | Book Reviews
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Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars!

Shades of Milk and Honey is a beautiful, skillfully crafted Regency era romance written in the style of Jane Austen . . . with magic.

In Mary Robinette Kowal’s Regency era England young ladies of quality learn the subtle art of Glamour (magic) alongside other fine arts such as painting and playing the piano forte. Unlike typical magical adventure tales where the magic itself becomes a tool for power and influence, Shades of Milk and Honey is a classic period Romance, balancing passion and propriety while delicately weaving Glamour by threads and folds into the fabric of daily life. Here, magic is a synonymous with refined society, not with power and domination.

Shades of Milk and Honey is a delightful read, full of descriptive settings, elegant formal language and an ample amount of swooning. Kowal takes great care to establish a truly period piece, authentically rendering her characters and their sensibilities and even going so far as using period spelling in her prose.

In true Regency style, Kowal’s characters keep most of their true feelings and desires hidden from one another. Thus, while her characters strive to maintain propriety, seeking to express their better natures, the reader is free to enjoy all the rising dramatic tension resulting from their continually unresolved internal and external struggles. Thankfully, Kowal doesn’t weaken her story by appealing to modern sensibilities. There are no easy, emotionally cathartic shortcuts here. But fear not! Passion and Glamour do ultimately collide in an exciting climax and an emotionally satisfying dénouement; an ending I suspect Jane Austen herself would be proud of.

I’ve already read and enjoyed many of Mary Robinette Kowal’s short stories. Now, after reading Shades of Milk and Honey (her debut novel), I can’t wait to see what she’ll draw next from the ether of her imagination.

(At the time of this review Shades of Milk and Honey has been nominated for a RT Bookreview Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Fantasy Novel.)

View my other Goodreads reviews >>

Short Fiction Review – First Flight by Mary Robinette Kowal

  By John Rea-Hedrick | September 18, 2010 - 10:01 pm | Book Reviews
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First Flight by ary Robinette KowalFirst Flight by Mary Robinette Kowal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve always loved well-crafted, consistent time travel stories when the author successfully establishes a clear vision of how time travel works in their story and then tells a compelling tale which doesn’t betray it. First Flight is an enjoyable read both because it’s well-written, and because it quite pleasantly sidesteps the stereotypical “little old lady” archetype by featuring a strong and capable elderly woman as its main character – a depiction we would all be enriched by seeing more of from other writers.

“First Flight” is a 2010 Locus Award Finalist.

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The Manuscript Style Sheet

  By John Rea-Hedrick | January 11, 2010 - 2:32 pm | Writing
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Until today, I had never heard of a manuscript style sheet.  I was introduced to this term in a post by Mary Robinette Kowal about her upcoming book: Shades of Milk and Honey (Tor, 2010).  While you’re there, why not visit the rest of Mary’s site to learn more about her and her work.

In the world of information technology a style sheet is a master file used to easily manipulate the look-and-feel of an entire graphical user interface system (e.g. a blog, website, certain software applications), but in the world of publishing the style sheet (a.k.a. “style guide”) serves as a (more…)

YA Highway – Choosing a Genre

  By John Rea-Hedrick | November 6, 2009 - 7:13 pm | Writing
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Wednesdays mean ‘Roadtrip’ at YA Highway.  While the constraints of corporate life have prevented me very much lunchtime writing this week, I thought I’d squeeze in this quick post before heading into the weekend.

Click here to read this week’s YA Highway’s Roadtrip Wednesday post.

Let me begin by saying ‘My thoughts exactly!’ in response to a comment from Michelle Schusterman (YA Highway member) that it might be better to ask “how does your genre choose you?”

I’ve always felt that *trying* to write into a particular genre was a little like trying to write into a particular market.  (more…)