I made a couple of changes to my list for the Mythopoeic Award Challenge, and if you look to your right—*waves gracefully*—you will notice I have moved the blogroll closer to the top, the better to see you with my dears.

And finally, the last challenge I’m allowing myself to participate in this year: Cardathon Challenge, a challenge for fans of Orson Scott Card. Participants read and then review (at the site or on their own blogs) books written, edited or reviewed by Orson Scott Card.

So far, I’ve only read his classic books on writing, Characters & Viewpoint and How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, both incredibly helpful and surprisingly interesting for how-to-write books. (Okay, I did make an ill-fated attempt at Hart’s Hope, but I’m squeamish, okay?) Since I’ve read his books on writing over and over, I’m looking forward to reading some more of his fiction. The real deal, as it were. Not sure which of his recommended books I’ll be reading, but I know I have at least one unread Kate Elliot on my shelf, and probably others from the list.

I’m also going to be taking part in The Sci-Fi Experience, not a challenge so much as an encouragement to read and review science fiction. Since I’ll no doubt be doing that this year anyway, I figure, why not share?

Not to be confused with the American Civil War miniseries of the same name, North & South is based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell (author of Wives & Daughters), and is the story of a young woman from the green, idyllic south of England whose small family is uprooted and moved to the north, to the city of Milton, its skies blocked by the looming shapes of factories and soot-darkened buildings crammed close together, the air full of smoke and floating cotton.

I enjoyed this four-episode miniseries quite a bit more than Wives & Daughters, which I liked but never really warmed to completely; unlike Wives & Daughters, it made me curious to read Mrs. Gaskell’s work. The characters were much more likeable in North & South, even though there were fewer overall, and the milieu was unique (at least, it seemed so to me.) It also didn’t have that um, weird quality, is the only way I can think to describe it . . . that aura of almost sinister unreality that Wives & Daughters was punctuated with here and there, that never seemed to click with the rest of the story. (Also, it did not have those unfortunate Hoo from Hooville hairdos the ladies in Wives & Daughters sported so prominently on top of their heads. I was relieved, I assure you.)

I certainly can’t complain about Mr. Thornton. There is nothing like a dark look to make my day. I prefer heroes that are rough around the edges, formidable and tough (which probably explains why I prefer Mark Strong’s Mr. Knightley to Jeremy Northam’s). At any rate, the miniseries touched on themes related to labor unions and workers’ rights, which added a refreshing depth to the story. I’ll have to read the novel and see how the adaptation compares.

Oh, and I musn’t forget to add, the Northern accent is a captivating sound.

Here’s my own list for the Mythopoeic Award Challenge (which I’m running here at Foxy Writer!)

1. Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant.
2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
3. Unicorn Mountain by Michael Bishop.
4. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel by Susanna Clarke.
5. Solstice Wood by Patricia A McKillip.
6. Owl in Love by Patrice Kindl.
7. The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke.

Unicorn Mountain sounded strange, and I like strange, so I figure that’s my total shot in the dark for this challenge. Although, I guess the same could be said for Owl in Love.

[EDIT: I've made some adjustments in the list since including the nominees list as part of the challenge. I'll still be reading A Midsummer Tempest, but since it's on my list for What's In A Name?, I swapped it out here with Inkheart, currently sitting on my shelf, loaned to me by one of my nieces possibly more than a year ago. I also have too much non-fiction waiting to be read here, so I swapped The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion with The Ladies of Grace Adieu.]

In celebration of my new domain, I issue a challenge!

The Mythopoeic Society is dedicated to the study and enjoyment of fantasy and mythic literature, especially the works of the Inklings, an informal literary circle at Oxford that included the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and others. Each year the Society awards the best scholarly and literary achievements exemplifying “the spirit of the Inklings” with the Mythopoeic Award.

The challenge is to read seven books between JANUARY 1ST 2008 to DECEMBER 31ST 2008 from the list of Mythopoeic Award Winners. (See? All kinds of brilliant Fantasy books to choose from!) [EDIT: Becky requested that I broaden the challenge to include the nominees for the fantasy and scholarship, which gives you a lot more choices!]

Here are the rules:

1. Choose seven books from the list of Mythopoeic Award Winners (or nominees, here for fantasy or here for scholarship).
2. Anything on the list is fair game, fiction or non-fiction.
3. Post a link to your list in the comments of this post (if you don’t have a website, post your list in the comments.)
4. Somewhere in your post, link back to this challenge post. (permalink)
5. Read the books between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2008.
6. You may start anytime in 2008, but you must finish by the end of December 31st, 2008.
7. You may combine this challenge with other challenges.

Here are some banners and buttons to link back with. (Please upload these images to your own webspace. DO NOT DIRECT LINK, PLEASE.)

Link to http://foxywriter.com/2007/12/27/mythopoeic-award-challenge/

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments. Otherwise, join up and have fun!

(Note: I am not affiliated with the Mythopoeic Society in any way, and this challenge is not sanctioned by them. I’m just spreading love for the Mythopoeic Award Winners!)

Everything has been moved over to the new location. Everything, that is, except for posts with curly quotes, which I have misplaced the ends of. I’ll be fixing those posts and tinkering with the layout for a few days yet. There are still some things to add to the sidebars as well, but I wanted to go ahead and get the site back online.

Just a reminder: If you are subscribed to this blog, you do NOT need to change your subscription information in your newsreader (that goes for LJ subscribers as well.) I’ll be handling all that through Feedburner.

All links should be changed to http://foxywriter.com/

Please excuse the mess! I hope to have it cleared up within a week or so.

Dark Roasted Blend has posted an interview John C. Wright, author of The Golden Age and other novels. Compelling, witty stuff of the sort that gives me that little tingle at the back of my neck indicative of a kindred spirit.

“I would venture to say that if you are reading a yarn where there are no space-pirates and no space-princesses, if the Dinosaurs of Mars never make an appearance, if no space-marine shoots through the core of the planet with a hand-weapon in order to kill an enemy standing on another continent, if no ancient alien artifacts larger than worlds stir into life after a million years of dormancy, and if not a single planet is blasted into molten asteroids, no star into a nova star, no galaxy into a Seyfert galaxy, no universe into a new Big Bang, then what you are reading might not be space opera. Space opera should contain at least one of these elements.”

Things have been going slowly but auspiciously on the writing front. I haven’t been getting my ten minutes done every single day, but I have written on most days, and I think the down-time has encouraged my Muse out of hiding—just barely. So now, I am going to venture out and make a very tentative To-Do List.

Searoyal Planning

• Create a principal character.
• Develop said character’s friends.
• Develop a worthy enemy.
• Work out the cosmology of my setting.
• Draw a basic map of the world.

That’s enough for now.

Reputable news-source The Onion has an article about that Harry Potter or whatever his name is.

UK author Stephen Hunt’s novels The Court of the Air and The Kingdom Beyond the Waves have been acquired by Tor Books for publication in the US. It was the cover for The Kingdom Under the Waves that first caught my eye (oh yes, I have such a terrible weakness for beautiful covers!) But just you try to resist a book that looks like that!

Fantasy Book Critic has a review of The Court of the Air and an interview with Stephen Hunt. I’m definitely anticipating this release!

According to TheOneRing.Net, Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will be Executive Producing The Hobbit. The book will be adapted into two feature films, filmed simultaneously and slated for release in 2010 and 2011.

Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”

(Hmm, I wonder if Saul Zaentz’s recent lawsuit against New Line helped speed things along?)

When everybody was doubting Peter Jackson would ever helm The Hobbit because of his lawsuit against New Line Cinema, MGM–holders of the distribution rights–essentially said, “This ain’t over,” and true to their word it looks like they helped smooth things out between the two parties. Note that nothing so far has been said about who will direct; the release states that PJ and Fran will be Executive Producers. I don’t know if that means PJ will or won’t direct. Surely Fran and Philippa Boyens will co-write the script, one of the main reasons, in my opinion, that it was so important for Peter Jackson to be running the show.

As with The Lord of the Rings, the movies will be filmed simultaneously, one of the things that I think was key in making the former seem like a cohesive whole.