Frinterview! feat. Stephanie Sauvinet (Pt 2)

We’re hanging out with the talented Steph again, this time to hear about her life on the other side of the literary desk.

So you recently became a Reading Intern for World Weaver Press. What made you want to take part in that process, as a writer seeking rep and publication?

My number one motivation was the prospect of reading something out of my inbox that would make me go “Yes…YES YES YES!” Discovering exciting stories, and being part of the journey that would bring those stories to publication, has always been a very exciting prospect for me. A great book is contagious, whether or not it is my own work.

Since I’ve been in the query trenches myself, I can definitely relate to being nameless in an inbox and I believe it to be one of my strengths.  I should also confess that I’ve always expected reading slush would teach me a lot about what works and what doesn’t, but also about subjectivity. Any writer has heard just how subjective the business of publishing is and I believe, within reason, they knows what that means, but believe me when I say reading tons of queries and submissions will put that notion in perspective that much more.

It takes but a couple of minutes browsing websites such as QueryTracker or Absolute Write to find threads where authors wonder what happens behind the scenes, on the publishers’ side, or who blatantly express their frustration and impatience about the whole publishing process. I’m of the mind that unless you’ve been in someone’s shoes, you can hypothesize all day long as to what’s happening – but you may be completely wrong. So part of it was also curiosity and the knowledge that as a writer, I would be able to say truthfully I know a little bit about what happens on both sides of the track.

And as a writer who’s received offers of pub from other small presses, what made WWP so attractive that you wanted to actually work for them!

First, there is the name “World Weaver”. Really, how awesome is that?! I liked the fact that they were a young press, and dare I say, not jaded. I’ve encountered some small presses who seem to live by a “the more the merrier” motto, where anything and everything is being published, stamped with Windows Paint covers and thrown in the world to hopefully sell. Being accessible although selective is something I admire in WWP. They’re about great stories filled with emotions, plot twists and amazing characters but also about developing a partnership with authors.

A welcome breath of honesty, that answer. For writers looking to indie publish, credibility is key. Now that you’re a mistress of the slush, what do you see too much and what do you want more of?

I’m only the humble reader after all and I feel I should put a disclaimer up front saying the following statements are mine only, not WWP’s.

I know you’re asking in terms of subs and I’ll get to that in a minute, but let me say out right I see more unprofessionalism than I had expected to. With so many blogs/website/social media outlets, there is no reason an author should be misinformed as to what is expected in terms of query and professionalism. Authors need to realize that regardless of the person on the other end of the email (from a CP to a big 5 publisher), being courteous and professional is the best first impression to convey.

I can’t say that I see too much of one genre because I love them all! Instead, I’ll say I see too many flat characters. A story can have intricate prose, a great concept, a crafted pace…etc. but if I don’t care about the character, then why should I care about what happens to him/her? Why should I care your character is going on a journey to discover the biggest chocolate pyramid on Earth? (This was obviously made up but in the unlikely event that this relates to someone’s story, it is purely coincidental).

Now in terms of what I want to see. I am a very eclectic reader but I would be lying if I didn’t say my forte was science-fiction – so yes, I’ll say it – I want to see more SF, ALL SF, but in particular character-driven SF!!  (Although make sure it follows the guidelines of the WWP website! –> CLICK TO SEE! <–)

Psst. One sec.

Did you notice there’s a link there?

Just checking. Carry on.

I’ll also mention that WWP has an annual ghost story anthology, Specter Spectacular II: 13 Deathly tales, which is open for submissions until June 15. Mediums, grim reapers, psychopomps…etc. Send it all!

We love us some fairy tale retellings and urban fantasy. Check the WWP sub page for the extensive list.

~

Would you ever consider crossing the desk permanently? As in giving up your own works of fiction to champion the works of others?

You’re a tough interviewer, my dear. Never say never, right? It’s all about fulfillment. If reading other people’s stories and carrying “la crosse et la banniere” (the cross and the banner) for them fulfills me completely then so be it, but as of now, I’m not there yet. Maybe I haven’t found the diamond in the rough just yet, so send me some diamonds.

That question was harder for me, I promise. I have a vested interest in you continuing to produce awesome sci-fi! (NIRVANA. NOW.) Ahem.

~

I hope you guys’ve enjoyed my first Frinterview! I, for one, might be hooked. I’m prepping to accost another friend with questions and song requests as we speak! Excelsior!

‎

 

Frinterview! feat. Stephanie Sauvinet (Pt 1)

So I have this friend and she’s awesome and I’ve mentioned her on several occasions before. We met on the QT forums (where friendships have been known to bloom) and started swapping work. From the outside, we looked pretty different. She, a hardcore sci-fi writer specializing in cyber and biopunk. Me, a speculative literary writer who went through a good ten years of reading literary fiction exclusively. But, no. Kismet. We found we’re both expats (she’s from France, living it up in Louisiana; I’m from the US, basking in the awesome that is Montreal); we both love music and could not write without it – in fact, I’m gonna splice in some of her favorite songs of the moment; we both love literature (of course!); and, yes, we both love sci-fi.

So, I decided it’s time you know her, too! And Frinterviews are born! So much more fun than a cold interview, everything I already know about Steph made it really easy to think of questions I really wanted her to answer. And go!

Stephanie still remembers the face of her middle school librarian when she returned Dune after reading it in one day. She wanted to be an archeologist for a long time just so she could find the Stargate but settled for being an adult/YA science-fiction writer instead. If only she could click her heels three times and materialize in a cyberpunk world, she would live there forever. (From her Pen Punks bio)

Thanks for letting me grill you, Stephanie-Dahling. I’ve had the pleasure of reading your amazing cyperpunk/biopunk – and you opened my eyes to the fact that I have always been drawn to punk fiction/film; what made you want to start the Pen Punks? And can you tell us a bit about what it is?

‎::Blushes::

The Pen Punks is a group blog focused on everything relating to Punk fiction, and a little more. I wanted to start the Pen Punks because of my love for the punk genres and my wish to spread that passion to others. Steampunk has been mainstream for a while now but most of the other punk genres (such as cyberpunk, biopunk…) have been niches, often completely unknown to the general public. Most people have had a glimpse of those genres (who hasn’t seen The Matrix or Tron?) while still having no idea that they actually follow specific science-fiction subgenres. I wanted to give readers the opportunity to discover those genres, learn about them and who knows, maybe even become as passionate as I am.

And it’s not just an awesome place to read about the varying genres or find out about forthcoming or classic punk novels, it even boasts a database of agents and publishers interested in the genre. Because Stephanie is lookin’ out, y’all. Click here to check it out!

In your other life, you’re a nurse – how intimately do these passions intertwine, if at all?

As different as both passions are, they seem to be bound to affect each other. Being a nurse has helped me tremendously in my writing as I have seen quite a lot of personalities and reactions from patients and families. Add to that the fact that I am an oncology nurse and the notion of grief and death are definitely put in perspective. All experiences have been a gold mine in terms of emotions in my writing.

My passion for writing and reading have helped me reach patients in a way (at least I would like to think so). 99% of the time patients in the hospital hear about their diagnosis, treatment plan, symptoms…etc. Noticing a book on a patient’s bedside table and asking about it can break the bubble of sickness and make them think about something else for a moment.

I love this answer for so many reasons, particularly transferring the emotional resonance from your unique work life to your characters, even though the situations may be as different as night and day. YES.

As a writer whose native language is something other than English (but who writes in English), how has the process of CPing helped strengthen your own work?

Where should I start? As an ESL writer, I should probably say that everything in the CPing process has helped me. Having lived in the US for almost 10 years now, I’ve been facing the fact that I’ve adopted some bad habits and crutches within the English language, most invisible to me unless they are pointed out. I’ve also had the pleasure to CP literary pieces and that has probably helped me the most because it showed me just how refined prose can be. Something that I had experienced in French literature but never in English. It has encouraged me to learn to love line edits.

See, this is why we’re meant for each other, children.

You have to pick a planet other than Earth to spend the rest of your life: which do you choose?

Dune. There was no guess there. The ecosystem and the hardiness of its native people makes it a fascinating planet. The fact that it looks like a giant desert at first glance but reveals to be so much more is all the more part of its attraction.

Please, believe. I *did* know your answer to this. ::Scout’s honor::

~

Srsly. Her love of Dune is arguably one of the first things you find out about Steph! And there’s plenty more to find out when we finish our Frinterview tomorrie! ::glitter cannon:: For now, I leave you with the only thing almost as awesome as her biopunk work-in-progress, Nirvana – the jamazing mock cover. To find out how it came about and who is the talented artist behind its conception, click the image! (As if you could resist it.)

 

And Start Again At Your Beginnings

One of the best things about writings – the tangible things, I’ll say, otherwise I’ll be making all kinds of obnoxious inserts like this! – is starting over. Taking everything you know, all the things that didn’t make it on the page and going back to the beginning. Or the fact that the beginning can change, if you like!

I’m starting to wonder if anything feels as good as revising. It’s a love so much more mature than the first time you write something down. (I should probably stop universalizing since I have no idea whether it’s true for anyone else, no?)

And it’s a small thing I’m considering maybe working on right now. A short story from at least two and a half years ago, if not longer. The heart of which I still need to tell. It’s what I used to write and so it’s exciting to go back to it – if alarming how many of its one-time companion pieces I no longer “need”… and so they’ll be put away for good. But this one, yes. It still matters.

I’d say it’s a wonderful phenomena, the privilege to start over, knowing what you know now. Only that would be dishonest – in real life, I’d never want to start again. Even though I could have done much better, there are too many minutes, too many hours, too much space in between that I’m not passionate enough to live again. So it’s only in my work that the concept is so refreshing. In real life, you do better by proceeding forward, knowing what you know now. It’s better that way. The story is doing the same, come to think of it. You’re starting over but you’re doing more than just reliving it again.

Mmmm, revision.

 

 

And So It Is

New idea: let’s talk about all the ways I’m dumb.

The most obvious way (to me – and feel free to chime in, friends, with things you’ve been dying to say but haven’t) is that I am loyal beyond reason. No, I’m not talking about toward people although, yes, even there I’ve experienced how that can be unhealthy but let’s stop being serious and let me ramble. I’m loyal in the way that one cannot not buy Crest and also doesn’t know why and I don’t have to set here and answer your questions. (Sorry. I watched Ali yesterday. Which won’t stop being on my top 3 favorite movies ever for always amen.)

I’ll just…put this here for ya.

So Crest. Loyalty. It’s like I think this is some intrinsic aspect of my personality. As if if people thought I used Colgate (which is a stupid and LUDICROUS, obviously) they would somehow misunderstand me in a very meaningful way and I would be misrepresenting myself and the whole system would fall apart.

And so, I find myself having to – or attempting to, at least – give long-winded, unwarranted and uninteresting disclosures (which totally works on Twitter, by the by) when discussing my writing soundtrack. Because there was a time that it was 100% Hans Zimmer/James Horner/Thomas Newman – and if James Newton Howard, Antonio Pinto and Dario Marionelli make their way into heavy rotation, I’m not hurting anyone.

But then Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy soundtrack sort of overwhelmed the writing of Cait, or maybe the revising, I can’t remember… and Florence & the Machine actually seemed to be singing about Avrilis, which was fine because I was reading, not writing. And when I was actually writing new words on new pages, I was still for the most part going back to my mainstays. Imogen and Elsie, they were conceived legitimately. (Was that a weird way to phrase that??)

And then I don’t know what happened. I re-envisioned one of them. And I can’t even really remember how I came upon it but I made a playlist of Tycho, Hammock and God Is An Astronaut. O_O And that’s all I’ve used. And I love it. And am also ashamed. … WHO is ashamed of things like this?! Seriously. What is going ON. When I talk about what I’m writing to, I feel the need to give back-story-info-dump on my progression and how maybe this shouldn’t so much be considered a progression (which the other party never said it was in the first place because they truly don’t give a good doggone beyond initial interest in seeing what other people listen to while working) because I still very much consider Zimmer/Et Al to be my writing companions even though, no, at the moment, I’m not listening to them but I’m sure I will – and, believe me, I understand such info dumps to be an occupational hazard. Yet I am helpless. Rendered ridiculous by a strong sense of loyalty to SOUND, when it comes down to it.

I dunno. Pray for me.

Oh and also, this:

Hiiii, angles that make me look ALL of the wide!

 

March. (Yep, that’s it.)

My. Bad. Is March just running away with anyone else?! <— Interrobang. ::snort:: That was for Jen-the-Twin.

So, my pretties, I wish I could tell you all the things (aw, I’m starting to get tired of that reference especially when it’s NOT making reference). Le sigh. Life. Is bigger. It’s bigger than you and you are okay, sorry, I have to stop. But fret not, my loves, because I shall replace that R.E.M reference with a song that I am fully drunk on right now.

I am seriously all in. ALL. IN. I’m having the same romance with Ellie Goulding I had with Florence and the Machine, Gotye, The Civil Wars and Page CXVI. Gotye wasn’t this intense, to be honest, but that isn’t saying much since the extreme to which I’m obsessing is just… indescribable.

HOW. HAWT. IS. THAT. SONG.

Man. Between that one and FATM’s Blinding, they totally have Avrilis covered. And I wish I could talk about it for a million words but alas. I cannot. Or much of anything that I want to. Someday, my pretties. Someday.

Oh and for those of you in some part of the world where March is actually spring? Here’s a pic from last week.

You’re welcome.

 

Don’t Think Aloud

Hi. December. How long’ve you been standing there…

It’s not that I don’t flurve this month and time of year and the new year approaching (yep, I love it even though we’ve never met) – it’s just all so sudden.

And that’s really all I had to say.

I mean, other than the following. Because it’s December in the mid-90s. And this is the first song that came to mind when I said December.

 

And We Are Very Good Friends

Life is so confusing. How can one simultaneously think (a) I am so beyond the point of having another baby and (b) what’s the point of life if I don’t have another baby? O_O Srsly. Who thinks these things – both. together.

I blame 30. 30 is almost definitely maybe beating me at this point. She brought her A game and I am routinely caught unawares. For instance: this is the age where I am perpetually confused as to whether everyone’s older than me or everyone’s younger than me. Like I’m in the middle of this transition. That’s it. That’s the end of the sentence. I’m in the middle of the transition. Like, it started last year and I dunno, next year it’ll finish? I have no idea. I just know things make less sense right now. I am serious, this is coming from a sappily married woman who is trying to explain the strangeness of 30: people can be too young for me to innocently say out loud that they’re handsome without feeling like a criminal.  That concept, I assume, becomes normal between now and 40. This year? It’s WEIRD.

Then there’s that whole having to ask friends whether they know what I’m talking about. Things that are rapidly becoming off limits with about half of my friends. Oh, I dunno. Toad the Wet Sprocket. Yeah. They are now background music of a party thrown by grown ups with tweens for kids. Meaning when I start singing along and pass the fake mic, my gal pal has no idea why I expect her to know the lyrics. O_o Music references are now in the strange middle ground where they’ll know stuff before my time and present day but not what I listened to in middle school. Sigh. Silverchair. O_O Silverchair, people. Arrested Development? Anyone?!

Now I realize there’s the recent throwback music that is represented on television and then the recent throwback music they throw in for authenticity – like Toad the Wet Sprocket. Because, seriously, the Rembrandts were so not a thing and who EVER heard the theme song for Friends on the radio?! Who?

Why did no one tell me 30 was awkward?! Because they either told me it was “old” (half my friends) or barely adult (the other half). Thanks for nothin.

That’s not my girlfriend behind me. That’s 30. Freaking me out.

Geez. Someone who’s 40 tell me I’ll be okay.

Oh, life.

(is bigger….it’s bigger than you and you are not me SEE THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! Why doesn’t everyone know what I’m singing when I do that?)

 

All The Choirs In My Head Say…

Listening to Breath of Life, Florence + the Machine…video at the end.

Yes, I saw SWATH and yes, I had comments. For me, it was sort of an obvious first film. Lemme put it this way – okay, first, I enjoyed it overall and really enjoyed parts of it – I didn’t take the holes (or anti-climax on two occasions) and lack of resolution in the love “triangle” to mean a sequel was warranted. >.> And I know the modern world wants us to be able to separate the people from the art but yeah, the recent news about the lead and the director (and the director’s wife being in the film!) does make me less than excited to pay to watch them work together again. No one recuses themselves anymore though, do they.

Anyway, that’s *not* what I came to talk about.

I need to read Cloud Atlas, to see how it’s done. I’ve always read this way so I don’t automatically assume that’s because I’m a writer… but maybe other people don’t ache to read something because they want to see how it’s done. Sigh. I hate saying things that encourage stereotypes – but reading this way and for pleasure aren’t mutually exclusive. That is pleasure.

And, at seemingly long last, my brain has found a NEW story – or its beginning – to gum on. Things it might be: a short story, even though I’d love to write another novella; general, psychosomatic where I’d like the cause to be speculative… no, that’s not right. I love psychosomatic as a cause *and* I hope the last breakthrough before I start to write is speculative – something that defines setting or…

Hey, look over there!! —>

::dashes away::

Florence. That. Girl. Kills it. For real, for real.

 

Bits of Random

Is it possible that the last time I opened this document was five years ago to the day?! That just seems. O_O Creepy. And the last time I printed it was two years before that, apparently. Geesh. Who says you can never go home again. Of course, I’m opening it to destroy it. Strip it for parts is misleading – makes it sound like I’ll use what I keep for another project. So really I’m tearing it down but preserving the landscape? Something like that. #BoringYou

So then – like four days later – I returned. Mostly because I saw a headline about people who… interfere with children “fighting” for their right to be on facebook. Of course, my very succinct response is, “Say what? Once more? You want what? To not be taken care of by this unsavory bloke I found in a dark alley with an impressive collection of knives? Right, then stand down.” This is what happens when we forget that protecting children should trump a criminal’s “rights”. Question – that may have been answered in the article but probably not because it’s yahoo news – would they be required to have a Megan’s Law seal or some-such on their profiles so that we all know who they are, as is stipulated in their registration, or would their desire to engage in “normal public discussion” outweigh the fact that there are young teens on the site? #Curious

>.>

<.<

…this has been a man drawer post.

 

Come ‘ere, people!

The problem is we let it into our homes. “The call’s coming from inside the house.” Seriously, could that be why comments on almost every internet article are so heinous? So offensive? Why twitter can go from hilarious to soul-crushing in one simple string of 140 characters? Because if I overheard almost outlandishly racist comments in the public ladies bathroom, I’d forget about it for like six hours and then right before bed suddenly remember and tell Josh about it and then forget again.

I may well become the recluse I always intended to be. Well. I mean, I may – with the help of sweet Jesus – actually disallow myself to log onto the internet in the comfort of my own home. Eventually. Because, seriously, it’s my home. And there’s a bunch of crazy strangers popping up all the time. Strangers I had no intention of engaging or hearing or anything. And then I’m upset and it lingers because home is where you go to find refuge but it *happened* here! Does that make sense? (Of course it does.)

And then also: I am nursing a three day old Antonio Pinto addiction. Have you ever watched a movie based on hearing the score? Then you and I can’t be friends. (I assumed you said no, which is crazy because who *hasn’t* done that!?) And also, I’m sort of lying because I’ve been addicted to Antonio Pinto’s “Requiem” piece in Collateral since I saw the film in the theatre. But I was looking him up the other day and came across a number of songs from Lord of War and then this happened:

Le Pass. Out. I was rereading – in prep for possible revision – one of my manuscripts and Lord have mercy. I seriously bought a defibrillator for all the times my heart stopped. O_O (I hate talking about writing and music sometimes because then I’m like, what if this isn’t the end all be all to the person reading this and a piece of me dies.)

::disappears::