ShSmith book & review + another TPOTS reprint!

[ellenkushner]

OK, then here's another one - from the remarkable pen of sartorias, who wields a mighty & subtle fan. I haven't read her (writing as "Sherwood Smith") new novel INDA yet, but in the LAcon Dealers' Room I was able to swap 3 pb copies of TPOTS for one of these beautiful new hardcovers - even more beautiful on the inside: whoever designed it really gave it respect and grace, and deserves thanks for a book that's worth owning. There's more about INDA on Smith's Amazon Blog and on her website.

In other news: Bantam is going back to press for more copies of The Privilege of the Sword! again! Not as many as last time, though, so better buy'em while they're still around! (Or you can just go straight to the unbelievably gorgeous Small Beer Press hardcover.)

Delia's Changeling reading/signing tonight was swell - it was great to see so many friends there at Bank Street Books. I bought our very own copy of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, which my Cousin Els introduced me to last week in Seattle. And also Fly By Night, as recommended by allaboutm_e. Bank Street's staff are now very enthusiastic about Changeling, so they made Delia sign a huge stack of them - if you want a signed copy, that's where to get them in NYC right now! They also do mailorder.

Comments

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

My roommate musetoself introduced me to Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! last year--it's terrific! (Especially when she reads it aloud.) Apparently there's a whole series of Pigeon adventures I have yet to read. Also, if you're interested, the author Mo Willems will be at Books of Wonder on September 19th.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Eep! Do I want to see him - or do I just want him to remain a mythic figure??

re: ShSmith book & review + another TPOTS reprint!

[(Anonymous)]

Got my signed copies of Swordpoint and the hardcover TPOTS in the mail from Seattle's University Book Store! Thank you, thank you! Hardcover is absolutely lovely. I picked up the paperback TPOTS as soon as it came out, happily gave in to reading it before Swordpoint, and I'm just as excited to read Swordpoint second. I can't wait to delve into the deep secrets of the Duke's "formative" years! Literary analysis at its finest!

So happy to hear Delia's reading/signing was a success! I'm off to her site to thank her for my signed copy of Changeling (from Seattle).

All my best,
Meg Fox

Re: ShSmith book & review + another TPOTS reprint!

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Thanks - it was an honor!

And I think it's cool that you're reading TPOTS first. I don't think you'll be much surprised by the Mad Duke's past - he's just as awful as his sister said he was.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Oh, that cover of the hardback TPOTS is so much better than the paperback! I may have to shell out...

[You won't remember me, even under my 'real' name but we met a long time ago at the Blackpool Norbrek when you came over for a British Eastercon, and you became one of the only two people I've ever approached - in the dealer's room - with the simple need to tell you how much I loved your book.]

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

I do remember Blackpool as a haze of joy, of which you were definitely a part. Thanks for getting back in touch! I hope we'll meet again.

[wild-patience.livejournal.com]

Our local newspaper has a page for high school kids (written by them)once a week. One of its articles is a "Read This." This week the book selected was Sherwood's INDA. I believe the hubby clipped it and sent it to her.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

[alethea-eastrid.livejournal.com]

Hardcover TPotS arrived yesterday, and will be booktalked to my YA Lit class this December as part of my final project... ;)

[dyfferent.livejournal.com]

I work in a UK bookshop and originally ordered TPOTS for our shop based on the cover art alone (Baker and Taylor wholesale catalogue). It sold out. I ordered more, and this time I got one for myself. This last time I ordered 15 and they're flying off the shelves. I started ordering the two related books as well, and they sold out in one weekend.

So far I've read TPOS and Swordspoint and am halfway through Kings. I absolutely love your characters and settings and plots. :) And clearly I'm not alone! You are apparently fantasy gold dust in Reading, Berkshire, at least. I'll be ordering more on Tuesday when I go back into work.

[ktempest.livejournal.com]

From the Feminist SF blog:

therem Says:

One of my favorite slash books is Swordspoint, by Ellen Kushner, a lesbian author in a longterm relationship with another author, Delia Sherman. It is not pornographic by any means, but for me it carries quite an erotic charge.

Recently a sequel, The Privilege of the Sword, was published. Richard and Alec, the main characters of the first book, return but are not the main focus of the story. That position is reserved for Alec’s niece, Katherine, who for mysterious reasons is forced to dress as a man and study the use of the sword. This sort of ties it to the “tomboy” thread mentioned earlier. It’s an interesting variation on the theme because Katherine hates it at first and only endures it to help her family.

As time passes, she begins to enjoy at least the swordplay, and becomes quite good at it. She also begins to explore her sexuality, which is not obviously hetero- or homo- at first. The effect is of a stew of possibilities, a sort of anything-goes freedom, that I found very exciting and fun. I definitely recommend it, though people looking for hardcore stuff will be disappointed.

http://blogs.feministsf.net/?p=61