Category Archives: About Writing

Ian McDonald’s King of Morning, Queen of Day

Posted on 1 September 2011 by Robert

I’ve been looking forward to rereading Ian McDonald’s King of Morning, Queen of Day (Bantam, 1991) as it was one of the inspirations for my Askmore story cycle, and I particularly wanted to see how the novel held up for … Continue reading →

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Nobody Tells This to People Who Are Beginners

Posted on 27 August 2011 by Robert

My friend Andy sent me these words of wisdom from Ira Glass, host of NPR’s This American Life. I’m afraid I don’t know who did the lovely design work.

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Farah Mendlesohn’s Rhetorics of Fantasy

Posted on 25 August 2011 by Robert

When John Clute and John Grant’s Encyclopedia of Fantasy first came out, I was excited about having some more academic and concrete terminology to use when teaching fantasy, and indeed I’ve referred to EoF quite often in class. The terminology, … Continue reading →

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Kate Bernheimer’s The Complete Tales of Merry Gold

Posted on 18 August 2011 by Robert

Given my interest in adapting fairy tales, studying Kate Bernheimer’s The Complete Tales of Merry Gold is a perfect choice. Bernheimer’s novel—along with her first novel, The Complete Tales of Ketzia Gold, and her third, The Complete Tales of Lucy … Continue reading →

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Theodora Goss’ In the Forest of Forgetting

Posted on 11 August 2011 by Robert

Theodora Goss’ style appeals very much to me, although I’ve found that style tricky to pin down. Her style isn’t as distinct to me as Elizabeth Hand’s, and yet it still feels individualized. The one word I would use to … Continue reading →

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