[Caitlin]

I'm new here. Very green, forum-wise - so I hope you seasoned posters will do a bit of lead-taking, at least initially!

About me: I live in Toronto, Canada. My first book, A Telling of Stars, came out in 2003; my second, The Silences of Home, was published a month ago. As of yet, my books have no US/international publishers; Penguin Canada is it. Fingers crossed for developments on this front in the near future...

I'm a huge believer, both as reader and writer, in the potential for wonder in fantasy. My books have often been described as "fabular," which is fine with me (as long as the adjective isn't being used in negative fashion, which it has been once or twice!). I think my wonder-above-all-else fixation can be traced back to early literary imprinting: Lloyd Alexander, Ursula LeGuin, Alan Garner - the books I read as a child and young adult continue to be my benchmark for outstanding fantasy literature. I'm woefully underread in the genre at the moment. Between writing my own books and taking care of my two under-6 children full time, I find I have very, very little of my day left for reading. (Plus, while I'm writing I find I usually can't read fantasy - too distracting, maybe, too close to what I'm immersed in already.) (Anyone else have this problem?)

I play the trombone (well, not for several years, but I used to, regularly). I speak Spanish passably well and read it really well. I drink Chardonnay with great regularity.

And that's it! For now.

[Scott Bakker]

I drink Chardonnay with great regularity.

I would say with great, great regularity, but then I'm a drunk myself, and I sooo love company!

I'm close to finishing Silences (http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0143016814/qid=1112132492/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/701-9880937-7069934), Caitlin, and I have to say, it's a marvelous book. As I think I mentioned to you, you're holding your own with Cheevers, and that makes you Pulitzerian by default!

I have a whole bevy of questions, but I'll save them for separate threads when I finish-finish the book.

[Rob B]

Just great, another Damned Canadian. Seriously, Caitlin, welcome to SFFWorld. Scott has spoken (or rather typed) quite highly of your work. Looking forward to having you aboard!


-one of those who truly misses the NHL

Rob

[kater]

Welcome Caitlin - Gary's given you a major rap so now you have to live up to it ;) j/k :D As a LeGuin fan what did you make of the recent two-part Earthsea television adaptation?

[Caitlin]

Major rap...damned Canadian...drunk...

This is a lot of pressure. Yee-haw!

Thanks to Fitz, kater and Already-know-ya Scott for the warm welcome. Kater - my woefully-out-of-the-genre-loop includes, sadly, more than one medium. I didn't catch the Earthsea adaptation. Though I did read a very interesting quote by LeGuin, which basically said, "They've got the story all wrong, my motivations wrong; there's nothing I can do about it; sheesh" - though of course in her inimitably articulate (and amazingly non-aggressive) way. What was your reaction? Should you tell me now, before I see it? (which I must)

[Gemini]

Hi Caitin, welcome to SFF World! I'm in Australia and i read the Amazon account for your books, any idea when they'll be sold internationaly? As i'm to paranoid to give out any credit numbers on the internet *shifty glances to left and right* :D

[Caitlin]

Thanks for your welcome, Gemini! I have distant relatives in Australia...will ask my mom exactly where.

As for the international rights question: soon is the most hopeful, realistic response! Penguin's working on it. I have high hopes for Australia/New Zealand. I've heard there are extremely discerning readers there. ;)

[Radthorne]

...I have high hopes for Australia/New Zealand. I've heard there are extremely discerning readers there. ;)
Mostly discerning SF/F writers, such as Rocket Sheep and Alison, who run a tight ship down there, and whip all the other writers into line... :D

But enough of that (Rocket would say, *quite* enough of that, yes, thank you very much...). Welcome aboard the fair ship SFFWorld! And yes, I too find that I cannot read fantasy while I'm writing it, and for the very same reason. So I have to cram a whole bunch of reading in between manuscripts...

Great review over there on Amazon. I too am looking forward to a U.S. release of your books - would love to give 'em a read!

[alison]

Hi Caitlin - just noticed your new presence. Welcome - I'm finding this a very pleasant place to spend some cybertime. Why, you're even a newer kid on the block than me... my first book came out in 2002. It's nice to feel a bit senior for a change. And nice too to see that we share some similar "imprints" - for me important early ones were Garner, Le Guin...I still think they're geniuses! Yes, there are lots of fantasy readers in Australia - maybe we can do a swap, and send me to Canada and bring you to Melbourne!

I completely lost interest in the tv adaptation of Earthsea when I read that Ged had been cast as a pretty white boy. As far as I was concerned, that said everything.

As for reading/not reading fantasy while writing - I tend to read it, rather than not. I'm always looking for new books to inspire me and push me along. Maybe I'm just perverse!

Oh - and don't take any notice of anything Rad says. He's wicked and has his own strange fantasies (about whipping, so far as I can see) but it's probably best to leave him burbling in the corner over his schnapps.

[kater]

Kater - my woefully-out-of-the-genre-loop includes, sadly, more than one medium. I didn't catch the Earthsea adaptation. Though I did read a very interesting quote by LeGuin, which basically said, "They've got the story all wrong, my motivations wrong; there's nothing I can do about it; sheesh" - though of course in her inimitably articulate (and amazingly non-aggressive) way. What was your reaction? Should you tell me now, before I see it? (which I must)

Given the nature of LeGuin's quote its probably best I wait until you get round to seeing it, as alison pointed out its not exactly what you think :)