Hi sffworld

[MDP]

Hi readers of sff world,

Dag has kindly asked me to be part of his chunk of c-space. I'm an Australian author and am more than happy to answer any questions on writing or my work which you can view at
www.mariannedepierres.com

best
Marianne

[Rocket Sheep]

Welcome, Marianne.

I'm a great fan of Parrish Plessis, science fiction hasn't enough synthetic leather wearing, butt kicking women IMHO, and I adored Nylon Angel, with the pace of a runaway freight train and great lines like: "she could have been Tinkerbell's kinky sister" and "she could pry secrets from an autistic sheep"... I love all science fiction that doesn't underestimate sheep, naturally. The grit, the tech, the fun, the romp, the grubbiness, the cool... hot stuff!

I'm also a great fan of Marianne De Pierres and the work you've put into not only building up your own work (being consistently published in mags and anthologies and the children's books), but also the work you put into the science fiction writing community, giving so generously of your time and money to help other writers. I'm just stunned by the level of commitment you show towards helping the whole Australian sf scene get a leg up in the world.

Can you tell me your own path with Nylon Angel to Orbit Books in the UK. Was it your short stories and children's books that helped you clinch the novel deal? Is it a three novel deal?

[Radthorne]

I can see that soon we're going to have to call this the Australian writer's forum...

Welcome to the show, Marianne! And don't let Rocket and Alison fool you - I'm really a nice person who quite likes Australians (and even the occassional wooly New Zealander).

[MDP]

Why thank-you for the warm welcome Bren and RADTHORNE,

My path to the Parrishverse was one of slow momentum and a *lot* of re-writing.

I don't know that one single thing gave me an edge towards significant publication, more like years of learning the craft. Certainly my children's stories, non fic and ss all helped establish that I could write something publishable but in the end I submitted Nylon Angel (which must have had at least ten titles) cold, to Curtis Brown in Sydney.

My (to-be) agent liked it and did some talking to other people. The manuscript had just made the short short list for Varuna Writers House manuscript development award. This helped a lot because the awards tended to mainstream choices. I think the fact that Peter Bishop championed it despite its genre, was perhaps a turning point.

Of course having an agent, as many will know, doesn't necessarily secure publication - a nucleus of enthusiasm for a manuscript is more important ie your agent needs to love it.

I've had many people, over the time I took to write NA, disparage it as a 'dead' genre. Whatever the opinions, I clung to the right to write whatever I damn well pleased, because in the end it would be the thing I did best.

Bit of a ramling answer but I guess the message is write what makes you happy, and then re-write it as blisteringly well as you can.

MDP

ps yes, it was a three book deal. Orbit are very cool.

pps I know Bren writes, what about you Radthorne?

[Radthorne]

pps I know Bren writes, what about you Radthorne?

Yes, ma'am; you can find me right over in a neighboring Author forum. Our good Rocket even gave my a spiffy review, which I've posted on my website. She's certainly the frendliest sheep around these parts...

And I heartily concur with "writing whatever you damn well please." I had numerous nay-sayers advising me that Asian-themed fantasy was a non-starter, but it's what I wanted to write, and there are readers out there who seem to want to read it.

Now, you must bottle up some of your self-confidence and send it in a package to Rocket forthwith. She writes some darned fine prose and just needs to believe in it as much as those of us who have read it do. (I have to end up saying these things in other author's forums since she hasn't arranged with Dag yet to get a forum for herself!)

[Tari]

Hi readers of sff world,

Dag has kindly asked me to be part of his chunk of c-space. I'm an Australian author and am more than happy to answer any questions on writing or my work which you can view at
www.mariannedepierres.com

best
Marianne

hey Marianne,
howz life going? i'm only new to this stuff but just thought i'd say hi and stuff. see how u was goin.

[MDP]

Yes, ma'am; you can find me right over in a neighboring Author forum. Our
And I heartily concur with "writing whatever you damn well please." I had numerous nay-sayers advising me that Asian-themed fantasy was a non-starter, but it's what I wanted to write, and there are readers out there who seem to want to read it.

Asian themed fantasy - that rocks. Have you read Flowerdust etc by Gwynneth Jones. V. cool books.

I've tried to support Bren in a practical way ie Clarion. I'm waiting for her to come to Envision though so I can really kick her in the pants

[MDP]

hey Marianne,
howz life going? i'm only new to this stuff but just thought i'd say hi and stuff. see how u was goin.

Hi Tari life is good. How about you?

[Radthorne]

Asian themed fantasy - that rocks. Have you read Flowerdust etc by Gwynneth Jones. V. cool books.

I've tried to support Bren in a practical way ie Clarion. I'm waiting for her to come to Envision though so I can really kick her in the pants

Thanks!

I haven't read Flowerdust, but I just went over to Amazon to take a peek. Seems that it's not selling new (at least through them); if you go to the used copies, some are selling for 39 cents! Now that's what I call a mark-down... Hopefully Gwyneth had a good run on it while it was still in print. I will try to track down a copy locally.

And when you see Bren, give her one for me too! ***waits patiently for the expected retort from his favorite sheep***

[Tari]

hey Marianne

life is good. what do you wirte? me personally i'm a fantasy fanatic. i'm currently finishing off my final sketches and details for my first childrens book (despite the other one that was burnt in the house fire. long story but shame.) so i'm hoping to send that off to a publishing office by the time i start school again. yes school. really boring place actually and too much brain power goes to waste there. or so i think.

[Tari]

***waits patiently for the expected retort from his favorite sheep***[/I]

we'll have to do that when the sheep returns.

[MDP]

Thanks!
I haven't read Flowerdust, but I just went over to Amazon to take a peek. *[/I]

Try to get hold of 'Divine Endurance' first. 'Flowerdust' is the sequel. The books have an exotic flavour.

[Rocket Sheep]

I've tried to support Bren in a practical way ie Clarion. I'm waiting for her to come to Envision though so I can really kick her in the pants

Oh great, a kick in the pants... you see what happens when you start airing my dirty laundry, Rad?

Marrianne and Kim Wilkins provided a grant which helped me get to Clarion last year. Cash is very practical and I was overwhelmed that they thought to put together a grant out of their own pockets.

I always thought Envision was more for fantasy types... mind you, I thought the same thing about Varuna, so it was interesting to hear that they helped you out, Marrianne.

[MDP]

I always thought Envision was more for fantasy types... mind you, I thought the same thing about Varuna, so it was interesting to hear that they helped you out, Marrianne.

Definitely not just fantasy. I usually take the sf manuscripts and we've had magic realism, comic fantasy, horror. The first year I had a comic sf. To be absolutely sure I was on the ball I had a secondary reader more experienced in that sub-genre, cast an eye over it. We try and accommodate any type of speccy novel.
MDP

[Jacquin]

Hi Marriane

Welcome to Sffworld. I read earlier you have struck a deal regarding publishing in the UK, is this in effect yet, or do we have to wait for your work here in blighty?

Jac