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Archive for November 29, 2015

Finn Fancy Charity Giveaway

November 29, 2015 / Randy Henderson / No comments

Hey there fine folks,

The first 5 people who send me evidence that they’ve donated (today or later) $25 or more to one of the charities listed below, I will send a free hardback copy of Finn Fancy Necromancy. Evidence would be, for example, a screenshot of the thank you screen or email receipt (with any sensitive info removed or blocked out).

Most donations tend to be tax deductible, and can even double as an Xmas gift to someone (though that can be seen as obnoxious if the receiver isn’t someone who would truly appreciate it).

You can post your evidence in a comment, or send to my email randy(at)randy-henderson(dot)com

Charities:

Planned Parenthood:provides millions of women essential care like birth control and cancer screenings.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Works to create a culture where domestic violence is not tolerated; and where society empowers victims and survivors, and holds abusers accountable.

TrueColors: The True Colors Fund works to end homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth.

Or other charity of your choice battling such issues as poverty, illness, homelessness, or abuse.

Category: Personal / Tags: personal

Jessica Jones’ Broad Shoulders

November 29, 2015 / Randy Henderson / No comments

Jessica Jones, Jessica Jones.

On the one hand, this is just a superhero television show, so expectations shouldn’t be too high. On the other hand, it is a FEMALE superhero television show, and that is extremely rare, and so it carries a lot of hopes and expectations.

On the one hand, it is a gritty and fresh take on the genre with a kickass anti-hero and an unflinching look at the aftermath of abuse and the burden of power, and addresses issues of rape and stalking that are too often ignored. On the other, it is a derivative noir with an anticlimactic ending and problematic depictions of stalking which is made even worse by the fact that, it BEING so rare to have female superheroes, having her opening storyline focused on stalking and rape and romance is itself a bit sexist (as Christy noted, “Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio… If only Vinny’s sole reason to engage was because he’d been in love with the hero. But it wasn’t, was it?”).

Yet I can’t imagine telling Jessica’s particular story without showing this chapter of it up front. So in the end, I felt that, other than fixing a few plot issues and making the stalking less sympathetic in parts (based on comments I’ve seen sympathizing with him), the real need isn’t to change Jessica’s story, but to have enough shows with female hero leads whose stories aren’t centered on romance (whether good or gone horribly wrong) that you can have a show like Jessica Jones and allow it to simply be an action drama without it having to carry such heavy hopes and responsibilities and expectations.

Category: Comics, television / Tags: superheroes, television

Author Fest 2015 at Powell’s

November 23, 2015 / Randy Henderson / No comments

This IS the book you’re looking for!

Was part of Author Fest on Sunday at Powell’s Books in Cedar Hills, and enjoyed seeing so many friends and great writers, as well as Portland folks who’d bought my book or been to my Powell’s reading, and lots of new readers. It was, all in all, a decent turn out and an enjoyable 2 hours.

Additional pictures after the jump. Authors included:

Annie Bellet, Alma Alexander, Devon Monk, Barb & J. C. Hendee, Mark Ferrari, Shannon Page, Brent Weeks, Claude Lalumiere, Camille Alexa, Wendy Wagner, David Levine, Mike Moscoe/Shepherd, Jason Hough, Ken Scholes, J. A. Pitts, Patrick Swenson, Leah Cutter, Blaze Ward, Tina Connolly, Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Annie Bellet, Fonda Lee, Jason Gurley, Kristi Charish, Laura Ann Gilman, Randy Henderson, Django Wexler, and Jennifer Brozek.

Category: Conventions, Finn Fancy / Tags: conventions, Powells

When Discussing Paris and Beirut and Kenya and Damn It

November 14, 2015 / Randy Henderson / No comments

What a terrible week. As usual, there are folks quickly navigating to extremist positions (Thanks, Obama, for freeing terrorists!) (Thanks, Bush, for invading Iraq and creating ISIS!) (Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the “real” terrorists all seem to be Radical Islamists…)

Yes, I imagine this next week will see the inevitable debates between the extremist left and extremist right over where to lay blame for these recent attacks (in addition to those extremist Islamists of course — extremism and dogma are real problems over THERE).

I just want to make my plea for reason and kindness, and open minds. A problem can have more than one cause, and more than one solution, and laying blame seems to me more a cause than a solution. Understanding causes to prevent repeat of mistakes is one thing. Pointing fingers to score points for your team is another.

Category: Personal, politics / Tags: personal, politics

Why Your Book Club (or you) Should Read Finn Fancy in January

November 10, 2015 / Randy Henderson / No comments

While I hate promoting myself, I just have to mention that January 2016 is the absolute perfectest month to read my “dark and funny” contemporary fantasy novel from Tor Books, FINN FANCY NECROMANCY.
Why?

* Reviews describe it as a fast paced and fun read full of laughs, laughs and more laughs — a great way to stave off those post-holiday winter blues!

* It comes out in paperback January 5th, and you will have all those gift cards to spend! Or you can get the Hardback for nearly the same price earlier.

* The sequel, BIGFOOTLOOSE AND FINN FANCY FREE, comes out in February!

* If your book club is within reasonable driving distance, I’ll happily come join your discussion of the book if you’d like, and answer any questions you have!

* If your book club is in distant lands, or is online, I will happily participate in any online Ask Me Anything-style discussion you set up.

So when you all go to vote for what to read in January, might I humbly suggest that Finn Fancy Necromancy is, if not the best choice, then the even besterest choice!

Finn Fancy Tor Cover