NaNoWri...no
November 2022
Aloha kākou and e komo mai! This is my November newsletter! There’s been a lot of ups and downs this month, including a failed NaNo attempt and some very promising publishing developments 👀 In the meantime, read on for:
What I’m currently reading/watching/listening to
What’s up with my writing (news and updates)
What I’ve been researching (and all the weird things I learn as an SF writer)
What I’ve been cooking (and if I succeeded or failed)
What my cats are up to (cat happenings)
HOWZIT? 🤙
One of the books I read this month was Aliette de Bodard’s FIREHEART TIGER! It was a lovely novella, full of heart and crafted with care. I loved the interwoven narrative of a nation resisting colonialist violence on the broader scale, as well as the personal story of a young woman trying to break free of her abuser and find healing in a new love. It was resonant and inspiring, particularly as I move into the brainstorming of a new project.
I finished A League of Their Own and. Oh. My god. I was told it was gay, but I was seriously unprepared with just how gay it was. I adore the original movie—a childhood fave—so I was already excited for a spin off series. That it was a story about being queer in 1940’s America…it collided with my latent baseball feelings and I was hooked. I was particularly delighted with the exploration of butch/femme culture, something that I’m very passionate about. There’s so much rich history there, and I hope it inspires others to dig a little deeper into that piece of lesbian culture.
The new project has some light religious themes—think god-kings and righteous holy warriors (Am I writing another book about a butch paladin? I will not be taking questions at this time). For the lush, heady, sensual vibes I’m going for, FKA twigs is unmatched. MAGDALENE in particular is perfect for this project, combining those vibes with the light religious themes in an album I truly adore. Oh yeah, it’s going on the playlist.
WRITER KINE STUFF ✍️
Well, so I mentioned a failed NaNo…
I started prepping for nihilesbians in October and started drafting in November. But all throughout the prepping and drafting stage, putting words on the page was a struggle. I was unhappy with everything I wrote, and the middle of my outline was completely empty. I started getting very frustrated, and it was taking a toll on my mental health.
I had a conversation with my wife about my new projects and they, genius that they are, pointed out I said A LOT MORE about a separate project than the one I was currently working on. In talking with them, I realized what was missing for me was the emotional core of the story, and without it I had nothing to connect with. I had a realization about my craft and process: I build my projects around characters and relationships, the personal stakes. And without a clear connection to that emotional core, I was totally lost. It was why I had more clarity and drive around this separate project—I already had the characters and relationships fleshed out in my mind, and I was eager to explore them.
So while I technically “failed” NaNo, I think I came away with a better understanding about my craft and what’s important to me in a project. If you’re similarly struggling, it might be worth reflecting on what you craft your story around. Is it a compelling plot? Powerful themes? Characters and relationships? Find what your core is, what you really resonate with. A friend told me to write what makes me happy, and my wife told me that writing is about finding joy in the process. Find your joy, and maybe it will be the kickstart that you need.
I’m excited to work on this new project and eventually share more about it. I’m running out of words here so I’ll save that for later, but it’s something I’ve never done before and is even more unhinged than HAMMAJANG LUCK, so look forward to it!
RESEARCH FIND 🔍
Did you know that with the right implant, you could sense magnetic fields?
Magnetic implants are one of the more common forms of biohacking, and it’s pretty much what it sounds like: a strong magnet (typically neodymium) is coated in biosafe material (such as silicon) and implanted under the skin (typically in the fingertips). With this mod, the magnet generates touch sensations in the skin, allowing the biohacker to sense the presence of magnetic fields.
One of my characters in HAMMAJANG LUCK has magnetic implants in her fingertips, which she claims helps her crack safes and pick locks more deftly. I didn’t find any biohackers using the implants for crime in my research, but finding cool science facts and getting creative about them is what sci-fi is about!
Cool, eh?
THIS MONTH’S GRINDZ 🍽️
It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and time to figure out what to do with all the leftovers. My favorite leftover turkey recipe is turkey tetrazzini—a creamy, herby, baked pasta. I love tradition, so this is something I’d like to continue making for my family. They seem to like it, so I hope you do too!
Ingredients:
2 (16 ounce) packages uncooked spaghetti
½ cup butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 ⅔ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 springs fresh thyme
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 cups frozen peas
4 cloves / 1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 5-6 minutes (gluten) or 3-4 minutes (gluten free) or until about halfway cooked. Drain, and place in the prepared baking dish.
Cook minced garlic until golden, about 30 seconds. Add diced onions and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
Thaw peas in microwave according to bag instructions.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to form the roux. Cook the roux until golden brown.
Mix in chicken broth and milk. Add herbs to mixture. Cook and whisk, until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in about 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese (you may need less if the mixture thickens faster), and remove from heat.
Mix chicken broth mixture and turkey, garlic, onions, and peas with spaghetti. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until surface is lightly browned.
POPOKI PICS 🐈
Everybody say aloha to Steve and Olive! Steve and Olive are nine-year-old and six-year-old brown tabbies, respectively. I met Steve when I met my wife, and Olive we adopted to be Steve’s emotional support animal (he gets anxious when he’s alone). Steve loves to snuggle and eat trash, and Olive loves sitting in laps and committing acts of violence.
SHOOTS! 🤙
That’s all for now! I know I promised my “how I got my agent” story for this month, but I wanted to share my lessons learned from NaNo. It seemed more relevant. Similarly, I think my querying story might be more relevant next month… we shall see.
Thank you for reading, and I’ll talk to you again soon! A hui hou!