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The "Standard of Ur" from ancient Mesopotamia

The "Standard of Ur" from ancient Mesopotamia

25 March 2009

Eager for summer


Madeleine Robins writes delightful novels about a sword-wielding female private investigator in Regency England. She’s a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop.

Robert Crais also writes about private eyes, but his stalk the seamy back alleys of modern-day Los Angeles. He, too, is a graduate of Clarion.

Most Clarion graduates write the expected science fiction or fantasy: Tobias Buckell, Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Cory Doctorow, Gregory Frost, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Nalo Hopkinson, Vonda McIntyre, Tim Pratt, Kim Stanley Robinson, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Lucius Shepard, and New Orlean’s George Alec Effinger (now deceased), among others.

Soon, I’ll be among their exalted company: I’ve been accepted to Clarion for 2009. I and seventeen other equally thrilled and trepidatious new Clarionites will attend the grueling writing bootcamp for six weeks this summer, starting in late June.

Every week, each Clarion student will write a short story and critique everyone else’s story. Each also will have one-on-one time with the instructors, who this year are Holly Black, Larissa Lai, Robert Crais, Kim Stanley Robinson, Elizabeth Hand, and Paul Park. I’m not familiar with most of their work, so I’ll be busy reading to prepare.

I’ll return home in early August, shell-shocked and ready to share what I’ve learned on this blog.

Any extra sleep you can donate would be much appreciated.

✥✥✥✥✥✥

Other good news

Candace Proctor, a fellow SOLA member and an occasional visitor to this blog, is a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA contest. Her historical mystery novel Where Serpents Sleep (written as C.S. Harris) finaled in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category. Winners will be announced in July at the RWA annual meeting. Please join me in congratulating Candace.

Therese Fowler, who was interviewed on this blog a year ago, has a new book out this week, Reunion. Her first book, Souvenir, came out in paperback last month.

12 comments:

Angie said...

Oh, wow, congrats! :D I've had daydreams of Clarion since I first heard about it as a teenager. You'll definitely have to tell us all about it. [nodnod]

Angie

Shauna Roberts said...

Thank you, Angie. I've longed to apply for years, but when the cats were alive and I was working full time, it never seemed feasible.

Lisa said...

Congratulations Shauna! And promise us you won't run off and join the Marine Corps :)

Rae Ann Parker said...

Shauna, a huge congratulations. And I assume Holly Black on the faculty is the Spiderwick co-author. I'm sure you'll learn lots and I look forward to hearing about it on the blog.

And I'm thrilled for Candace's RITA nomination!

Charles Gramlich said...

Wow, that is so cool. Congrats! I used to think about applying to Clarion but I never seemed to find the time. It should be a wonderful experience. I can't wait to hear your reports.

Major congrats again.

Steve Malley said...

Bloody FANTASTIC!!

Scott said...

Shauna,

Congrats on the Clarion acceptance!

Hope you had a good Thursday...take care!

Leon said...

CONGRATULATIONS SHAUNA!

Lana Gramlich said...

Congratulations, hon! That's great news. :)

Amber said...

Congratulations Shauna!

Shauna Roberts said...

LISA, thanks! And don't worry about the Marine Corps . . . it may be easier than Clarion, but I'd be courtmartialed repeatedly and eventually booted out for not following orders.

RAE ANN, thanks again. You're right, our instructor Holly Black is the Spiderwick co-author. I got the first volume of Spiderwick as part of my goal to read two books by each instructor. What a cool cover!

CHARLES, major thanks! I'd thought about Clarion for a long time, too, but this was the first time I thought I could work it into my schedule. It helps a lot with the cost that it's only two hours away and that my husband has a laptop I can borrow.

STEVE, SCOTT, LEON, and LANA, thanks!

AMBER, sorry I forgot to include you on the family email announcing my acceptance. Thanks for stopping by and for your good wishes.

Sphinx Ink said...

How fabulous, Shauna! I hope you have a wonderful time, and get tons of benefit from the experience. I'll be eager to hear all about it. I hope you'll be able to continue posting on your blog while at the workshop.