sci-fi fantasy lit column!

[rm]

So I'm going to be doing a column for Gather on the world of sci-fi and fantasy literature. My introductory piece is going on be on the ascendancy of this genre and why it's not what the people who aren't immersed in it generally denigrate it as. If any of you want to talk to me about why you enjoy this work and what it means to you and how the reception your interest in it as a consumer has evolved over the years, please leave comments and let me know if I can quote you if you provide this info in your comments. I am excited about this!

But, they want a catchy title to help brand it. What the hell should I call it?

Also exciting: a big check for some writing I did will be here exactly when I need it.

Comments

[lllvis.livejournal.com]

I'm more than willing to contribute! Although lately I'm not quite the sci-fi/fantasy ready I used to be, but I can still provide comments and yes, you would be free to quote me.

I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy and yes I treat them as entirely seperate genres. As a younger reader, say later teens into my 20's, I read a wider variety of things. I eventually developed certain limitations for what I enjoyed which more often than not had to do with presentation and basis. In other words, the more fantastic the setting and/or story, the better the basis had to be. By basis I mean something I can relate to, not necessarily anything 'real life' (although that helps) but presented in a way that makes sense to me. Without that, I'd lose interest quickly.

I wish I could recall the author I tried to read at one point that epitomized what I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy. She obviously had a love for gaelic history and incorporated that, as well as what I presume was the ancient gaelic language, into her story. THAT made it more of a chore to read than anything else, and like many chores I didn't exactly find it enjoyable, much less fulfilling for having done so!

However, I can thank the genre's of sci-fi and fantasy for introducing me to other classic literature. I found The Price, The Art of War, and The Book Of Five Rings all thanks to sci-fi and fantasy authors who referenced them in their writings.

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A title for your story? "Judging books by their cover" springs to mind but sounds a bit worn...