The Story Oasis is Online!

"The world is a fucked up place for a little friendly turtle."

~Anonymous, left at the Story Oasis, Burning Man 2008

You know how you wish for something, and then it appears, like a mirage in the desert? Only it's not a mirage; it's real. That's how I found the Story Oasis at Burning Man.


I didn't even know it was there. I was just out, walking the Playa, following whatever whim called to me. Strangely enough, I had been thinking of a story I wanted to write earlier that morning. And although I had brought paper and pen with me, I didn't want to sit in my tent when there was so much to see and do. And the story was unique to Burning Man as well. So I thought to myself, in the thoughts that I think, that there wasn't any rush; if I were ever to write it, it would only be for my own pleasure. Where would it ever find a home?


And so there I was, on walkabout, just barely conscious of the wish that there should be a place here for writers to write. And then there it was: a modest hut, providing shade, paper and pens, and typewriters. And you know. Well. I just had to, didn't I.


And right after I sat down, a lovely man on a bicycle, with an ice chest in tow, arrived and offered to fix me a drink. A gin and tonic, to be exact. So I sat there in the shade of the Story Oasis, drinking my drink as the desert winds blew and the sun began its slow descent, and I wrote.


About that same time, the owner and creator of the Story Oasis came along to change the battery which ran the typewriters. I was really glad I got to meet Ben and tell him in person what a brilliant idea his oasis was.


And now? The stories created there can be read online. I haven't found mine yet--I've only read through Wednesday morning. I think I was there Thursday or Friday afternoon. There is a wide variety of ramblings, quotations, stories, and poems. The quote above is my favorite so far.


So... go! Go see the Story Oasis and discover more. Click here.

A Midsummer Night's Posting

My summer so far...

In Birthdays
My son’s 16th birthday was spent at BayCon over Memorial weekend (Actually, his birthday is May 30, which usually falls on Memorial weekend, but didn’t this year...). Brave soul that I am, I allowed him to invite two or three buddies to accompany him. So while I pecked away at my final term paper back in our hotel room, he and his friends ran amuck in the Santa Clara Hilton: “boffering” (beating each other with padded weaponry); picking up on chicks... er... making new friends with girls in bizarre costumery; and conducting a variety of experiments testing the nature of reality. Of the latter, one example involved (I am told) a trail of Mentos leading between the doors of two adjacent elevators in the effort to trap a Japanese businessman in an endless loop at 6:30 in the morning (the experiment failed, lacking the appearance of said businessman). Another involved a conversation Jared overheard while resting/hiding under a table during a brief respite from an elaborate game of hide and seek. The conversation, between a man and a woman, discussed the topic of reality. Unable to resist, Jared poked his head out from under the tablecloth and, quoting our favorite SF radio show Ruby, said, “Reality is what everyone agrees is real; what everyone agrees is not real, does not exist.” The man said, “Good point!” And Jared retreated back into his hiding place. You see, things like this can happen at a science fiction convention without anyone batting an eye. And *that*, I think, says more about the nature of reality than a stack of philosophy books.

My 41st birthday (July 26) was spent in my home with good friends old and new. We drank wine and ate tasty things and talked about travel and writing and other creative projects... Along with completing another Darkover novel, finishing up her own science fiction trilogy, and editing a second volume of Lace & Blade, Deborah is also actively supporting Live Long n Marry, Afghans for Afghans and Mother Bear projects. (These are truly wonderful grass roots organizations– click on the links to find out more)... While still maintaining the Joseph Mazzello fan club and website (which he originated back when Joseph was a wee lad), Mike is working on a new screenplay. (I can’t wait to read it, Mike!)... Guy’s wife Danielle and daughter Camille just got back from a trip to Mexico: part Spanish immersion, part art studio/museum tour. At an aquarium, Camille was actually lowered into a tank to feed the sharks! Way to go, Camille! Now Guy and Danielle are headed off to Sweden... Pete will be heading back to Singapore on business once again, while his wife Chris continues teaching music and a wonderful new dance form combining flamenco and belly dancing. (I have to take this class!)... Tony will be continuing his percussion training in the Fall, which gives our band such wonderful rhythm and keeps us all in synch... And Isabel, my Cabaret sister, is always on the lookout for another show to display her fine singing, dancing, and acting talents... But I have to say the prize for the evening went to Guy and the original limerick he read in my honor... ;-)

In Books
For the summer book clubs I’m teaching, I’ve read (and recommend highly!):

Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Under a Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Of the above, it’s hard to pick a favorite– they were all wonderful– but if I had to pick one it would be Goose Girl, the one based on the Grimm’s fairy tale (of course!).

For myself, the little casual pleasure reading I’ve done has included:

Finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel by Susanna Clarke
Starting Declare by Tim Powers (actually almost done with this one)

The former I couldn’t put down; the latter I’ve had to put down again and again. I can’t tell at this point if it’s just my schedule interferring with it, or if the book just hasn’t engaged me all that much. Fascinating premise, though.

I really should be studying. Really, really.

In Film
After a semester of Middle East studies, and watching films like The Battle for Algiers, and The Prisoner, and Until When..., I just haven’t been able to embrace my usual preference for foreign and indie films. So when I do get out to the movies, it’s been to see lighter fare: Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Wall-E, and The Dark Knight. I do love comic book heroes. And I’ll never tire of really well done animation.

In Music
Shadow Opera is doing great! We’ve been practicing new songs and keeping the old ones sharp. We had one really nice gig at Clos la Chance winery in San Martin in June which went really well. The crowd was very attentive and gave us some great feedback. One guy (a David Bowie fan) even ran in from the parking lot when he heard us playing his favorite song! (Ziggy Stardust, of course!) Later, when I sang Five Years, I dedicated it to him. We’ve done other smaller gigs– one at the bookstore and the other at community park– but the audience was somewhat lacking. We’ll be on a hiatus in August while Guy and Pete are out of the country, but hopefully we’ll get back to performing once September rolls around.

Hitting Things With Sticks– Who’d have known this was so fun? While Jared has been back east, I’ve sat in for music lessons with his guitar instructor. He’s teaching me some basic percussion. I joined the group session last Thursday and got to play along with the other students in a band setup. What fun! And I could actually hold the beat. What a surprise! I really should have done this as a teenager– puberty would have been so much more tolerable if I could have taken out my frustrations on clashing cymbals and other clickety-clackety things. This could be dangerous though... I think I’m getting a fever... and the only perscription is: MORE COWBELL!!!

On a classical note, I’ve managed to see the San Francisco Symphony twice this summer, once at the Flint Center in Cupertino and once at Cesar Chavez Park in San Jose. The Flint Center performance was a Cello concerto. I loved Lutoslawski’s Mi-Parti (1976)– It sounded like it could be part of a movie soundtrack for Star Wars or Harry Potter. I could *totally* picture Luke Skywalker stepping into the tree on Dagobah in Empire. Considering the time period, I wonder if John Williams was influenced by Lutoslawski. Mi-Parti was followed by Janacek’s Taras Bulba (1918); but the highlight of the evening was Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Opus 104 (1895). The beautiful Alisa Weilerstein played the lead cello. She was amazing. For a moment, when she first came out and faced the audience, you could tell she was aware of us, she took us all in. But as soon as she began to play, you could tell she was somewhere else entirely, transported into her music. And she took us along for the ride. It was as if the music came alive and the notes were dancing and swirling in the air around her. Her performance was so captivating, we completely lost track of time. Suddenly, it was over, and the audience was on its feet cheering. Brilliant!

The concert in San Jose was lovely as well– a Tuesday afternoon in the Park with Verdi, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky:

Verdi Overture to La forza del destino
Dvořrák Allegra con fuoco from Symphony No. 9, New World
Tchaikovsky Andantino in modo di canzona from Symphony No. 4
Tchaikovsky Finale: Allegro con fuoco from Symphony No. 4

I was talking with my bandmates about this recently– How artists see music. Some artists say they see it in colors, others as language or mathematical formulae; some, like Tori Amos, meet actual personalities in these sonic shapes. Me, I see landscapes. When I listen to music, especially classical music, but other kinds of music as well, it feels similar to when I’m sitting in an IMAX theatre with the camera skimming over the surface of some intricate geography– but I don’t see colors or definition, just a sonic impression, like a bat’s sonar, perhaps. It’s easy to get lost in it; sometimes I don’t want to come back. ;-)

In Scholarship
In June, I attended the Children’s Literature Association’s annual conference, held this year in Bloomington, IL. I submitted a paper discussing Icelandic children’s literature, and was invited to join their international panel focusing on Iceland. The other two scholars were from the University of Iceland– Anna Heida Palsdottir and Dagny Kristjansdottir– and they told me later I was this big mystery: Who else could possibly know about Icelandic children’s literature? Was I Icelandic? ;-) I felt a bit like Cinderella. We went to lunch and I told them about my trip last summer.

I had a wonderful time and met many scholars from all over the world: Iceland, Russia, Greece, Canada, Ireland, and all over the U.S. I met award-winning author Peter Dickinson from England. And I had the good fortune to get reaquainted with my friend Susan from my trip last year. We booked a room together– and after my crazy (mis)adventures with the delayed flights and losing my cell phone, it was such a relief to arrive and find she had my bed all ready and a note telling me there were snacks in the fridge. ;-) (Thanks, Susan!)

(Note to Self: Next time, pack lighter, wear running shoes, and put cell phone in the *inside* pocket...)

In Teaching
As I mentioned earlier, I’m teaching summer reading courses for an SAT prep school. My students range in age from 11-16. I like the junior high kids the best. They are so full of personality. They are both maddening and enchanting at the same time. And they can’t shut up to save their lives. Really. I’ve threatened them with all manner of torture and punishment; nothing works. One of them, the youngest, said to me one day, “Don’t you just love us, Miss Tanja? Haven’t we changed your life?” Yes, Justine. Absolutely.

In Writing
Last semester, my short story “The Kindly Ones” and my long poem “Denmark, On My 40th Birthday” each won first place in the English Department’s Phelan Awards.

Also, I am now a regular contributor to Bookbird, an international children’s lit magazine. I submit what is called “postcard” reviews (about 150 words). My first review should be coming out in the Fall issue. It’s pretty exciting. *International* publication. Wow.

Now if only I can get one of my stories published...

So that’s it. That’s the update. Until next time...



29 Days til the Burn!

All is Illusion

Last day of class: Critical Theory

Our final assignment was a choice between doing a compare/contrast essay on four critical essays we'd read over the course of the semester, or do a creative re-write, using what we'd learned of critical theory, to put a different spin on either The Tempest or Heart of Darkness. I chose the creative re-write assignment, and I picked The Tempest.

Or rather, The Tempest picked me. This happens when I get creative. I experienced, too, a kind of synergy between my two classes. I had done my final paper for 20th Century Poetry on T.S. Eliot, so The Waste Land was foremost in my mind. And I was thinking about Sycorax, the witch-mother of Caliban, who appears only in name in The Tempest, and suddenly, I could hear her voice intoning the words of The Waste Land, the words out of the storm. And just as suddenly I knew whose story I needed to write, and what form I needed to write it in. So using The Waste Land as a template, I wrote Sycorax's story, and I'm telling you, it's brilliant. ;-)

Actually, much of the verse, I'm sure, is bloody awful, but I made a brave attempt. I have to say, though, the idea is one of my best. My story functions as a prelude to The Tempest: Sycorax tells her story, and casts her spell. The result is irony. Everything that happens thereafter becomes caught up in her spell. She is in full control. All of the magic is hers. No one ever actually leaves the island. All is illusion.

A friend of mine in class chose to tell the story of Miranda's mother, who also is only mentioned in the play and not even by name. I thought her story and mine would work together well. We've promised to swap stories via email.

Another friend also chose The Tempest, but chose to make it a science fiction story. She set it on a ship: Prospero is a scientist, Miranda is his android, Ariel is a computer program, Caliban is an alien. Very clever stuff. I want to read this one, too.

I really enjoyed this assignment. It reminded me of what I do best: write stories. I need to make more time for this.

Living on Grad Student Time

When am I going to learn that writing a term paper really *does* take all night?


Term paper: 10 hours
Sleep: 4 hours
Condition of house: Absolute squalor
Condition of brain: [...soft, staticky hiss, background noise of the universe...]

Lady Moreta, Dragon Queen,
Save me, please, from going between...

Here there be Dragons!

"You impudent child!" said Merryweather. He absolutely hated that name. "The Knight's Codes of Honor booklet only has 218 codes in it, and code 218 says: 'Dragons must be avoided at all times because they may be guarded by beautiful, but deadly, maidens.'"
~An Afternoon with Tea & Dragon

The ides of March are not always unlucky. On this date in 1985 I entered Fremont Unified School District's Young Authors Contest... and I won first place!

My fairytale, An Afternoon with Tea & Dragon, grew out of a desire to see what would happen if a smart maiden (who was definitely not blonde! I was actively trying to break the blonde princess stereotype, you see) met up with a Dragon more interested in drinking tea and exchanging stories than fighting knights in armor. Throw in a bumbling knight and a talking horse (who later turns out to be Merlyn in disguise) and you've got my recipe for greatness.

I actually shared this story with a couple friends of mine recently. I read it aloud and, you know, the story really held up rather well, considering the passage of time. We were laughing our asses off, but not, I think, about the things I originally intended to be funny. What is the significance of the teapot being kept on top of the dragon's hoard? If Vanessa is such an independent maiden, why does she earn the dragon's admiration by fulfilling the traditional woman's role of making a pot of tea? Does the statement, "She makes an excellent pot of tea" mask any sly double entendres? I mean, you gotta wonder what all that talk of devouring maidens is all about. And what about the lance and javelin references? Phallic symbols, I say, Phallic symbols all over the place! Wipe away a tear for my lost innocence! I'm an English Grad student now! [snicker!]

Yes, it was my 15 minutes in the sun. You've got to wonder what I've been doing in the past 22 years. Well, I've been refining my technique, that's what. You just wait, one day the world is going to realize just how amazing I am...


Current mood: Relieved, because my migraine has finally gone away...sort of.
Current music: Sweet, beautiful Silence.