Something to share...

[Mythsaje]

I posted this to my yahoo group today and thought as I was reading over it that it might be something a lot of DUers would appreciate. Even if one doesn't care for sci-fi or fantasy, I think I represent a lot of "liberal" or "progressive" ideas in my work.

What do you all think of this?

From the email post:

I very much wanted to do something different than everything else I'm seeing out there. Dark, yet hopeful. Thoughtful, yet fast-paced. I'm leaning on models like Heinlein (one of the first mainstream male authors to feature strong female characters--and one of the most skilled at dialogue in my opinion), Spider Robinson (known by some as the "Empath" because of his ability to portray human emotion--I cannot recommend his Callahan's Crosstime Saloon books enough), and, a relative newcomer, Anne Bishop--for her massively powerful and accessible female characters, as well as her equally powerful and absolutely sympathetic male characters.

Not to say many authors haven't influenced me at this point. I could go on forever on this subject... I'm afraid I'm not much of a literary snob. I see value in books that a lot of people don't see. Take Ann Rice's Vampire Chronicles, for example. Her exploration of Lestat's humanity despite him being a blood-sucking fiend is something that still influences me.

I remember taking American Literature in college and wanting to tear my hair out. Taking apart the works of authors and tying their words into categories of allegory that, as a writer, I knew had NOTHING to do with what I wanted to write. I could only suspect that there are many other authors who don't fit into these definitions any easier than I would.

My underlying themes? Strength of purpose, gender equality, hope, humanity, faith in self, and belief that we humans are responsible for solving our problems--that we can't trust someone or something "higher" than ourselves to do it.

These are the things I believe in, and these are the messages in my work. Classical allegory has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

Sorry 'bout the mini-rant. I got a "B" in that Lit class, but it still made me want to scream. LOL

edited because I missed something during proofread.