The Chosen Spirits Indian hardback is finally here! Smell of books folk, come on. Do the thing.
You Duck of Dystopia people get this news first, not just because you are my favourite people, but also because the author copies I plan to inundate social media with loving pictures of have not yet arrived.
If you’ve already got the ebook, I want to thank you again: the response, especially given the times we’re in, brought much, much joy to my jaded heart. Especially those of you who were kind enough to share responses, review it, and say the very kind things you did. Each of these made a big difference, not just to me, but to the book. Thank you.
The international edition continues to be temporarily unavailable thanks to a Kindle store error, apologies, I’ll have this fixed as soon as they’re less short-staffed and I can find a human at Amazon.
Also had much fun doing this interview in The Mint with Bibek Bhattacharya, whose climate change series you should be following when cyclones and locust swarms give you the time.
Speaking of cyclones
Some links for donations to Amphan-stricken regions: WB State Emergency Relief Fund, GiveIndia and Goonj. Please contribute anything you can.
(editing post to add, saw after sending out mail)
More Lockdown Funtimes!
Pictured above, the person who will probably tell you about the next phase of our lockdown. How are you all doing? Heartfelt sympathies to all of you who’ve been in complete isolation for a long time, and. Around a month ago our family was in much panic because my mother (she turned 83 this month, 101 people including 5 dogs across 5 continents wished her on video, some of you among them) had a health scare. Fortunately relatives in her city managed to help remotely with doctor visits, and she figured out it was just typhoid. She seems fine now, and is still sneakily doing office work she thinks no one knows about). I just hope you and yours make it out of this safely and hopefully the worst you have to personally worry about is how unproductive you’ve been.
On a more productive note, here is Yuval Noah Harari on life after Covid. FT but free to read. And the ultimate in aspiration nowadays - Mongolia’s perfect Covid response. Or if you’re less into responses and more into magnificent levels of reality denial, read about the world’s last Blockbuster video store. And in case you needed a deeper investigation on issues such as the regulated Czech coronatime nudists you got in the last issue, here is more news on increased nudism during lockdowns everywhere.
A few work things
I put this on socmed around a week ago and while I was joking a little bit…
I wasn’t entirely joking. I’m about to fall into a work hole for a couple of years on a few things I have lined up, and am currently doing an interesting foreign collaborative project I hope to be able to tell you about soonish. But on the off chance you’re reading this and we had something planned, tell me about it very soon.
I’ve also lost my brilliant assistant to higher studies, and need at least one more. It’s mostly research assistance with a little project admin, work from home, 8-10 hours a week, flexible. Paid, but entry-level, so a second job at best. Might be helpful if you’re a new writer too. [Update: I’ve found an amazing new assistant, so this is not longer a requirement. I’ll be posting on this newsletter whenever there’s a new work opportunity or collaboration requirement]
I’m also almost done with the teach-writing course I was trying out, shoutout and thanks to now beloved test subjects. Cannot wait to help unleash their books a few years down the line.
I’d also intended to have a proper Google form up for my ARC programme, but then a deadline happened.
More reading
This feels like it’s out of Chosen Spirits but it’s not, though Ch4 was inspired by earlier versions: Tiktok collab houses
Who cares if astrology isn’t real? Whether you do or not, this is a plug for my friend and new-minted(new-stellar?) astrologer Judy Balan’s new book. She possibly predicted she would be a no.1 bestseller immediately, but is too polite to tell.
(editing web-post to add next one, which I saw after sending out mail)
KJ Charles on consent in sex scenes.
Only 500+ beautiful illustrated Islamic-world manuscripts free to download.
Read all of them? That was quick, have some East India Company ships logs and suchlike as a treat.
A French author, a famous expert on murderers, made up most of his experiences and also murdered his imaginary wife.
Charlie Jane Anders, one of my most favourite authors, is writing a nonfiction book about craft that’s also part memoir. Tor is serialising it. I’m in.
Who bought the first of the Condor Heroes books ages ago but still hasn’t read it? This professional procrastinator. Here is a guide to the series.
The women who created a new language
Okay, now set aside some time for possible research before you get into this one: I was not ready for it, and neither are you. Wolf-kink erotica, the omegaverse, shapeshifter male pregnancy, and copyright issues.
There’s no business like
…well actually there’s pretty much no business at all, but some news/reads from the show-world I found interesting.
The Hamilton release has been preponed as we say. Might be censored but if you’re in India what’s new.
There’s also a Percy Jackson series being made on Dis+ which I’m looking forward to. And the next Mandalorian season can’t arrive fast enough. I haven’t seen Clone Wars or Rebels but this claims to be an all-you-need-to-know guide on those two series pre M2
An oral history of Mad Max: Fury Road
Do people still say batty to describe mad? Probably not, because otherwise this piece on Robert Battinson would have had a different headline.
This isn’t strictly showbiz, but it’s broadcasting I suppose, and you won’t mind: FC Seoul has apologised for sex dolls in stands.
Jordan Peele things are always super interesting.
Did you see the special Parks and Rec coronacharity episode? Did you see the coronacharity Community table read? Donald Glover also has a pitch for a Community movie.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is coming! In a world where reality and time have no more meaning, will it even feel weird? Will it feel like we understood everything?
Here are some ducks I enjoyed
Back in a bit
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Enjoy this thread on the sex weasels of the Renaissance. I’m off.