So my novella, “What We Hold Onto,” is out there. The 36 thousand word thing is maybe a three hour read, if you’re a deliberate reader, a two hour read if you read fast, and represents hundreds of hours of my time, and the work of a dozen beta-readers, workshoppers, and editors.
What’s it about?
I’m not qualified to say, as my subconscious and conscious mind coughed it up, but I think it’s about a near future based on trends we see today; things becoming digital, physical possessions feeling like impediments, boat-anchors, Marlie’s chain; how we value our skills and our relationships over our cars and houses, at least those of us lucky enough to still have professional identities.
It’s about how climate change, and the threat of an uncertain economic future, wipe away a lot of what has comforted us in the past.
It’s a hopeful vision of a world in turmoil and an artificial race of human beings who respond to that turmoil rationally–and irrationally, with love for their fellow person and narrow tribalism constantly at war. As always.
It’s also a manic pixie dream boy story with a menopausal female protagonist.
I have invented a new(ish) trope.
Even Maude in Harold and Maude, is a Manic-pixie dream girl. Nobody inverts this story.
I did.
Buy it. Read it. Please.
Review it. Share it. Talk to me about it.
Be honest. Be respectful. Be a friend. Show grandmotherly kindness, if necessary.
Thank you.
Hi Jay, I read the novella and liked it. I especially went for the VR (AR?) stuff, the keeping of digital models instead of the things themselves. And the Nomad idea is cool! What’s a mucker? And where can I buy an auto-sherpa?
David
Mucker is short for amok as in running amok, and it’s cribbed from Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner, the SF writer who invented the idea of a the computer virus or worm in the novel Shockwave Rider.
Mucker drones or mucker bots are bots people use for random thrill killing. It’s super rare, but the media focuses on it so obsessively about it people think about it all the time.
Just finished reading “What We Hold Onto”; the first thing I did was flip back to story beginning to see what books of yours I could possibly find… Alas, seems like ther aren’t any (yet).
I really enjoyed the novella- the setting was a different but (sadly) plausible future with aspects of development that were a stretch but believable.
I was astonished at how real the lead character felt, and wondered at your ability to create such a realistic female character.
Thanks, looking forward to more of your work.
Just finished “What We Hold On To” & did the same thing Monty…. flipped back to see what books you have written so I could get more of you. I Loved your novella, loved it. I am going to explore your website and see if I can find more of your work. Do you have a book coming out????