A Change of Seasons

[pameladean]

Hello, I'm sorry I haven't posted since August (gulp). I'll update you on me presently, but right now I have excellent news that I think a lot of you will be very pleased to hear:

Cameron is writing again! Here is a link to her Mastodon post where she says so, and to a few paragraphs from the book in progress.

https://wandering.shop/@LateOnsetGirl/109831470215392362

I have been sitting on this news for a long time, feeling ecstatic but having to guard my tongue, so at this juncture I just want to gloat that just for this moment in time, I am the only other person who has read two whole chapters. I am smug and profoundly awed at my good luck.

Please note that the Mastodon post is a short thread; Cam is also working on, or being pursued by, a second book (of which, I continue to gloat, I've been allowed to read a short, entirely remarkable fragment).

For those of you who haven't been with me on this entire journey, in 1996 Cameron's first novel, The Fortunate Fall, was published by Tor, under her deadname, Raphael Carter. She also won the Otherwise Award, under, as she says, its deadname and her deadname, for the short story "Congenital Agenesis of Gender Ideation" in 1998.

All may yet be very well.

Pamela

Comments

[tbutler]

Oh! It's good to hear they're writing again. I hadn't heard anything about them since the Fidonet days, and was wondering what had happened to them.

[pameladean]

They've been right here with me all the time, but people really scattered after Fidonet. I still miss it.

P.

[rachelmanija]

I'm not on Mastodon but I am BEYOND THRILLED that Cameron is writing!

[pameladean]

I KNOW, RIGHT? P.

[rachelmanija]

I don't know how she feels about her deadname writing but The Fortunate Fall is a book I've read and reread and reread. The prologue is one of my all-time favorite pieces of writing.

[centuryplant]

I have complicated feelings about that book but entirely uncomplicated appreciation for anyone who remembers and rereads it, so thank you.

[rachelmanija]

I'm so incredibly excited to read whatever you write next.

[bunsen_h]

I'm glad to "find" you again.

In recent years, my wife has been reading a lot, strictly via audio books. I've been wanting her to read The Fortunate Fall. Have you had any thoughts of republishing it, including in audio form?

[centuryplant]

I'd love for it to be republished and I certainly wouldn't be averse to an audiobook. If there's any news on that front I'll announce it on Mastodon, and I imagine Pamela will probably mention it here too.

[oursin]

I saw that on Mastodon: such lovely news.

[pameladean]

I'm so delighted I cannot even. P.

[cmcmck]

Nice to see you again!

Hmmm....... there were people who wanted to tell me that I had to have a very specific gender ideation!

[pameladean]

There always are. This story kind of thumps them on the head, or maybe on the nose, depending on where you want to go metaphorically.

P.

[asakiyume]

Wow, two of us with special people in our lives with that deadname ... I guess maybe I've mentioned this to you before (I have a sense of that as I write this).

I'm delighted for her! Also, thanks to your link, I took my first ever look at Mastodon. I'll have to look up her already published stories.

[centuryplant]

Please give my regards to my fellow fallen angel!

- Cameron

[asakiyume]

Will do ^_^

[pameladean]

I cannot remotely claim impartiality, but THEY ARE SO GOOD.

I'm still getting used to Mastodon, but I'm hoping to stick around.

P.

[princessofgeeks]

all good news! great to see you.

[pameladean]

I'll try to do another post soon. P.

[graydon]

Hurrah for two whole chapters!

The mastodon posts were impressive indeed from this corner.

[pameladean]

I do love that opening. P.

[kate_nepveu]

please pass on my congratulations and excitement!

[pameladean]

Thank you! I have. P.

[halfmoon_mollie1]

I will go and look. Mastodon seems to be a very good place for writers. And it's so good to hear from you.

[pameladean]

Mastodon has its moments. I'm planning to stick around. P.

[bunsen_h]

I'm tremendously glad to hear that she's writing again. (And glad that you're updating too!) Even now, I'm occasionally telling people that they should read The Fortunate Fall.

[pameladean]

They totally should. P.

[thistleingrey]

New writing is very exciting! Thanks for sharing the info.

[pameladean]

I was very pleased to be able to do so. P.

[lcohen]

never read anything by her, but i am delighted that you are delighted.

[pameladean]

It's so great, I cannot tell you. P.

[bunsen_h]

I highly recommend The Fortunate Fall. It's packed with ideas and uses a lot of cyberpunk-y tropes without most of the usual grunge of that genre... exploring some of the more plausible consequences of those concepts. (Including prosaic things such as ["My medical nanobots need to be fed with alcohol. Now my car is refusing to let me drive."]) Its recent history includes a disturbingly-plausible American imperialism. If you can't find a copy via a friend or used-book source, interlibrary loan may help.

[stultiloquentia]

I'm enjoying the phrase, "pursued by a book."

[pameladean]

I guess it's that kind of book. Add "Exit" and I think it might make an interesting stage direction.

P.

[bibliofile]

Awesome news, Cameron's writing again. woohoo!

(And thanks for the link to the Mastodon account.)

[pameladean]

You're welcome, and I'll just holler "Hooray!" again on general principles. P.

[vass]

Wonderful news, thank you for sharing it.

[pameladean]

I'm so delighted that I could. P.

[sartorias]

HURRAH!!!! That is such awesome news!!!!

I was just thinking I ought to reread FORTUNATE FALL a week or so ago. Whoo, something new!

[pameladean]

There should be time to reread The Fortunate Fall first. P.

[sartorias]

I want it now! :-)

[pameladean]

ME TOO I TELL YOU WHAT. Don't want to spook the writer with too many puppy-dog eyes, but I do what I can.

P.

[centuryplant]

You're one to talk!

[pameladean]

A touch, a touch, I do confess it!

P.

[ljgeoff]

Thanks for the link! Heady stuff, and I'll keep watch for more

[carbonel]

Such excellent news! I had been guarding my tongue on what little I knew (for work-related reasons, of all things), but I'm very happy to hear that there are actual chapters at this point.

(waves at Cameron, in case there is nodding in)

[pameladean]

It's sure hard to sit on news like that.

P.

[sovay]

Cameron is writing again!

Mazel tov to her!

[pameladean]

Thank you! P.