Shared Victory

Reposting because this seems more fitting than ever today!

From 9/26/2011

Ryan O'Neal of Sleeping At Last

Once upon a time, artists had patrons - wealthy men and women who gave them food, shelter and money so that they could pursue their art without the distraction of struggling for survival.

Not any more. Instead, all of us creative types have to stick together, to build each other up and support our artistic endeavors. Perhaps by virtue of living in Los Angeles, perhaps just by the kind of people I attract, I know a lot of artists. Most of us still work day jobs, still struggle to find creative energy after long days in the salt mines. We still stay up far too late or wake far too early because that creative passion burns inside us, demanding release, demanding we create.

Most of us have not received the kind of success our art deserves (yet).

When an artist I support does receive that kind of success - the success to pursue art without the need for a day job or the kind of critical acclaim true art warrents - I feel an incredible thrill. When über-talented Derek Hess (and Cleveland native) had a piece added to the permanent collection at the Louvre, I felt like is was victory for all us.

Ten years ago, my husband introduced me to Sleeping At Last, a band he discovered while living in Chicago his freshman year of college. It was love at first listen. I've followed their ups and downs (throughout the years, members have left the band, until today, Ryan is the sole full-time member), seen them live half a dozen times. I even watched two episides of Private Practice because they each featured a Sleeping At Last song. I listened to their album Keep No Score through my entire labor & delivery (so my son was LITERALLY born listening to Sleeping At Last). The poster for that album hangs over his crib. Their album Ghosts is my main soundtrack when writing Emma (there's a dance scene in The Alterae set to one of their songs in my head). I ramble on and on about them on facebook and twitter. I even quote song lyrics on this blog. I LOVE THIS BAND. I find so much inspiration in everything Ryan does.

This morning, Ryan announced that one of their songs will appear in the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1! (Insert squeals of delight on his behalf!) This is HUGE! We all know how powerful the Twilight franchise is - and I am so excited to see such an incredibly hard-working, dedicated artist share in that success! I really hope this will be the start of really big, really wonderful things for Sleeping At Last - and I fully expect you all to jump on the bandwagon now, before they're the hot new thing ;)

So keep the faith, keep making your art and may we all see success one day!

Speculative Fiction

Tell you a fairytale by LenaStinke on deviantArt

"... it is against the backdrop of fantasy and science-fiction that basic human truths can be best examined, magnified, and delighted in." 

- Jennifer Azantian, literary agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Basic human truth. Isn't that what the best stories explore? Those books that show you something you didn't know about yourself or the world around you?

I love speculative fiction - fantasy, science fiction, futuristic, the whole gamut. Because at heart, I like simple, honest, quiet stories. Stories that might seem boring, except that with some fantastic twist, it becomes something more, something deeper (like a broken superpower that becomes a metaphor for all the broken parts in each of us. Go ONE!).

On my worst days, I feel like what I write isn't serious writing. It isn't literarture. Sometimes I worry that means it isn't important. But just because a book is about fairies or demons or space ships doesn't mean it can't add value to our lives.

I'm reminded of A Wind in the Door, in which Meg faces an evil that Unnames things. It's so wildly outside my experiences, but I will never forget the impact that story had on me. Sure, I love Meg and Calvin. Charles Wallace makes me cry. Madeleine L'Engle will forever be my writing idol. But it's more than that too. It taught me the value of identity. It taught me to treasure who I am, to not let anyone "unname" me. It taught me that the most insignificant of us have unimaginably important roles to play within our own stories.

So speculative fiction might not receive the same kind of critical acclaim as literary. It might not draw the same attention as contemporary in writing contests. The market might be crowded and oversaturated. But it is important. It is valuable. 

Whatever you write (or create for my non-writer readers), hold to it. It's important because it's important to you. It's important because it's true on some level. Be it frothy romance, way out there space opera or sparkly fantasy, embrace it. Don't let anyone "unname" you. Be true to yourself and your art will be true too - and that (in my opinion) is the highest calling of storytelling. 

As always, I welcome your thoughts! Do you like speculative fiction? Or are you a realist? Do you feel like your art isn't as valuable as someone else's? Share in the comments!

Another Vlog - Inspiration & Best Critique

This time with make up! And I'll have a new, written post on Monday!