Thanks for dropping by to answer our questions, Genevieve!
Hi Genevieve. I enjoyed Mechanique very much, and it's on my 'must read again' list.
1) The narrative structure of the book - multiple changes to point of view, tense, and timeline - has been called 'challenging', 'daring', and 'exciting' by some reviewers...
- Was it challenging for you to write the book in that way?
- Did you need to employ any particular methods to keep it all under control?
- Did you set out with that structure in mind, or did it develop as you wrote the book?
- Will you employ the same style if you write more novel-length tales of the Circus Tresaulti, or was Mechanique a 'one-off' in that respect?
2) You're known for your prolific output of short stories...
- Mechanique has many short, punchy chapters and vignettes - did you approach the book with your 'short story head' on?
- You've also written three short stories set in the Tresaultiverse - 'Bread and Circuses', 'The Finest Spectacle Anywhere', and 'Study, for Solo Piano.' Were they written after the novel, or did the book evolve from them? Will you be writing any more?
- Are there any of your other short stories that you'd like to expand into a novel?
3) Kiri Moth's cover and inner illustrations (and the circus ticket bookmark) are superb...
- How did that collaboration come about?
- Any plans to work together again?
4) And finally...what are you working on at the moment?
Thanks!
1) The narrative structure of the book - multiple changes to point of view, tense, and timeline - has been called 'challenging', 'daring', and 'exciting' by some reviewers...
- Was it challenging for you to write the book in that way?
- Did you need to employ any particular methods to keep it all under control?
- Did you set out with that structure in mind, or did it develop as you wrote the book?
- Will you employ the same style if you write more novel-length tales of the Circus Tresaulti, or was Mechanique a 'one-off' in that respect?
2) You're known for your prolific output of short stories...
- Mechanique has many short, punchy chapters and vignettes - did you approach the book with your 'short story head' on?
- You've also written three short stories set in the Tresaultiverse - 'Bread and Circuses', 'The Finest Spectacle Anywhere', and 'Study, for Solo Piano.' Were they written after the novel, or did the book evolve from them? Will you be writing any more?
- Are there any of your other short stories that you'd like to expand into a novel?
3) Kiri Moth's cover and inner illustrations (and the circus ticket bookmark) are superb...
- How did that collaboration come about?
- Any plans to work together again?
4) And finally...what are you working on at the moment?
Thanks!
Ok, here's a weird one...I can see the sidebar option icon on every Gawker site...but io9.
You're not - that's exactly what he said: Entitlement issues
Ordered.
That's exactly what I read...and I'm not sure how I should feel about the fact that I was somewhat disappointed when I read the article and realised my mistake.
From your description, I think what you are seeing is a 'moondog' or paraselene. Photograph and short explanation here.
Before folk start getting the collywobbles about the overnight UK viewing figures for 'Day of the Moon' (5.4m, down 1.1 million from last weekend’s series premiere, but still the second highest of the day after Britain’s Got Talent), the final time-shifted figures for 'The Impossible Astronaut' were 8.86m, with an audience share of 43.3% - the biggest ever time shift for Doctor Who, and one of the biggest ever for BBC One with a +2.4 Million shift. Proof, if it were needed, that the way we watch TV nowadays is rendering overnight ratings redundant, at least here in the UK. Sources: here and here
Just to report...it's another gloriously hot day today in the UK, with cloudless skies over most of the country, so don't be surprised/concerned/alarmed if those Doctor Who viewing figures are down for the second consecutive week. #observationdeck
Just to balance this out...
- as has been mentioned, it was a gloriously warm, sunny day on Saturday (and we Brits make the most of those!)
- with Sunday repeats on BBC3, the ability to watch on demand via the BBC iPlayer (it's currently the most watched programme on there at the moment), the ability to watch later on hard-disk recorders etc, there really isn't a need to be huddled round the telly at the time of initial broadcast
- the episode commanded a 36.7% audience share, which was the second highest of the night across all UK channels
- the programmes immediately before and after only had 1.9 million and 3.6 million viewers respectively, so people were switching on specifically to watch Doctor Who
Don't panic!
- as has been mentioned, it was a gloriously warm, sunny day on Saturday (and we Brits make the most of those!)
- with Sunday repeats on BBC3, the ability to watch on demand via the BBC iPlayer (it's currently the most watched programme on there at the moment), the ability to watch later on hard-disk recorders etc, there really isn't a need to be huddled round the telly at the time of initial broadcast
- the episode commanded a 36.7% audience share, which was the second highest of the night across all UK channels
- the programmes immediately before and after only had 1.9 million and 3.6 million viewers respectively, so people were switching on specifically to watch Doctor Who
Don't panic!
"Finally, it's been confirmed that the show will include some form of tribute to Elisabeth Sladen in an upcoming episode. This may or may not be the same thing - we're guessing it is - as the recent announcement from the BBC that "The Impossible Astronaut" will include a dedication to Sladen at the start of the episode..."
The BBC are also showing a short tribute programme after Saturday's episode: SFX.co.uk
The BBC are also showing a short tribute programme after Saturday's episode: SFX.co.uk
Even if you think you understand it, Leonard Susskind and/or Richard Feynman will tell you that you don't.
"How many months did it take to make these kids watch Sir Stewart & Sir McKellen (haven't they been knighted by the Queen of England? I think at least one has)..."
They both were knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Oh, and..."In formal protocol Sir is the correct styling for a knight, used with (one of) the knight's given name(s) or full name, but not with the surname alone ("Sir James Paul McCartney", "Sir Paul McCartney", or "Sir Paul", but never "Sir McCartney")."
Yours, pedantically.
They both were knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Oh, and..."In formal protocol Sir is the correct styling for a knight, used with (one of) the knight's given name(s) or full name, but not with the surname alone ("Sir James Paul McCartney", "Sir Paul McCartney", or "Sir Paul", but never "Sir McCartney")."
Yours, pedantically.
There's an orphaned boy in Batman Begins who is rescued by Rachel Dawes and Batman (or is it Bruce Wayne? I can't remember) and I always thought that was Nolan's way of giving a nod to the character of Robin without including him explicitly. I'm pretty sure the boy is even wearing a green and red t-shirt combo as well. I always thought it strange that no-one else seemed to pick up on that - perhaps I confabulated the whole thing. Maybe someone would be kind enough to find that clip and post it here, to either bolster or batter my theory.
It's not just you.
@justvisiting: Perhaps I should have said: "You've already got a British Batman." Just so it was clear which side of the pond I was on. Or should that be Pond?
A British Superman isn't such a big deal is it? We've already got a British Batman.
@Charlie Jane Anders: Thanks for watching the whole film Charlie Jane, so I don't have to. Much appreciated.
I still want to see it 'cause Olivia Wilde is in it. That is all.
@Toastie: Exactly. I'm glad that Aronofsky is brave enough to attempt stuff like this, even if it's not entirely successful.
Excellent review Charlie Jane. Oh, and "...there are mirrors in almost every shot, and they sometimes hold menace if you look carefully..." has got me a little spooked already.
Excellent review Charlie Jane. Oh, and "...there are mirrors in almost every shot, and they sometimes hold menace if you look carefully..." has got me a little spooked already.
