For the first time, I have heavily censored a post. I am strongly pro-1st Amendment, and it doesn't sit right with me to do this. But there is no resolution of this situation that is going to make anyone feel better, so I have decided to respect the wishes of my friend's family and redact the post I wrote about my reaction to my friend's suicide.
It’s taken me long hours to convince myself that this family member’s not-so-veiled threat of litigation over something in which s/he has no rights needs to be translated. This translation should read: “I am in unimaginable pain, and if you do this for me, there’s a chance that the pain might be a little more bearable for today.”
I have been telling myself that compassion for the living is more important than a memorial for the dead. That whatever it is I’m feeling is just a drop in the tsunami of tragic feelings her family is dealing with. Any unkind thing I say to them now will be carried for the rest of their lives, and it can’t be taken back next week after I’ve cooled off. I keep telling myself this, but I still feel raw about it.
Per their request, I am removing almost every detail about her in my post, which makes the whole post quite ironic when read in context. Also at the family’s request, I am removing a heart-felt poem written by her which was posted in the comments section by someone who loved her. It is full of despair and beautifully touching. It is my understanding that this poem was published on the Internet. I firmly believe that a writer who publishes her poem would want it read, felt, and appreciated for as long as possible…
…which brings me right back to the mantra of “Compassion for the living is more important than a memorial for the dead, goddammit.”
Susan Ee
www.feraldream.com
This month is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The challenge is to write 50,000 words during the month of Nov. I dove in immediately after the World Fantasy Convention. The great people I met at the convention must have inspired me because I've been on fire since then. I'm writing at a record-breaking speed for me. Yesterday was my most productive day at 3,700 words. That's a long way from the 1,000 word glass ceiling I used to live under.
I'm off to LA tomorrow for a filmmaking seminar so I needed to meet my 25,000 word goal for Sunday by today. Good thing I'm deadline driven. I'm now at 25,349 words. Yay!
Now if I can just keep myself from being distracted by my lust for a new netbook, I'll have a very rough draft of a novel to work with by mid-Dec. I'm keeping my fingers crosssed.
I went to the World Fantasy Convention this week at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. It was my first World Fantasy Convention and I have to say that it ranked as my favorite of the four SF/Fan conventions I've attended (2 WorldCons and Wiscon). Just about everyone there was a writer, editor or publisher. The crowd ranged from famous to aspiring. Everyone was friendly, the feel was low-key, and the parties were great. The best party I went to was a book launch party for Soulless. The author, Gail Carriger, threw the party on Halloween, and it was beautifully catered by people dressed in full Victorian costumes. The food there was impressive! Her marketing efforts are working because a lot of people at the party said they have to buy the book, and I'm blogging about it right now. So there you go, when your book or film launches, throw a memorable party.
Oh, and the convention gift bag can't be beat--a huge tote full of newly-published books and magazines. :-)
