Welcome… I’m New Here! Greetings from Iowa, USA

[BarbaraUS]

Hi, I'm a recently retired patent attorney somewhat obsessed with writing. I've written a near-future climate adult thriller set in Antarctica (my other obsessions). I've been at the querying stage for about three months, although it feels much longer. You know the routine: queries go out, rejections come in, but the dream is still alive! I'm trying to master the blurb for a future submission here. Looking forward to making some new writing connections in the colony!

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hi Barbara, and welcome.
Hope you enjoy it here with us.
Have you watched Agent Pete’s seminar on Blurbs? Is very excellent.
Xxx VH

 

[BarbaraUS]

Hi Barbara, and welcome.
Hope you enjoy it here with us.
Have you watched Agent Pete’s seminar on Blurbs? Is very excellent.
Xxx VH

Hi! Thank you. And yes, I attended the webinar and plan to watch it again. It was excellent.

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @BarbaraC A good book to check out, if you need comp title, may be Agent Pete's fabulous client, Michelle Paver, book. It's set in the Arctic as opposed to Antarctica, but it's with a look: Dark Matter: A Richard and Judy bookclub choice from the author of WAKENHYRST eBook : Paver, Michelle: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

 

[Jonny]

Hello @BarbaraC

A very warm welcome to Litopia.

Really hope you enjoy it here.

 

[James Marinero]

Welcome! Your book sounds fascinating.

 

[Barbara]

Welcome to the Colony. Nice to have you here.

 

[Jan L]

Hi, I'm a recently retired patent attorney somewhat obsessed with writing. I've written a near-future climate adult thriller set in Antarctica (my other obsessions). I've been at the querying stage for about three months, although it feels much longer. You know the routine: queries go out, rejections come in, but the dream is still alive! I'm trying to master the blurb for a future submission here. Looking forward to making some new writing connections in the colony!

Welcome, Barbara! See you on the blurb thread!

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Hello, @BarbaraC and welcome! Good to see you here. Remember to check out the Workshops and start posting and critiquing as soon as you feel comfortable. There's lots of great advice on query letters, too.

 

[Julie]

Hi @BarbaraC , welcome to the colony. Do make yourself at home here - it is a great place for test-driving writing and for asking questions; someone will have an answer!

 

[Eva Ulian]

Hello @BarbaraC Welcome to Litopia. Love to meet in person in one of our Saturday Huddles. Saturday Writers' Huddle Why not join us this Saturday?

 

[BarbaraUS]

That's so kind of you Eva. I just now saw this message. Trying to find my way there, but haven't taken part in enough chats yet! Is it every Saturday?

 

[BarbaraUS]

Welcome! Your book sounds fascinating.

Thank you James! Just starting to find out my way around here.

 

[BarbaraUS]

Welcome, Barbara! See you on the blurb thread!

Hi Jan, A belated thank you for your welcome. Where would I find the blurb thread? I searched forums for "blurb" and have watched the webinar, but don't see much activity there. If I had a blurb I wanted feedback on, where should I post it? Thank you!

 

[Jonny]

Hi @BarbaraUS

Best place to post it is in the Workshops. Here’s a link.

https://colony.litopia.com/forums/writing-workshops.80/

 

[Pamela Jo]

Newbie originally from Kansas here. Hail fellow midwesterner, well met. From movies and articles I've read in the last year my theory is that the super-rich all think they can escape climate change by moving to pristine arctic regions when they melt while the rest of us fight over the scraps of remaining land that will grow food. What do you think?

 

[Pamela Jo]

This Saturday is Christmas party.

That's so kind of you Eva. I just now saw this message. Trying to find my way there, but haven't taken part in enough chats yet! Is it every Saturday?

Submit a pic of something from your life and 50 words on a Christmas theme to participate. See the Christmas party thread. Knees up sort of means party, and that's what's happening this Sat., to my understanding. Bring your own comestibles. We can be the new kids together.

 

[BarbaraUS]

Newbie originally from Kansas here. Hail fellow midwesterner, well met. From movies and articles I've read in the last year my theory is that the super-rich all think they can escape climate change by moving to pristine arctic regions when they melt while the rest of us fight over the scraps of remaining land below that will grow food. What do you think?

There's a great book by Tobias Buckell entitled, "Arctic Rising" that considers such a future world. I often think about what happens when we become climate refugees trying to get into Canada? Surely they will be much more welcoming than we have been toward our neighbors to the south. I'm originally from Michigan BTW. Where do you live now?

 

[Pamela Jo]

There's a great book by Tobias Buckell entitled, "Arctic Rising" that considers such a future world. I often think about what happens when we become climate refugees trying to get into Canada? Surely they will be much more welcoming than we have been toward our neighbors to the south. I'm originally from Michigan BTW. Where do you live now?

Michigan, I think of wolves. There is a book proposing that Europeans are all refugees trying to get into Africa in the future dystopia. Young sci fi author I cant think of name now. I don't think humans can act any better than they have ever done in past migrations unfortunately. In Switzerland My husband and I tried to make a proposal that refugees get offered education and apprenticeships so that they are valuable assets in the future for either rebuilding their own countries or resettling somewhere that needs skilled people for development. We got told it would only make more come.. Our answer was-OK then you educate them and find new placements for those. You're afraid of having a permanent dependent underclass like in France. So change the dynamic. There will be a net benefit. Your education system gets better and better, your values get spread around the world and you have allies. Thing is Switzerland despite it's "700" years of democracy was only ever a confederacy of pirates with more in common with Jean Lafitte than any other form of government. I'll look up your recommendation. Have you read Kim Stanley Robinson The Ministry of the Future? Living in Wexford, ie. now. Plan on leaving this place feet-first. But making plans to be buried on the prairie in the same graveyard I visited with my grandmother on Memorial Day.

 

[BarbaraUS]

Michigan, I think of wolves. There is a book proposing that Europeans are all refugees trying to get into Africa in the future dystopia. Young sci fi author I cant think of name now. I don't think humans can act any better than they have ever done in past migrations unfortunately. In Switzerland My husband and I tried to make a proposal that refugees get offered education and apprenticeships so that they are valuable assets in the future for either rebuilding their own countries or resettling somewhere that needs skilled people for development. We got told it would only make more come.. Our answer was-OK then you educate them and find new placements for those. You're afraid of having a permanent dependent underclass like in France. So change the dynamic. There will be a net benefit. Your education system gets better and better, your values get spread around the world and you have allies. Thing is Switzerland despite it's "700" years of democracy was only ever a confederacy of pirates with more in common with Jean Lafitte than any other form of government. I'll look up your recommendation. Have you read Kim Stanley Robinson The Ministry of the Future? Living in Wexford, ie. now. Plan on leaving this place feet-first. But making plans to be buried on the prairie in the same graveyard I visited with my grandmother on Memorial Day.

I have read Kim Stanley Robinson. I find he has Soooo much exposition in his books. His Capitol Series was a little better in that regard, though. I spent a week at the Dilley Detention Center in Texas in 2018 trying to help mothers seeking asylum prepare for their hearings. All I could think was how lucky we would be to have these strong women in our country. Sounds like you understand such things... and here in the US we are all immigrants.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Brava. Indeed we are. Except of course for our First Nations. Ministry of the Future was a hard read as a novel, but I did learn a lot. I don't share his enthusiasm that the Swiss will save us, but they certainly are well ahead of the US in dealing with climate change. The impetus being Putin controls most of the winter heating oil for Europe and threatened to cut off Germany and Poland more than a decade ago. The US is contractually obliged to supply Nato allies and Japan with oil. My husband works with venture capitalists on finance for alternative energy projects.He's been involved with wind mostly and now Australia's surge towards non-lithium batteries. He's beginning to agree with me that the future is either the Industrial Feudalism warned against by economists like Galbraith or democracies survive by producing food and energy locally There can be no in between due to the power corporations have to keep the status quo. I don't think we are far off the Thuggee type terrorism in Ministry of the Future. How can we expect millions of people to die by starvation or heat without even an attempt to change their fate. Sorry, I did dive right in there didn't I? You came along just when our household was in fierce debate about this. I apologise for throwing you in the middle of it. Welcome. I look forward to your contributions as a writer.

 

[MartinR]

Hello, @BarbaraUS, fantastic to see you on Litopia. I've found you!