Saturday, November 24, 2012

"The Voices in My Head" now on Amazon

The Voices in My Head Kindle book cover
So if you wanted to read (or reread) the story but clicking through all the links is too much of a pain, The Voices in My Head is now a Kindle book.

Share the link with friends if you read the book and like it!

I'm not taking down the story from this blog, so if you prefer to read it for free, go ahead!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Mid-Week Reads: Work and Gender

Let's glorify obesity. Read this too.

I loved this post about how hiring based on hobbies can be exclusionary. I also found this post about drinking culture and exclusion interesting, though I am not a teetotaller and I haven't seen that kind of heavy-drinking culture up close.

Use these tips to devise passwords that keep hackers away.

So, I wrote another article for Women's Web -- the second of my monthly column. A taste:

Intel India, Lockheed Martin, IBM, Yahoo: all appointed women heads of business this year. 
Cue the self-congratulatory press releases and interviews, with the implication that the company is progressive or that the corporate world is post-feminist.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Quotes from The Second Sex


Some quotes from the Second Sex,* without comment:
In bourgeois society one of the roles assigned to woman is to make a good showing: her beauty, charm, intelligence, elegance are the outward and visible signs of her husband's wealth, as is the custom-built body of his car. If he is rich he covers her with fur and jewels; if not so rich he will boast of her morality and her housekeeping.
...
But a woman flatters not only man's social vanity; she is the source of a more intimate pride. He is delighted with his domination of her... the husband "forms" his wife not erotically alone, but also morally and intellectually; he educates her, marks her, sets his imprint upon her.
---

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Mid-Week Reads: Penis Roth

I loved this article about Phillip Roth and his penis-focused fiction (Penis Roth?) -- I've tried reading a couple of his books but have given up. Life's too short to read boring non-erotic stories about the penises of fictional men.

The previous article also reminded me of this satirical piece by Jezebel on men's writing.

I wonder how many friends this new-parent couple has, and how many they lost by demanding their friends perform difficult chores for them.

I liked this post on Women's Web about the prejudice against dark skin, especially when it comes to marriage!

Lastly, this delicious short story. (via requireshate)

Happy Diwali, you all! Take some time off from reading about dicks to spill oil over your new clothes or stop that candle from burning up your houseplant!

Monday, November 12, 2012

What I've Been Reading: Romance and Fantasy

Here's what I've been reading recently:

American Gods,* which I loved. It has lots of gods from different mythologies, most as nasty and unpredictable as ever. It was disappointing to realize how much Percy Jackson is inspired from this, but if you've read that one, this is just like it, but for adults. If you like fantasy, try it.

Oryx and Crake, which is the Atwood novel I liked least of all I've read. It's good and I read through it in about a day, but I found it a little.. oh, I don't know unconvincing and disappointing. The most significant event in the book isn't even explained, only described, and while I guess that was supposed to make this more awful, it added to the disappointment for me. (I grew up reading Agatha Christies -- I want all mysteries in any works of fiction tied up neatly into a bow at the end.)

Friday, November 09, 2012

Stuff I Love: Green Tokri

In this series, I'll tell you about products and services I love. I'm not paid to review these or anything: it's just stuff I've used and has been useful/entertaining/whatever to me and I think you might want to try it too.

This is only available to folks in Pune, but oh, how much I love Green Tokri. Fresh farm food delivered to your doorstep -- what's not to love?

And yes, it really is fresh. Fresher than what you get in stores -- and much of the salad greens and herbs in big stores is from Green Tokri anyway.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Mid-Week Reads: Novels and Dogs

What are some attributes of literary fiction? Read this primer for a list that helpfully tells you so you can write a literary novel.

Also read: If novelists share anything, it's a distant-dog impulse.

If you struggle with contentment (as I do), this is inspiring.

And I shouldn't link too often to my own stuff, but here are a few self-serving links:
That's it this week! Have you been reading anything fun? 

Friday, November 02, 2012

Short Story: Loneliness

I look out of the window. A stray dog is barking, shattering the silence of the night. I spot him some way away. He is not alone. It’s mating season, and his lover seems to need persuading.
 
I watch them settle down with a pang of envy.
 
I envy him more than the sex.

There he is, under the open sky, without a space to call his own. But not alone.

I walk back to my computer and find something to read. The empty bed that hogs much of the room has no attraction for me.