a miscellany

There are several things I want to talk about today, and (per usual) not a lot of time for me to do it in, thanks to the sheer madness that work has been lately. Ah, well. I suppose I should expect it.
Anyway. First. I know that the struggling economy has really sucker-punched a lot of people over the last year or so. Particularly, I think, people who try to make a living from their art. What really gives me hope is how people respond to their current hardship. Two examples are Cat Valente and Dawn Taylor. Cat has started a serial novel online, and you can donate whatever amount you feel appropriate each week when she posts a new section. Dawn has an etsy shop where you can buy fresh homemade chocolate and marshmallows, and S'mores kits! I love it when people get creative and do whatever they can do with their talents to help themselves. Beyond that, as fellow writers/artists/etc., we all need to do everything we can do to help each other out during rough times like now. So, everyone, go do some reading! Order some chocolate! Save the Artists!
Next, and also on a serious note, I just found out that David Eddings passed away at the beginning of June. This news really saddened me. His Belgariad and Mallorean contributed in a big way to me becoming the avid fantasy reader/writer that I am. I don't remember how I discovered his books, but I do remember that I was only twelve or so when I started with Pawn of Prophecy. I still have my battered mass-market copies of his books. They've been well loved over the years. I, in my turn, have used his books (among others) to turn other people on to epic fantasy. He was a good writer with some interesting ideas and some great characters. I always loved how he didn't leave out the more humane, humbling moments in his books. People want showers. They say the wrong thing sometimes. They doubt themselves. They get hungry. They want. His characters seemed so human to me, even the larger-than-life ones such as Polgara, Belgarath, Garion . . . Not to mention the gods he created. Just . . . good fantasy. And now there won't be any new David Eddings fantasy ever again, and that makes me sad. The up-and-coming generation of fantasy writers have some big shoes to fill. And David, wherever you are, I hope your journey to the Summer Country is a pleasant one.
I have more to say, but since it's time to go, it'll have to wait for another time. Have a good night!