November 2020 - Gary David Gillen

Introduction

Provenance by Ann Leckie is the fourth book of the Imperial Radch series but features characters that were not in the trilogy. Ingray frees a prisoner to get information about a priceless artifact. She needs the artifact to earn prestige in her clan. Ingray is adopted and not the favored child. If she doesn’t earn the prestige she needs, she faces expulsion from her clan. Will Ingray find the artifact or end up clanless?

Summary

Provenance by Ann Leckie’s main character, Ingray Aughskold risks money and life to earn the prestige she needs to become the next Netano of her clan on the Hwae system. Netano Aughskold, her mother, adopted her into the clan. Ingray hopes to earn the title of Netano. Danach, her adopted brother, is the person most likely to become the next Netano.

The officials of Hwae system sentenced Pahlad Budrakim to life imprisonment at the inescapable prison Compassionate Removal in Tyr system for the theft of a still missing priceless artifact. If Ingray can free Pahlad and recover the artifact, Ingray can become the next Netano. She risks imprisonment if she is caught with the prisoner.

Ingray has few assets in her favor. They include Starship Captain Tic Uisine and Ingray’s Nuncle Lak, the financial officer of the Netano clan. She must use her wits and determination to succeed.

Recommendation

Provenance by Ann Leckie introduces an interesting character to the Imperial Radch series. Ingray’s goals are like Breq’s goals in Ancillary Sword and Mercy, but not in Ancillary Justice. The set-up with breaking out a prisoner from an unescapable prison was promising. That goal led to currying favor from her adoptive mother. I did not feel like Ingray was likable, and that made her struggle unsatisfying to me at the end of the novel.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Provenance by Ann Leckie

In Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, Breq risks losing the Athoek system to the Lord of the Radch’s rival. Will Breq navigate this complicated diplomatic situation?

In Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie, Breq is on a mission for the Lord of the Radch in the Athoek system. Breq must discover why Athoek transportees are disappearing. Breq risks losing the system to the Lord’s rival to solve the mystery. This is a link to my review.

In Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Breq plans her revenge on the Lord of the Radch. Her plans are in jeopardy when Breq befriends the disgraced former Captain Seivarden Vendaai. Will Breq carry out her goals or will the powerful Lord defeat her? This is a link to my review.

Writing Progress Report November 2020.

This is my Writing Progress Report November 2020.

There’s a new person at work. Kind of quiet though.

Writing Progress from October 2020.

I wrote three blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my writing progress report for October 2020 linked below.

Writing Progress Report October 2020

Updated no posts in October 2020 on my website to improve their SEO rating to good, to leave 18 posts to update.

In July 2018, I completed the first draft of my novel Assassin in New Marl City, totaling 99,981 words and 36 chapters. Completed pre-second draft (30 chapters long) in December 2018 at 89,072 words. Finished the second draft edits in December 2019 to complete the second draft edit. I started writing a new Chapter 1 in February 2020 and finished it in April 2020. The third draft will have 32 Chapters, and I finished the third draft edits on Chapter 3 in July 2020.

In October 2020, I submitted Chapter 4 of my novel named Cuba Liberto to the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio library.

In October 2020, I submitted the story “Fort Weimar” to the Introductory Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio library.

Writing Progress from October 2020 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in October 2020.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

The seven Flash Fiction Stories I have submitted in 2020 are Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, and Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue to magazines.

I submitted “Runs with Scissors” to Strange Horizons in September 2020.

In October 2020, I submitted “Principled Rouge” to Flash Fiction Online.

I submitted “Wormhole Generator” to Apex Magazine in October 2020.

Magazine submissions for 2020 are 7 unique stories submitted 18 times with 0 accepted, 1 pending, and 17 rejections.

I attended the virtual Gotham Writers Conference from October 16, 2020 to October 18, 2020. I participated in the Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers Roundtable with two agents. The agents commented on my query letter for my novel Assassin in New Marl City and the first two pages of the novel.

Events from October 2020.

They held a virtual conference called C’monfluence the Novelization 2020, from October 2 to October 4. The Guest of Honor was Martha Wells. I attended the conference virtually. They canceled Confluence Conference Pittsburgh because of COVID-19. I plan to go to the next Confluence from July 23 to July 25, 2021.

Link to Confluence’s website.

http://confluence-sff.org/

I attended the virtual Gotham Writers Conference from October 16, 2020, to October 18, 2020, sponsored by Gotham Writers Workshop.

https://www.writingclasses.com/

Writing Goals for November 2020.

I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for November 2020.

The name of my next novel is Cuba Liberto. I plan to write Chapter 5 in November 2020 and submit it to the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio library.

In November 2020, I plan to submit a story to the Introductory Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio library.

In November 2020, I plan to submit Chapters 1 and 2 of Assassin in New Marl City to the Writing Workshop at South Euclid-Lyndhurst, Ohio library.

I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. I plan to complete third draft edits for Chapters 4 and 5 in November 2020.

Submit the stories Space-Dog Confession, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, LARP Film noir, Sleeping Sickness, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, and Caliburnus. to other short fiction magazines. I plan four submissions for November 2020.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for November 2020 continued.

In November 2020, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account and update nine posts on my website to improve their SEO rating up to the good level, leaving 9 posts left to update.

Put the novel, Assassin in New Marl City, into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for November 2020.

The next conference I had planned to attend was ConFusion in Novi, Michigan from January 15 to 17, 2021. ConFusion is sponsored by the Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association. The Conference is canceled for 2021 due to COVID-19. They plan to hold the next ConFusion in January 2022.

https://2020.confusionsf.org