1. Hilari Bell has two new books coming out in November and in January. (I'm SO there.)

She also is making an appearance in Colorado on September 27. Any of you near enough to cadge me an autograph? I'll buy some new (paperback) copies of a few of her books I only have in hardcover for that! (She's about the only author I buy hardcover.)

And - listen, this is soooo selfish, but here's the thing. I know I don't write fic, or essays that are specifically one fandom or another. I don't do fanart, and I don't make vids. But I like to read what other people have to say, and it's lonely being, essentially, a fandom of one here :( So, you know, check out her books. (Please?)

2. So, onto the meat of this, I just re-read This Perfect Day today. Got me thinking - which sort of dystopia is better to live in? The sort where everybody is miserable, but at least they all KNOW they're miserable, and have freedom in their own minds? Or the sort where everybody is blandly content and (usually) seemingly free, but they can't even think as they will, and trying to convince people that they're not free is a fool's errand?

I go back and forth between the two options, myself, but mostly I come down on the latter. If you don't even know you're caged and trapped, you don't care, but if you're cold and scared and hungry all the time you probably really *really* just want a nice meal and some world peace on the side.

Tags: books, hilari bell, thoughts
I'm feeling: cheerful