'Cause she thinks SHE'S the passionate one...

[vschanoes]

I have a new story up at Tor.com today, "Ballroom Blitz." It's a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale set in a punk dive on the old Lower East Side. It's a story with a lot of history behind it

Comments

[anonymous]

I like the story.
The depiction of depression resonated.
I decided to click on your comment about the genesis of the story and I saw your mention of pregnancy and I thought I'd pass on my story.
I have PPD. I had thirty years with a (presumably) regular brain chemistry, then *whammo* black despair. Then because my body decided that it was in fertility mode and why stop, so baby #2 was crafted right away. So yeah, pregnancy + nursing was all on antidepressants. Ignore the NYT, it was fine. You'll be fine.
....Well the first three months of baby life are tough, but that's how its supposed to be. Lack of sleep makes it tough for anyone to function. And take care to not miss a dose.
Ok, that's my encouragement/advice from someone who has been in your shoes!

[vschanoes]

Thank you for the supportive info! I'm very lucky that both my ob-gyn and my psychiatrist are completely on board with me, and the more stories I hear like yours, the better!

[fwilde]

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

dancing with you.

[vschanoes]

Thank you!

[rimrunner]

This sounds great. I look forward to reading it.

[vschanoes]

Thanks!

[rosefox]

Your mother was so in shock that night at KGB. I don't think it was about Jake or Isabel--I think it was retroactively about you. It's one thing to watch someone go through an awful adolescence; it's another to hear what it was like from the inside.

I'm really glad you gave them a happy ending. I think it's one of the bravest things an author can do.

[vschanoes]

Oh, my poor mama. Now I feel bad for doing that to her. I didn't mean to, you know. I figured she already knew, because we've talked about in detail and she's seen me through some terrible episodes, and because she's a therapist and blah blah blah.

Yeah, somebody had to get a happy ending sometime, you know? And Deborah and Ruth got to stay together in "Burning Girls," and Leib and his partner whose name I'm blanking on get to stay together in "Among the Thorns," and Itte is happy with her baby and will take them all to England, but it's still a pretty grim ending--I mean, you know those people are still sleeping. So yeah, something less ambiguous was in order.

[chuk_g]

Yes, I think the happy ending really works -- I mean, for pretty realistic values of 'happy'.

[vschanoes]

I'm really glad to hear it. I wrestled a lot with that ending and how it should go. It's probably the most written and re-written part of the story. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell me!

[indighost]

[vschanoes]

Thank you!