From: Susana

This is a cheat question, and it's okay if you don't answer it directly. A friend directed me to http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/ kiddofspeed/chapter1.html in an e-mail with the subject line, "a girl, a motorcycle, and a geiger counter."

The narration in nearly flawless English by a Ukranian woman frames breathtaking snapshots (usually a contradiction in terms). The laconic tone and spooky fearlessness reminded me very quickly of Aud Torvingen, though I'm reasonably comfortable presuming that Elena is corporeal in a way that (alas) Aud is not. Have you seen the site?

I hadn't seen it until you pointed me to it. I skimmed through the pictures and prose, fascinated, but in such a rush that I thought I'd go back and scrutinise the whole at leisure when it came time to answer your question. Now I'm kicking myself for not not taking the time earlier, because it's vanished. Phhfft. Gone. From what I remember, it was an astonishing document. Eerie, cool, hyper-rational--at least until I stopped to wonder why on earth someone would deliberately ride through radioactive countryside on a bike. I honestly didn't (and don't) know what to make of it. I'd never come across anything like it. If you know where it's gone, please tell let me know. And how did your friend come across this in the first place? (I love hearing stories about how people learn what they learn. Serendipity seems to play a scarily large role, as I'm guessing has been the case with most human invention and discovery. See last week's questions for more on that.)

From: Jan (jberg@iprimus.com.au)

Was just checking out Ask Nicola. Saw that you: "don't really understand what it is about Ammonite that does it for people"...

I had to smile. I wish you could read it and see what I, and obviously others have seen and felt. Imagine... You meet a storyteller. You have no high expectations, you're just in a space where you're ready to listen. Maybe you'll find something, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll fall into the story, maybe not. This story is different, you're listening, and it's linear, the teller is leading you gently into the doorway of the ship and from then on you're on a path and a road taking you on to a story full of the richest imagery and depth. You don't have to try or struggle to get into this story - you're in there from the first page. You lose "self" because you can feel it, the story touches you, recalls adventures you meant to find. It's about guts - bravery. Did you ever play cowboys and Indians?

Then Marghe & Thenike, the scenes (I do see this as a movie!) where they come together - just incredibly descriptive, touching, all of that but full of love...

I hope all is well with you...

Cowboys and Indians? Actually, no. I preferred playing Saxons and Normans, or Romans and Celts, or Cavemen and humongous scary animals--mainly because I got to make my own weapons. I made bows and arrows, a great sling from a fake leopard-skin skirt I cut up, and a spear. (I told Kelley about some of my misadventures, which she repeated in a bio piece she wrote when I was a guest at a convention a few years ago.) If I was stuck on a desert island now, I'm pretty sure I could make the implements to kill rabbits and birds, etc. to feed myself. Always assuming that, Crusoe-like, crates of exactly what I needed washed up on the beach beside me: knives, string, fake leopardskin skirts...

I loved watching Westerns as a kid--I used to sit astride the arm of the sofa and ride it hell for leather during the opening credits; I also used to ride a broom around the back garden--but the gun part was unsatisfying. At least pretending to shoot guns was unsatisfying. Maybe if I'd had an airgun (or a BB gun, as an American would say) to actually blow holes in something it would have felt worthwhile. But pretending--jeez, it's like watching sports. Boring. Doing is one thing, watching another.

A few years ago I used a real gun for the first time, and wow, it was very cool. Noisy, though. Even with those ridiculously over-sized ear muffs it was deafening. But there's something about target shooting that just really speaks to me. If we lived in the countryside, I'd probably buy a bow and set up an archery butt. It might be interesting to shoot an arrow from a bow I hadn't made.

From: anonymous

This isn't a question. I just thought you might find this interesting and might like to post it with your resources links:

Feminist Karate Union http://www.feministkarateunion.org/

Oh, this is very cool. I love the notion of a woman with a black belt who was taught by a woman who in turn was taught by a woman. And now she's teaching women in her turn. I wonder how this descent through women transmission of skills will change the art. I wonder if the man who taught the three-generations-back blackbelt would see the art being pratcised by the young student as the same he taught decades ago? I love to watch things evolve. Thanks for sending this.

From: anonymous

This is not a question. It's just something I thought you would find interesting (if you haven't already seen it). It's a story from Women's E-News that reminded me of your novel Ammonite and comments you've made about not all women being peace-loving, vegetarian earth mother types.

Female Face of Abuse Provokes Shock
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=1828

Actually, I've been reading stuff about this for a year or so. Many educators are worried that violence between young women has changed--become far more prevalent and far more physical. I'm not around young women much, so I can't speak to facts, but if it is true, it wouldn't surprise me. Women are human, prey to all the faults and foibles of that condition. Some of us are vicious. Some of us are killers. Some take great delight in hurting the weak. That's always been true. What's changed is the social acceptability of women using physical violence as a tool.

Twenty or thirty years ago, public images of women being mean to each other were strictly verbal: cruel cliques. Every now and again we'd get a hokey catfight scene in a soap opera or a western. (And, oh, those women rolling around on top of each other might have made the twelve year-old me laugh contemptuously, but they also gave me a real thrill.) Even ten years ago, the image of a woman or girl punching someone in the face would have been shocking. Now it happens all the time on TV, in film, in games, in comics (it even happens in the latest Harry Potter film). Girls are told they're strong--but they're still told that being a boy is better. Boys hit other boys. It's not hard to see why for some girls, the logical next step might seem to be, Why shouldn't girls hit people? Naturally, they'll hit each other, because although they've been told they're strong, they've also been told that boys are stronger. (I tell you, there are times when I'll let to put all media creators in a sack and shake them until their teeth fell out.)

But why have things changed? I don't know. Maybe we're just more used to using our bodies: more sports, particularly team sports, which encourage a certain amount of body-to-body bumping. Title IX has probably changed a lot more of our social structure than we think. (But where did the impetus for Title IX come from? Feminism. But where did feminism come from? It's all connected.) Personally, I think physical violence is a waste, but sometimes a system needs to go through upheaval before it can settle into a better overall mode. Maybe girl-on-girl (and girl-on-boy) violence is on some level necessary. I really don't know. I'm curious about others' thoughts on this matter.

From: Kathleane (Stronggentlehand@aol.com)

Comment, not question. My friend Kelly gave me a box of all her books. This, of course, told me that she is an alien from another planet--or that I am, whichever the case, I could not imagine parting with most of my books on an individual basis, much less ALL of them. I'm sorting through the box...lesbian erotica, three coming out stories that look to be terribly written, and then this thing called "Slow River." After looking at what else the box held (and perhaps partially prejudiced by the fact that these books had been parted with so lightly), I wasn't expecting to find anything in there that was really worth reading--except that I've been desperately hungry for something, ANYTHING new to read. (I'm buying a house, and waiting out the next 4 days until I close is driving me insane!) Wow...this book has me, and I'm suddenly STARVING to see if you've written anything else. Thank god you have. This book is just beautiful. I'm a writer--I suppose many people are--but I haven't tried to get published. I wasn't sure why. Now I know why (pardon me if this sounds absurd)--I don't want to do a half-assed job of it. I don't want to put another book on the shelf until it is as deep, intense, and powerful as "Slow River." Thank you. Give my thanks to Kelley, too. I'm looking forward to reading your other books. Hope life is good for you.

Life is good, actually. Today I have a vile headache, and it's hot outside (all those people who talk about it raining all the time in Seattle are liars), and I'm feeling overwhelmed with work of various kinds, but, still, life is good. Better than good: great. I've had all kinds of strokes via my discussion list (which, to me, really is the point: I write so that others can feel the same kind of thrill I do when I read a great book; being told I've achieved that is, frankly, intoxicating); I've had interesting discussions with Kelley about houses and neighbourhoods and winning the lottery; I made myself the tastiest lunch imaginable (tuna stir-fried in green green green olive oil with mushrooms, red pepper and green pepper, onion, celery--oh, I'm a sucker for brightly-coloured food); I've rubbed faces with the cat who is looking particularly handsome today; I'm pleased with my novel-in-progress. Sometimes life is just damned good.

From: anonymous

Quand lirons nous la suite e "belle de nuit" en francais ?

Malheureusement, je ne sais pas. But if you find out, please let me know. And write in English. My French is terrible.