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Welcome to December’s Issue of Mary Robinette Gazette
I wrote this month’s newsletter from Reykyavik, Iceland, where I caught up with friends like Hildur Knútsdóttir and celebrated my niece’s birthday. It was a delight.
I’m the English language translator for Hildur’s books, including The Night Guest, and, coming in 2026, Dead Weight. Both are highly recommended.
The other bit of exciting news this month is that Elsie is the newest official spokesmodel—or spokesmeowdel, if you prefer—for FluentPet (use the code “elsiewant” for 12% off buttons for your talking animal here).
We kicked off the collaboration on Friday, December 10 with a livestream on Instagram. You can find the video on the @elsiewants account. It remains available after the fact.
MRK’s Mundane Moments
Here’s a quick snapshot of what I’m…
- Crafting: Ēna (Shadow) Sweater
- Reading: The Salt Oracle by Lorraine Wilson
- Writing: “Elsie wanted to drop from the ceiling directly onto yelling-man’s head and make him pay with blood.”
- Watching: A Man on the Inside
- Enjoying: Being in Iceland
Upcoming Events
I have a few book signings, festivals, and other opportunities for connection coming up. I’d love to see you at one (or more!)
- Every Sunday, 11 AM ET: Make Me Write session for Patreon subscribers at that tier
- December 29, 8 PM ET: Patreon holiday celebration and listening party (see below)
- January 6, 8 PM ET: Patreon Q&A session
- January 24, 1 PM ET: Reading and signing at Booked Up, Kalamazoo, MI
- April 17-19: Keynote speaker at Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Colorado Springs, CO
- April 24-27: Featured instructor at Sandia Starforgers Writers Retreat, Albuquerque, NM (only 4 tickets left)
Featured Patreon Event
| Holiday Party – AND YOU ARE INVITED! December 29th at 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific Every month, I provide a new class for the writers in my Patreon at the Live-streaming Classes tier and above. And in December, I like to do something special. This year, everyone on my mailing list is invited. To attend at no cost, join the mailing list here. Plus, you’ll receive a surprise on your birthday! We will: Mix, mingle, and make merry Try three linked writing exercises to try our hand at something creative and fun Have a listening party for the two Apprehension-related songs I had commissioned Put the holiday party on your calendar (Dec 29th at 8 PM EST), and join the mailing list to attend. |
Elsie’s Corner
Before I left for Iceland, Elsie invented a new word combination that amazed me.
One of the challenges with Elsie when she’s trying to talk about a concept that she doesn’t have a button for, is that I have to do interpretation. I try very hard not to do over-interpretation and it sometimes means that even when I think I know what she means, I will wait for her to confirm.
So in a case like this, Elsie is trying to convey what she wants but she keeps having to add words. But she doesn’t add them until she realizes I still don’t understand which leads to these giant gaps.
And also, she’s basically a 3-year-old, who is ESL, and an alien. There are times when we are having two different conversations at the same time in the same way that you sometimes have that happen with a very small child. Other times, as in this instance it was a single conversation but stretched out as she was attempting to get me to understand.
But! I learned something very cool about Elsie in this conversation. If you want to see the new string of words she created to communicate a new food in her diet, watch the video here.
Want to start your own communication journey with your animal?
Click this link and use the code “elsiewant” for 12% off FluentPet buttons.