A few questions about INDEXING, answered.: seanan

A few questions about INDEXING, answered.

The first episode of Indexing (check this link for more details) has now been out for a little over a week. Response has been generally positive, which makes me very happy, but there have been a few recurring questions, so I figured I'd take a moment to answer them.

1. Can I get Indexing for my Nook/in the iBookstore/for any format other than Kindle?

No.

I'm not trying to be harsh: it's just that this particular question has a very simple answer. Indexing was commissioned by 47North for the Kindle Serials Program; "Kindle" is right there in the name. While I am historically opposed to "format exclusives," I am okay with this one for two major reasons. One, the project would not have been possible if not for 47North saying "we want this for the Kindle, we will pay you to write it." Two, there will be a World English print edition in December, meaning that even those of us who don't us Kindles will get the opportunity to read it. It's just going to take a little longer.

2. Isn't this just going to increase piracy?

Probably. But I really do hope that anyone who chooses to pirate the serial because they don't use the Kindle will then buy the finished print edition, because I really, really enjoy feeding my cats.

3. Didn't I read this like, four years ago?

The serial novel Indexing is based on a revised and expanded version of the short story "Indexing," which originally appeared on the Book View Cafe in September 2009. The original story is no longer available online, and has not been collected in any print volumes.

4. Why can't I buy this outside the US?

The Kindle Serial Program is currently US-only, which means that the biweekly installments are only available to United States residents/people who know how to fool their Kindles. The print edition, as noted above, is World English, and will be available wherever there is an Amazon partner site. If you have questions about why this is, please ask Amazon; I cannot help you.

5. Is the Aarne-Thompson Index a real thing?

Yes! I own one. It is my pride and joy and it is enormous and it cost a lot of money and one day Bill Willingham will pay someone to break into my house in the middle of the night so that he can claim it as his own. Sometimes I just sit and pet it for hours. It's a very helpful scholastic tool, for a folklorist, and a really great doorstop for people who don't read indexes for funsies.

6. You know Bill Willingham? Does that mean you know about how there's a Snow White in Fables?

I do, and I do, but our Snows are very different people. Snow White is what's called a "public domain character," which is how there can be so many versions of her without Disney deciding to sue us all for copyright infringement. I love her because she's a fantastic mirror to hold up to other stories. She brings the apples and the glass coffins, we bring everything else. For other awesome Snow Whites, read Catherynne Valente's Six-Gun Snow White, Neil Gaiman's Snow, Glass, Apples, and Jim C. Hines's The Stepsister Scheme. Archetypes are for everybody!

The next episode will be out this coming Tuesday, and I just finished the first draft of episode nine. I think you're going to like what's coming!

Got any more questions?

akawil

May 30 2013, 16:35:18 UTC 4 years ago

New comment

It's also worth pointing out that you don't need to own a physical Kindle to read Kindle books -- you can read them in a browser, and there are also Kindle reading apps for PC and Mac, and for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone. (Amazon has all the details at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771&ref=kcp_ipad_mkt_lnd .)

seanan_mcguire

May 30 2013, 16:36:10 UTC 4 years ago

An excellent point!

sylphon

4 years ago

bookblather

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spectralbovine

May 30 2013, 16:47:01 UTC 4 years ago

I think you're going to like what's coming!
I think so too!

Does that mean you know about how there's a Snow White in Fables?
Oh my God Seanan did you really think you were the first person to ever think about using fairy tale characters in a modern context oh my God how presumptuous.

(Also, there's a Snow White, which is key to what makes this story unique: your character isn't Snow White, she is a Snow White. There can be multiple Snow Whites! Archetypes are for everybody!)

May 30 2013, 16:49:41 UTC 4 years ago

I know I am a horrible presumptuous person oh wait hang on no.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

And I like Henry. She's so annoyed by her story.

sheistheweather

May 30 2013, 16:53:26 UTC 4 years ago Edited: May 30 2013, 17:02:43 UTC

Is this the Aarne-Thompson that you have, or is there a better one out there? http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0313259615/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

ETA: Or I could, y'know, read the Wikipedia article and note the part where it says "multi-volume". Sheesh. *sigh* Nevermind.

ETA the second: I'm really glad these stories are able to be published! I really enjoyed the one back in 2009.

May 31 2013, 01:08:25 UTC 4 years ago

Mine, which was EXTREMELY cheap due to estate clearances, was over $500. If you see something posted for less than that, it's not the full ATI. Which is also essentially useless if you're not a folklore scholar.

jennygriffee

erikagillian

beccastareyes

May 30 2013, 16:58:40 UTC 4 years ago

It's a very helpful scholastic tool, for a folklorist, and a really great doorstop for people who don't read indexes for funsies.

You mean there are people like that? Weird.

(But it is nice to have some heavy books around for times when you need a weight. I've used my physics and math textbooks for props for various craft projects, or to make something lie flat when I can't iron it.)

vixyish

May 30 2013, 17:41:20 UTC 4 years ago

Or for when you need to beat someone who has broken into your house to steal your books.

ladymondegreen

braider

$Lucy ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* \(◕‿◕✿)/ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧: rilakkuma icecream$

momentsplinter

May 30 2013, 17:04:24 UTC 4 years ago

LOL now I feel like a dork for already knowing what the Aarne-Thompson Index was. Why do I know these things.

May 31 2013, 01:09:04 UTC 4 years ago

Because you're awesome.

tanac

3 years ago

indigoraven

May 30 2013, 17:17:01 UTC 4 years ago

Yep, finally have a use for that Kindle App that's been on my tablet since I got it. ;-> Not that I won't very likely also buy the print version. Mostly because the first taste of this story pretty much rocks and I want the rest like *right now!* Ok, yes, I get that that's not how serials work... But patience has never been a virtue of mine and now is certainly no different. That, and I'm laid up, so I have nothing but time to do things like read all of the things...

Oh, and I've been pimping your books to friends left and right, so hopefully they'll do the lovely things like go and buy your entire backlist. Just doing my part to keep the kitties fed.

May 31 2013, 01:09:19 UTC 4 years ago

Yay, thank you!

mbernardi

May 30 2013, 17:26:05 UTC 4 years ago

Oh woe, this doesn't appear to be available outside the US! It cannot be found on amazon.co.uk

sparrowpunk

May 30 2013, 17:29:55 UTC 4 years ago

The Kindle serial programme isn't available in the UK yet (damn it ¬_¬), but either it will become available or there'll be the print edition in Decmber to look forward to :)

jessikast

sfogarty

May 30 2013, 17:43:14 UTC 4 years ago

Glad to hear it will be a physical book! In-browser reading isn't nearly as much fun.

May 31 2013, 01:09:53 UTC 4 years ago

Agreed.

maverick_weirdo

May 30 2013, 18:54:10 UTC 4 years ago

I just wanted to say that using Aarne-Thompson Index numbers like Police Scanner Codes hurts my brain in the best possible way. Thank you

May 31 2013, 01:10:03 UTC 4 years ago

So welcome!

yellowblackhaze

May 30 2013, 23:11:45 UTC 4 years ago

Loved the Snow White comment. She's also one of my favourites from Fables, too although Jim Hines' Talia (Sleeping Beauty) was my favourite of his 3 Princesses in that series.

May 31 2013, 01:10:12 UTC 4 years ago

Awesome.

offcntr

May 30 2013, 23:39:52 UTC 4 years ago

Love the fact that Henry's last name is Marchen (German for a type of folktale). Immediately flashed back to my grad school Folk Narrative class. I was a ceramics major, but making narrative sculpture, so was totally justified in taking a storytelling class as part of my art history/art theory requirements, right?

May 31 2013, 01:10:29 UTC 4 years ago

Absolutely. I support this life choice.

marooux13

May 31 2013, 00:56:33 UTC 4 years ago

It sound so interesting that I want to read it , but I'm trying to buy the series but it saids "This title is not currently available for purchase" do I need to do someting else.??

May 31 2013, 01:11:03 UTC 4 years ago

Where are you located? The Amazon Serials Program is currently available only in the US, as indicated by the post above.

ladymurmur

May 31 2013, 01:50:44 UTC 4 years ago

The day a new book comes out is such a treat - having that thrill every two weeks? with this story?? *twirls happily*

I still get chills thinking that the Aarne-Thompson Index is a real thing. The coolness factor is beyond measure. Just.... wow. :-)

May 31 2013, 17:31:33 UTC 4 years ago

Folklore is awesome!

naath

May 31 2013, 10:00:33 UTC 4 years ago

:( for it being US only at the moment. I shall have to wait like a patient thing. Will there be a compiled ebook edition? or is it just going to be dead tree?

May 31 2013, 17:32:01 UTC 4 years ago

I do not know; you would need to contact Amazon. All I know is "the serials are US-only, the physical book will be everywhere."

fadedbluejeans

May 31 2013, 10:28:27 UTC 4 years ago

I waaaaaaaaaant it. Unfortunately, being in Australia, I will have to wait until December. Oh, well, I can wait. (I hate waiting.)

...I did find the moment when Amazon emailed me to tell me this existed (which I already knew), despite the fact that they know I am non-US and thus can't buy it yet, to be cruel of them, though.

(To be clear - I know this is not your fault, I am not blaming you, and I will be buying the dead tree edition when it comes out. I'm just being whiny and impatient.)

May 31 2013, 17:32:22 UTC 4 years ago

Yeah, it's weird and sort of annoying that they emailed you. I'm sorry. :(

suzanna_o

May 31 2013, 18:20:37 UTC 4 years ago

I love adding new things to my Kindle wish list! Thank you.

Also, I love your line: "Archetypes are for everybody!"

June 1 2013, 19:25:29 UTC 4 years ago

Thanks!

pickledginger

lejays17

June 1 2013, 10:19:59 UTC 4 years ago

Waiting (im)patiently for the print-edition in December. It's either Christmas or birthday treat, depending on what time of the month it's released.

Retellings of fairy-tales are almost my most-favouritist of things, so this is going to be a real treat!

The little hints from what others are saying have me very intrigued.

June 1 2013, 19:25:42 UTC 4 years ago

Hooray!

juglore

June 1 2013, 17:24:20 UTC 4 years ago

Just grabbed it. Looks good so far. Mmmmm bookcrack droolz.....

June 1 2013, 19:25:48 UTC 4 years ago

Yay!

Deleted comment

June 1 2013, 19:26:16 UTC 4 years ago

I fully understand, although as this is published by 47North, that may mean you can't buy the paper version either; they're a wholly-owned branch of Amazon.