Although we typically post on Team Vox to let you know about things that are going on with Vox (to, uh, state the obvious), once in a while, we like to let you know about other cool things that are happening around the blogosphere. And we think the idea of four hilarious mommy bloggers traveling across the U.S. on their way to the BlogHer '08 conference - all the while blogging and video blogging the journey - is one trip you will not want to miss.
Four adventurous bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group were selected to participate in the Summer Road Trip '08 and blog about their travels, hotel stays, media appearances, time away from their families, and life on the road. Six Apart helped them partner up with General Motors, who provided the blogging mommies with a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV to help make their journey comfy, safe, and a little more green.
In case you're not familiar with them, SV Moms is a group of over 200 bloggers who showcase the ups, downs, outrages, struggles, victories, and everyday humor of motherhood. There are currently nine regional and demographically tailored sites that give mothers from D.C., New Jersey, the Deep South, Rocky Mountains, L.A., and Silicon Valley a powerful voice and sense of camaraderie across the country. Whether you're a mother, a child, or just a person who enjoys a good blog, you'll really love reading the words of these amazing women.
The moms buckled into their Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV on July 11th and even got an encouraging message from Katie Couric to kick things off! They are currently somewhere in the middle of America making their way to San Francisco where they'll attend an SV Moms Group Party, as well as BlogHer '08.
You do not want to miss these entertaining and irreverent bloggers -- or their spontaneous contest giveaways! -- as they blog from the road. Experience the journey at MomRoadTrip.com.
And let us know about your summer road trip - or plane/boat/bus trip - in the comments! (I like to live vicariously.)
SL: A novel with an automaton for a protagonist is about as steampunk as you can get, I think! What inspired you to write about Mattie?
ES: I am always drawn to not quite human characters -- I think because by being so essentially different they help bring into focus some of the more human concerns. With Mattie, who is explicitly a thing, it created an additional layer of interesting questions -- such as the agency of a created entity and the possibility of directly interacting with the person who gave her life. It also seemed like an interesting vehicle for talking about gender and essential definitions of such.
SL: The city almost seems like a character of its own in the book, and [your previous book] The Secret History of Moscow features a city as well. Is there something that draws you to cities personally?
ES: Yes, I do love cities, especially in the sense of them being expressions of people who live in them, accumulating those layers of history. The way they grow tells us so much about what happened to people in it, how this city came about -- LA, for example, is a city built around cars, while many European cities have such narrow streets that they are much more welcoming to pedestrian traffic. You see cities springing quickly with industrial development, or slowly expanding over centuries; you see cities planned on a grid and cities that are completely haphazard. So yes, places where people live are important because of what it says about them.
SL: Do you have a certain room or a certain space for writing?
ES: I have a small office in my house, and I do some of my writing there. I also have a NEC 900 handheld PC, and that allows me to write anywhere. I'm not at all picky about space -- I'm quite happy writing on a train or while watching TV with my husband.
SL: Which character is your favorite in the book? And which one gave you the most trouble?
ES: Mattie would be too obvious, so I'm going to say The Soul-Smoker. He is a sweet sweet man whose mere proximity will kill you. What's not to like?
Loharri was the most troublesome. He, as a perspicacious reader once noticed, is an asshole, and yet he's not devoid of some good qualities. So keeping him balanced and complex, without letting his veer into too much melodrama or evil, was difficult. The readers will see whether it actually worked.
SL: What's next for you? Do you have more books in the works?
ES: I have one more book coming out with Prime -- The House of Discarded Dreams, should be out next year. I am currently working on another book -- steampunk/alternate history. And I have a YA in the works, so keeping busy.
SL: Do you write your books in Russian or in English? Do you find that one language is more expressive or more restricting than the other?
ES: I only write in English, because I find it easier. Russian is a more complex language, and it is more difficult to write *well* in Russian -- for me, at least.
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Again, many thanks to Ekaterina, and I hope to feature more of this literary bent in future posts!
Do you live in or around Cincinnati, Ohio? If so, you're in luck because Scott and the Queen City Voxers Group have organized a Vox user meetup!
WHERE: Ault Park Playground. 3600 Observatory Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208. "We'll look for each other at the playground marked by the red X below. If it's raining, head for the shelter to the north of the [red] X."
To RSVP (which is not essential, but is appreciated), reply to Scott's announcement or send him a private message. All Voxers, as well as their friends and family, are welcome to attend.
If you do attend the meetup, have a great time and please take lots of pictures and send them to me so I can post them in Team Vox for everyone to see!
Thank you so much to Scott for organizing this meetup. Wish I could be there!
Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice. For ancient civilizations, this day was akin to our modern day New Year's Eve and was viewed as a time to reflect and renew. So why not kick off your summer celebration with a new theme?
See all of our themes in the Design Area.
Or choose from one of these brand-new themes. (Available under "New.")
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
Links from my Neighborhood
Check out the RockMe. Schedule. I'm not sure if this is a...
All of us as Six Apart
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