Into the earth I trampled it down
Colder again today, but knowing that spring is near helps.
Here's a nice little write up from "The Agony Column" regarding the forthcoming third edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. The piece was posted way back on November 11th, but I only just saw it yesterday. Obviously, I don't agree with its take on the cover of the Meisha-Merlin edition, but that is a small affair. I do rather adore being called an "odd writer," especially when that comment is followed with these sorts of comments: Her work is at once visionary and hyper-real, shrouded in the supernatural yet anchored in the gritty evocation of our hardscrabble lives. Reading almost anything she has written, you might find yourself thinking "Faulkner" one second and "Lovecraft" the next. These are not names or styles that rest comfortably close beyond those pages penned by Kiernan. So, yes, thank you, Rick Kleffel. Lovecraft and Faulkner I can live with.
When I was talking to Bill Schafer at subpress yesterday (or was it the day before?) about the sf collection, he told me that I "could not allow this book to become a burden." And he's right. A big part of what he was referring to is the nightmare of copy-editing and revision I took upon myself in preparing the ms. for the third edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. Between my poor health and all the work that must be done for Sirenia Digest and the writing of Joey Lafaye, there simply is not time or energy to put myself through that again. Fortunately, however, all the stories that will be included in the sf collection are recent, and I have not yet grown uncomfortable with their voices, or, rather, with the voice I wrote them in. The oldest of the stories, "Riding the White Bull," was written in 2003 (as opposed to 1994 with Tales of Pain and Wonder). But yes, no burden this time out. I promise.
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Again, my great thanks for the generosity, the donations that have come in the last four days, the eBay bids, the well wishes, and the new Sirenia Digest subscribers (some from as far away as Australia!). All of you, thanks. I thought about trying to list everyone by name, but the list would be gigantic, and I would inevitably leave someone out. So, please accept this blanket expression of my gratitude. For now, the medical/dental expenses are covered, which I find nothing short of amazing, given how worried I was about money as recently as Wednesday morning. Now, I can simply concentrate on getting well and getting Joey Lafaye written, and that is such a huge relief that it is rather dizzying. Overwhelming, as I have said. You guys are the draddest, which is to say, you rock. I'm not putting the PayPal button up again today, but the eBay auctions continue, and it's never too late to subscribe to the Digest.
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About 5:30 pm yesterday, we had a walk. The weather was good, just a little nip in the air. The dogwoods have buds. The Narcissus do, as well, and the Camellias have bloomed. Mostly, we walked up and down Sinclair, as far south and east as the intersection with Carmel Avenue. There are a few photos behind the cut:
Spooky talks with Daisy.
Daisy Dog!
The Fabled Dinosaur of Sinclair Avenue (a bit overexposed).
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Last night, well, not much to last night, but we did catch two new episodes of Torchwood. And now, the platypus says I'm being a slacker, and the coffee has not yet magically appeared. Damned unreliable caffeine gnomes.
Here's a nice little write up from "The Agony Column" regarding the forthcoming third edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. The piece was posted way back on November 11th, but I only just saw it yesterday. Obviously, I don't agree with its take on the cover of the Meisha-Merlin edition, but that is a small affair. I do rather adore being called an "odd writer," especially when that comment is followed with these sorts of comments: Her work is at once visionary and hyper-real, shrouded in the supernatural yet anchored in the gritty evocation of our hardscrabble lives. Reading almost anything she has written, you might find yourself thinking "Faulkner" one second and "Lovecraft" the next. These are not names or styles that rest comfortably close beyond those pages penned by Kiernan. So, yes, thank you, Rick Kleffel. Lovecraft and Faulkner I can live with.
When I was talking to Bill Schafer at subpress yesterday (or was it the day before?) about the sf collection, he told me that I "could not allow this book to become a burden." And he's right. A big part of what he was referring to is the nightmare of copy-editing and revision I took upon myself in preparing the ms. for the third edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. Between my poor health and all the work that must be done for Sirenia Digest and the writing of Joey Lafaye, there simply is not time or energy to put myself through that again. Fortunately, however, all the stories that will be included in the sf collection are recent, and I have not yet grown uncomfortable with their voices, or, rather, with the voice I wrote them in. The oldest of the stories, "Riding the White Bull," was written in 2003 (as opposed to 1994 with Tales of Pain and Wonder). But yes, no burden this time out. I promise.
---
Again, my great thanks for the generosity, the donations that have come in the last four days, the eBay bids, the well wishes, and the new Sirenia Digest subscribers (some from as far away as Australia!). All of you, thanks. I thought about trying to list everyone by name, but the list would be gigantic, and I would inevitably leave someone out. So, please accept this blanket expression of my gratitude. For now, the medical/dental expenses are covered, which I find nothing short of amazing, given how worried I was about money as recently as Wednesday morning. Now, I can simply concentrate on getting well and getting Joey Lafaye written, and that is such a huge relief that it is rather dizzying. Overwhelming, as I have said. You guys are the draddest, which is to say, you rock. I'm not putting the PayPal button up again today, but the eBay auctions continue, and it's never too late to subscribe to the Digest.
---
About 5:30 pm yesterday, we had a walk. The weather was good, just a little nip in the air. The dogwoods have buds. The Narcissus do, as well, and the Camellias have bloomed. Mostly, we walked up and down Sinclair, as far south and east as the intersection with Carmel Avenue. There are a few photos behind the cut:
Spooky talks with Daisy.
Daisy Dog!
The Fabled Dinosaur of Sinclair Avenue (a bit overexposed).
---
Last night, well, not much to last night, but we did catch two new episodes of Torchwood. And now, the platypus says I'm being a slacker, and the coffee has not yet magically appeared. Damned unreliable caffeine gnomes.