I'm sending my YA novel Fortress off to a contest today. I don't expect to win, but no matter what happens, one good thing is going to come from it and one already has.
I finished the first draft about this time last year and just couldn't get motivated to revise it until I talked to some folks at World Fantasy. Even then, I only got maybe five or six chapters revised. Then about six weeks ago, I found out about this contest with a deadline of Feb. 28. I tend to work better with a deadline hanging over my head (even if it's one of my own choosing) than with none at all, so I decided to enter the contest.
Little did I realize at the time that I'd already committed myself to finishing my deacon training, running a 5K and moving my mom from Arizona to Maryland. Despite the all the insanity, I finished my revision last night. Deadlines can be wonderful things.
Again, I don't expect to win in the "Science Fiction/Fantasy/Speculative" category of this contest, but I'm pleased with most of what I've written and know that at least two judges are going to read it. Plus each judge will send back a written critique, which will no doubt help with a future third draft.
I'm just glad the thing's done.
Sleep....
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
I Just Don't Know If It's Worth It...
Of course I'm talking about watching the Oscars tonight. For the first time in a long time, I
1) haven't seen any of the films or performances nominated. (I take that back. I did see Little Miss Sunshine.)
2) don't really care who wins.
3) have better things to do (like writing).
Maybe this sounds a little morbid, but recently the most enjoyable part of the show has been the montage of clips commemorating those in the film industry who passed away during the previous year. (Somebody could just call me and let me know when that portion's about to air. That would be cool. As long as it's not at 2:15AM, which it very well could be.)
I know this year's list of those no longer with us will contain some big names, among them:
Robert Altman
Shelley Winters
Don Knotts
Arthur Hill
Peter Boyle
Al Lewis (Grandpa on The Munsters, although I'm sure he also made some motion pictures)
Red Buttons
June Allyson
Phil Brown (Luke Skywalker's uncle in Star Wars)
Dennis Weaver
Darren McGavin
I'm sure there are many more that I've missed. For some reason, just knowing about them isn't enough. I guess I want to see them on-screen, featured in their most memorable work one last time. They deserve at least that.
I just hope Anna Nicole Smith isn't among them.
1) haven't seen any of the films or performances nominated. (I take that back. I did see Little Miss Sunshine.)
2) don't really care who wins.
3) have better things to do (like writing).
Maybe this sounds a little morbid, but recently the most enjoyable part of the show has been the montage of clips commemorating those in the film industry who passed away during the previous year. (Somebody could just call me and let me know when that portion's about to air. That would be cool. As long as it's not at 2:15AM, which it very well could be.)
I know this year's list of those no longer with us will contain some big names, among them:
Robert Altman
Shelley Winters
Don Knotts
Arthur Hill
Peter Boyle
Al Lewis (Grandpa on The Munsters, although I'm sure he also made some motion pictures)
Red Buttons
June Allyson
Phil Brown (Luke Skywalker's uncle in Star Wars)
Dennis Weaver
Darren McGavin
I'm sure there are many more that I've missed. For some reason, just knowing about them isn't enough. I guess I want to see them on-screen, featured in their most memorable work one last time. They deserve at least that.
I just hope Anna Nicole Smith isn't among them.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The Trade-Off
I guess it's a trade-off. On the one hand, I've been going to the gym pretty regularly lately (except for the last few days - we've been moving my mom into her new apartment) and feel better than I've felt in years. On the other hand, my up-close vision has sunk to abysmal levels.
At my last eye exam, my optometrist (who looks like he's about 25) shook his head and told me, "Well, you're 45 years old...that's about the time these things start to happen." (Start to happen? What's next? Those beige orthopedic shoes? Cardigan sweaters?) He suggested I try some reading glasses so I picked up a three-pack at Costco. They work great and I figured, "Hey, a three-pack is cool. I'll NEVER run out." (Plus I'll look all distinguished, especially with the gray hair and all...)
I often have moments of great stupidity. This was one of them. I can never find the blasted things anywhere. I've left them in the drawer of my nightstand, in my bookbag, in the bathroom drawer where I keep the bandaids (figure that one), you name it. I don't think I've left a pair in the refrigerator, but I wouldn't be surprised to find something clunking around inside the orange juice container one day.
I just can't keep up with them. I tried putting them in hardshell cases (like they were real glasses) and I lose those too. I look for and at books all day long and sometimes need to whip out the ol' reading specs, so I tried keeping a pair in my shirt pocket. No good. They fall go boom. Same for the pants pockets. They come out looking like some metal and glass modern art project.
I guess there's only one way to solve my dilemma, but I won't do it, I just won't. I REFUSE to wear one of those little chains or bands or shoestrings or whatever those things are that crusty old guys use to keep their glasses around their necks. (At least my glasses are full-sized and not those little skinny glasses that look like the top half got chopped off.) So forget it! I'll manage somehow.
Hey Cindy --- would you hand me the orange juice?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Cormac McCarthy for Trent...or Anyone Else
My fellow Clarion dude Trent writes:
...but I think it's only fair that your blog exists in order to answer my questions.
Sounds good to me. Let's do it!
The question, for those of you who do not read every comment on this blog, is about the writing of Cormac McCarthy. I'm certainly no authority, and I can only give my own brief reflections (plus one other guy's) on the three McCarthy works I've read. Here we go....
I first listened to No Country for Old Men on audio shortly after its release in 2006. I'd never read anything by McCarthy, but at that point had owned an unread copy of Blood Meridian for a few years, so I thought I'd start with something I could listen to while driving.
(You can read the plots of each of these books on Amazon, so I'm not going into them here. One is set in the current west, one in the Old West, and one in a post-apocalyptic locale.)
The first thing I noticed about the audio version of No Country was the absence of "he said"s and "she said"s, which I really didn't dwell upon until much later. There was (as I remember) a fair amount of poetic language scattered throughout the book, mainly reflections on and personifications of the landscape, the desert heat, violence, that sort of thing. The dialogue, however, was fairly simple and unadorned. I thought the book was effective, although maybe a bit emotionally manipulative and brutal. But as it was my first encounter with him, I thought I'd want to read McCarthy again. (Almost immediately after reading No Country, I read somewhere that the novel was considered by many to be McCarthy's most approachable work. Of the three I read, I would agree.)
Next I read Blood Meridian. If I thought No Country was brutal, I soon redefined (or rather McCarthy redefined) the word. I considered Blood Meridian a much more challenging, but more satisfying read overall than No Country. At times I thought McCarthy's poetic descriptions of the landscape and the brutality/depravity of man were a bit over the top, at least for me, but I kept at it and was glad I did. Blood Meridian is certainly not a feel-good read and I sometimes felt like I'd lose my lunch reading it, but I can't deny the power of the book.
Since I'd listened to No Country, I learned from reading Blood Meridian and The Road that McCarthy apparently has a deep-rooted hatred for quotation marks and often dialogue attributions too, which makes it sometimes difficult to know who is speaking. But for the most part, you get used to it.
By the time I'd finished the book, I understood that McCarthy's style, pacing, word choices and tone in Blood Meridian, sometimes referred to as "muscular prose" (more on that term in a minute) worked very, very well. I felt it was a book I would and should read again. Well, most of it. Some parts I didn't think I could stomach again.
I hadn't really intended to read The Road, my third meeting with McCarthy in twelve months, but I'd heard the novel was somewhat of a post-apocalyptic tale approaching genre dimensions, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm in the vast minority here, but I didn't think it was that great. McCarthy's "muscular prose" is in full use here as are his distaste for quotation marks and love of sparse dialogue. I can't really put my finger on why, but The Road just didn't do it for me. Maybe I should read it again to see if I missed something. But to me, it just seemed to be one of those novels that everyone says is great just because everyone says it's great. Again, I may be the only person on the globe reluctant to anoint McCarthy for The Road and if I indeed missed the boat, I feel I should give it another shot.
After reading all three of these McCarthy novels, I ran across a book by B.R. Myers called A Reader's Manifesto: An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness in American Literary Prose. In the book, Myers takes a swing (with a pretty hefty bat) at several American writers including Cormac McCarthy. Myers refers to McCarthy's writing style as "muscular prose," which he only defines as "The masculine counterpart to the ladies' prose poetry." I'm not exactly sure what he means by that, but he goes on to accuse McCarthy of unrestrained "literary" complexity. For example, Myers cites in McCarthy's writing what he calls the andelope: "a breathless string of simple declarative statements linked by the conjunction and." Sentences like this:
He ate the last of the eggs and wiped the plate with the tortilla and ate the tortilla and drank the last of the coffee and wiped his mouth and looked up and thanked her. (from The Crossing [1994]).
Sure, McCarthy does a lot of andeloping, but I guess I just got used to it. What makes Myers even madder is McCarthy's lack of economy of words, instead using "barrages of hit-and-miss verbiage (rather) than...careful use of just the right words." He may have a point, but maybe McCarthy's not always interested in the economy of words. And maybe he enjoys andeloping.
But what really steams Myers is his belief that McCarthy just flat-out isn't a good storyteller. He attempts to make his point by quoting a section from a novel by one of the western genre's most-loved writers, Louis L'Amour and comparing (whether fairly or not) his style to McCarthy's:
Fortunately for millions of readers around the world, L'Amour was less interested in winning prizes than in telling a good story: "That's the way I'd like to be remembered," he told an interviewer, "as a storyteller." So of course the critics dismiss Hondo as pulp, just as many book-reviewers once regarded Treasure Island as fit only for children. The cultural establishment likes to reserve its accolades for those who take themselves most seriously. But how many critics will care to be reminded of Cormac McCarthy in twenty years? The smart money's on the storyteller.
Myers may have some valid points, but he also may have an axe to grind – I don't know. I do know that for me, McCarthy's style worked best in Blood Meridian. No Country for Old Men certainly seems to have fewer instances of the things Myers is griping about. The Road I just couldn't get that excited about. I don't think Myers and his views have really changed my mind about any of these three books, but he's entitled to his opinion.
So Trent, I don't know if that helps you at all, but there it is, bro. My suggestion: Definitely read Blood Meridian. If you like it, try No Country, or maybe The Border Trilogy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain), which many people seem to enjoy. Let me know how it turns out.
...but I think it's only fair that your blog exists in order to answer my questions.
Sounds good to me. Let's do it!
The question, for those of you who do not read every comment on this blog, is about the writing of Cormac McCarthy. I'm certainly no authority, and I can only give my own brief reflections (plus one other guy's) on the three McCarthy works I've read. Here we go....
I first listened to No Country for Old Men on audio shortly after its release in 2006. I'd never read anything by McCarthy, but at that point had owned an unread copy of Blood Meridian for a few years, so I thought I'd start with something I could listen to while driving.
(You can read the plots of each of these books on Amazon, so I'm not going into them here. One is set in the current west, one in the Old West, and one in a post-apocalyptic locale.)
The first thing I noticed about the audio version of No Country was the absence of "he said"s and "she said"s, which I really didn't dwell upon until much later. There was (as I remember) a fair amount of poetic language scattered throughout the book, mainly reflections on and personifications of the landscape, the desert heat, violence, that sort of thing. The dialogue, however, was fairly simple and unadorned. I thought the book was effective, although maybe a bit emotionally manipulative and brutal. But as it was my first encounter with him, I thought I'd want to read McCarthy again. (Almost immediately after reading No Country, I read somewhere that the novel was considered by many to be McCarthy's most approachable work. Of the three I read, I would agree.)
Next I read Blood Meridian. If I thought No Country was brutal, I soon redefined (or rather McCarthy redefined) the word. I considered Blood Meridian a much more challenging, but more satisfying read overall than No Country. At times I thought McCarthy's poetic descriptions of the landscape and the brutality/depravity of man were a bit over the top, at least for me, but I kept at it and was glad I did. Blood Meridian is certainly not a feel-good read and I sometimes felt like I'd lose my lunch reading it, but I can't deny the power of the book.
Since I'd listened to No Country, I learned from reading Blood Meridian and The Road that McCarthy apparently has a deep-rooted hatred for quotation marks and often dialogue attributions too, which makes it sometimes difficult to know who is speaking. But for the most part, you get used to it.
By the time I'd finished the book, I understood that McCarthy's style, pacing, word choices and tone in Blood Meridian, sometimes referred to as "muscular prose" (more on that term in a minute) worked very, very well. I felt it was a book I would and should read again. Well, most of it. Some parts I didn't think I could stomach again.
I hadn't really intended to read The Road, my third meeting with McCarthy in twelve months, but I'd heard the novel was somewhat of a post-apocalyptic tale approaching genre dimensions, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm in the vast minority here, but I didn't think it was that great. McCarthy's "muscular prose" is in full use here as are his distaste for quotation marks and love of sparse dialogue. I can't really put my finger on why, but The Road just didn't do it for me. Maybe I should read it again to see if I missed something. But to me, it just seemed to be one of those novels that everyone says is great just because everyone says it's great. Again, I may be the only person on the globe reluctant to anoint McCarthy for The Road and if I indeed missed the boat, I feel I should give it another shot.
After reading all three of these McCarthy novels, I ran across a book by B.R. Myers called A Reader's Manifesto: An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness in American Literary Prose. In the book, Myers takes a swing (with a pretty hefty bat) at several American writers including Cormac McCarthy. Myers refers to McCarthy's writing style as "muscular prose," which he only defines as "The masculine counterpart to the ladies' prose poetry." I'm not exactly sure what he means by that, but he goes on to accuse McCarthy of unrestrained "literary" complexity. For example, Myers cites in McCarthy's writing what he calls the andelope: "a breathless string of simple declarative statements linked by the conjunction and." Sentences like this:
He ate the last of the eggs and wiped the plate with the tortilla and ate the tortilla and drank the last of the coffee and wiped his mouth and looked up and thanked her. (from The Crossing [1994]).
Sure, McCarthy does a lot of andeloping, but I guess I just got used to it. What makes Myers even madder is McCarthy's lack of economy of words, instead using "barrages of hit-and-miss verbiage (rather) than...careful use of just the right words." He may have a point, but maybe McCarthy's not always interested in the economy of words. And maybe he enjoys andeloping.
But what really steams Myers is his belief that McCarthy just flat-out isn't a good storyteller. He attempts to make his point by quoting a section from a novel by one of the western genre's most-loved writers, Louis L'Amour and comparing (whether fairly or not) his style to McCarthy's:
Fortunately for millions of readers around the world, L'Amour was less interested in winning prizes than in telling a good story: "That's the way I'd like to be remembered," he told an interviewer, "as a storyteller." So of course the critics dismiss Hondo as pulp, just as many book-reviewers once regarded Treasure Island as fit only for children. The cultural establishment likes to reserve its accolades for those who take themselves most seriously. But how many critics will care to be reminded of Cormac McCarthy in twenty years? The smart money's on the storyteller.
Myers may have some valid points, but he also may have an axe to grind – I don't know. I do know that for me, McCarthy's style worked best in Blood Meridian. No Country for Old Men certainly seems to have fewer instances of the things Myers is griping about. The Road I just couldn't get that excited about. I don't think Myers and his views have really changed my mind about any of these three books, but he's entitled to his opinion.
So Trent, I don't know if that helps you at all, but there it is, bro. My suggestion: Definitely read Blood Meridian. If you like it, try No Country, or maybe The Border Trilogy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain), which many people seem to enjoy. Let me know how it turns out.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
New Editor in Town
Announced yesterday on VanderWorld, Ann VanderMeer is now the fiction editor at Weird Tales. Congratulations, Ann!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
And Now For the Fitness Portion of Our Program....
This morning - at 28 degrees outside - Cindy and I ran the first area 5K of 2007. Cindy runs 5Ks all the time, but it was my first one in nearly five years. I actually felt pretty good up until slightly beyond Mile #2, where there was a steady uphill slope all the way to the end. But I made it, ran the entire way and wasn't the last to cross the finish line, thank you very much. Maybe I'll do another one soon.
When it gets warmer...
When it gets warmer...
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Mission: Impossible Revisited
My mom's staying with us for a few days until her apartment is ready, and since we get only local channels, I asked her the other night if she'd like to watch a movie on DVD. When I mentioned that I had the first disc of the first season of the original Mission: Impossible show (1966-1973), she said, "Let's watch that."
Now it's been at least twenty years (probably more) since I'd seen any of the original shows, so my expectations weren't too high. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised.
Sure, the technology is from 1966, which at that time probably was the cutting edge or close to it. Some of the tech stuff looks pretty funny today, but the way it's treated isn't. In fact, the way the show respects the tech and the audience is what makes it work.
One of the things that struck me about the show is its lack of unnecessary explanation. In each episode, you get the basic premise of the mission, the rough plan, and an execution of the plan (with lots of intangibles thrown in). What you don't get are a lot of lines like, "Hey, Bob! Jump out that open window and cut that fuse leading to that load of dynamite that's going to blow us all up in fifteen seconds! Good luck!" No, you have to keep up with what's going on and you have to pay attention to details. This was not a mindless show. (If mindless is what you want, just watch the Tom Crusie Mission: Impossible movies, if you can stand them.)
Only two actors worked for the entire run of the series: Peter Lupus (Willy Armitage) and Greg Morris (Barney Collier).
Willy was pretty much the guy that did the driving and the heavy lifting, which worked out well, since Lupus was a bodybuilder (a former Mr. Hercules). I remember seeing him in later seasons, an disgusted look on his face as Peter Graves says, "Okay, Rollin: You impersonate these four people on this mission. Barney: you rig up seventeen explosives timed to go off at 42-second intervals. Willie: you drive the truck." Lupus currently runs a nutrition company.
Greg Morris played Barney Collier, an electronics and computer specialist. His character was quiet, yet sharply intelligent, working well under pressure. (Morris's son played in the second TV installment of Mission:Impossible in the late 1980's.) It is reported that Morris hated the first Tom Cruise Mission:Impossible film that he left the theatre before the film ended. Morris died in 1996.
I didn't even realize that the first leader of the IMF was Dan Briggs, not Mr. Phelps (Peter Graves). Briggs was played by Steven Hill, who later went on to star in Law & Order from 1990-2000. Hill only appeared on the show for one season. An Orthodox Jew, Hill refused to work on the Sabbath and the producers wouldn't budge on the production schedule.
Barbara Bain played Cinnamon Carter, the head-turner/femme-fatale when one was called for. At the time, she was married to co-star Martin Landau. Bain and Landau also co-starred in Space:1999 (1975-77) before divorcing in 1993. Bain currently spends her time promoting and supporting charities, including literacy.
Martin Landau played my favorite character (and favorite character name) on the show, Rollin Hand, master of disguise and impersonation. Landau is best remembered for his Oscar-winning role as Bela Lugosi in the film Ed Wood. Landau is still working, most recently in an episode of Entourage.
Now it's been at least twenty years (probably more) since I'd seen any of the original shows, so my expectations weren't too high. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised.
Sure, the technology is from 1966, which at that time probably was the cutting edge or close to it. Some of the tech stuff looks pretty funny today, but the way it's treated isn't. In fact, the way the show respects the tech and the audience is what makes it work.
One of the things that struck me about the show is its lack of unnecessary explanation. In each episode, you get the basic premise of the mission, the rough plan, and an execution of the plan (with lots of intangibles thrown in). What you don't get are a lot of lines like, "Hey, Bob! Jump out that open window and cut that fuse leading to that load of dynamite that's going to blow us all up in fifteen seconds! Good luck!" No, you have to keep up with what's going on and you have to pay attention to details. This was not a mindless show. (If mindless is what you want, just watch the Tom Crusie Mission: Impossible movies, if you can stand them.)
Only two actors worked for the entire run of the series: Peter Lupus (Willy Armitage) and Greg Morris (Barney Collier).
Willy was pretty much the guy that did the driving and the heavy lifting, which worked out well, since Lupus was a bodybuilder (a former Mr. Hercules). I remember seeing him in later seasons, an disgusted look on his face as Peter Graves says, "Okay, Rollin: You impersonate these four people on this mission. Barney: you rig up seventeen explosives timed to go off at 42-second intervals. Willie: you drive the truck." Lupus currently runs a nutrition company.
Greg Morris played Barney Collier, an electronics and computer specialist. His character was quiet, yet sharply intelligent, working well under pressure. (Morris's son played in the second TV installment of Mission:Impossible in the late 1980's.) It is reported that Morris hated the first Tom Cruise Mission:Impossible film that he left the theatre before the film ended. Morris died in 1996.
I didn't even realize that the first leader of the IMF was Dan Briggs, not Mr. Phelps (Peter Graves). Briggs was played by Steven Hill, who later went on to star in Law & Order from 1990-2000. Hill only appeared on the show for one season. An Orthodox Jew, Hill refused to work on the Sabbath and the producers wouldn't budge on the production schedule.
Barbara Bain played Cinnamon Carter, the head-turner/femme-fatale when one was called for. At the time, she was married to co-star Martin Landau. Bain and Landau also co-starred in Space:1999 (1975-77) before divorcing in 1993. Bain currently spends her time promoting and supporting charities, including literacy.
Martin Landau played my favorite character (and favorite character name) on the show, Rollin Hand, master of disguise and impersonation. Landau is best remembered for his Oscar-winning role as Bela Lugosi in the film Ed Wood. Landau is still working, most recently in an episode of Entourage.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Considering OT (and I don't mean overtime)
As some of you may know, I was installed as a deacon in my church yesterday after a year of training. Sure, deacons really aren't expected to know as much scripture and theology as elders (After all, most people's image of a deacon is somebody setting up folding chairs, collecting the offering and fixing the boiler. Or at least cleaning out the coffee pot.), but after the written exams, I realized I could probably know more about the Bible that I do now, especially in the Old Testament.
It's not like I flunked the test or anything. I didn't put Moses in the ark or have Daniel parting the Red Sea or anything like that. (We all know it was Samson, right?) I just wanted to know more.
I'm in a Sunday School class right now that's exploring the minor prophets and it didn't take me long to realize I don't know jack about those guys, the kingdoms, the invasions, ANY of it. I noticed that the teacher was using An Introduction to the Old Testament by Longman and Dillard, so I decided to give myself that book as a birthday present.
I sure didn't realize that the book is a textbook for many seminaries and Bible colleges. Hey, I just wanted to know the difference between Zechariah and Zephaniah.
But the book isn't really that difficult, at least not yet. With each of the OT books, the authors discuss historical background (composition and authorship), text and tradition, historical-critical approaches, alternative critical views, evaluation of the critical approach, literary analysis, theological message, and how the book ties in with the New Testament.
All of this sounds quite difficult, but it isn't. I find it fascinating. (That could be why Cindy calls me a geek.) I especially like how differing views are discussed and how the authors avoid saying "THIS is the right way; stay away from this other view." None of that. Very interesting stuff.
Maybe I can figure out how they did that wall of Jericho thing.... I could get a group of guys to follow me down to Capitol Hill. And I've still got my trumpet...
It's not like I flunked the test or anything. I didn't put Moses in the ark or have Daniel parting the Red Sea or anything like that. (We all know it was Samson, right?) I just wanted to know more.
I'm in a Sunday School class right now that's exploring the minor prophets and it didn't take me long to realize I don't know jack about those guys, the kingdoms, the invasions, ANY of it. I noticed that the teacher was using An Introduction to the Old Testament by Longman and Dillard, so I decided to give myself that book as a birthday present.
I sure didn't realize that the book is a textbook for many seminaries and Bible colleges. Hey, I just wanted to know the difference between Zechariah and Zephaniah.
But the book isn't really that difficult, at least not yet. With each of the OT books, the authors discuss historical background (composition and authorship), text and tradition, historical-critical approaches, alternative critical views, evaluation of the critical approach, literary analysis, theological message, and how the book ties in with the New Testament.
All of this sounds quite difficult, but it isn't. I find it fascinating. (That could be why Cindy calls me a geek.) I especially like how differing views are discussed and how the authors avoid saying "THIS is the right way; stay away from this other view." None of that. Very interesting stuff.
Maybe I can figure out how they did that wall of Jericho thing.... I could get a group of guys to follow me down to Capitol Hill. And I've still got my trumpet...
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Purchasing and Reading, with a Nod to Nick Hornby
After reading Nick Hornby's Housekeeping vs. The Dirt: Fourteen Months of Massively Witty Adventures in Reading, I decided to steal his monthly book format. Each month, Hornby lists all the books he purchased, followed by the books he actually read. Of course, he's a reviewer and I'm not, so his motivation is a little different from mine. I'm just trying not to buy so many blasted books.
I should also mention that one of my goals for 2007 was to read/study more short fiction. I'm doing that, but it's not really reflected here, since many of the stories I'm reading/studying are in magazines and books I haven't yet finished. All of the novels have been audiobooks.
So here's my list of Books Purchased and Read for January 2007:
Books Purchased:
An Introduction to the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (2006) - Tremper Longman III & Raymond B. Dillard
The Perfect Host: Volume V of the Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (This one wasn't much of a purchase - 25 cents at the local library sale.)
Books Read:
Chasing the Dime (2002) - Michael Connelly
Stardust (1999) - Neil Gaiman
The Chocolate War (YA 1974) - Robert Cormier
The Cement Garden (1978) - Ian McEwan
The Gambler (1866) - Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Ocean and All Its Devices (2006) - William Browning Spencer
American Morons (2006) - Glen Hirshberg (started in 2006)
Housekeeping vs. The Dirt (NF 2006) - Nick Hornby
I should also mention that one of my goals for 2007 was to read/study more short fiction. I'm doing that, but it's not really reflected here, since many of the stories I'm reading/studying are in magazines and books I haven't yet finished. All of the novels have been audiobooks.
So here's my list of Books Purchased and Read for January 2007:
Books Purchased:
An Introduction to the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (2006) - Tremper Longman III & Raymond B. Dillard
The Perfect Host: Volume V of the Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (This one wasn't much of a purchase - 25 cents at the local library sale.)
Books Read:
Chasing the Dime (2002) - Michael Connelly
Stardust (1999) - Neil Gaiman
The Chocolate War (YA 1974) - Robert Cormier
The Cement Garden (1978) - Ian McEwan
The Gambler (1866) - Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Ocean and All Its Devices (2006) - William Browning Spencer
American Morons (2006) - Glen Hirshberg (started in 2006)
Housekeeping vs. The Dirt (NF 2006) - Nick Hornby
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Confound Dan Simmons...
This afternoon I was in the library, minding my own business looking for a new audiobook for the car, when I noticed Nick Hornby's new book Housekeeping vs. The Dirt: Fourteen Months of Massively Witty Adventures in Reading. Well, how could I resist a quick look?
In the Preface, Hornby talks about reading, reviewing and many other related topics. He says readers shouldn't agonize over trudging through certain books just because "educated" people have labeled said books works a cultured person is "supposed to" read, but should instead read...well, whatever they want. Says Hornby:
Read anything, as long as you can't wait to pick it up again.
Which brings me to my beef with Dan Simmons.
Yesterday I was in the same library, again minding my own business, when I see the new Dan Simmons novel The Terror. It's a book that's captured my interest ever since I heard some buzz about it late last year. I figured I'd pick it up somewhere along the way, especially since I'd told myself I was only going to listen to novels while driving and spend my reading time in early 2007 with non-fiction and short stories.
Of course it didn't help that Jeff VanderMeer reposted his comments on The Terror a couple of days ago and that got the Simmons fever into my blood stream.
So there I am in the library, minding my own business, mind you, when I'm face to face with The Terror. Well, it won't hurt to, like, pick the book up, see how heavy it is, read a blurb or two...maybe just the first paragraph...
Captain Crozier comes up on deck to find his ship under attack by celestial ghosts. Above him - above Terror - shimmering folds of light lunge but then quickly withdraw like the colourful arms of aggressive but ultimately uncertain spectres. Ectoplasmic skeletal fingers extend toward the ship, open, prepare to grasp, and pull back.
Confound Dan Simmons...
Needless to say, I checked the book out. And when I've had to put it down, I can't wait to pick it up again. Nick Hornby would be proud.
I'm so weak...
In the Preface, Hornby talks about reading, reviewing and many other related topics. He says readers shouldn't agonize over trudging through certain books just because "educated" people have labeled said books works a cultured person is "supposed to" read, but should instead read...well, whatever they want. Says Hornby:
Read anything, as long as you can't wait to pick it up again.
Which brings me to my beef with Dan Simmons.
Yesterday I was in the same library, again minding my own business, when I see the new Dan Simmons novel The Terror. It's a book that's captured my interest ever since I heard some buzz about it late last year. I figured I'd pick it up somewhere along the way, especially since I'd told myself I was only going to listen to novels while driving and spend my reading time in early 2007 with non-fiction and short stories.
Of course it didn't help that Jeff VanderMeer reposted his comments on The Terror a couple of days ago and that got the Simmons fever into my blood stream.
So there I am in the library, minding my own business, mind you, when I'm face to face with The Terror. Well, it won't hurt to, like, pick the book up, see how heavy it is, read a blurb or two...maybe just the first paragraph...
Captain Crozier comes up on deck to find his ship under attack by celestial ghosts. Above him - above Terror - shimmering folds of light lunge but then quickly withdraw like the colourful arms of aggressive but ultimately uncertain spectres. Ectoplasmic skeletal fingers extend toward the ship, open, prepare to grasp, and pull back.
Confound Dan Simmons...
Needless to say, I checked the book out. And when I've had to put it down, I can't wait to pick it up again. Nick Hornby would be proud.
I'm so weak...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Two things bother me about musicians from the 20's, 30's and 40's:
1. I don't know that much about them.
2. Not many other people do either.
I just discovered Sister Rosetta Tharpe via Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour*. I'd never heard of her before, but her influence is pervasive. Sister Rosetta (1915-1973) was possibly the first true crossover artist, moving from gospel to jazz, but also wielding a powerful influence in rock n' roll circles. Such names as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Isaac Hayes and others have called Tharpe an important figure in their musical development. Rosanne Cash once stated that Tharpe was her father Johnny Cash's favorite singer.
Tharpe was born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, but moved with her mother to Chicago in 1921. Rosetta learned how to play blues and jazz on her guitar, an instrument she normally played to accompany her evangelist mother. By 1938, Tharpe had recorded several songs for the Decca label and was soon playing The Cotton Club with Cab Calloway and Benny Goodman. Her gospel fans cried foul, upset that Rosetta had dragged the church into "dens of iniquity," but the club-goers loved her.
For the next several years, Tharpe couldn't be stopped. She recorded a whole slew of songs (several she wrote herself) and was one of only two gospel singers whose discs were shipped overseas to troops during WWII.
During the 1950's, Tharpe settled firmly back into gospel music, but couldn't hold onto the popularity she'd enjoyed with the clubs in the 30's and 40's. Europe was kinder to Rosetta, offering her solid audiences for several tours in the 50's and 60's. In 1970, while touring Europe with Muddy Waters, Rosetta took ill and later suffered a stroke. Even with distorted speech and an amputated leg, Rosetta planned to enter the studio on May 8, 1973 to record a new album. She never finished it. The next day, another stroke put her into a coma from which she never awakened.
The 4-disc boxed set Sister Rosetta Tharpe – The Original Soul Sister from Proper Records (UK) contains 81 tunes that are nothing short of astounding. Tharpe's blues influences are evident in both her guitar playing and her powerful, yet pleasant voice. Don't let the "gospel" label prevent you from experiencing this outstanding artist. This is music that shouldn't be forgotten from an artist who is timeless.
Several of the Proper Label recordings are available here at very reasonable prices. I'm thinking my next purchase may have to be Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys: The Golden Years of Western Swing.
* Here are some of the other acts I've heard on Theme Time that I plan to investigate:
Warren Storm (The Godfather of Swamp-Pop Music)
Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell
The Swan Silvertones
Roy Brown
Sonny Boy Williamson
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Letting Go
I got a story rejection back yesterday and decided to put a little work in on it before sending it out again. I spent an hour with it, basically trying to make it into a better story. After that hour I realized, "This just isn't a good story and nothing I do to it is really going to make much difference." It wasn't a good feeling, but I think it's an accurate assessment of the story. The payoff is weak, the protagonist makes his discovery too easily (after 4700 words) and the progression of events just feels wrong.
It's just a bad story. Nothing to feel bad about. People better than me write 'em. (They probably just don't send them out.)
I've been studying a lot of published stories lately and maybe that practice has opened my eyes to some of the not-so-good stuff in my own work. I know I've got other older stories still in the pipeline that need to be retired as well. It bothered me at first, but I have to look at it this way: I'm learning what makes a good story, what good writers do and what they avoid. If I learn to see weaknesses that I haven't seen before in my own stories, that can't be a bad thing.
So what did I do with this realization?
Started a new story, of course.
Now Playing = Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Original Soul Sister
It's just a bad story. Nothing to feel bad about. People better than me write 'em. (They probably just don't send them out.)
I've been studying a lot of published stories lately and maybe that practice has opened my eyes to some of the not-so-good stuff in my own work. I know I've got other older stories still in the pipeline that need to be retired as well. It bothered me at first, but I have to look at it this way: I'm learning what makes a good story, what good writers do and what they avoid. If I learn to see weaknesses that I haven't seen before in my own stories, that can't be a bad thing.
So what did I do with this realization?
Started a new story, of course.
Now Playing = Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Original Soul Sister
Friday, January 19, 2007
Another One Down (But a Good One)
Great birthday yesterday on all counts! Great gifts, great meal at the local Japanese steak house, great birthday cake coming this afternoon (German chocolate - my fave), just a great day overall.
Actual age: 45
How old I feel: Around 31 or 32
How old I act: Depends on who you ask
What I would do with 45 more years: Read more, write more (maybe finish my YA novel?)
What I would do differently if I could go back in time: Check back tomorrow - I've got a whole list of stuff.
Loot:
Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books - Maureen Corrigan
Visions of Jazz: The First Century - Gary Giddins
Collected Stories - William Faulkner
Bringing it All Back Home - Bob Dylan (I'd lost my original copy in a move several years ago.)
Actual age: 45
How old I feel: Around 31 or 32
How old I act: Depends on who you ask
What I would do with 45 more years: Read more, write more (maybe finish my YA novel?)
What I would do differently if I could go back in time: Check back tomorrow - I've got a whole list of stuff.
Loot:
Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books - Maureen Corrigan
Visions of Jazz: The First Century - Gary Giddins
Collected Stories - William Faulkner
Bringing it All Back Home - Bob Dylan (I'd lost my original copy in a move several years ago.)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
INLAND EMPIRE
There's a moment in the second half of David Lynch's Blue Velvet that has never left me. It occurs when Laura Dern's character Sandy comes to the brutally shocking realization that not only has her friend/boyfriend Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachlan) kept secrets from her, but her safe, ordered world is not as she thought it was and will never be the same. The combination of pain/horror/anger/helplessness on Dern's face is a microcosm of the entire film. It's also extremely effective.
But as effective as Dern is in that scene, it's like a speck of sand on the beach compared with her performance in INLAND EMPIRE. If you see INLAND EMPIRE for no other reason, see it for Dern's performance. You won't see another like it anywhere else. Lately I've read a lot of speculation that she'll be nominated for an Oscar for this performance. (Nominations are announced Saturday.) Such talk is both unrealistic and immaterial. This is not hyperbole: Dern's performance in INLAND EMPIRE transcends awards. Go see for yourself.
Having said that, not everyone should see this film. It is about as far from mainstream American filmmaking as you can get. If you haven't experienced David Lynch's work before, this is NOT a good introduction. Even if the only other Lynch film you've seen is Mulholland Drive, it still can't adequately prepare you for INLAND EMPIRE. Nothing can.
Describing the plot would be pointless and I don't want to give much away. Instead, here are a few of the things I've heard/read about the film with my responses.
Critics have said INLAND EMPIRE is Lynch's most ambitious film.
True. It has a tremendous scope and Lynch takes lots of risky chances.
The film is three hours long.
It is. (Actually it's about 2 minutes short of the three-hour mark.) For some, it will fly by. For others, it will seem like an eternity.
The plot is incomprehensible.
False. You won't get it all the first time and maybe not even the second time. I think I understood about 25% of the film last night. I didn't understand Mulholland Drive the first time either (and I certainly don't understand all of it now), but that film is a first-grade Easy Reader compared to INLAND EMPIRE. That's not to say INLAND EMPIRE does not have things in common with Mulholland Drive – it does. Both are about actresses and Hollywood, both use similar editing techniques, lighting, sets, similar Lynchisms, etc. In both films, you have to pay very close attention to what happens (and what is said) early in the film.
Lynch shot the film on digital video, which looks terrible.
I didn't think so. It certainly looks different, providing different textures, which Lynch loves. It takes awhile to get used to the look on the big screen, but after the first several scenes, I didn't think about it much.
This film is nothing more than three hours of self-indulgence.
I absolutely disagree. What about this film is self-indulgent? Has Lynch proclaimed himself Emperor or something? No, he has a story to tell and he tells it in his own way, a way that goes against the grain of mainstream film producers and studios. That's not being self-indulgent.
I saw the film last night and I can't stop thinking about it. How many movies that you saw last year – or any year – have had that effect on you? This is a tremendous, challenging film that I highly recommend. (And I recommend that you not wait for the DVD, but see it in a theatre if at all possible.)
But as effective as Dern is in that scene, it's like a speck of sand on the beach compared with her performance in INLAND EMPIRE. If you see INLAND EMPIRE for no other reason, see it for Dern's performance. You won't see another like it anywhere else. Lately I've read a lot of speculation that she'll be nominated for an Oscar for this performance. (Nominations are announced Saturday.) Such talk is both unrealistic and immaterial. This is not hyperbole: Dern's performance in INLAND EMPIRE transcends awards. Go see for yourself.
Having said that, not everyone should see this film. It is about as far from mainstream American filmmaking as you can get. If you haven't experienced David Lynch's work before, this is NOT a good introduction. Even if the only other Lynch film you've seen is Mulholland Drive, it still can't adequately prepare you for INLAND EMPIRE. Nothing can.
Describing the plot would be pointless and I don't want to give much away. Instead, here are a few of the things I've heard/read about the film with my responses.
Critics have said INLAND EMPIRE is Lynch's most ambitious film.
True. It has a tremendous scope and Lynch takes lots of risky chances.
The film is three hours long.
It is. (Actually it's about 2 minutes short of the three-hour mark.) For some, it will fly by. For others, it will seem like an eternity.
The plot is incomprehensible.
False. You won't get it all the first time and maybe not even the second time. I think I understood about 25% of the film last night. I didn't understand Mulholland Drive the first time either (and I certainly don't understand all of it now), but that film is a first-grade Easy Reader compared to INLAND EMPIRE. That's not to say INLAND EMPIRE does not have things in common with Mulholland Drive – it does. Both are about actresses and Hollywood, both use similar editing techniques, lighting, sets, similar Lynchisms, etc. In both films, you have to pay very close attention to what happens (and what is said) early in the film.
Lynch shot the film on digital video, which looks terrible.
I didn't think so. It certainly looks different, providing different textures, which Lynch loves. It takes awhile to get used to the look on the big screen, but after the first several scenes, I didn't think about it much.
This film is nothing more than three hours of self-indulgence.
I absolutely disagree. What about this film is self-indulgent? Has Lynch proclaimed himself Emperor or something? No, he has a story to tell and he tells it in his own way, a way that goes against the grain of mainstream film producers and studios. That's not being self-indulgent.
I saw the film last night and I can't stop thinking about it. How many movies that you saw last year – or any year – have had that effect on you? This is a tremendous, challenging film that I highly recommend. (And I recommend that you not wait for the DVD, but see it in a theatre if at all possible.)
Monday, January 15, 2007
Buy This Now!
Andy Duncan's Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award-winning story "The Chief Designer" is now available on audio on two CDs or as a downloadable file from Audio Text. Check it (and other great stuff) out here.
Hirshberg/Lynch
I've been studying Glen Hirshberg's "American Morons," one of my favorite stories from last year. If you haven't read it, you can find it in Hirshberg's new collection (see "Now Reading" in the left margin) or in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 19.
I'm always impressed with Hirshberg, but reading his work is a great way to study how sentences and paragraphs do more than one thing. Hirshberg builds a very linear structure that advances the story with each paragraph, yet tells us everything we need to know about the two main characters, their relationship with each other (where it's been as well as where it's going), and how their immediate environment provides elements of both comedy and horror.
I guess it's his timing that impresses me the most. Kellen sees each event of the story unfold the same way his girlfriend Jamie does, but with each instance, Kellen feels the growing unease of an American stranded in a foreign country (Italy) balanced with the fear that he's losing Jamie. And the reader's not entirely sure if he should laugh or feel terrified. Again, the timing is perfect. Hirshberg knows exactly how long to play on then sense of comedy and how long to dwell on the impending nature of Kellen and Jamie's situation. Excellent stuff.
******************************
I've decided to go see INLAND EMPIRE this afternoon instead of on my birthday, since I had doubts that Cindy would want to see the film. We'll see if I'm too freaked out to write about it afterward.
This weekend's Fortune Cookie:
Do not be afraid of competition.
I'm always impressed with Hirshberg, but reading his work is a great way to study how sentences and paragraphs do more than one thing. Hirshberg builds a very linear structure that advances the story with each paragraph, yet tells us everything we need to know about the two main characters, their relationship with each other (where it's been as well as where it's going), and how their immediate environment provides elements of both comedy and horror.
I guess it's his timing that impresses me the most. Kellen sees each event of the story unfold the same way his girlfriend Jamie does, but with each instance, Kellen feels the growing unease of an American stranded in a foreign country (Italy) balanced with the fear that he's losing Jamie. And the reader's not entirely sure if he should laugh or feel terrified. Again, the timing is perfect. Hirshberg knows exactly how long to play on then sense of comedy and how long to dwell on the impending nature of Kellen and Jamie's situation. Excellent stuff.
******************************
I've decided to go see INLAND EMPIRE this afternoon instead of on my birthday, since I had doubts that Cindy would want to see the film. We'll see if I'm too freaked out to write about it afterward.
This weekend's Fortune Cookie:
Do not be afraid of competition.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
My Wish for This Year is....
Cindy always asks me about this time of year, "Well, what do you want for your birthday?" (which is next week). My first response is usually "How about books?" to which she lifts her eyes to the heavens and mutters things I'd probably rather not hear. Then I'll usually say, "Okay, how about a big cake? Like a whole sheet!" as I spread my arms out as far as they'll go. Before the words are even out of my mouth, her head's shaking, about to deliver the "You don't need a big cake," lecture, which is true, but hey, it is my birthday and she did ask.
But this year, I think I know what I want. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been to the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD, which is less than an hour away from where I live, but I'd like to change that this year, especially since the new David Lynch film INLAND EMPIRE starts there in a few days. (Lynch says he wants this film title to appear published in all caps. Hey David! How about this: inland empire, inland empire, inland empire, inland empireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempire...)
I could kick myself for not checking the AFI schedule sooner, since Lynch himself is going to be appearing at AFI on Jan. 14, but the event is sold out. You think if I just stood around with a big sign with INLAND EMPIRE in like a 1500 font, he'd let me sneak in? How about if I could make my hair do that Eraserhead thing? That's what it usually looks like in the mornings anyway.
I'd love to see the movie with Cindy, but I don't know if she's ready for the weirdness that is Lynch, to say nothing of three hours of it. She'll probably want me to go anyway, since this movie is all I've been talking about for months and she just wants me to have a great time on my birthday. (She's cool like that.) If I go, it'll be the first Lynch film I've ever seen in a theatre. I might leave the theatre so freaked out I won't be able to find the car. (Of course these days that happens no matter what I've seen.) I might be so out of control I wind up at some place like The Cheesecake Factory or something, ordering a triple German Chocolate. With Lynch, you just never know. Even if you did know, would you know that you knew? And how would you know?
Ya know?
But this year, I think I know what I want. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been to the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD, which is less than an hour away from where I live, but I'd like to change that this year, especially since the new David Lynch film INLAND EMPIRE starts there in a few days. (Lynch says he wants this film title to appear published in all caps. Hey David! How about this: inland empire, inland empire, inland empire, inland empireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempireinlandempire...)
I could kick myself for not checking the AFI schedule sooner, since Lynch himself is going to be appearing at AFI on Jan. 14, but the event is sold out. You think if I just stood around with a big sign with INLAND EMPIRE in like a 1500 font, he'd let me sneak in? How about if I could make my hair do that Eraserhead thing? That's what it usually looks like in the mornings anyway.
I'd love to see the movie with Cindy, but I don't know if she's ready for the weirdness that is Lynch, to say nothing of three hours of it. She'll probably want me to go anyway, since this movie is all I've been talking about for months and she just wants me to have a great time on my birthday. (She's cool like that.) If I go, it'll be the first Lynch film I've ever seen in a theatre. I might leave the theatre so freaked out I won't be able to find the car. (Of course these days that happens no matter what I've seen.) I might be so out of control I wind up at some place like The Cheesecake Factory or something, ordering a triple German Chocolate. With Lynch, you just never know. Even if you did know, would you know that you knew? And how would you know?
Ya know?
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The Complete List
Fellow Clarion dudes Eric and Trent have posted their list of books read in 2006, so I thought I'd include my complete, unexpurgated list. The astute reader will notice a few books on my Best of 2006 list that aren't included in the following list. Explanation: I hadn't completely finished those books, but I'd read enough of them to know they'd make my Best of 2006 list. So there. Cheating? Naw! Remember, my list, my rules.
Also, don't be too impressed. 100 books really isn't that much, especially when you consider that several of them are YA or juv. books and others were Books on Tape/CD. I still count 'em, though. I drive around a good bit on my book rounds, so it just makes sense to listen to stuff as I drive. So 100 isn't really all that impressive. (I sure ain't no Harriet Klausner.)
JANUARY
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (YA 2003) – J.K. Rowling
Crispin – The Cross of Lead (YA 2002) – Avi
No Country for Old Men (2005) – Cormac McCarthy
Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop (NF 2005) – Kate Wilhelm
Diary (2003) – Chuck Palahniuk
The Colorado Kid (2005) – Stephen King
Cell (2006) – Stephen King
Vellum (2005) – Hal Duncan
To Say Nothing of the Dog (1998) – Connie Willis
Only You Can Save Mankind (Juv 1992/2004 reissue) – Terry Pratchett
FEBRUARY
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books (NF 2003) –Azar Nafisi
House of Leaves (2000) – Mark Z. Danielewski
Orchard (2003) – Larry Watson
The Handmaid's Tale (1985) – Margaret Atwood
Horror: Another 100 Best Books (NF 2005) – Stephen Jones & Kim Newman, eds.
Life of Pi (2002) – Yann Martel
Orphans of Chaos (2005) – John C. Wright
The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) – Michael Connelly
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) – Zora Neale Hurston
Cold Hand in Mine: Strange Stories (1975) – Robert Aickman
The Thief (YA 1996) – Megan Whalen Turner
MARCH
Saturday (2005) – Ian McEwan
Understanding the Bible (NF 1999) – John R.W. Stott
The Bottoms (2000) – Joe R. Lansdale
Night (NF 1959) – Elie Wiesel
Bankok 8 (2003) – John Burdett
Southern Comfort: A Charitable Anthology (2005) – S.A. Parham & W. Olivia Race, eds.
So You Want To Be a Wizard (YA 1983) – Diane Duane
Coldheart Canyon (2001) – Clive Barker
The Brief History of the Dead (2006) – Kevin Brockmeier
APRIL
Air (2004) – Geoff Ryman
The Witches (Juv/YA 1983) – Roald Dahl
Midnighters 2: Touching Darkness (YA) – Scott Westerfeld
The Shadow at the Bottom of the World (2005) – Thomas Ligotti
Tuck Everlasting (Juv/YA 1975) – Natalie Babbitt
The Two Sams: Ghost Stories (2003) – Glen Hirshberg
Leo: A Greyhound's Tale (YA 2003) – Cindy Victor
MAY
The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict (NF) – Ken Sande
Blood Meridian (1985) – Cormac McCarthy
X-Men: Dark Mirror (2006) – Marjorie M. Liu
All You Need Is Ears – The Inside Personal Story of the Genius Who Created The Beatles (NF 1979) – George Martin with Jeremy Hornsby
Blue Like Jazz (NF 2003) – Donald Miller
Don Quixote (1605) – Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman
The Thief Lord (YA 2000) – Cornelia Funke
The Empire of Ice Cream (2006) – Jeffrey Ford
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) – Mark Twain
1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry (NF 2005) – Andrew Bridgeford
The Keys to the Kingdom – Book 1: Mister Monday (YA 2003) – Garth Nix
JUNE
The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide (Juv/YA 2003) – Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
1776 (NF 2005) – David McCullough
The Amulet of Sanmarkand (YA 2003) – Jonathan Stroud
Cold Hit (2005) – Stephen J. Cannell
His Majesty's Dragon (2006) – Naomi Novik
Armageddon Summer (YA 1998) – Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Eighteenth Annual Collection (2005) – Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link, Gavin J. Grant, eds.
The Home-Based Bookstore (NF 2006) – Steve Weber
A Drink Before the War (1994) – Dennis Lehane
Cover Story – The Art of John Picacio (NF 2006)
JULY
The Book Thief (YA 2006) – Marcus Zusak
lost boy lost girl (2003) – Peter Straub
The Jaguar Hunter (1987) – Lucius Shepard
Prince Caspian (YA 1951) – C.S. Lewis
Jane Eyre (1847) – Charlotte Bronte
Horror: 100 Best Books (NF 1988) – Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, eds.
By a Spider's Thread (2004) – Laura Lippman
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904) – M.R. James
Shadow Touch (2006) – Marjorie M. Liu
AUGUST
In the Forest of Forgetting (2006) – Theodora Goss
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave (NF 2001) – Edward T. Welch
The Crying of Lot 49 (1965) – Thomas Pynchon
True History of the Kelly Gang (2001) – Peter Carey
When Life and Beliefs Collide (NF 2001) – Carolyn Custis James
Gun, with Occasional Music (1994) – Jonathan Lethem
Shadows and Silence (2000) – Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden,
eds.
SEPTEMBER
The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories (2005) – James
Van Pelt
Manhunt (NF 2006) – James L. Swanson
The Husband (2006) – Dean Koontz
Rosemary's Baby (1967) – Ira Levin
Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales (2002) – Stephen King
When People are Big and God is Small (NF 1997) – Edward T.
Welch
The Eyre Affair (2001) – Jasper Fforde
Midnighters 3: Blue Noon (YA 2006) – Scott Westerfeld
OCTOBER
Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (2005 reissue) - trans. Tiina Nunnally
No Good Deeds (2006) – Laura Lippman
James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon (NF 2006) – Julie Phillips
A Scanner Darkly (1977) – Philip K. Dick
Never Let Me Go (2005) - Kazuo Ishiguro
Shriek: An Afterword (2006) – Jeff VanderMeer
NOVEMBER
Kafka on the Shore (2005) - Haruki Murakami
The Road (2006) – Cormac McCarthy
London (NF 2004) – A.N. Wilson
The God Who is There (NF 1968) – Francis A. Schaeffer
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (NF 2005) – Thomas L. Friedman
The Five Love Languages (NF 1992) – Gary Chapman
DECEMBER
Twilight (YA 2005) – Stephenie Meyer
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (NF 2006) – Francine Prose
Best New Fantasy (2006) – Sean Wallace, ed.
Sharpe's Prey (2002) – Bernard Cornwell
Searching for God Knows What (NF 2004) – Donald Miller
Lolita (1955) – Vladimir Nabokov
To Own a Dragon (NF 2006) – Donald Miller & John MacMurray
Echo Park – Michael Connelly (2006)
Also, don't be too impressed. 100 books really isn't that much, especially when you consider that several of them are YA or juv. books and others were Books on Tape/CD. I still count 'em, though. I drive around a good bit on my book rounds, so it just makes sense to listen to stuff as I drive. So 100 isn't really all that impressive. (I sure ain't no Harriet Klausner.)
JANUARY
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (YA 2003) – J.K. Rowling
Crispin – The Cross of Lead (YA 2002) – Avi
No Country for Old Men (2005) – Cormac McCarthy
Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop (NF 2005) – Kate Wilhelm
Diary (2003) – Chuck Palahniuk
The Colorado Kid (2005) – Stephen King
Cell (2006) – Stephen King
Vellum (2005) – Hal Duncan
To Say Nothing of the Dog (1998) – Connie Willis
Only You Can Save Mankind (Juv 1992/2004 reissue) – Terry Pratchett
FEBRUARY
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books (NF 2003) –Azar Nafisi
House of Leaves (2000) – Mark Z. Danielewski
Orchard (2003) – Larry Watson
The Handmaid's Tale (1985) – Margaret Atwood
Horror: Another 100 Best Books (NF 2005) – Stephen Jones & Kim Newman, eds.
Life of Pi (2002) – Yann Martel
Orphans of Chaos (2005) – John C. Wright
The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) – Michael Connelly
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) – Zora Neale Hurston
Cold Hand in Mine: Strange Stories (1975) – Robert Aickman
The Thief (YA 1996) – Megan Whalen Turner
MARCH
Saturday (2005) – Ian McEwan
Understanding the Bible (NF 1999) – John R.W. Stott
The Bottoms (2000) – Joe R. Lansdale
Night (NF 1959) – Elie Wiesel
Bankok 8 (2003) – John Burdett
Southern Comfort: A Charitable Anthology (2005) – S.A. Parham & W. Olivia Race, eds.
So You Want To Be a Wizard (YA 1983) – Diane Duane
Coldheart Canyon (2001) – Clive Barker
The Brief History of the Dead (2006) – Kevin Brockmeier
APRIL
Air (2004) – Geoff Ryman
The Witches (Juv/YA 1983) – Roald Dahl
Midnighters 2: Touching Darkness (YA) – Scott Westerfeld
The Shadow at the Bottom of the World (2005) – Thomas Ligotti
Tuck Everlasting (Juv/YA 1975) – Natalie Babbitt
The Two Sams: Ghost Stories (2003) – Glen Hirshberg
Leo: A Greyhound's Tale (YA 2003) – Cindy Victor
MAY
The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict (NF) – Ken Sande
Blood Meridian (1985) – Cormac McCarthy
X-Men: Dark Mirror (2006) – Marjorie M. Liu
All You Need Is Ears – The Inside Personal Story of the Genius Who Created The Beatles (NF 1979) – George Martin with Jeremy Hornsby
Blue Like Jazz (NF 2003) – Donald Miller
Don Quixote (1605) – Cervantes, trans. Edith Grossman
The Thief Lord (YA 2000) – Cornelia Funke
The Empire of Ice Cream (2006) – Jeffrey Ford
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) – Mark Twain
1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry (NF 2005) – Andrew Bridgeford
The Keys to the Kingdom – Book 1: Mister Monday (YA 2003) – Garth Nix
JUNE
The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide (Juv/YA 2003) – Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
1776 (NF 2005) – David McCullough
The Amulet of Sanmarkand (YA 2003) – Jonathan Stroud
Cold Hit (2005) – Stephen J. Cannell
His Majesty's Dragon (2006) – Naomi Novik
Armageddon Summer (YA 1998) – Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Eighteenth Annual Collection (2005) – Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link, Gavin J. Grant, eds.
The Home-Based Bookstore (NF 2006) – Steve Weber
A Drink Before the War (1994) – Dennis Lehane
Cover Story – The Art of John Picacio (NF 2006)
JULY
The Book Thief (YA 2006) – Marcus Zusak
lost boy lost girl (2003) – Peter Straub
The Jaguar Hunter (1987) – Lucius Shepard
Prince Caspian (YA 1951) – C.S. Lewis
Jane Eyre (1847) – Charlotte Bronte
Horror: 100 Best Books (NF 1988) – Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, eds.
By a Spider's Thread (2004) – Laura Lippman
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904) – M.R. James
Shadow Touch (2006) – Marjorie M. Liu
AUGUST
In the Forest of Forgetting (2006) – Theodora Goss
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave (NF 2001) – Edward T. Welch
The Crying of Lot 49 (1965) – Thomas Pynchon
True History of the Kelly Gang (2001) – Peter Carey
When Life and Beliefs Collide (NF 2001) – Carolyn Custis James
Gun, with Occasional Music (1994) – Jonathan Lethem
Shadows and Silence (2000) – Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden,
eds.
SEPTEMBER
The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories (2005) – James
Van Pelt
Manhunt (NF 2006) – James L. Swanson
The Husband (2006) – Dean Koontz
Rosemary's Baby (1967) – Ira Levin
Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales (2002) – Stephen King
When People are Big and God is Small (NF 1997) – Edward T.
Welch
The Eyre Affair (2001) – Jasper Fforde
Midnighters 3: Blue Noon (YA 2006) – Scott Westerfeld
OCTOBER
Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (2005 reissue) - trans. Tiina Nunnally
No Good Deeds (2006) – Laura Lippman
James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon (NF 2006) – Julie Phillips
A Scanner Darkly (1977) – Philip K. Dick
Never Let Me Go (2005) - Kazuo Ishiguro
Shriek: An Afterword (2006) – Jeff VanderMeer
NOVEMBER
Kafka on the Shore (2005) - Haruki Murakami
The Road (2006) – Cormac McCarthy
London (NF 2004) – A.N. Wilson
The God Who is There (NF 1968) – Francis A. Schaeffer
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (NF 2005) – Thomas L. Friedman
The Five Love Languages (NF 1992) – Gary Chapman
DECEMBER
Twilight (YA 2005) – Stephenie Meyer
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (NF 2006) – Francine Prose
Best New Fantasy (2006) – Sean Wallace, ed.
Sharpe's Prey (2002) – Bernard Cornwell
Searching for God Knows What (NF 2004) – Donald Miller
Lolita (1955) – Vladimir Nabokov
To Own a Dragon (NF 2006) – Donald Miller & John MacMurray
Echo Park – Michael Connelly (2006)
Monday, January 08, 2007
Wheels
Just for fun, here are our two new cars, both in need of a wash.
My Toyota Matrix
Cindy's Honda Fit
My Toyota Matrix
Cindy's Honda Fit
Another Look
Still revising my YA novel (Chapter 9 out of 25, not 20 as I incorrectly stated in an earlier post) and making some interesting discoveries. I'm sure every novelist faces this, but since this is only my second attempt (and the first one anyone will ever see beyond the confines of my house), it's a real eye-opener for me. Of course what I'm talking about is the realization that the novel might not be about what I originally thought it was about.
That's both exciting and unsettling. It's exciting in that I'm discovering deeper themes, more complexities in my characters, making for (hopefully) a stronger story. But it's a little unsettling knowing that maybe this great scene/confrontation/battle I wrote into the first draft might be drastically changed or maybe even scrapped. In a way, I guess it's like the old adage about sculpting David from a block of marble. How do you sculpt David? Cut away everything that's not David. Even if that means cutting away a pretty cool piece that looks exactly like Paul or Moses.
But save that piece of Paul, that bust of Moses. They might come in handy some day.
That's both exciting and unsettling. It's exciting in that I'm discovering deeper themes, more complexities in my characters, making for (hopefully) a stronger story. But it's a little unsettling knowing that maybe this great scene/confrontation/battle I wrote into the first draft might be drastically changed or maybe even scrapped. In a way, I guess it's like the old adage about sculpting David from a block of marble. How do you sculpt David? Cut away everything that's not David. Even if that means cutting away a pretty cool piece that looks exactly like Paul or Moses.
But save that piece of Paul, that bust of Moses. They might come in handy some day.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Research, Getting Distracted and the Demise of the Public Library System
I'm in the middle of revising my YA novel (Well, not quite in the middle --- I'm on Chapter Seven of twenty.) and found I had to make a decision regarding on how much technology I wanted in my story's setting (specifically in this particular kitchen scene). Although my novel is not set in Colonial America, I found lots of helpful information in William Chauncy Langdon's Everyday Things in American Life 1607-1776. There's also a companion volume that covers 1776-1876, which I also own. Both include great information and are also fun to read.
They're also hard to find. Your local library may have them, or then again, they may not. I bought both copies for fifty cents each at my local library's ongoing library discards sale. (If I ever find this Langdon title, I can buy one of those big-screen TVs I've been drooling over.) For more on the current state of libraries in general, check out this from John's blog.
And speaking of books, one of the more dangerous parts of selling used books is running across books that you thought you were going to sell, but decided you just can't part with. (What if I never see the book again? TRAGEDY!) So yesterday I picked up The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number and decided to keep rather than sell it.
Now I don't know spit about mathematics, but I figured a whole book devoted to the number phi, or 1.6180339887 and counting (not to be confused with pi, which is 3.14159 and counting. Both numbers might even have as many digits as there are Nora Roberts novels.) must be worth a look. So I read the first sentence, including a quote from British physicist Lord Kelvin:
When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.
Well, that flew all over me.
So I started reading the thing.
What can I say? I love my job. I'll get back to you in, oh, about 1.6180339887 days.
They're also hard to find. Your local library may have them, or then again, they may not. I bought both copies for fifty cents each at my local library's ongoing library discards sale. (If I ever find this Langdon title, I can buy one of those big-screen TVs I've been drooling over.) For more on the current state of libraries in general, check out this from John's blog.
And speaking of books, one of the more dangerous parts of selling used books is running across books that you thought you were going to sell, but decided you just can't part with. (What if I never see the book again? TRAGEDY!) So yesterday I picked up The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number and decided to keep rather than sell it.
Now I don't know spit about mathematics, but I figured a whole book devoted to the number phi, or 1.6180339887 and counting (not to be confused with pi, which is 3.14159 and counting. Both numbers might even have as many digits as there are Nora Roberts novels.) must be worth a look. So I read the first sentence, including a quote from British physicist Lord Kelvin:
When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.
Well, that flew all over me.
So I started reading the thing.
What can I say? I love my job. I'll get back to you in, oh, about 1.6180339887 days.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Catching Up/Catching Cold
Cindy, Bullet and I had a great trip to an unseasonably warm Chicago to visit Cindy's sister Jan and her husband Pete (and their dog Sammy). Cindy's parents were there too and lots of loot was exchanged. We also had a great New Year's at John's house (Thanks, John!).
But once all the hoopla ended, I got sick. But at least that gives me a little time to catch up on reading, movies, etc.
More stuff to follow including a full loot report.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Christmas in Chicago
Early tomorrow morning, Cindy and Bullet and I will load up the Matrix and head for Chicago, where Cindy's sister Jan and her husband Pete live. (We haven't decided yet if Bullet will drive or sleep first.)
I hope everyone has a safe, wonderful holiday! Have fun, kids!
I hope everyone has a safe, wonderful holiday! Have fun, kids!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
M. Rickert Mania
Not that much is known about M. Rickert, one of my favorite writers these days. Ah, but John Joseph Adams (The Slush God) has just conducted an excellent interview with Rickert at Strange Horizons. Read it. Then buy Rickert's new book Map of Dreams. Then buy it for friends. Repeat.
A Few Thoughts on Holiday Music
You'd think after fifteen years of teaching band, fifteen (or more) holiday concerts, I'd just about had it up to the gills with holiday music. But for some reason, I still enjoy listening to most of it. (Then again, I guess there's someone out there who enjoys root canals and reruns of Joanie Loves Chachi.)
And there's plenty to choose from. Just on XM Radio, there's six different holiday stations. After listening for a few days, I've made some interesting observations:
First, we need national (or maybe international) standards for who gets to sing "O Holy Night" and who doesn't. It's hands-down my favorite holiday song and I know many others who share that feeling. It's a song that requires a great voice and a tasteful rendering. Not everybody can or should try it. Yet it seems like everybody has recorded a version of the song. Oddly enough, most of the versions I've heard are from country singers. I began to wonder why and I think I've got it figured out:
I can picture all these country singers sitting around the bar after the Country Music Association Awards or some such event, mad as all get-out that Johnny Cash (who's been dead for three years) is still releasing better stuff than most everybody else. After a few rounds, somebody no doubt proclaimed, "Well, hell, he can't do 'O Holy Night'! I'm gonna do it!" Which led some other singer to say, "Well, if he can do it..." and on and on.
Now from what I've heard on the country stations, only Martina McBride gets to sing "O Holy Night." She can pull it off. As much as I like Willie....no, sorry. And Dolly, you know I love ya, but....nope. George Jones? Hey, buddy...there's lots of stuff you shouldn't try anymore.
Second, after listening to the traditional holiday station, I assumed that Johnny Mathis must've spent a good six or seven years of his life recording Christmas music. I mean the dude is all over the place. So I went to Amazon and typed in Johnny Mathis Christmas and got 62 matches. Of course you know, several of those are overlaps, similar editions, reissues, etc. He didn't really record 62 Christmas albums. (Just so you know, which you probably already do.)
But Mathis is a real lightweight. Perry Como and Christmas got 70 matches. Sinatra and Christmas, 115 matches. But they're all twerps compared to Bing Crosby. 296 matches! Again, he didn't record anything close to that many Christmas albums, but come on! Man. I'll bet David Bowie wishes they'd done more duets.
So whatever you're listening to this holiday season, have a great one.
Now Playing: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" – Emmylou Harris
And there's plenty to choose from. Just on XM Radio, there's six different holiday stations. After listening for a few days, I've made some interesting observations:
First, we need national (or maybe international) standards for who gets to sing "O Holy Night" and who doesn't. It's hands-down my favorite holiday song and I know many others who share that feeling. It's a song that requires a great voice and a tasteful rendering. Not everybody can or should try it. Yet it seems like everybody has recorded a version of the song. Oddly enough, most of the versions I've heard are from country singers. I began to wonder why and I think I've got it figured out:
I can picture all these country singers sitting around the bar after the Country Music Association Awards or some such event, mad as all get-out that Johnny Cash (who's been dead for three years) is still releasing better stuff than most everybody else. After a few rounds, somebody no doubt proclaimed, "Well, hell, he can't do 'O Holy Night'! I'm gonna do it!" Which led some other singer to say, "Well, if he can do it..." and on and on.
Now from what I've heard on the country stations, only Martina McBride gets to sing "O Holy Night." She can pull it off. As much as I like Willie....no, sorry. And Dolly, you know I love ya, but....nope. George Jones? Hey, buddy...there's lots of stuff you shouldn't try anymore.
Second, after listening to the traditional holiday station, I assumed that Johnny Mathis must've spent a good six or seven years of his life recording Christmas music. I mean the dude is all over the place. So I went to Amazon and typed in Johnny Mathis Christmas and got 62 matches. Of course you know, several of those are overlaps, similar editions, reissues, etc. He didn't really record 62 Christmas albums. (Just so you know, which you probably already do.)
But Mathis is a real lightweight. Perry Como and Christmas got 70 matches. Sinatra and Christmas, 115 matches. But they're all twerps compared to Bing Crosby. 296 matches! Again, he didn't record anything close to that many Christmas albums, but come on! Man. I'll bet David Bowie wishes they'd done more duets.
So whatever you're listening to this holiday season, have a great one.
Now Playing: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" – Emmylou Harris
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Year in Review Part Four: Fiction
Although some actually appeared in 2005, these were the most enjoyable new books I read this year. I highly recommend them all. (The order listed is the order I read them.)
His Majesty's Dragon (2006) – Naomi Novik
Just when you think you've seen everything that's been written about dragons, here comes Naomi Novik, placing them in the middle of the Napoleonic Wars. This was an absolutely delightful read, the first in a three-book series with more reported to follow.
In the Forest of Forgetting (2006) – Theodora Goss
Goss writes with an elegant, yet very readable style, the poetic influence clearly seen throughout. All of the stories are good, many are exceptional.
The Empire of Ice Cream (2006) – Jeffrey Ford
What can you say about Ford? Leave your expectations at the door and be prepared for some great weird. An outstanding collection, even better than the remarkable The Fantasy Writer's Assisstant.
The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories (2005) – James Van Pelt
It really bothers me that more people aren't familiar with this author. The title story is one of the most emotional reading experiences I had this year. Fantasy, science fiction, horror – James Van Pelt can do it all.
Shriek: An Afterword (2006) – Jeff VanderMeer
Set in the wonderfully realized city of Ambergris, Shriek is a novel about history, war, relationships, perspectives and so much more. VanderMeer delves deep into Ambergris, its history, its people and its culture as Janice Shriek narrates this afterword to "The Hoegbotton Guide to the Early History of the City of Ambergris" (found in VanderMeer's City of Saints and Madmen*), a pamphlet written by Janice's brother, the missing historian Duncan Shriek. But the afterword contains added commentary by Duncan, who has mysteriously returned only to find his sister now missing. I admire so much about VanderMeer's writing – his love of language, compelling characters, a world you can get lost in, a fascinating tale... What else could you ask for?
* It's not really necessary to read City of Saints and Madmen first, but I was glad I'd read "The Hoegbotton Guide" section of that book first.
Kafka on the Shore (2005) – Haruki Murakami
Winner of this year's World Fantasy Award, this was my first experience with Murakami. It's a very odd tale mixed with American and Japanese cultural references, fish falling from the sky, talking cats and much more.
Never Let Me Go (2005) – Kazuo Ishiguro
Like Kafka on the Shore, people continue to debate whether Never Let Me Go is genre or literature. Who cares? It's a tremendous story that's beautifully written, less surreal than Kafka, but in my opinion, packs more of an emotional punch. The novel unwinds slowly, so settle back and savor this one.
The Unblemished (2006) – Conrad Williams
This book just scares the crap out of you, that's all there is to it. Williams is one of horror's most outstanding writers with an extraordinary vision and the skills to haunt you well past sunrise. If you haven't read him, stop reading this and go buy one of his books.
Map of Dreams (2006) – M. Rickert
Fans of Rickert can definitely celebrate this first collection from one of the genre's most talented writers. Don't miss it.
American Morons (2006) – Glen Hirshberg
Hirshberg's quality of writing, his ability to unsettle and fascinate are second to none. Even better than his first collection The Two Sams, which was outstanding.
These books are a little older, but really blew me away (in order of publication):
A Scanner Darkly (1977) – Philip K. Dick
Blood Meridian (1985) – Cormac McCarthy
Gun, with Occasional Music (1994) – Jonathan Lethem
House of Leaves (2000) – Mark Z. Danielewski
lost boy lost girl (2003) – Peter Straub
Air (2004) – Geoff Ryman
Other books I enjoyed (again, in order of original publication):
Don Quixote (1605) – Cervantes, trans. by Edith Grossman
Jane Eyre (1847) – Charlotte Bronte
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1905) – M.R. James
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) – Zora Neale Hurston
The Crying of Lot 49 (1965) – Thomas Pynchon
The Jaguar Hunter (1987) – Lucius Shepard
Shadows and Silence (2000) – Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden, eds.
Bangkok 8 (2003) – John Burdett
The Colorado Kid (2005) – Stephen King
Vellum (2005) – Hal Duncan
No Country for Old Men (2005) – Cormac McCarthy
The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) – Michael Connelly
Saturday (2005) – Ian McEwan
The Shadow at the Bottom of the World (2005) – Thomas Ligotti
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Eighteenth Annual Collection (2005) – Datlow, Link, Grant, eds.
The Brief History of the Dead (2006) – Kevin Brockmeier
The Road (2006) – Cormac McCarthy
Best New Fantasy (2006) – Sean Wallace, ed.
No Good Deeds (2006) – Laura Lippman
His Majesty's Dragon (2006) – Naomi Novik
Just when you think you've seen everything that's been written about dragons, here comes Naomi Novik, placing them in the middle of the Napoleonic Wars. This was an absolutely delightful read, the first in a three-book series with more reported to follow.
In the Forest of Forgetting (2006) – Theodora Goss
Goss writes with an elegant, yet very readable style, the poetic influence clearly seen throughout. All of the stories are good, many are exceptional.
The Empire of Ice Cream (2006) – Jeffrey Ford
What can you say about Ford? Leave your expectations at the door and be prepared for some great weird. An outstanding collection, even better than the remarkable The Fantasy Writer's Assisstant.
The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories (2005) – James Van Pelt
It really bothers me that more people aren't familiar with this author. The title story is one of the most emotional reading experiences I had this year. Fantasy, science fiction, horror – James Van Pelt can do it all.
Shriek: An Afterword (2006) – Jeff VanderMeer
Set in the wonderfully realized city of Ambergris, Shriek is a novel about history, war, relationships, perspectives and so much more. VanderMeer delves deep into Ambergris, its history, its people and its culture as Janice Shriek narrates this afterword to "The Hoegbotton Guide to the Early History of the City of Ambergris" (found in VanderMeer's City of Saints and Madmen*), a pamphlet written by Janice's brother, the missing historian Duncan Shriek. But the afterword contains added commentary by Duncan, who has mysteriously returned only to find his sister now missing. I admire so much about VanderMeer's writing – his love of language, compelling characters, a world you can get lost in, a fascinating tale... What else could you ask for?
* It's not really necessary to read City of Saints and Madmen first, but I was glad I'd read "The Hoegbotton Guide" section of that book first.
Kafka on the Shore (2005) – Haruki Murakami
Winner of this year's World Fantasy Award, this was my first experience with Murakami. It's a very odd tale mixed with American and Japanese cultural references, fish falling from the sky, talking cats and much more.
Never Let Me Go (2005) – Kazuo Ishiguro
Like Kafka on the Shore, people continue to debate whether Never Let Me Go is genre or literature. Who cares? It's a tremendous story that's beautifully written, less surreal than Kafka, but in my opinion, packs more of an emotional punch. The novel unwinds slowly, so settle back and savor this one.
The Unblemished (2006) – Conrad Williams
This book just scares the crap out of you, that's all there is to it. Williams is one of horror's most outstanding writers with an extraordinary vision and the skills to haunt you well past sunrise. If you haven't read him, stop reading this and go buy one of his books.
Map of Dreams (2006) – M. Rickert
Fans of Rickert can definitely celebrate this first collection from one of the genre's most talented writers. Don't miss it.
American Morons (2006) – Glen Hirshberg
Hirshberg's quality of writing, his ability to unsettle and fascinate are second to none. Even better than his first collection The Two Sams, which was outstanding.
These books are a little older, but really blew me away (in order of publication):
A Scanner Darkly (1977) – Philip K. Dick
Blood Meridian (1985) – Cormac McCarthy
Gun, with Occasional Music (1994) – Jonathan Lethem
House of Leaves (2000) – Mark Z. Danielewski
lost boy lost girl (2003) – Peter Straub
Air (2004) – Geoff Ryman
Other books I enjoyed (again, in order of original publication):
Don Quixote (1605) – Cervantes, trans. by Edith Grossman
Jane Eyre (1847) – Charlotte Bronte
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1905) – M.R. James
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) – Zora Neale Hurston
The Crying of Lot 49 (1965) – Thomas Pynchon
The Jaguar Hunter (1987) – Lucius Shepard
Shadows and Silence (2000) – Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden, eds.
Bangkok 8 (2003) – John Burdett
The Colorado Kid (2005) – Stephen King
Vellum (2005) – Hal Duncan
No Country for Old Men (2005) – Cormac McCarthy
The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) – Michael Connelly
Saturday (2005) – Ian McEwan
The Shadow at the Bottom of the World (2005) – Thomas Ligotti
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Eighteenth Annual Collection (2005) – Datlow, Link, Grant, eds.
The Brief History of the Dead (2006) – Kevin Brockmeier
The Road (2006) – Cormac McCarthy
Best New Fantasy (2006) – Sean Wallace, ed.
No Good Deeds (2006) – Laura Lippman
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The Cellar
Richard Laymon's The Cellar (1980), which was included in Stephen Jones and Kim Newman's Horror: The 100 Best Books, has just been re-released in mass market paperback by Leisure. Check it out.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The Year in Review Part Three: YA
I read seventeen YA/children's books this year, and although several of those were from either 2005 or 2006, few current books made my list. I find myself starting more and more YA books and not finishing them. I grew fed up with certain series, but decided to start others.
YA is a mixed bag and is becoming a larger mixed bag all the time. I think we're seeing a widening gap between quality YA and no-so-good YA. It seems everyone's writing one (even me). Anyway, of the seventeen titles I read this year, these were the most enjoyable:
The Thief (1996) by Megan Whalen Turner offers a story line we've seen before: A skillful young thief named Gen is released from prison to help a king's scholar steal an ancient mythical stone. Of course it's not just any stone, but one that grants the possessor freedom from death and the perpetual right to rule. Gen is very likable and smart, but he's far from simplistic. The characters in this story are not always who they seem to be and they're always intriguing. Turner challenges younger readers with complex sentences as well as several philosophical and political issues. I have not read the sequels Queen of Attolia or The King of Attolia, but if they're anywhere near as good as The Thief, I'm there.
The Witches (1983) by Roald Dahl is actually more appropriate for younger readers (age 8 – 12), but I had a great time with it, so I'm including it here. While on vacation with his grandmother (who is an expert on witches), a young boy learns all the warning signs for identifying witches, the most dangerous beings in the world. He's forced to put his knowledge to the test when he finds himself in the middle of a witch convention at the hotel where he and his grandmother are staying. The Witches is a fun story that not only entertains, but also teaches that all sorts of people can be very skilled at disguising their real selves.
I started Scott Westerfeld's Midnighters series at the end of 2005 and read the other two books in the trilogy this year, Midnighters 2: Touching Darkness (2005) and Midnighters 3: Blue Noon (2006). The first book, Midnighters: The Secret Hour (2004) is mostly introductory, showing us newcomer Jessica as she moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, only to discover that she's one of five teenagers who can move in the secret midnight hour, when the rest of Bixby is suspended in time. Only there's plenty of nasties also creeping around during the midnight hour.
The trilogy really takes off in the second book, as the five teenagers try to discover what happened to all the other midnighters throughout history, what makes Bixby susceptible to midnighter activity, and where the next attack of creatures is coming from. And who is the strange old woman they keep seeing? The third book was not quite as satisfying as the first two, but overall a nice series.
An asthmatic seventh-grade boy, a new school, an odd-looking key and atlas, a villain in a wheelchair, dog-faced creatures, a labyrinthine house, a mysterious plague... It's all in Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom, Book One: Mister Monday (2003), an exciting, fast-paced read that begins a seven-book series. (The fifth book, Lady Friday, will be released in the U.S. in March, 2007.) Nix does a wonderful job of mixing the familiar (How was the universe born and how can man control it for selfish purposes?) with fresh ideas. The biggest problem with the series? It's not finished yet.
Another storyline we've seen before is first love and The End of the World, but the Jane Yolen/Bruce Coville collaboration Armageddon Summer (1998) refuses to rehash a predictable, routine story. Fourteen-year-old Marina meets sixteen-year-old Jed on a remote mountain that serves as the last settlement of a cult called The Believers. As the end of the world approaches, what matters most? Faith, belief or love? Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of both lovers, Armageddon Summer is a thought-provoking YA novel filled with complex characters and no easy answers.
Treading on familiar ground once again, we have The Book Thief (2006) by Marcus Zusak, a book set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. You might think "I've seen this before. Do we really need another YA novel about Nazi Germany?" Okay, you've got a valid point. But consider this from an early chapter, in which Death compares watching humans to seeing colors:
"The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness."
and later:
"There was the smell of a freshly cut coffin. Black dresses. Enormous suitcases under the eyes. Liesel stood like the rest, on the grass. She read to Frau Holtzapfel that same afternoon. The Dream Carrier, her neighbor's favorite."
This is not your father's YA Nazi Germany novel.
Early in the book, Death follows a young girl named Liesel Meminger and her brother as they are being sent to live with foster parents near Munich in World War II. Death claims the boy and many others, but is intrigued by Liesel, who finds in the snow a book on gravedigging. Her new-found passion for books will have lasting (and not always pleasant) impact and consequences on everyone she encounters.
Although Death's chapter and sub-chapter headings can become tiresome, Zusak by and large avoids sticky-sweet sentimentality and emotionally manipulated scenes. I'm not quite ready, as some seem to be, to proclaim The Book Thief a "modern classic" (whatever that means), but there's no denying the book's power and Zusak's storytelling ability.
Other YA books I enjoyed:
Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2002) – Avi
Only You Can Save Mankind (1992, reissue 2004) – Terry Pratchett
Tuck Everlasting (1975) – Natalie Babbitt
The Amulet of Samarkand (2003) – Jonathan Stroud
The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book One: The Field Guide (2003) – Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi
YA is a mixed bag and is becoming a larger mixed bag all the time. I think we're seeing a widening gap between quality YA and no-so-good YA. It seems everyone's writing one (even me). Anyway, of the seventeen titles I read this year, these were the most enjoyable:
The Thief (1996) by Megan Whalen Turner offers a story line we've seen before: A skillful young thief named Gen is released from prison to help a king's scholar steal an ancient mythical stone. Of course it's not just any stone, but one that grants the possessor freedom from death and the perpetual right to rule. Gen is very likable and smart, but he's far from simplistic. The characters in this story are not always who they seem to be and they're always intriguing. Turner challenges younger readers with complex sentences as well as several philosophical and political issues. I have not read the sequels Queen of Attolia or The King of Attolia, but if they're anywhere near as good as The Thief, I'm there.
The Witches (1983) by Roald Dahl is actually more appropriate for younger readers (age 8 – 12), but I had a great time with it, so I'm including it here. While on vacation with his grandmother (who is an expert on witches), a young boy learns all the warning signs for identifying witches, the most dangerous beings in the world. He's forced to put his knowledge to the test when he finds himself in the middle of a witch convention at the hotel where he and his grandmother are staying. The Witches is a fun story that not only entertains, but also teaches that all sorts of people can be very skilled at disguising their real selves.
I started Scott Westerfeld's Midnighters series at the end of 2005 and read the other two books in the trilogy this year, Midnighters 2: Touching Darkness (2005) and Midnighters 3: Blue Noon (2006). The first book, Midnighters: The Secret Hour (2004) is mostly introductory, showing us newcomer Jessica as she moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, only to discover that she's one of five teenagers who can move in the secret midnight hour, when the rest of Bixby is suspended in time. Only there's plenty of nasties also creeping around during the midnight hour.
The trilogy really takes off in the second book, as the five teenagers try to discover what happened to all the other midnighters throughout history, what makes Bixby susceptible to midnighter activity, and where the next attack of creatures is coming from. And who is the strange old woman they keep seeing? The third book was not quite as satisfying as the first two, but overall a nice series.
An asthmatic seventh-grade boy, a new school, an odd-looking key and atlas, a villain in a wheelchair, dog-faced creatures, a labyrinthine house, a mysterious plague... It's all in Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom, Book One: Mister Monday (2003), an exciting, fast-paced read that begins a seven-book series. (The fifth book, Lady Friday, will be released in the U.S. in March, 2007.) Nix does a wonderful job of mixing the familiar (How was the universe born and how can man control it for selfish purposes?) with fresh ideas. The biggest problem with the series? It's not finished yet.
Another storyline we've seen before is first love and The End of the World, but the Jane Yolen/Bruce Coville collaboration Armageddon Summer (1998) refuses to rehash a predictable, routine story. Fourteen-year-old Marina meets sixteen-year-old Jed on a remote mountain that serves as the last settlement of a cult called The Believers. As the end of the world approaches, what matters most? Faith, belief or love? Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of both lovers, Armageddon Summer is a thought-provoking YA novel filled with complex characters and no easy answers.
Treading on familiar ground once again, we have The Book Thief (2006) by Marcus Zusak, a book set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. You might think "I've seen this before. Do we really need another YA novel about Nazi Germany?" Okay, you've got a valid point. But consider this from an early chapter, in which Death compares watching humans to seeing colors:
"The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness."
and later:
"There was the smell of a freshly cut coffin. Black dresses. Enormous suitcases under the eyes. Liesel stood like the rest, on the grass. She read to Frau Holtzapfel that same afternoon. The Dream Carrier, her neighbor's favorite."
This is not your father's YA Nazi Germany novel.
Early in the book, Death follows a young girl named Liesel Meminger and her brother as they are being sent to live with foster parents near Munich in World War II. Death claims the boy and many others, but is intrigued by Liesel, who finds in the snow a book on gravedigging. Her new-found passion for books will have lasting (and not always pleasant) impact and consequences on everyone she encounters.
Although Death's chapter and sub-chapter headings can become tiresome, Zusak by and large avoids sticky-sweet sentimentality and emotionally manipulated scenes. I'm not quite ready, as some seem to be, to proclaim The Book Thief a "modern classic" (whatever that means), but there's no denying the book's power and Zusak's storytelling ability.
Other YA books I enjoyed:
Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2002) – Avi
Only You Can Save Mankind (1992, reissue 2004) – Terry Pratchett
Tuck Everlasting (1975) – Natalie Babbitt
The Amulet of Samarkand (2003) – Jonathan Stroud
The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book One: The Field Guide (2003) – Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi
Friday, December 08, 2006
The Year in Review Part Two: Non-Fiction
It's my favorite time of year, list time. Here's how my lists work. (My list, my rules.) These books aren't necessarily 2006 releases. Some of the titles appeared in 2006, but I discovered them all for the first time this year.
Each year I say I'm going to read more non-fiction and I suppose this year wasn't too bad: I read 24 non-fiction titles, a bit more than usual for me. Several were genre-related, several were books on Christianity/spirituality, some history, some biography.
Here we go....
Blue Like Jazz (2003) is a book that's not afraid to say that Christians don't have all the answers and have flat-out screwed things up royally at times. My favorite part of the book occurs when Miller and some of his friends set up a confession booth on their secular college campus. One guy came in to confess and Miller and his friends said, "No, it doesn't work that way. We want to confess to you that as Christians, we've screwed up Christianity, misrepresented Christ, and treated large portions of humanity like crap starting with the Crusades all the way to today. And we're sorry." A great read.
I also discovered two books by Edward T. Welch this year,
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave : Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel (2001) and When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man (1997). Welch writes in a very practical, no-nonsense style that examines not only Scripture, but also psychology, philosophy and much more.
Although I enjoyed Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (2006), I was enthralled by a book recommended by John,
1066: The Hidden History In The Bayeux Tapestry (2005) by Andrew Bridgeford. Manhunt reads like a good thriller, but it also reads like Swanson has done a lot of speculating. Still, a good read, but nothing like 1066. I knew little about the Bayeaux Tapestry and the era going in, but was fascinated by Bridgeford's account. It's certainly more scholarly (but no less entertaining) than the Swanson, with many references to early documents and professional findings. Sure, there's bound to be some speculation involved, but it's mixed with credible theories supported by credible findings.
I tend to gloss over most of the "current events" books, but I was intrigued by The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (2005) by Thomas L. Friedman. I don't know that I agree with everything Friedman says about how our world is changing, becoming flatter, but every aspect of the book was at the least intriguing and often mind-blowing.
I really got into reading horror this year and two of the most useful reference books I ran across were Horror: The 100 Best Books (1988) by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman and the second installment that came out in 2005,
Horror: Another 100 Best Books (2005), also by Jones and Newman. For anyone who wants to discover the horror genre, these two books are invaluable.
I'm convinced that to become a good writer, you have to be a pretty good reader, something I'm slowly learning to become. Some of Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (2006) covers fundamental stuff, but it's stuff we all need to know. For someone like me who hasn't had a lot of formal training in writing (or even in reading/understanding/analyzing good writing), this book is a must-read.
Ever since I saw the cover of Jeffrey Ford's The Fantasy Writer's Assistant, I've been fascinated with the work of John Picacio, one of the most exciting artists in the field. His new collection Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio (2006) is outstanding in every way. Plus Picacio is one of the nicest guys you'll run across anywhere.
Finally, the best biography I read this year was hands-down James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon (2006) by Julie Phillips. From hunting trips to Africa as a child, to pulling the wool over the eyes of the entire science fiction community, to writing some of the most powerful genre stories ever written, Alice Sheldon's biography pulls no punches, giving readers a glimpse into the life of an amazing writer.
That's it for non-fiction. Next time: Young Adult
Today's Story = "Monster" – Kelly Link from Best New Fantasy, Sean Wallace, ed.
Each year I say I'm going to read more non-fiction and I suppose this year wasn't too bad: I read 24 non-fiction titles, a bit more than usual for me. Several were genre-related, several were books on Christianity/spirituality, some history, some biography.
Here we go....
Blue Like Jazz (2003) is a book that's not afraid to say that Christians don't have all the answers and have flat-out screwed things up royally at times. My favorite part of the book occurs when Miller and some of his friends set up a confession booth on their secular college campus. One guy came in to confess and Miller and his friends said, "No, it doesn't work that way. We want to confess to you that as Christians, we've screwed up Christianity, misrepresented Christ, and treated large portions of humanity like crap starting with the Crusades all the way to today. And we're sorry." A great read.
I also discovered two books by Edward T. Welch this year,
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave : Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel (2001) and When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man (1997). Welch writes in a very practical, no-nonsense style that examines not only Scripture, but also psychology, philosophy and much more.
Although I enjoyed Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (2006), I was enthralled by a book recommended by John,
1066: The Hidden History In The Bayeux Tapestry (2005) by Andrew Bridgeford. Manhunt reads like a good thriller, but it also reads like Swanson has done a lot of speculating. Still, a good read, but nothing like 1066. I knew little about the Bayeaux Tapestry and the era going in, but was fascinated by Bridgeford's account. It's certainly more scholarly (but no less entertaining) than the Swanson, with many references to early documents and professional findings. Sure, there's bound to be some speculation involved, but it's mixed with credible theories supported by credible findings.
I tend to gloss over most of the "current events" books, but I was intrigued by The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (2005) by Thomas L. Friedman. I don't know that I agree with everything Friedman says about how our world is changing, becoming flatter, but every aspect of the book was at the least intriguing and often mind-blowing.
I really got into reading horror this year and two of the most useful reference books I ran across were Horror: The 100 Best Books (1988) by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman and the second installment that came out in 2005,
Horror: Another 100 Best Books (2005), also by Jones and Newman. For anyone who wants to discover the horror genre, these two books are invaluable.
I'm convinced that to become a good writer, you have to be a pretty good reader, something I'm slowly learning to become. Some of Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (2006) covers fundamental stuff, but it's stuff we all need to know. For someone like me who hasn't had a lot of formal training in writing (or even in reading/understanding/analyzing good writing), this book is a must-read.
Ever since I saw the cover of Jeffrey Ford's The Fantasy Writer's Assistant, I've been fascinated with the work of John Picacio, one of the most exciting artists in the field. His new collection Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio (2006) is outstanding in every way. Plus Picacio is one of the nicest guys you'll run across anywhere.
Finally, the best biography I read this year was hands-down James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon (2006) by Julie Phillips. From hunting trips to Africa as a child, to pulling the wool over the eyes of the entire science fiction community, to writing some of the most powerful genre stories ever written, Alice Sheldon's biography pulls no punches, giving readers a glimpse into the life of an amazing writer. That's it for non-fiction. Next time: Young Adult
Today's Story = "Monster" – Kelly Link from Best New Fantasy, Sean Wallace, ed.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Year in Review Part One: Sobering Statistics
I've just been looking over my writing for the past year and I'm amazed (and not in a good way). What have I been doing?
I do feel good about finishing one YA novel this year, tentatively titled Fortress. I'm in the process of revising it right now. I've only written one other novel (which no one will ever see), and I am confident that this one is miles better than my first effort.
But I only wrote six new short stories this year. Yeah, six. Most of them took an average of two months to revise. One took six months. And I've got eight other unfinished stories all started this year.
What does all this tell me?
First, I think my writing time is inconsistent. That's not brought out by the numbers, but I can't help but think it's a contributor. Life often gets in the way, but I have to set aside that time and not let anything interfere with it.
Second, I've got to learn to move on to another story if the one I'm working on isn't coming together. I'm just too stubborn, which is why I only have six stories this year.
Counting new and old stories, I've submitted to markets only 23 times this year, a very low number. One story sold. In many cases, several of the stories that got rejected made it well past the first level(s) and one is still being held for consideration by a major market.
Writing resolutions for the new year? In the simplest terms:
Regular hours, no matter what.
Write more.
Send stuff out.
Repeat.
Next: The Year in Review: Non-Fiction
Today's short story: "The Language of Moths" - Christopher Barzak from Best New Fantasy, Sean Wallace, ed.
I do feel good about finishing one YA novel this year, tentatively titled Fortress. I'm in the process of revising it right now. I've only written one other novel (which no one will ever see), and I am confident that this one is miles better than my first effort.
But I only wrote six new short stories this year. Yeah, six. Most of them took an average of two months to revise. One took six months. And I've got eight other unfinished stories all started this year.
What does all this tell me?
First, I think my writing time is inconsistent. That's not brought out by the numbers, but I can't help but think it's a contributor. Life often gets in the way, but I have to set aside that time and not let anything interfere with it.
Second, I've got to learn to move on to another story if the one I'm working on isn't coming together. I'm just too stubborn, which is why I only have six stories this year.
Counting new and old stories, I've submitted to markets only 23 times this year, a very low number. One story sold. In many cases, several of the stories that got rejected made it well past the first level(s) and one is still being held for consideration by a major market.
Writing resolutions for the new year? In the simplest terms:
Regular hours, no matter what.
Write more.
Send stuff out.
Repeat.
Next: The Year in Review: Non-Fiction
Today's short story: "The Language of Moths" - Christopher Barzak from Best New Fantasy, Sean Wallace, ed.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Having a Fit
It's been such a busy week, I haven't had time to post. With my car dying a quick death, Cindy and I went to the Honda dealership last Friday to pick out a Civic for her. It certainly wasn't her first choice, but none of the Honda dealerships had the new Fit on the lot for a test drive.
Well, we got to Jim Coleman Honda in Clarksville and saw two Fits staring us in the face. Cindy and I both drove one (black sport model) and loved it. They had just come in the night before and we were literally the first ones to see them. So we bought it. And sold the Saturn. Life is good.
Well, we got to Jim Coleman Honda in Clarksville and saw two Fits staring us in the face. Cindy and I both drove one (black sport model) and loved it. They had just come in the night before and we were literally the first ones to see them. So we bought it. And sold the Saturn. Life is good.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Great Stuff on the Cheap and A Story with No Home
As John pointed out on his blog, Fantasy Magazine (actually Wildside Press) is offering a holiday subscription special: four issues for just ten bucks. Ten bucks! You got ten bucks? No? Skip Starbucks a few times and you've got it. If you haven't read the mag, get it. You won't regret it. (I subscribed yesterday. Thanks for the tip, John!)
***************************
After much revision and a little help from my friends, I finished my story "Graveyard Journal" last night. I'm pleased with the end result, but I wish I had a definite market in mind. It's a horror story with a teenage protagonist, which isn't really that hard to find a home for, but it's nearly 6,000 words, which knocks it out of several horror (like Cemetery Dance) and YA (like Cicada) markets. Yeah, I could probably cut several hundred words, but I've done that before and have never been pleased with the result. I may send it to one of these markets anyway. Maybe there's an upcoming anthology floating around somewhere.
Today's short story: "At the End of the Hall" - Nick Mamatas, Best New Fantasy
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Wow!
That's right, the Library of America will publish a hardcover edition in June 2007 containing four of Philip K. Dick's novels from the 1960's: The Man in the High Castle, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Ubik.
I'll admit that the only one of these novels in this collection I've read is The Man in the High Castle, but I've read a few others, most recently A Scanner Darkly, which knocked me out. Not only was Dick an important genre writer -- and it's great to see more credibility given to a genre writer -- he was an important writer period. He and his readers certainly deserve this edition.
*********************************
I was at a library sale today and ran across a book I just had to have: Edison & The Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death by Mark Essig.
I've been fascinated with the concept of the electric chair since I was a kid. I remember hearing some of the old timers hanging around my dad's grocery store, telling tall tales, as old timers will do. One man told about the days when the State of Mississippi had a traveling electric chair, which of course enthralled young ears like mine. When I got older, I dismissed the story as pure bunk.
Years later a friend of mine told me he remembered actually seeing the traveling electric chair as a boy in Quitman, Mississippi. Then I read Andy Duncan's excellent story "The Executioners' Guild" and was once again fascinated. Andy, if you're out there, have you read the Essig book? I imagine any romanticism on the subject is greatly diminished in what I imagine are pretty grisly details, not for the faint of heart.
But I'm still going to read it. Hey, it was only 10 cents.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Today's Survey
Here's the situation: I just took my car in to the shop. Needs a new radiator, around $600, which actually isn't too bad. But the car's ten years old and probably won't last much longer. Here's all the vital information for your consideration:
1997 Saturn SL-1, manual
128,000 miles
Good mileage (between 32-37 mpg)
CD player has an attitude
Repairs completed in the past year:
New water pump/gasket
New ignition coil/switch
Replaced front brake pads and rotors
New windshield
Other routine stuff (including new tires)
Total amount spent (other than normal maintenance) in the past year (not counting the radiator) = $2225.88
Other factors:
We just bought a Toyota Matrix, which we love. It's eventually going to be my car, but Cindy's driving it right now. The next car will be hers, but we can't decide what to get. We want to test-drive a Honda Fit for Cindy, but they don't stay on the lot long enough for you to even look at one. (They don't call it the Fit for nothing. We've had a fit trying to find one.) But we may have to made a decision sooner than we thought.
So whaddya say? Fix the Saturn or sell it?
1997 Saturn SL-1, manual
128,000 miles
Good mileage (between 32-37 mpg)
CD player has an attitude
Repairs completed in the past year:
New water pump/gasket
New ignition coil/switch
Replaced front brake pads and rotors
New windshield
Other routine stuff (including new tires)
Total amount spent (other than normal maintenance) in the past year (not counting the radiator) = $2225.88
Other factors:
We just bought a Toyota Matrix, which we love. It's eventually going to be my car, but Cindy's driving it right now. The next car will be hers, but we can't decide what to get. We want to test-drive a Honda Fit for Cindy, but they don't stay on the lot long enough for you to even look at one. (They don't call it the Fit for nothing. We've had a fit trying to find one.) But we may have to made a decision sooner than we thought.
So whaddya say? Fix the Saturn or sell it?
The Unblemished - Conrad Williams
I'm about halfway through this book, which is a must-read if you're a fan of quality horror fiction (or fiction in general). I plan to write more about it later, but I just have to share this one paragraph. (I hope Mr. Williams doesn't mind.)
After meeting a character in a London bar, Bo experiences some really strange stuff going on in the city. In this scene, Bo's staying at his friend Sammy's house, considering whether or not it's safe to confide in his friend. While Sammy is asleep, Bo hears something from outside the bedroom.
He saw the shape of a hand reach around the edge of the door, its fingers shockingly long. Each of them came to rest against the wood, nails tapping lightly as though it were still incarcerated, knocking politely to be let out. Its smell reached Bo before anything else did: old things left undisturbed for too long: wet rags that had not been allowed to dry properly, desiccated newspapers, woodworm and rust. It shifted like someone whose joints had recently been operated upon, or someone coming back from a traumatic accident, at the start of a physiotherapy programme. Bo resisted the insane drive to offer assistance. He heard a terrible, dry clicking sound and though he didn't want to know what was producing it, found his mind throwing up any number of horrid possibilities. What disturbed him was the knowledge that the truth would be far worse.
This isn't hammer-the-reader-over-the-head horror, but instead an artful balance of terror and desire. Bo is terrified of who (or what) is about to enter the room, yet feels a tinge of compassion, if not responsibility, to somehow help this creature. The sensory details are so vivid you can almost feel the overwhelming odor of the thing wrapping itself around you. And Williams even portrays the painful sickness of Bo's conflict and imagination, "his mind throwing up any number of horrid possibilities."
What happens next is totally unexpected, yet completely satisfying. This guy's an outstanding writer. Check him out.
After meeting a character in a London bar, Bo experiences some really strange stuff going on in the city. In this scene, Bo's staying at his friend Sammy's house, considering whether or not it's safe to confide in his friend. While Sammy is asleep, Bo hears something from outside the bedroom.
He saw the shape of a hand reach around the edge of the door, its fingers shockingly long. Each of them came to rest against the wood, nails tapping lightly as though it were still incarcerated, knocking politely to be let out. Its smell reached Bo before anything else did: old things left undisturbed for too long: wet rags that had not been allowed to dry properly, desiccated newspapers, woodworm and rust. It shifted like someone whose joints had recently been operated upon, or someone coming back from a traumatic accident, at the start of a physiotherapy programme. Bo resisted the insane drive to offer assistance. He heard a terrible, dry clicking sound and though he didn't want to know what was producing it, found his mind throwing up any number of horrid possibilities. What disturbed him was the knowledge that the truth would be far worse.
This isn't hammer-the-reader-over-the-head horror, but instead an artful balance of terror and desire. Bo is terrified of who (or what) is about to enter the room, yet feels a tinge of compassion, if not responsibility, to somehow help this creature. The sensory details are so vivid you can almost feel the overwhelming odor of the thing wrapping itself around you. And Williams even portrays the painful sickness of Bo's conflict and imagination, "his mind throwing up any number of horrid possibilities."
What happens next is totally unexpected, yet completely satisfying. This guy's an outstanding writer. Check him out.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Gym First, Shopping Later
Well, the Eating Season is officially upon us. I survived the surplus of Halloween candy and yesterday's eating festivities (including three pies*), so I'm off to the gym to fight the good fight. Wish me luck. I'll need it - This will be my first visit to the gym since World Fantasy.
But before I subject myself to a morning of pain and ridicule, I want to make my bid for the "Genre-gift-for-the-person-who-doesn't-read-genre" prize. We all have friends and family whom we love in spite of their indifference/disinterest/outright condemnation of genre. With some of these people, we've probably given up, but with others, we continue to hold out a bit of hope.
Even though I haven't quite finished it, my choice for the genre holiday gift for the non-genre reader is Best New Fantasy, edited by Sean Wallace from Prime Books. Here's why:
1. Size - This collection contains 16 stories at 237 pages. Sure, most genre readers have no problem tackling the mammoth 500-page anthologies with twice as many stories, but for those new to the field, this is the perfect size.
2. Price - At $12.95, you can afford to buy one for yourself and one (or two) for a friend. Or a potential friend. Or Uncle Stinky who thinks you're a freak anyway.
3. A little bit of everything. You've got fairy tales, historical stories, horror tales, slipstream, action, beautiful prose, weirdness, you name it. There's truly something for everyone here. Even Uncle Stinky.
There's my pitch.
* No, I didn't eat them all. Not quite.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
My Hair Length is Determined by the NFL
The barber I go to is really incredible. He takes his time and does a great job, even trimming my moustache, goatee and eyebrows. This guy's really top notch.
But he's also a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
I've got no problem with that, as long as I get a haircut after a Steelers win. If I go after a loss, the guy's so steamed that I come out of the barber shop looking like the top of my head's been in a battlezone. But the Steelers won on Sunday, so I should be safe.
Go Steelers!
But he's also a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
I've got no problem with that, as long as I get a haircut after a Steelers win. If I go after a loss, the guy's so steamed that I come out of the barber shop looking like the top of my head's been in a battlezone. But the Steelers won on Sunday, so I should be safe.
Go Steelers!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Don't Miss This!
Jeff VanderMeer is offering copies of Leena Krohn's World Fantasy-nominated book Tainaron, as well as signed copies of Jeff's own collection Secret Life, just out in trade paperback. Check it out here.
I haven't read Jeff's collection yet, but I bought a copy at World Fantasy. I think I can safely say, having read his latest novel Shriek (as well as Veniss Underground), that these stories will not disappoint.
I'm buying two copies of Tainaron to give to friends. If you've got friends who know you read speculative/fantastic fiction but don't think they'd like it, this book would be a great gift. (And by all means, get a copy for yourself.) The writing is poetic, gorgeous, stunning, strangely beautiful. Anyone who appreciates good writing will enjoy it. Trust me on this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)