anxiousThere was another pirate dream last night, though, unfortunately, it wasn't the fun sort of dream I had the night before. I was sitting in bed this morning, being a little weirded out at two consecutive nights of pirate dreams, until I realized a possible trigger. For two nights now, I've fallen asleep with Alien: Resurrection in Spooky's iBook. Both nights, I've made it as far as the part where Elgyn (Michael Wincott) is talking with Gen. Martin Perez (Dan Hedaya) and describes Call (Winona Ryder) as "a little girl playing pirates." So, maybe that's doing it. Or maybe Nar'eth found a wormhole and is screwing around with time. Either way, last night I was on an immense sailing ship (well, Nar'eth was on a ship). It was night, and I was up on the foredeck alone, looking at the stars, which were brilliant in the warm night. The air smelled like salt and damp wood, and there was a school of dolphins just in front of the ship. I could hear the sails billowing in the wind. And then I wasn't alone anymore. There was a man sitting on a wooden crate, smoking a pipe. He was a very tall, thin man, sort of Ichabod Crane. I sat down near him, and he started talking to me about whaling and ambergris. He asked if there were whales where I came from, and I said "No, not exactly." And that's as much of it as I clearly remember. Later, there was something else about whales, but I'm not sure what. But I think it's time for Leh'agvoi to do a "pirate Nar'eth" pin-up.
Speaking of nautical things, I got an e-mail from Stephen Jones this morning informing me that Weird Shadows Over Innsmouth has shipped. The story I wrote for it, "From Cabinet 34, Drawer Six," was the catalyst for my preface in To Charles Fort, With Love, though that story doesn't actually appear in the book. I'm very much looking forward to this anthology (from Fedogan and Bremer). It's been a very long time coming. I wrote "From Cabinet 34, Drawer Six" in October and November 2001, and when Steve told me he was doing another Innsmouth anthology, I promised the story to him. Here's one of four illustrations that Les Edwards did for the volume (behind the cut):
"Aground" by Les Edwards (© Les Edwards 2005)
If you should have a clear sky tonight, look for Mars. This weekend the planet is closer to Earth than it will be again until 2018.
Spooky and I are ignoring the time change again this year, remaining on Daylight Savings Time. It worked very well for us last year. Not only did we keep an hour of afternoon most everyone else lost, but I was never late for anything.
We're beginning to puzzle out how the erotic vignette subscription service will work, how we'll be handling payment, etc. There will eventually be a webpage where you can register at www.caitlinrkiernan.com/polymorph, but not yet. Meanwhile, I'm still watching the poll...