Spooky came back from the doctor yesterday having been diagnosed with an inner-ear infection. And since, for now, I cannot travel alone (the PNES seizures) and don't drive and have no valid photo ID (so no airplanes, anyway), I have had to cancel the appearance at Washington College this Friday and Saturday. I swear to fuck, there is a curse that hangs over my attempts at public appearances. When was the last time I even tried? Alabama Bound last April? And before that, the reading in Boston in August 2006? I've not managed to actually make a con or a reading or anything else of the sort since Fiddler's Green in November 2004 (Minneapolis), and it's beginning to feel like a bad joke. Kathryn has not been sick in ages, and out of the blue, this ear infection. Anyway, my apologies to anyone reading this who was planning to be at Washington College this weekend. I have been asked to reschedule (this autumn or next year), and have agreed to do so, and, with some luck and maybe a blood sacrifice, I'll make it to Chesterton sooner or later. I have some hope that by moving to Providence, I'll have more opportunities to make appearances that won't entail long trips that inevitably get canceled.
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More reading yesterday, in between all the stress about Washington College. Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo" and "A Descent into Egypt." Oh, and I love this quote from ST Joshi:
"...the weird tale...did not (and perhaps does not now) exist as a genre but as the consequence of a world view." (Joshi, 1990)
In the end, the one thing I can think of that unites pretty much everything I've written from 1994 up to now — the dark fantasy, the "gothnoir," the sf, the erotica, everything — is that it all derives from and reflects a world view that has changed only by small degrees. Oh, and there's another good quote from Machen:
"For literature, as I see it, is the art of describing the indescribable; the art of exhibiting symbols which may hint at ineffable mysteries behind them: the art of the veil, which reveals what it conceals." (Machen, 1931).
Certainly, I can think of no single sentence that so perfectly describes my own approach to the fantastic, and to writing, in general.
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Today, I need to proofread "Pickman's Other Model" for Sirenia Digest #28, and hopefully get a start on reading through the A is for Alien manuscript (just a quick read though, as Sonya [
sovay] has kindly agreed to do the actual proofreading on the collection). Also, I need to read over "The Ape's Wife" again, so I can send a corrected version of the story to Steve Jones for The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror #19.
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Last night, I tried to get around my disappointment over the Washington College appearance by cooking a huge meal for Spooky, who felt too bad to do much of anything but lie on the sofa and moan and whimper. I made a corned beef brisket with cabbage and onions and carrots and boiled some potatoes. We skipped the Guinness, as, between her amoxicillin prescription and my anti-seizure meds, alcohol is out for now. Later, we watched still more Angel ("Shiny Happy People" and "The Magic Bullet"), and then I got into trouble in Second Life. That was yesterday.
Next verse...
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More reading yesterday, in between all the stress about Washington College. Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo" and "A Descent into Egypt." Oh, and I love this quote from ST Joshi:
"...the weird tale...did not (and perhaps does not now) exist as a genre but as the consequence of a world view." (Joshi, 1990)
In the end, the one thing I can think of that unites pretty much everything I've written from 1994 up to now — the dark fantasy, the "gothnoir," the sf, the erotica, everything — is that it all derives from and reflects a world view that has changed only by small degrees. Oh, and there's another good quote from Machen:
"For literature, as I see it, is the art of describing the indescribable; the art of exhibiting symbols which may hint at ineffable mysteries behind them: the art of the veil, which reveals what it conceals." (Machen, 1931).
Certainly, I can think of no single sentence that so perfectly describes my own approach to the fantastic, and to writing, in general.
---
Today, I need to proofread "Pickman's Other Model" for Sirenia Digest #28, and hopefully get a start on reading through the A is for Alien manuscript (just a quick read though, as Sonya [
sovay] has kindly agreed to do the actual proofreading on the collection). Also, I need to read over "The Ape's Wife" again, so I can send a corrected version of the story to Steve Jones for The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror #19.---
Last night, I tried to get around my disappointment over the Washington College appearance by cooking a huge meal for Spooky, who felt too bad to do much of anything but lie on the sofa and moan and whimper. I made a corned beef brisket with cabbage and onions and carrots and boiled some potatoes. We skipped the Guinness, as, between her amoxicillin prescription and my anti-seizure meds, alcohol is out for now. Later, we watched still more Angel ("Shiny Happy People" and "The Magic Bullet"), and then I got into trouble in Second Life. That was yesterday.
Next verse...
- Current Location:Depressio Hellespontica
- Current Mood:
very, very disappointed - Current Music:Poe, "Not a Virgin"
Comments
Don't know if this will make you feel any better, but I got my copy of ToPaW in the mail yesterday and it really is beautiful. The design, the illustrations, the feel of the paper... I am absolutely delighted by it and its accompanying chapbook. I've put off reading this collection -- either ordering from a distant library or paying for an inferior edition -- and it was a joy to get home from work yesterday and see hundreds upon hundreds of pages of your stories that I hadn't yet read, collected so attractively. Looking forward to the reading of it.
and it really is beautiful. The design, the illustrations, the feel of the paper... I am absolutely delighted by it and its accompanying chapbook.
I'm very pleased that you're happy with it!
You have my persmission to pummel him. He needs a good beating. Tried but did not make it over to the city last night... again.
Also, sorry to hear about the cancelation but sending good wishes out to heal Spooky's ear infection. No fun.
Kids these days...
Taz needs to learn that there's such a thing as serious rp. You know, for grown-ups.
Edited at 2008-03-18 06:45 pm (UTC)
I like that. Thanks for sharing it.
Remember: trains are your friends. That might be the way to get to your next appearances, once the Forces That Be allow you to make them. Sorry, Cait and sorry, Spooky. At least you're being conscientious about it.
Remember: trains are your friends.
And once we have moved, I intend to rely largely upon trains for travel.
I'm hoping for increased opportunities for your public appearances in the Northeast as well!
Ferrets make things happen. Little buggers.
I have been trying to meet you since the old GEnie days, almost made it when you were schedualed to come to San Francisco, Borderlands, one Halloween. Something happened and you had to cancel out then too. I have faith that we three will all be healthy and at the same place someday in the future.
With great affection, marty
God speed Sir Arthur. Say hello to the Ramans for me!
For literature, as I see it, is the art of describing the indescribable; the art of exhibiting symbols which may hint at ineffable mysteries behind them: the art of the veil, which reveals what it conceals.
I can't decide which part of this I like most, but I certainly agree that it is a fantastic statement. Thank you for sharing it!
Glad to see that Miss Paine made it to Ruby's with Elenore under her wing. She's a handful that little one! LOL! And I noticed that young Elenore managed to poke around upstairs for a bit. I hope she didn't discover anything too unsettling.