cold winter bleeds on the girders of Babel

[greygirlbeast]

Yesterday, I did 1,781 words. And if that's not getting back on the horse, I don't know what is.

curt_holman's Creative Loafing interview is out. If you're in the Atlanta area, you can read the hard-copy version, though the online version is quite a bit longer.

And the signature sheets for Tales from the Woeful Platypus just arrived. Thump, on my porch. Because the UPS guy can't be bothered. So, I'll have to get to those sometime today or tomorrow and get them back to subpress. There are still copies of the trade hardback available, at this writing.

Sometimes people do very nice things. For example, a reader who wishes to remain anonymous, and so to whom I shall refer simply as the "kindly but anonymous ichthyologist," wrote yesterday afternoon to ask if, in light of the theft of Spooky's iBook, I had any use for a spare 13" G3 500MHz iBook, with a 15GB hard drive and 512 MB ram. I admitted that it would be enormously helpful at this point, and it will be arriving here on Friday (which is tomorrow, I see). I am left somewhat speechless at such generosity and wish the kindly but anonymous ichthyologist had allowed me to thank herhimit by name. Now, we can get back to work on the website redesign and get the eBay auctions going again and attend to other things that have been being ignored. Thank you, kindly but anonymous ichthyologist.

Someone in the U.K. asked yesterday about the availability of Daughter of Hounds in Britain. As there is no British edition, the best I can suggest is online ordering. You may acquire it from Amazon.uk, for example, by following this link. Otherwise, it might turn up in some bookshops, here and there.

I would like to ask, at this point, that if you have purchased and read Daughter of Hounds and if you enjoyed it, that you please, please spread the word, in whatever way you might. Recommend it to a friend or family member (but make them buy their own copy). Mention it on your LJ or blog. At this point, every little bit helps. Give copies as belated Xmas/Solstice/whatever gifts. Ask your library to get a copy. I have never before felt so certain that the remainder of my career as a novelist depends upon the sales of a particular book. I thank you, for whatever you may do.

Last night, we watched Neil Burger's The Illusionist, adapted for the screen from Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim, the Illusionist." And I found it delightful and beautiful. The cast was superb — Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell, Jessica Biel & etc. The cinematography, with its muted palette and gaslight flicker, was perfection. As was the Philip Glass score. This is one of those 2006 films I wish I could have caught in the theatre, as it was certainly one of the better films of the year. Later, we read more of Christopher Priest's The Prestige, which kept us up until 2 a.m.

The platypus insists I stop journalizing now and get to work. Venomous spurs have been bared, so I must obey. But...there is a photo (behind the cut), just Hubero in a sunbeam, something of yesterday worth remembering.



photo Copyright © 2007 by Kathryn A. Pollnac

Comments

[albionidaho.livejournal.com]

The Illusionist was beautiful in the theater. It was one of those few movies to watch in a theater more than once. Just gorgeous.

[faustfatale.livejournal.com]

I am now in love with the words "anonymous ichthyologist." Sometimes I fall randomly in love with words or combinations of words and those two are too delicious to resist. It's a good thing that I'm single. My dogs don't seem to mind me saying "anonymous ichthyologist" to them over and over.

[sfmarty.livejournal.com]

Don't see The Prestige in the theater. I was quite dissapointed. Loved the Illusionist tho.

[tagplazen.livejournal.com]

I loved The Illusionist because it did such a great job of showing how audiences percieved illusions. It was great watching it because you know that Pepper's Ghost can't actually make someone walk through the audience or on Houdin's Orange Tree the butterflies didn't fly into the audience, but when you read accounts of those performances written by onlookers it makes complete sense.

It just adds one more reason why I love Ricky Jay. If you ever see it on cable, check out the scene in Rounders where Norton is released from jail and shows off his card skills to Matt Damon. There was a great interview years ago about Norton being an unknown and begging to be an usher at Ricky Jay's 52 Assistants show so he could see the performances.

[pinkfaeriestars.livejournal.com]

I picked up Daughter of Hounds and Alabaster from Barnes and Noble last night (I'm in Independence,MO...about 20 minutes outside of Kansas City). I was delighted that they had both! I picked up the only copy of Alabaster and there were a few copies of DoH and 6 of Threshold. I talked my friend that I was there with into reading your books. :)

[sovay]

curt_holman's Creative Loafing interview is out.

It's a good interview.

Hubero is beautiful.

[curt-holman.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

and thanks for the shout-out.

[broknmirrorgirl.livejournal.com]

since you mentioned the 50bookchallenge community a few days ago i thought i'd let you know that i've been using it to suggest daughter of hounds to folks who seem likely (and even a few unlikely) to read it. :)

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

Just ordered Daughter of Hounds (as well as Alabaster, the new paperback edition of Threshold with the hot-ass cover, AND Five of Cups) from Amazon.com, since none of the fucking bookstores in Pennsylvania or West Virginia that I go to seem to be carrying it. I don't quite understand that, but...fuck it: I prefer getting stuff via Amazon anyway.

What do you want to bet half of the unnamed Nyarlathotep tracks chillin' on my hard-drive are going to end up with names derived from this novel? :)

[dyfferent.livejournal.com]

I work in a Waterstones bookshop, in the UK, and was able to get the book in with no difficulty for stock. It's on my display table right now (still have 4 copies of my original 10).

[thingunderthest.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed at how easy it can be to pimp a good book. I finally finished a collection of Clark Ashton Smith stories and grabbed my new copy of "Daughter of Hounds" on my way out the door this morning. I had 2 people ask me about the book during my morning ferry ride and another on the bus.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I work in a Waterstones bookshop, in the UK, and was able to get the book in with no difficulty for stock. It's on my display table right now (still have 4 copies of my original 10).

Wonderful! Thank you!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I had 2 people ask me about the book during my morning ferry ride and another on the bus.


It must be that alluring cover. ;-)

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

and thanks for the shout-out.

Thank you!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Hubero is beautiful.

He certainly thinsk so. Cat, thy name is Vanity.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I was delighted that they had both! I picked up the only copy of Alabaster and there were a few copies of DoH and 6 of Threshold.

Wow. A B&N with a copy of Alabaster? Cool.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I loved The Illusionist because it did such a great job of showing how audiences percieved illusions.

Yes, and in that respect (as in most others) it was doing something very different from The Prestige (which I loved as well). There was much there about the psychology of illusion and the willingness of people to be deceived and see what it is they wish to see.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

me saying "anonymous ichthyologist" to them over and over.

It does have a wonderful music to it, doesn't it?

[thingunderthest.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one fella that asked about it seemed a little disappointed that it wasn't a post appocalyptic road-warrior style tale.

Perhaps I need to fab up a super sekret dust jacket to make it look less so.

[ladyeuthanasia.livejournal.com]

Yes, but The Prestige has some terrific fx in it. Personally, I think it'd be a shame to see it on the small screen just to save a couple of bucks and a few more expectations. But that's just me. :)

[opalblack.livejournal.com]

People in the UK may have luck at Waterstones

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

People in the UK may have luck at Waterstones

So I have been told.