Something metal
Feb. 9th, 2008 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastYes, that was, indeed, the correct word. Overwhelmed. And I am still overwhelmed. But I am also thankful, so I can probably live with overwhelmed. At this point, I'm planning for today to be the last day (for now) that I accept donations directly through PayPal. If donations continue at the current rate, by tomorrow, all existing and immediately incoming medical/dental bills will be covered, and as I will undoubtedly need this sort of assistance at some future date, I don't want to overtax your generosity. Of course and still, there will be Sirenia Digest, which is a good way to offer ongoing support, as well as our eBay auctions and Spooky's dolls (she doesn't have any up at the moment, but I post links whenever she does). And there are always the books, from both Penguin and Subterranean Press.
Also, I just got offers of assistance from Jeff VanderMeer and Matthew Cheney. Here's the deal: Jeff is offering free signed first-edition hb copies of Shriek: An Afterword to five people who donate and say so via his blog. Two of those books have already been claimed, I know. Meanwhile, Matt Cheney is offering three free copies of Best American Fantasy. So, if you'd like to donate and recieve Shriek, go to Jeff's blog and do so. If you'd like Best American Fantasy, say so here. Once I have confirmed the donations via PayPal, I'll let Jeff and Matt know. And my thanks to both of them. By the way, given what Matt and Jeff are offering here as incentives, and that these are their own private copies, I'd suggest these donations be at least $20.
And, for the last time, here's the PayPal button:
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Subterranean Press has made an offer on my first collection of science fiction, and I've accepted. The book will include all my previously uncollected sf short stories, and will likely be titled either A is for Alien or Bradbury Weather and Other Stories. I'll post more details when they are available. The Dry Salvages will not be included in the volume, but we're talking about releasing theFREE ebook edition of The Dry Salvages to coincide with the release of the sf collection. We've also briefly discussed the third collection of erotica, but I have no details available on that yet.
Tales of Pain and Wonder is now at the printer, and you probably want to place your order soon, if you haven't already.
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Byron came over last night, and we had dinner at the Vortex at L5P. He actually had the audacity to order the "Elvis" burger, which comes with fried banana slices, peanut butter, and bacon. I only had a bowl of chili, mostly because chewing is a chore right now, but I think one look at Byron's burger and I'd lost most of my appetite, anyway. He pronounced it "interesting." Anyway, he'd brought along a copy of John Dower's Britpop documentary, Live Forever (2003), and we watched it after dinner. I was a little disappointed that most of the film was given over the Oasis/Blur feud, and that so many important bands were only mentioned in passing (Radiohead, Portishead, Suede, etc.). I've always thought Noel Gallagher was a pompous ass and that Liam Gallagher was a silly git, and the documentary only served to reinforce those impressions. On the other hand, Damon Albarn (Blur) and Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) come off rather well. And I thought the film did a nice job of exploring the optimism surrounding the rise of New Labour and Tony Blair. And then I proceeded to go to bed at the rather reasonable (for me) hour of 2 ayem and sleep an almost unbelievable nine and a half hours.
Also, courtesy Sonya Taaffe (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sovay), "Marie Smith, the last speaker of the Eyak language, died on January 21st, aged 89" I found this bit particularly chilling: "Just as impossible, scoffed the experts: in an age where perhaps half the planet's languages will disappear over the next century, killed by urban migration or the internet or the triumphal march of English, Eyak has no chance."
Okay. Cat, get off my desk!
Also, I just got offers of assistance from Jeff VanderMeer and Matthew Cheney. Here's the deal: Jeff is offering free signed first-edition hb copies of Shriek: An Afterword to five people who donate and say so via his blog. Two of those books have already been claimed, I know. Meanwhile, Matt Cheney is offering three free copies of Best American Fantasy. So, if you'd like to donate and recieve Shriek, go to Jeff's blog and do so. If you'd like Best American Fantasy, say so here. Once I have confirmed the donations via PayPal, I'll let Jeff and Matt know. And my thanks to both of them. By the way, given what Matt and Jeff are offering here as incentives, and that these are their own private copies, I'd suggest these donations be at least $20.
And, for the last time, here's the PayPal button:
---
Subterranean Press has made an offer on my first collection of science fiction, and I've accepted. The book will include all my previously uncollected sf short stories, and will likely be titled either A is for Alien or Bradbury Weather and Other Stories. I'll post more details when they are available. The Dry Salvages will not be included in the volume, but we're talking about releasing the
Tales of Pain and Wonder is now at the printer, and you probably want to place your order soon, if you haven't already.
---
Byron came over last night, and we had dinner at the Vortex at L5P. He actually had the audacity to order the "Elvis" burger, which comes with fried banana slices, peanut butter, and bacon. I only had a bowl of chili, mostly because chewing is a chore right now, but I think one look at Byron's burger and I'd lost most of my appetite, anyway. He pronounced it "interesting." Anyway, he'd brought along a copy of John Dower's Britpop documentary, Live Forever (2003), and we watched it after dinner. I was a little disappointed that most of the film was given over the Oasis/Blur feud, and that so many important bands were only mentioned in passing (Radiohead, Portishead, Suede, etc.). I've always thought Noel Gallagher was a pompous ass and that Liam Gallagher was a silly git, and the documentary only served to reinforce those impressions. On the other hand, Damon Albarn (Blur) and Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) come off rather well. And I thought the film did a nice job of exploring the optimism surrounding the rise of New Labour and Tony Blair. And then I proceeded to go to bed at the rather reasonable (for me) hour of 2 ayem and sleep an almost unbelievable nine and a half hours.
Also, courtesy Sonya Taaffe (
sovay), "Marie Smith, the last speaker of the Eyak language, died on January 21st, aged 89" I found this bit particularly chilling: "Just as impossible, scoffed the experts: in an age where perhaps half the planet's languages will disappear over the next century, killed by urban migration or the internet or the triumphal march of English, Eyak has no chance."Okay. Cat, get off my desk!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 07:08 pm (UTC)By the way, and this comes from someone who's going in for some of his own dental work, try something different. Considering that I already have a grin that makes everyone regret splitting away from Ripley and Parker to get the cat, I'm thinking about going with chrome to finish the job. However, clear quartz crystal would work, too.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:04 pm (UTC)Heh Well, right now, it's all back teeth. But if and when the front ones blow, I'm going for hematite. And fangs.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 07:19 pm (UTC)...first collection of science fiction
Date: 2008-02-09 07:57 pm (UTC)Re: ...first collection of science fiction
Date: 2008-02-09 08:05 pm (UTC)This is very exciting! And since The Dry Salvages remains a personal favorite, I ask your consideration as a title, perhaps one of the other of the Four Quartets. This suggestion in honor of your original choice.
You mean instead of the two titles I mention?
Re: ...first collection of science fiction
Date: 2008-02-09 08:47 pm (UTC)Re: ...first collection of science fiction
Date: 2008-02-09 08:48 pm (UTC)Yes, just another idea before you decide.
Noted.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:18 pm (UTC)Seems like last night was a good night for the Vortex. We got there, about 9.30pm, or so... Delicious times.
We were pretty early. About 6:30 p.m., I think
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:27 pm (UTC)Ah, then you probably did far better in terms of crowd and smoke.
In terms of Byron's choice of sandwich, it seems they've got a few new items that aren't... all that appetizing. The "Double Coronary By-Pass," for example, is disgusting to watch being eaten.
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Date: 2008-02-09 08:33 pm (UTC)I'm glad to hear you are able to cover your medical bills, for now. As someone who knows the value of good medical insurance (for both myself and
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Date: 2008-02-09 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:57 pm (UTC)Did his new band/album The Good, The Bad And The Queen make it out to the US at all?
If so, i have not yet heard it.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 11:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:54 pm (UTC)I want a copy already.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-09 08:58 pm (UTC)But of course. ;-)
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Date: 2008-02-09 09:31 pm (UTC)Alex James, from Blur, has recently done the classic rock star thing and moved to a country house in the Cotswolds, where he is making cheese. Apparently, very good cheese: he is quite serious about it.
Usually, they buy trout farms.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-10 04:06 pm (UTC)I just subbed to SD.
Thank you!
Usually, they buy trout farms.
I want a trout farm ;-)
your thoughts needed
Date: 2008-02-09 10:46 pm (UTC)I have some extra copies of your books which I would gladly send to you if you would care to put them on e-bay in your usual manner. You could use them now or hang on to them as the need arises. I imagine they would fetch a decent price. They include:
1st ed. (1998) mm of SILK -- the spine of the pages a smidgen yellow from aging but otherwise a VG copy (I have the Gauntlet HB and the tpb and the new mm)
1st ed. (2003) tpb LOW RED MOON -- VF condition -- I have the SubPress HB
chapbook of WAYCROSS (SubPress 2003) -- VF condition (I own a copy of ALABASTER) unnumbered (don't ask me why) but signed twice -- I guess because there wasn't enough time to have you sign every page . . .
Deluxe HB of THE DRY SALVAGES (SubPress 2004) -- #70 of 250 VF condition. I have my personalized Advance Uncorrected Proof. It shan't include The Worm In My Mind's Eye chapbook as I am saving that for when you have circulatory issues or are in need of a lobotomy.
Advance Proof (softcover) of THE FIVE OF CUPS (SubPress 2003) -- VF condition. I picked up the HB when I was at DragonCon in Atlanta in 2004.
Sorry to take up so much room in the blog but it was what we could think of to do to help quickly.
Let me know at your convenience.
PS Congratulations on the science fiction collection deal. Subterranean Press has done an outstanding job with your work. I look forward to everything they do with you.
Re: your thoughts needed
Date: 2008-02-10 04:05 pm (UTC)I have some extra copies of your books which I would gladly send to you if you would care to put them on e-bay in your usual manner. You could use them now or hang on to them as the need arises. I imagine they would fetch a decent price.
This is very kind of you, but just hang onto them for now. I'll keep the offer in mind for some inevitable future financial crisis.
I don't know how much this will help...
Date: 2008-02-10 12:11 am (UTC)Should I direct them over here to confirm that they have donated?
Re: I don't know how much this will help...
Date: 2008-02-10 12:54 am (UTC)hrm... maybe e-mail me at crk_books(at)yahoo(dot)com when you get a request. That's the address the donations go to, and there was just a good sized one in the last 20 minutes, or so. We can confirm that way :)
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Date: 2008-02-10 05:59 am (UTC)It's always sad when a language dies, but it's also an inevitability; languages are like species or nations or cultures: they develop, they grow, they thrive, and, ultimately, they reach the end of their indefinite yet finite span. Some simply die off, like so many indigenous languages around the world have, partly through the willful acts of conquerors, others through simple realities of survival; others have children, splitting off into languages that bear familial resemblance yet are no longer truly compatible.
The English we know and speak today will one day cease to be; there will be none alive who will understand and speak it as a native, even if, like Latin or Ancient Greek, it is maintained continuously through scholarship. Already dialects of English are splitting off and becoming their own creatures; Singlish -- Singaporean English -- is a dialect that may well lose mutual intelligibility with the source language, especially as China grows to eclipse the West over the next century. In a hundred years, I fully expect Standard Chinese -- or, more properly, the form Standard Chinese will have a hundred years from now -- to be the language of trade and international relations, the role English enjoys now and that French once enjoyed. Sure, in a hundred years, half the languages spoken now will no longer be living languages, but many of the languages that die in that time -- possibly the majority -- will be thoroughly documented and researched, and there will doubtless be new languages that are considered but dialects now. It hasn't been all that long since Afrikaans was just a particularly crude-sounding dialect of Dutch; now, it's a reflection of the likely path all Germanic languages will follow, as the features it lost and gained in diverging from the parent tongue parallel the evolution of English from Anglo-Saxon.
But I ramble. The point is, it is lamentable that Eyak no longer lives, especially given why it died, but it is not forgotten, and, like ourselves, that it would one day die was inevitable from the first moment it began to live.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-10 07:00 am (UTC)If there is anything I can do to help, please don't be afraid to ask. I'm broke a lot, but I do have a wealth of knowledge on seizures. I take Felbatol (it's for severe epilepsy) and it gave me my life back. The right medication can work wonders. Also, seizure disorders can be different for each person -- so it's best to learn as much as you can about your own disease as possible. It's also very important that you feel your doctor trusts you to manage your own disease -- you want him/her to listen to you.
I'll check out your books.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-10 08:54 am (UTC)