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greygirlbeastSo, first a reminder that today is World Biodiversity Day (also known as the International Day for Biological Diversity). This year, the spotlight is on invasive alien species, and, sadly, we're not talking Klingons. To quote the WBD website, "Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known." And, of course, almost every single one of those invasive species were introduced by humans.
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Wednesday, when I was done with the interview, we drove over to the East Side of Providence and spent the evening with Jonathan Thomas, his wife Angel Dean, and Sam Gafford. Johnathan, Sam, and I signed the signature sheets for the forthcoming Black Wings: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror (edited by S.T. Joshi, PS Publishing). Then we just sat about and talked, which was nice, and bizarrely social for me. I had barleywine for the first time. In fact, I had just a little too much of it, but it was delicious. By the way, Jonathan has a collection of short fiction available from Hippocampus Press, Midnight Call and Other Stories, which I've yet to read, but am looking forward to getting into very soon.
And no, I'm most emphatically not happy at the news that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has been canceled, while the sadly unwatchable Dollhouse has been given a second season (though with a smaller budget, I might note). I already knew that Terminator was getting the axe, so I couldn't imagine that Dollhouse wouldn't go bye-bye , as well. And, yeah, I keep hearing how the series has gotten much better than it was at the start, but I had such a strong aversion to the first three or four episodes (characters, concept, actors, etc.) that it'd pretty much have to have become an entirely new show to win me over. I suspect it survived only because its production costs are relatively low (though, again the budget cut), while the pricey sfx required for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles were the kiss of death. Anyway, please don't tell me I should give Dollhouse another chance. I might someday, once I stop being angry about the loss of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Maybe.
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Yesterday, we caught a matinée of Terminator: Salvation. It wasn't quite as good as I'd expected, lacking something of the epic scope and feel I'd hoped for, but I did like it quite a lot. Also, the trailer for District 9 looks promising.
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Turns out, I have a much better reason to hate Stephenie Meyer than her atrocious writing, which I always felt was sort of a poor excuse for loathing someone. Turns out, she's a frakking Mormon, and hands over a percentage of her income (10%, I believe) to the gay-bashing LDS Church. When one considers that in the first quarter of 2009 16% of all books sold in the U.S. (or one in every eight) were written by Meyer, that's a hefty tithe, especially when you factor in her split from the proceeds of the film and tie-in merchandise. So, I may now hate her for, among other LDS-related idiocies, being part of the driving force behind the passage of Prop 8 in California. That she's also a crappy writer can be secondary.
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A quick reminder that the trade paperback of Alabaster is now available from subpress, for the very low price of $14.95 (plus s&h). Also, there's this nifty Alabaster wallpaper you can download FREE.
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Okay. The platypus says it's time to get back to work on "Galápagos."
---
Wednesday, when I was done with the interview, we drove over to the East Side of Providence and spent the evening with Jonathan Thomas, his wife Angel Dean, and Sam Gafford. Johnathan, Sam, and I signed the signature sheets for the forthcoming Black Wings: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror (edited by S.T. Joshi, PS Publishing). Then we just sat about and talked, which was nice, and bizarrely social for me. I had barleywine for the first time. In fact, I had just a little too much of it, but it was delicious. By the way, Jonathan has a collection of short fiction available from Hippocampus Press, Midnight Call and Other Stories, which I've yet to read, but am looking forward to getting into very soon.
And no, I'm most emphatically not happy at the news that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has been canceled, while the sadly unwatchable Dollhouse has been given a second season (though with a smaller budget, I might note). I already knew that Terminator was getting the axe, so I couldn't imagine that Dollhouse wouldn't go bye-bye , as well. And, yeah, I keep hearing how the series has gotten much better than it was at the start, but I had such a strong aversion to the first three or four episodes (characters, concept, actors, etc.) that it'd pretty much have to have become an entirely new show to win me over. I suspect it survived only because its production costs are relatively low (though, again the budget cut), while the pricey sfx required for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles were the kiss of death. Anyway, please don't tell me I should give Dollhouse another chance. I might someday, once I stop being angry about the loss of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Maybe.
---
Yesterday, we caught a matinée of Terminator: Salvation. It wasn't quite as good as I'd expected, lacking something of the epic scope and feel I'd hoped for, but I did like it quite a lot. Also, the trailer for District 9 looks promising.
---
Turns out, I have a much better reason to hate Stephenie Meyer than her atrocious writing, which I always felt was sort of a poor excuse for loathing someone. Turns out, she's a frakking Mormon, and hands over a percentage of her income (10%, I believe) to the gay-bashing LDS Church. When one considers that in the first quarter of 2009 16% of all books sold in the U.S. (or one in every eight) were written by Meyer, that's a hefty tithe, especially when you factor in her split from the proceeds of the film and tie-in merchandise. So, I may now hate her for, among other LDS-related idiocies, being part of the driving force behind the passage of Prop 8 in California. That she's also a crappy writer can be secondary.
---
A quick reminder that the trade paperback of Alabaster is now available from subpress, for the very low price of $14.95 (plus s&h). Also, there's this nifty Alabaster wallpaper you can download FREE.
---
Okay. The platypus says it's time to get back to work on "Galápagos."
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 04:47 pm (UTC)All I can think is Fox is trying to make right with Joss fans for FIREFLYs cancellation. Once again: stupid.
I'm noticing a trend here....
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:08 pm (UTC)I will be looking for Black Wings too. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:10 pm (UTC)hmmm, Alabaster appears to have sold out at the link you posted... I don't have that one yet.
Check again. Only the limited hardback and trade hardback have sold out. The trade paperback is still available from subpress.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 07:30 pm (UTC)Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:08 pm (UTC)I can't help but think they would be more fun if they changed their acronym to the LSD Church...
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:14 pm (UTC)I can't help but think they would be more fun if they changed their acronym to the LSD Church...
Well, LSD would explain all that nonsense about golden tablets written in "reformed Egyptian" being discovered in a hillside in Manchester NY in 1823. Sadly, I fear we can only blame the normal sort of human gullibility.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:54 pm (UTC)but did the galleys ever turn up???
USPS claims they were delivered to Penguin on the morning of the 11th, the day we all sat here waiting for them to be delivered, the day I had to retype everything. No one at Penguin has confirmed or denied this. I have no idea.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 06:15 pm (UTC)I'm surprised you were unaware of the connection.
I first became conscious of the disproportionate share of LDS influence in publishing/communications during a sojourn in the Southwest. Near as I can figure, they parlayed their head-start in the "Christian" publishing boom of the late-Eighties into an actual stake in the industry. At least part of Meyers' prominence may be attributed to the flocking of loyal Mormons to the bookstores to purchase her stuff (which made her look like a good bet for wider distribution, etc.etc.) For as you well know, three things matter in publishing: numbers, numbers and numbers.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 07:04 pm (UTC)I'm surprised you were unaware of the connection.
What can I say. I don't get out much.
For as you well know, three things matter in publishing: numbers, numbers and numbers.
Four things. You forgot numbers.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 06:27 pm (UTC)So sad, omg.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 10:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 11:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-23 01:48 am (UTC)Barleywine = Goodness
Date: 2009-05-22 06:53 pm (UTC)http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style19.php
* 19A. Old Ale - funky
* 19B. English Barleywine - tasty
* 19C. American Barleywine - say hello to the hops
Re: Barleywine = Goodness
Date: 2009-05-22 07:08 pm (UTC)I had the American variety, a brand called Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 06:56 pm (UTC)I hadn't known that part. Gah.
I like the sound of barleywine.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 07:06 pm (UTC)I like the sound of barleywine.
When you came down, we'll get some.
I hadn't known that part. Gah.
I suspect many of her loyal fans don't. I considered registering stepheniemeyerisamormonhomophobe.com, but saner heads prevailed.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-23 12:07 am (UTC)Awesome.
I suspect many of her loyal fans don't.
. . . Please don't ever put me in the same sentence as her loyal fans again, unless I am cannibalizing one of them.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-23 02:43 am (UTC). . . Please don't ever put me in the same sentence as her loyal fans again, unless I am cannibalizing one of them.
Deal.
Something to make you feel better...
Date: 2009-05-23 12:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-23 12:19 pm (UTC)Hopefully a little patience will find people saying 'Twilight? That's so last decade.' in a few years.