"Bathsheba of my choosing"

[greygirlbeast]

Gagh, I can't wake up today. I think there was just too much work yesterday, too many different sorts of work. We had actually talked about getting out of bed and making the 11:45 a.m. matinée of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but, well, that didn't happen. We're aiming for tomorrow, instead. And this needs to be short, because the day ahead of me is long and baffling and has many twists and turns, and doesn't even involve actual, you know, writing. The writing will likely resume tomorrow. It pretty much has to, or I'm going to find myself disastrously behind.

Quick recap of yesterday. Well, there was a piece I had to write for my editor, about the writing of The Red Tree, something for the Penguin website. That actually turned out rather well. She was pleased with it. And after that, I had an interview, which also went well, I think. The older I get, the odder interviews seem to me. The questions all begin to bleed together, and I find myself wanting to talk about quasars or stag beetles or plate tectonics or just about anything at all except my books and writing. No, I have no idea why, really. And there was a lot of email yesterday, more than usual, and it looks as though today will be much the same. Actually, I must have written at least 3,000 words yesterday, just none of it fiction. Did I say "Gagh"? Spooky and I both put in a good bit of time getting things ready for the re-relaunch of the website.

Speaking of which, here is a small but, I think, valuable piece of advice to the readers of this blog. If you don't approve of how I've done something —— the website, for example —— there is a couth and appropriate recourse which will allow you to express your opinion. Email me. It's not at all hard to find my email address, but, just in case I'm somehow mistaken on that count, I'll post it here again: greygirlbeast(at)gmail(dot)com. Email me and tell me your thoughts, if you feel the need to do so. I'll read the email. I might even write back. Hell, I might even agree. However, if, instead, you blurt out something in the comments here on the LJ, you will discover that I am far less receptive to your advice. In fact, odds are, I will delete the comment, and if you've been rude enough, I will ban you from commenting in the future. This very scenario actually occurred on Friday morning, as I was trying to get out the door for Readercon, which is why I closed down comments to one particular entry. If the most tactful way you are capable of expressing yourself is to tell me something "sucks," and to tell me publicly, yes, you will be banned.

Now, this sort of thing has only happened a very few times. My ban list on LJ is extremely short. Maybe six or seven people, at most, over five years. I like comments. I like comments a lot, but I don't like rude and unsolicited criticism. Thank you.

A brief aside, for whatever it's worth, a shout out to ericmvan. You've done a marvelous job with Readercon, and I, for one, completely understand and sympathize with what you're saying about not being able to keep up this pace, needing to scale back for a year while a team is trained to do the job.

Also, I'm reposting the following, as it only made it into yesterday's entry as a postcript: Thanks to Franklin Harris (grandmofhelsing) for bringing this Readercon write up to my attention ("Some important things/people that I saw/met/learned/heard about at Readercon" at Time.com). I quote: "I didn't talk to Caitlín Kiernan, but I watched her swanning around in a tentacled mask and grey lipstick, and I felt awe. It is so important that cons have freakish people at them." I'm going to take this as a compliment. Did I "swan" around? There is an Old English meaning of the word, "to wander about without purpose, but with an air of superiority." So maybe I did swan around. Bjork and I, we swan. Also, the lipstick was green. Regardless, good to be mentioned, and yes, I am a freak, and I'm pleased the author included the fada in my name.

Which reminds me of something funny that came up at Readercon. Years and years ago, someone actually referred to me as "the Oscar Wilde of fantasy." Yep, they really did. As readingthedark said this past weekend, now I only have to be considered "the William Gibson of science fiction, or the Stephen King of horror."

And how come I never saw the page devoted to my writing that's up at fantasyliterature.net? It includes one of the best reviews I've ever read of Daughter of Hounds. I haven't yet had time to read their review of Silk. Actually, Spooky read me the review of Daughter of Hounds late last night, after she stumbled upon the page.

And, finally, we're trying to raise just a little cash to help out with the book trailer by beginning another round of eBay auctions. Have a look, and bid if you are able and so disposed. And yes, I'm covering all the expenses of the video production myself. I can't recall if I've said that already or not.

Anyway...off to milk the platypus.

Comments

[scarletboi.livejournal.com]

Meh.

I wouldn't put the current site design in my portfolio or anything, but that wasn't the aim. We had very little time and I think the minimalism works quite well for the enigmatic reveal of the videos.

(I have plenty of more elaborate designs out there, but really, even my own site tends toward the minimalist.)

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Meh, indeed.

I wouldn't put the current site design in my portfolio or anything, but that wasn't the aim. We had very little time and I think the minimalism works quite well for the enigmatic reveal of the videos.

I actually discussed this with a number of people at the con this weekend, asking whether they'd seen the website and what they thought of it. The general consensus was pretty much what you just said. But I also heard, from more than one person, that busy, text-heavy websites are waning in popularity, at least those of authors. Even that some authors are beginning to drop websites altogether, in favor of Twitter, Facebook, LJ, etc. Regardless, I aimed for simplicity, and we achieved simplicity (though, as you know too well, it will soon be a little less so).

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

The questions all begin to bleed together, and I find myself wanting to talk about quasars or stag beetles or plate tectonics or just about anything at all except my books and writing.

Which is why you give good interview! One of the nice/weird things about social networks is that one typically gets used to seeing the author in some sort of daily context: wordcount, stuff about their pets, television they watch, etc. It's easy to lose track of the important (or at least interesting) stuff among the daily minutia and staying "on message." Back in Ye Olden Days, there was less of this stuff, so even a moderately banal interview was somewhat more interesting, if only because there were less of them. These days, an interview needs to be more than just "a conversation with an author" to be worth the time it takes me to read it--otherwise I wind up hearing the same tired anecdotes or the same PR I've gotten elsewhere--neither of which I've ever gotten from your interviews.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Back in Ye Olden Days, there was less of this stuff, so even a moderately banal interview was somewhat more interesting, if only because there were less of them. These days, an interview needs to be more than just "a conversation with an author" to be worth the time it takes me to read it--otherwise I wind up hearing the same tired anecdotes or the same PR I've gotten elsewhere--neither of which I've ever gotten from your interviews.

Well, that's an interesting point. Hmmmm.

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

Many authors seem to have a new interview up every month somewhere, if not more often. While I understand the need for publicity, often they really do amount to repeats of past interviews, blog posts, Facebook statuses, etc. This is partially my fault for being online too much, but it also feels like commercial overexposure.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Many authors seem to have a new interview up every month somewhere, if not more often. While I understand the need for publicity, often they really do amount to repeats of past interviews, blog posts, Facebook statuses, etc. This is partially my fault for being online too much, but it also feels like commercial overexposure.

It's a matter of course in the industry, you never, ever turn down an interview (well, unless it's obviously going to go wacky somehow). That was drilled into me many years ago. And even the wittiest and most erudite author only has so much to say. With the advent of blogs et al., the repetitions are inevitable.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

'yes, you will be banned.'

But they will be banned stylishly. You would shout 'THIS MISCREANT IS HENCEFORTH BANNED,' then gather your cloak about you and swan out of the office.

'She banned me,' say several of the unfortunate exiles, 'but it was almost worth it to be banned with such grace and artistry. I felt awe.'

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You're trying to hurt me with laughter. Don't deny it.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

In my sleep deprived state, I managed to click through my bidding on Silk without using the buy it now button, doh. I blame the lack of sleep and the weather. Maybe even the ants in the yard.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

In my sleep deprived state, I managed to click through my bidding on Silk without using the buy it now button, doh. I blame the lack of sleep and the weather. Maybe even the ants in the yard.

Don't worry about it. I know what sleep deprivation does to a person. I don't think we can stop the auction and start it over. But Spooky's checking.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Oh that's okay - you don't need to stop it. But in case you were wondering "why is that person bidding on one thing and buying the other now when they are the exact same dollar amount" it is because my clicking skills are impaired.

Actually, I should blame the enormous amount of work I've done this week. The Ticketmaster reviews, they ate my brain.

[ardiril.livejournal.com]

My favorite interviews are authors interviewing other authors.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

My favorite interviews are authors interviewing other authors.

Off the top of my head, I cannot recall ever having been interviewed by another author. But I might be forgetting something. I did interview Ramsey Campbell, live, at the 1999 World Horror Convention. That was cool.

[ardiril.livejournal.com]

Any chance of getting Neil to do you the favor of emailing you 10 questions that you could then answer at your leisure? That would make for some nice website content.

[sovay]

and I find myself wanting to talk about quasars or stag beetles or plate tectonics or just about anything at all except my books and writing.

You should totally give an interview about quasars, stag beetles, and plate tectonics. At least, it would make me want to read the interviewee's books.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You should totally give an interview about quasars, stag beetles, and plate tectonics.

I should. Next person who asks for an interview, I think I'll say, "Sure. But I get to write the questions."