greygirlbeast: (white)
Caitlín R. Kiernan ([personal profile] greygirlbeast) wrote2009-08-12 11:53 am

"Into fire you can send us. From the fire we return."

I'd certainly not planned not to make entries for the past two days. But there's been damned little to report. We were hit with a sort of micro-heatwave, compounded by outrageous humidity. Which pretty much made working in the House impossible. On top of that, I've been in a worse-than-usual funk, which I suspect is the comedown after last week (book release, filming at the Arboretum, hanging out in Boston, signing at Pandemonium, etc.). Add to that stress over book sales. So, I thought it best I stay away from the journal for a bit. Last night, the rains came, blocking our view of the Perseid meteor shower, but driving away the heat and rendering the House livable again.

But, we got out of here yesterday, and drove down to the public library in Peace Dale (1890-1891), one of my favorite libraries in the state. We'd meant to do this on Monday, and my week thus far might have been more productive if we had. But Monday was Victory Day, and Rhode Island is the last state in the Union that still celebrates it, and all the libraries were closed. Anyway, I sat in the Peace Dale public library, in the glorious AC, and for a while I only listened to an audiobook of Jeremy Irons reading Lolita. That seemed to jog my senses back to life, and I made pages of notes for the novel that I have to write next, beginning in September, now that The Red Tree is out in the wide, wide world. I think I may have found a plot, and I have to report it has nothing much to do with vampires. And though the working title is Blood Oranges, it also has nothing much to do with citrus. Later in the day, when I had no more notes to write, I read part of a biography of Walt Disney, which was fairly surreal after Jeremy Irons and Nabokov. The library closed at six, and we headed back to Providence. The rain caught us just as we made it back into the city. There's a fairly random set of photos below, behind the cut. Oh, I also mailed out three copies of The Red Tree yesterday, to various people to whom copies were owed.

There was a moderate seizure on the way to Peace Dale, and I hate when they happen in the car. But I was wearing my seat belt, and have no bruises or chewed mouth parts to show for it.

We've added a little bit of new content to the website (thank you, Chris), including a new video clip on the front page, and a free downloadable wallpaper based on the accumulated "evidence." (thank you, Nicola). Much more new content is on the way. Spooky's still editing the "trailer." And I very much want to encourage readers to submit potential content, whether it's visual art or additional "evidence" and scholarship related to the "red tree" and other phenomena at or near the old Wight Place. Just send it to me at greygirlbeast(at)gmail(dot)com.

I received a marvelous care package yesterday from [livejournal.com profile] txtriffidranch, which included a copy of Cristiano Dal Sasso's Dinosaurs of Italy, which has been on my Amazon wishlist for about two years. Thank you, Paul.

Yesterday I also read a very, very good review of The Red Tree, one I have already called "extra splendid." I love it all the more because it was not written by a professional book reviewer. Increasingly, pro reviews seem to me like one-paragraph book reports. Anyway, you can read the review here. It is marvelously spoiler free, by the way.

Okay, today I must write. I'm three days behind schedule, at this point. Not much more to say, anyway. We've been watching Space: Above and Beyond, and proofreading The Ammonite Violin & Others, and eating things you don't have to cook.





The post office in Slocum, my favorite in Rhode Island.



I managed to get a shot of this groundhog (Marmota monax) trundling across a front lawn on Upper College Road, near URI.



My "work station" (I deplore that term) in the Peace Dale Public Library. I forgot to get an exterior shot, which is a shame. Gorgeous building. And I love the idea of "graphic noes."



Thunderheads over Providence, view to the northeast.



As above.



View to the west, as the clouds swallow the sun.

All photographs Copyright © 2009 by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Kathryn A. Pollnac

[identity profile] derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com 2009-08-12 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I checked there, too. Checked there
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<em.first</em>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

I checked there, too. Checked there <em.first</em>, actually. Went to the stores and...they didn't even know what book I was talking about. Seriously. And I wasn't speaking with some dumb summer-job kid who couldn't read anything in the store, I know the <em>managers</em> of most local bookstores. They didn't even have it in their on-site stock libraries.

This is really...weird.

[identity profile] greygirlbeast.livejournal.com 2009-08-12 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)

Here's the sad truth. You're average employee at a chain bookstore won't know much at all about what's on the shelves. Especially if you're talking about a fairly obscure author, which I must admit I am. I'm getting a lot of reports of the book having already sold out at B&N and Borders, here and there, and being reordered (which is good). But not all employees would know this sort of thing.

At any rate, thanks for ordering!

[identity profile] derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com 2009-08-12 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I certainly would hope that every copy sold out...but most of the places I went through didn't even have the novel listed in their stock charts. Ohwell, doesn't matter--it'll be here soon. :)

Of course I've got to roll on up on your latest work! C'mon, girl. What do you think are the chances of finding a new musical theme for the novel in your inbox in a few weeks? :)

[identity profile] greygirlbeast.livejournal.com 2009-08-12 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)

I certainly would hope that every copy sold out...but most of the places I went through didn't even have the novel listed in their stock charts.

Well, as Spooky said above, this conflicts with what their online stock listings show. So, I have no idea.

C'mon, girl. What do you think are the chances of finding a new musical theme for the novel in your inbox in a few weeks?

That would be cool. I could even put it on the website, if you're interested. Regardless, I hope you like this one, as it truly is different from what has come before (more in its language than theme).

[identity profile] derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com 2009-08-13 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
Now, your stylistics were one of the things that really drew me to your work...and I am a self-admitted style snob. However, if you tell me a good story--and of course you always do--I'm still in. :)

I've been getting a lot more...orchestral lately. I'm currently working on a suite based on Thomas Ligotti's "Dr. Locrian's Asylum," one of my alltime favourite stories (you know how obsessed I am with antique metal hospitals). I'll put a sample of it in a day or two so y'all can check it out!