Getting Back on the Platypus

[greygirlbeast]

I only took one day off, after twelve consecutive days of work. But it feels like I've been away for a week, which is just bizarre.

Today, I have an interview. I'm actually beginning to loathe talking about myself. Maybe I always did.

Here in Providence, after finally getting summer in August, we seem to have nose-dived suddenly into early autumn. There's even a hint of color to some of the trees, and the mornings and nights are so chilly I'm wearing sweaters.

I do hope people were happy with Sirenia Digest. Feel free to comment here. I'm trying to think of something special for #50.

Lots of thought has been going into the next novel, as I'm going to need to get something like a proposal to my editor at Penguin this month. I'm still thinking of it as Blood Oranges, though that likely will not be the title. "Werewolf Smile" (in the latest Sirenia) was me playing around with themes that may form much of this one. The real question right now is whether or not I'm ready to bring Albert Perrault out of the closet, as it were, and place him in this novel, as a sort of catalytic agent. I've been writing him, here and there, since 2001 or so. I still don't know if I'm ready to commit.

And there's The Red Tree. I'm finally, a month after the release, beginning to come to terms with the likelihood that this will not be the novel that "breaks out" and finds for me a much wider readership. It will not be "celebrated," in that sense that a lucky few books are celebrated. Most of the fanfare has already come and gone. There will be a few more reviews and interviews, a couple more readings, but I'm moving along to the next novel. I'll keep adding "evidence" to the website, because I'm enjoying doing that.

The good news, I was never kidding myself. I stopped doing that with Murder of Angels.

---

Yesterday afternoon, we made a late matinée of Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds, and I loved it so much I am willing to say this is his best film yet, and perhaps even his first truly great film. It just shines. And it more than made up for having suffered through what Frank Miller did to The Spirit, which we had the misfortune to watch a few nights back. Awful, awful thing, that sad, silly mess of a film. Also, we finished Season Three of Dexter, and I'm already missing Michael C. Hall. And I've been doing lots of reading, but more on that later, maybe.

Now, I have to finish waking up.

Comments

[sovay]

I do hope people were happy with Sirenia Digest. Feel free to comment here.

I loved "Werewolf Smile." I think it is one of your best stories, Sirenia or elsewhere.

I've been writing him, here and there, since 2001 or so. I still don't know if I'm ready to commit.

Especially after the epilogue of The Red Tree, I wanted to see Albert Perrault in a novel. If "Werewolf Smile" is in any way a foretaste of Blood Oranges, I think it would be wonderful.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Especially after the epilogue of The Red Tree, I wanted to see Albert Perrault in a novel. If "Werewolf Smile" is in any way a foretaste of Blood Oranges, I think it would be wonderful.

I think "foretaste" might b the right word.

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

Mayhap I missed something, but I've been meaning to ask: What happened to Joey La Faye? Also, I quite like Blood Oranges as a title.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

What happened to Joey La Faye?

It has been indefinitely shelved.

Also, I quite like Blood Oranges as a title.

I do, too. But it may not be right for this book.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

Also, I quite like Blood Oranges as a title.

I do, too. But it may not be right for this book.

Hey, it took a while for Harlan Ellison to find the right place to use the title "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral." Wasn't it first going to be for a Babylon 5 episode?

[c0rporatetrash.livejournal.com]

If I were to begin subscribing to Sirenia now, would there be a way to maybe view back issues?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

If I were to begin subscribing to Sirenia now, would there be a way to maybe view back issues?

Back issues of the digest are available for $10 ea., on request.

[cdennismoore.livejournal.com]

"and I'm already missing Michael C. Hall"

I recently finished the whole series thus far and I'm feeling the same. And now I'm wondering how am I going to watch Season 4 when I have to do it one episode a week? Why can't I just watch them in blocks of 4 or 5 when I want to, even if they haven't aired yet? It just doesn't seem fair. Skip the regular broadcast times, I say, and just send it right to DVD and OnDemand. And get to work on Season 5. Right now.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

If I were to begin subscribing to Sirenia now, would there be a way to maybe view back issues?

We gave up cable, so I know we'll be waiting for the Season Four DVDs. And yes, I much prefer watching it all at once.

Quick request

[moto-chagatai.livejournal.com]

I know that you are still concerned with Red Tree but can you also mention that the Lovecraft biography is up for pre-order on Amazon. Thank you, and we all appreciate you regardless of sales. I bought a couple for friends for Christmas presents...hope it helps.

Re: Quick request

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Do you mean the documentary? I mentioned that it's available for pre-order, but will gladly do so again, if that's what you're referring to.

Re: Quick request

[moto-chagatai.livejournal.com]

Yes the biography, it's out in a month. Do you get a free copy as a contributor? = )

Re: Quick request

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Okay. I'll talk about it again tomorrow. Yes, I do get a free copy (though it hasn't arrived yet; I only have a rough cut).

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

...what Frank Miller did to The Spirit, which we had the misfortune to watch a few nights back.

It is my understanding that the film is what they call a "Stealth Parody" - which I admit is always difficult to tell with Frank "GODDAMNED BATMAN" Miller. This still only makes be vaguely sorta maybe could be lukewarm unopposed to seeing it in a passive way.

The Breakout novel

[deep-bluze.livejournal.com]

Actually, I would give up on NONE of your novels. Having read quite a number of breakout novels of the sort that make you want to go hmmm? - and having seen very strange things transpire in publishing - I believe you may be surprised how much this one carries. It's significant that you got the good review in RT because there are a lot of genre readers that follow those reviews...enough to turn the tide on best-seller status.

Also, you write beautifully - though of course you know that. The right person only needs to pick this up and see what an eerie movie it could make...and it's on its way in a different direction.

I also like Blood Orange and hope that if the next book doesn't get it, you find it a home.

DNW

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

'I'm actually beginning to loathe talking about myself.'

As opposed to the pink-faced giddiness with which you greeted interviews before.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

You forgot the somersaults.

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

I've got a musical theme for The Red Tree comin' right along. It's a lot more minimal than most of the stuff I've done, but seriously unearthly. It features a vocal solo by Richard Upton Pickman, too, who stopped by on his way to Nitrocis last week!

[kaz-mahoney.livejournal.com]

For more Michael C. Hall, there is the new film just coming out:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034032/

[ardiril.livejournal.com]

I read "Werewolf Smile" last night and I was a bit more than surprised that your first person voice for Winter was quite distinct from that of Sarah, given that this is such a new mode of expression for you. Yet, you still managed to balance a conversational tone with a more formalized journaling quality that lets you play the prose-poem voyeur, that same quality that distinguishes your usual third person fiction and in my opinion places you in the same league as a writing craftsman as Clive Barker. Perhaps all your blogging over the years has rubbed off a bit, eh? (Oh, and that artist as sadist bit was pure gold!)

Also, Perrault is the perfect catalyst; his presence is necessary for the chemistry to occur but he plays no active role in shaping or resolving the story. Of course, that does not leave him the role of a mere pawn. His character could easily establish a theme or better yet, embody a countertheme. Conversely, he could just as easily play the court jester, allowing you to inject the occasional (morbid) laugh into your text -- I have long felt you should judiciously give more vent to your sense of humor in your prose, even if it comes across as sarcasm.

Finally, as much as I enjoy reading your blog and entering your personal head space, the Digest is so fresh that I can peer into your current professional frame of mind, a rare opportunity for an amateur writer like myself and worth far more to me than your usual subscription rate. But hey, don't raise those rates too soon, I am only receiving disability from SocSec after all, heheh.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

I have long felt you should judiciously give more vent to your sense of humor in your prose, even if it comes across as sarcasm.

You said this well.

Signed,
a fan of Ms. Kiernan's sense of humor

[mckenzie34.livejournal.com]

There's this website called "I Wrote This For You". Today's entry
reminded me of you. Of your writing. I just wanted to say thank
you for Keepin' It Real in your stories and in your books.

>>And you keep whispering the same story to yourself "I'll be unhappy now because that'll make me happy later. Because that's how a story works." So your happiness will always happen later, never now. Life isn't a story. Life is chaos.<<

[opalblack.livejournal.com]

I'm finally, a month after the release, beginning to come to terms with the likelihood that this will not be the novel that "breaks out" and finds for me a much wider readership. It will not be "celebrated," in that sense that a lucky few books are celebrated.


Your worse is to dense, too lyrical, too powerful. People don't want to be moved. Long after we are dead, when the Meyers and Hamiltons have been forgotten, you will be counted among the important writers of this age.
I'm sorry.