"Je nage, mais les sons me suivent."
Dec. 10th, 2009 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastA bright, sunny, cold day here in Providence. The snow that came yesterday morning has mostly melted away.
Sonya (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sovay) and Geoffrey (readingthedark) both arrived on Tuesday evening. Geoffrey quite a bit later than Sonya. And we were up until almost dawn talking, and mostly we talked about The Wolf Who Cried Girl. That is, they helped me find my way into the novel, which I "should" have begun writing six months ago, but am only just now beginning to understand. Truly, what happened Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning had never before happened. That is, talking my way through the story of a novel (when we began, I had little but theme, mood, character, and subtext), and allowing the thoughts of others to help me uncover a plot (as well as deeper levels of theme, mood, character, and subtext). I now have pages and pages of notes, recording what was said, and as soon as I write an sf story I need to write for a Subterranean Press anthology, I will sit down and begin the novel's prologue. Unless it has no prologue, and begins with Chapter One, which is certainly possible. One of the many delights of the evening was discovering a way to work into the novel a couple of substantial elements of "Werewolf Smile." Anyway, my great thanks to both Geoffrey and Sonya. It was a grand evening of conversation.
Early Tuesday evening, after Spooky and I picked Sonya up at the train depot, the three of us stopped off at Myopic Books in Wayland Square. Just to window shop, as I already have too many unread books waiting to be read. Though Sonya found a biography of Charles Addams that sorely tempted me. After Myopic, we went to the coffee house around the corner, The Edge. Back home, Geoffrey arrived about 8 p.m. (CaST), and the four of us went downtown for dinner at the Trinity Brew House. I guess I'm putting in all these links because I didn't take the camera along. Anyway, it was a peculiar night for me, so much socializing, so much being Outside, and allowing two other people to help me work my way over a writing barricade. Geoffrey headed back to Framingham yesterday afternoon, and, later, Spooky took Sonya back to to depot. I think it was almost twilight by then.
So now, it's back to work. A furious storm of writing that has to get done before the end of the month.
A reminder that subpress is now taking pre-orders for The Ammonite Violin and Others, and that the numbered edition comes with a chapbook, "Sanderlings."
Last night, Kathryn and I watched Nora Ephron's Julie and Julia. It's an odd sort of film for me to comment on. It was an odd sort of film for me to even watch. But I did enjoy it, though I found Meryl Streeps performance as Julia Childs' far and away more entertaining than the other half of the film, the Amy Adams half about the bored wife/beleaguered office worker from Queens and her foodie blog that wants to be a novel. Indeed, I think I would have much preferred a film devoted entirely to the life of Julia Childs, especially given Streep's amazing performance, which I think is worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Anyway...must get to work or the platypus will have hisherit's way with me, and it's really too early in the day for those sorts of shenanigans.
Sonya (
sovay) and Geoffrey (readingthedark) both arrived on Tuesday evening. Geoffrey quite a bit later than Sonya. And we were up until almost dawn talking, and mostly we talked about The Wolf Who Cried Girl. That is, they helped me find my way into the novel, which I "should" have begun writing six months ago, but am only just now beginning to understand. Truly, what happened Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning had never before happened. That is, talking my way through the story of a novel (when we began, I had little but theme, mood, character, and subtext), and allowing the thoughts of others to help me uncover a plot (as well as deeper levels of theme, mood, character, and subtext). I now have pages and pages of notes, recording what was said, and as soon as I write an sf story I need to write for a Subterranean Press anthology, I will sit down and begin the novel's prologue. Unless it has no prologue, and begins with Chapter One, which is certainly possible. One of the many delights of the evening was discovering a way to work into the novel a couple of substantial elements of "Werewolf Smile." Anyway, my great thanks to both Geoffrey and Sonya. It was a grand evening of conversation.Early Tuesday evening, after Spooky and I picked Sonya up at the train depot, the three of us stopped off at Myopic Books in Wayland Square. Just to window shop, as I already have too many unread books waiting to be read. Though Sonya found a biography of Charles Addams that sorely tempted me. After Myopic, we went to the coffee house around the corner, The Edge. Back home, Geoffrey arrived about 8 p.m. (CaST), and the four of us went downtown for dinner at the Trinity Brew House. I guess I'm putting in all these links because I didn't take the camera along. Anyway, it was a peculiar night for me, so much socializing, so much being Outside, and allowing two other people to help me work my way over a writing barricade. Geoffrey headed back to Framingham yesterday afternoon, and, later, Spooky took Sonya back to to depot. I think it was almost twilight by then.
So now, it's back to work. A furious storm of writing that has to get done before the end of the month.
A reminder that subpress is now taking pre-orders for The Ammonite Violin and Others, and that the numbered edition comes with a chapbook, "Sanderlings."
Last night, Kathryn and I watched Nora Ephron's Julie and Julia. It's an odd sort of film for me to comment on. It was an odd sort of film for me to even watch. But I did enjoy it, though I found Meryl Streeps performance as Julia Childs' far and away more entertaining than the other half of the film, the Amy Adams half about the bored wife/beleaguered office worker from Queens and her foodie blog that wants to be a novel. Indeed, I think I would have much preferred a film devoted entirely to the life of Julia Childs, especially given Streep's amazing performance, which I think is worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Anyway...must get to work or the platypus will have hisherit's way with me, and it's really too early in the day for those sorts of shenanigans.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 05:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 05:06 pm (UTC)Didn't you just love the 'learning to chop onions at home' scene?
Indeed, I did.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 06:31 pm (UTC)I thought it was pretty spectacular.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 06:42 pm (UTC)I thought it was pretty spectacular.
Certainly, it was unprecedented.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 07:45 pm (UTC)I'm glad that you're trying new things.
It's one of my paradoxes. I seem bound by change, and yet am set in my ways. But yes, I'm also glad.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 07:53 pm (UTC)I don't know if you can rightly claim ownership of that paradox. Even if you fight it, change will claim you anyway. Doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't fight.
Hear that? That's change whispering, Shh. Shh...
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 11:24 pm (UTC)I don't know if you can rightly claim ownership of that paradox.
I can certainly claim to exist within that paradox (though I do not claim ownership). I feel, sometimes, as though you try to draw too many conclusions from too few data, and that you seem to feel some stake in all this...
no subject
Date: 2009-12-11 03:12 am (UTC)Sure. I was only trying to make you laugh. Sometimes, I am not as clever, funny, or helpful as I try to be. I mean well, but I can't see your face. If I offended or annoyed you, I apologize.
I feel, sometimes, as though you try to draw too many conclusions from too few data
I don’t know you, other than what you post online (and whatever knowledge one may glean about an author from reading that author’s works of fiction). Anything I say should be viewed in that light. When I offer advice (not just cleverness), I do try my best to make it good. (So, yes, I do honestly think you could promote yourself through WoW more successfully than through Twitter.)
and that you seem to feel some stake in all this...
I often feel all sorts of inappropriate emotions, but I don’t know if this is one of those situations. I would guess that, if you were to conduct a poll of the people who read your blog, most of them would say that they feel like they have a personal stake in your success.
How did you expect us to feel?
no subject
Date: 2009-12-11 03:42 am (UTC)Sure. I was only trying to make you laugh. Sometimes, I am not as clever, funny, or helpful as I try to be. I mean well, but I can't see your face. If I offended or annoyed you, I apologize.
Well, on the one hand, I've been especially cranky today. And on the other, my sense of humor is utterly unpredictable, and I tend to think people spend too much time trying to be funny, and so it's probably best for everyone to treat me like a sleepy grizzly bear.
I would guess that, if you were to conduct a poll of the people who read your blog, most of them would say that they feel like they have a personal stake in your success.
Hmmm. In that, I presume, my readers want to continue to see me publish...at least insofar as I may assume that much...I can see that.
How did you expect us to feel?
Honestly, I haven't a good answer for you. But, I'm a hard person to be nice to, really. Ask an actual, real-life friend what happens when he or she tries to hug me. Mostly, people soon learn not to try. I'll never understand that desire to make other people feel better. I just don't get it, most of the time. And I do realize this is my...deficiency.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-11 03:48 pm (UTC)This was a relatively positive blog entry. I assumed you were in a good mood.
In that, I presume, my readers want to continue to see me publish...at least insofar as I may assume that much...I can see that.
I suspect that says a lot more about you than your readership. For my part, I am not a scientist. I am not trained in how to observe something objectively. If I didn’t care about your success, I wouldn’t bother commenting on your blog.
I'll never understand that desire to make other people feel better. I just don't get it, most of the time. And I do realize this is my...deficiency.
I wasn’t really trying to make you feel better per se. I was mostly trying to commiserate (and be clever). Change fucks with all of us. I like the fact that you are unreasonable (and try not to be affected by change).
I am not really a happy person (either). I’m just not built that way. I like how, when you are sad, you say you are sad—and not with the intent of fishing for affection. I think sadness, within reason, is alright, and appropriate. I’m not really trying to “be nice” to you. I do want to please you (my own deficiency), but I think that’s a different, more selfish, thing.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 08:13 pm (UTC)As I was trying to say, Bad Lieutenant:
Tits and IguanasPort of Call New Orleans opens at the Avon this weekend. Srsly, one of the best comedies of the decade.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMoyl7PO7Cc
(I probably account for 1000 of the 5,531 views)
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 11:21 pm (UTC)I have noted that the film will be at the Avon...
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 11:03 pm (UTC)