Spooky said, "And then we fell out of a tree."

[greygirlbeast]

On the eleventh, only three days from now, it will have been seventeen years since the day I sat down and began writing Silk. I want to commemorate the day by giving away a signed (and probably scribbled in) copy of the novel (fourth edition mmp), but I can't think of a contest-type thing. Suggestions are welcome. And that reminds me, I owe everyone who chipped in on Spooky's birthday present a poem. Well, it's been written, and now we have the paper and envelopes, so those will go out very soon. You have not been forgotten; I'm just slow as slug juice.

Yesterday was spent on email, and cleaning the sad wreck I'd let my office become, and shelving books, and stacking books along the walls, and, finally, beginning to assemble the manuscript for Two Worlds and In Between for Subterranean Press. This is how today will be spent, on the manuscript, as I need to get it away to Bill Schafer ASAP. And that means I also need to write the introduction. It will be a short introduction, but it's still intimidating as all get out (I think that's an idiomatic phrase confined to the Deep South, but I might be wrong). A summing up. A taking of stock. Anyway, that's what I'll be doing today, and maybe taking a phone call or two related to the SECRET.

Last night, we watched the first episode of Season One of Caprica. I love this show, and was relieved that it wasn't canceled. However, I did not appreciate having to sit through some gods awful commercial for a pair of paranormal romance novels, Covet and Crave (shudder), by someone named J.R. Ward. Have you noticed how so many of the women cranking out this PR shit a) have oddly masculine sounding names, usually involving initials, and b) present themselves as Beverley Hills glam, but only manage to look like tarted-up nerds whose clothes are wearing them? Anyway, good episode. Later, I played City of Heroes and Villains, which is my new vice. I did the free trial awhile back, and some kind soul recently gifted me with a copy of the game (and a month of free play). So, yeah. Imagine Countess Elizabeth Báthory as a super villain (cough, cough), and you'll get the picture. It's big goofy fun. J.R. Ward could probably squeeze a series of novels out of it, except that Erzsebétta is a lesbian, in love with her ancient Egyptian blood mother, Sekhmet, and PR is generally a'feared of the lesbyterians (except for the pretend ones who really just do it because men like to watch). So, yes. Super villains. And later I read the first bit of Tom Griffiths' book on Antarctica.

I'm also reading Luis Chiappe's Glorifed Dinosaurs: The Origin and Early Evolution of Birds, and, as I mentioned, China Miéville's The Kraken, because one book at a time is apparently never enough.

Oh, and I joined Cat Valente (yuki_onna) on Twitter yesterday, for an impromptu dialogue on how Only Men Are Allowed To Write Hard SF. Because, you know, men say so. But that's okay, because us girls, we are allowed to write fantasy. We get all the sparkly unicorns and double rainbows. Because the men say so.

---

The last couple of nights, I'll think of a bunch of neat stuff from the HPLFF that I want to write down, but then, in the morning, when I sit down to make an entry, I've forgotten it all again. Maybe I'll do better tomorrow. There are some photos at the end of this entry, though, from the reception on Friday for Lovecraft Unbound that Dark Horse hosted at Hollywood Wine and Espresso, which is located catty-corner from the Hollywood theatre (and this sentence is far too long and I should really make it stop now). They're all in sepia, because Spooky was on some sort of mad sepia kick that afternoon.

---

I'm not sure, but I think maybe the trade hardback of The Ammonite Violin & Others is pretty close to being sold out again. If you mean to order a copy, best do it now (unless it's already too late).





Never, ever tuck in those shirttails, kids.



There was food. Really good food. The way to any author's heart is free wine and food. Gets us every time.



They'll say, "Oh, she was a regal beast, she was."



Signing The Book.



This photo is to make up for that "regal beast" bit, and to stand as proof of the threat that being a freelance author poses to one's teeth.



People begin to line up outside the theatre.



Me, with Michael Shea and Lynn Cesar. Ellen Datlow's in this shot, too, but she's invisible.



The theatre on the threshold, or something like that.

All photographs Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn A. Pollnac

Comments

[miakodadreams.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear you both had so much fun at the HPLFF, and with pictures as proof, no less. The closest we get to hobnobbing with other Cthulhu fans these days is playing the Arkham Horror (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=6&enmi=Arkham%20Horror) boardgame. Which is incredibly fun when you're playing with someone who isn't afraid to embrace the delightful geekiness of a street urchin turning in monster trophies (i.e., heads) to become a gun-totin' deputy.

Re: The Incredible Invisible Editor photo -- I just saw Ellen Datlow (http://ellen-datlow.livejournal.com/297668.html) posted the ToC for Naked City on her blog. Sadly, it, too, is in need of a Scarletboi cover.

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

Later, I played City of Heroes and Villains, which is my new vice. ...some kind soul recently gifted me with a copy of the game (and a month of free play).

Bugger. This would have been me if I wasn't so convinced you had decamped. Watch for the lag this weekend, though.

Imagine Countess Elizabeth Báthory as a super villain (cough, cough)...

Not difficult.

...except that Erzsebétta is a lesbian, in love with her ancient Egyptian blood mother, Sekhmet...

Also not difficult. Seriously, this is a comic book genre. If you haven't dumped eleventeen different tropes into a blender and used the resulting gouache to paint your characterization - really you're just not trying. Or your toon is named xxXXw01v3rin3XXxx.

So, yes. Super villains.

Hee! Did you keep your old character or roll up a new one? Dare ye provide a globalname or server?

BTW, is that a Nostromo badge?

[papersteven.livejournal.com]

Please make that fifth photo (the open-mouthed pose) your new author photo for bios and dust jackets! Also, silly question. I'm sure: Is the comma in the title of the story the collection borrows its name from being dropped for the title of the book?

OT

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

A sign of sanity? At least Part I of the Deathly Hallows film won't be in 3-D (http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/51831739.html).

Oh, to make this on-topic! Definitely enjoying your pictures and recollections, Stephanie Fucking Meyer. *grins*

[yuki-onna.livejournal.com]

We can write fantasy--it's cute when we do, or romantic.

But when Manly Men write it, especially if they use a lot of blood and drop the f-bomb liberally, then it's Raw and Bold and Revolutionary and Redefines the Genre and Breathes Life Into the Field.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Shirt-tails with waistcoats always worked as a look, IMH0.

Speaking as a sad fanboy, I'd love the SECRET to be that you're writing an episode/novel of Who; yeah, never gonna happen, but Moorcock and Gaiman are doing it, so I can dream...

I'd probably read more hard SF if it were written by women. Meh.

Good to see you having fun at the Festival! Hope you can make it over to England at some point...

[whiskeychick.livejournal.com]

I toyed with the idea for awhile about making my pen name more gender neutral. But it made me just want the storm the ramparts of the part of my brain that even spawned that thought.

The whole male SF/female Fantasy stuff makes me tired.

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

Lovely photographs. And your teeth ain't all that bad, lady -- I've seen (alas) much, much worse.

[kathryn-aka-kat.livejournal.com]

"Oh, and I joined Cat Valente (yuki_onna) on Twitter yesterday, for an impromptu dialogue on how Only Men Are Allowed To Write Hard SF. Because, you know, men say so. But that's okay, because us girls, we are allowed to write fantasy. We get all the sparkly unicorns and double rainbows. Because the men say so."

Dear gods, I almost wished I followed Twitter for that. Because if either of you two do "sparkly unicorns" it's only because they're covered in shards of broken glass.

Women in SF

[kaz-mahoney.livejournal.com]

I don't know if any of your conversation with CV had something to do with my good friend triciasullivan's recent comments, and the debate that sparked from there, but just in case you haven't seen it here are the links:

http://geeksyndicate.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/women-in-genre-fiction-tricia-sullivan/
(Interview - question #8 is the one to look at)

http://vectoreditors.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/women-and-the-clarke/
(Debate)

City of Heroes and Villains.

[faffinz.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of this.