My Dark Lady et al.

[greygirlbeast]

My adoration of the Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner, is pretty much legendary. Yes, here I am being the worst sort of dork. The most annoying breed of nerd. But it's true. She's one of the truly cool things about the lore of the World of Warcraft, and finally there's an action figure. And it's on my wish list at Amazon.com, at the very top, and the first person who buys it for me, thereby assuaging my insatiable nerd-lust, will receive a token of my appreciation. I don't know what yet, but I'll think of something. The giver of this gift of this graven image of my Dark Lady will win my eternal gratitude. Yes, I am being shameless. No, I don't care. It's Sylvanas freakin' Windrunner.***

***Update (2:45 p.m.): A kind soul has done the deed, and while I can imagine decorating the house with dozens of idols of Lady Sylvanas, Spooky would likely kill me if I did. So, thank you. Wish fulfilled.

---

Yesterday felt like things were finally getting back on track, writing wise. I did 1,019 words on a new vignette (though it's actually sort of a quasi-vignette, as many of my vignettes are, interweaving several scenes). I'm calling it "...Of the Cloud That Took the Form..." I think I'm going to like it. It has eastern Connecticut and aliens in the Jovian atmosphere. With luck, I might even finish it today. Then I'll need to begin the next piece for Sirenia Digest #59.

My thanks for all the suggestions yesterday. More are always welcome.

I also had to answer a few questions from the CE who's copyediting "The Maltese Unicorn," which will be appearing in Ellen Datlow's Supernatural Noir anthology. And Ellen tells me that Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy will be out before very much longer. It includes my story "The Collier's Venus (1893)."

And here are ten photographs from our drive through southeastern Massachusetts on Sunday. They include the World's Cutest Jumping Spider EVER. We may try another leaf-watching drive (hopefully with better results) this coming weekend, some place farther north:





Spooky's very good with this sort of photo.



Two amazing clouds over the Blackstone Gorge. They made me think of finding the downy feathers of sea gulls at a beach.



This photograph is pretty much identical to one that Spooky took of me back on July 16th. Rolling Dam at Millville.



Phidippus audax, one of the prettiest jumping spiders we've ever seen. Just look at that sweet face.



The pond above Rolling Dam in the Blackstone Gorge at Millville.



Below the dam.



Rolling Dam.



A very striking maple at Whitinsville.



We had too few views like this one.



Back in Providence.

All photographs Copyright © 2010 by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Kathryn A. Pollnac.

Comments

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

That spider is damn cute. Love the other pictures, too.

[egologic.livejournal.com]

As usual I find the photos very enjoyable. I must say the first one in particular.

Every picture tells a story...

[mellawyrden.livejournal.com]

Phidippus audax! Adorable thing! He looks frisky.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Phidippus audax! Adorable thing! He looks frisky.

It's hard to imagine even the most dedicated arachnophobe not loving a face like that.

[kendare-blake.livejournal.com]

Arachnophobe weighing in: It's true. That spider is strangely old-man adorable.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That spider is strangely old-man adorable

Exactly.

Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner

[oldfossil59.livejournal.com]

I'll make sure that you get your Sylvanas Windrunner action figure.

That's a great Phidippus audax- I love spiders.

-Steven L

Re: Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I'll make sure that you get your Sylvanas Windrunner action figure.

You rock.

Re: Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

I'd get you a Sylvanas if I had the money to buy a second. Had to order one for myself, you know.

Re: Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Hah! Okay, that's a perfectly reasonable excuse.

amazon order placed

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

shipping should happen tomorrow :)

Re: amazon order placed

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

shipping should happen tomorrow :)

Thank you!!!

also

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

I LOVE jumping spiders:) I've enjoyed generations of them in my office space forever and the babies are the tiniest cutest little things ever! I have about a dozen plants here so they don't have to survive on paperwork.

Re: also

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I LOVE jumping spiders:) I've enjoyed generations of them in my office space forever and the babies are the tiniest cutest little things ever!

Spooky and I love spiders, and jumping spiders are our favorites.

WOW Figures

[oldfossil59.livejournal.com]

We ordered a deluxe box edition of Lich King Arthas, back in April-It's not due for a month or so,(I had you in mind for one). We do have a Valdremar with Voidwalker Voyd, and Orc Warchief Thrall at the store. Just let me know your pleasure.

Re: WOW Figures

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I really, really don't wish to seem greedy...but Thrall? I didn't even know they were doing Thrall! How come nobody tells me these things.

And yes, you are too kind.

Re: WOW Figures

[oldfossil59.livejournal.com]

He's yours. It's my pleasure. I'll try to keep you posted on the various figures that are offered, the Warcraft figure line has been very slow with it's production. I believe the series that contains Sylvanas was ordered in December 2009. I don't play WOW myself, so sometimes I feel like a fish out of water.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Caitlín, do you have zebra spiders(Saltus scenicus) over there? They're the only English jumping spider I know. And rather handsome; I've seen them sunning themselves on walls in my back garden, then they have this marvellous turn of speed whenever prey's about. Writing as an arachnophobe, at least regarding house spiders. But then my boyfriend's scared of silverfish.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Caitlín, do you have zebra spiders(Saltus scenicus) over there?

We do, in fact.

But then my boyfriend's scared of silverfish.

I don't like silverfish, either, if only because they eat books.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Now that I didn't know, so I guess I'll be more supportive of him in future; thanks!

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Uh, sorry about the doubled comments: that's what happens when your main net access comes through a phone that might as well be made of Bakelite.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

No problem. That why we have delete.

[alvyarin.livejournal.com]

I love spiders. I'm the nut in the office who rescues bugs and carries them back outside. I have two gigantic spiders spinning very impressive webs in my backyard right now, and I'm actually rather proud to check in on their catches every morning!

Neither, though, is as fuzzy and cute as your jumping friend.

I'd still love to see you do something in/with Nightland (House of Silence! Mountain of the Voice! Place of Abhumans!). Your imagination would do wonders in that world. But that might be getting too far into someone else's creation?

[catconley.livejournal.com]

Love the photos! The green and red of the first one is especially nice. I get a little freaked out by most spiders, but jumping spiders are definitely cute, and that one in particular is very cute.

If you feel like heading south at all, I went to Pachaug State Park in CT a couple of weeks ago and it was a really nice drive with some good roadside foliage. There's a parking area at the base of an overlook called Mt. Misery, and you get a 4000' view for a couple hundred feet of walking, and maybe a little scrambling. It's a quick drive, right over the border from Arcadia (and Parker Woodland, actually - you can go either way) :)

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

If you feel like heading south at all, I went to Pachaug State Park in CT a couple of weeks ago and it was a really nice drive with some good roadside foliage. There's a parking area at the base of an overlook called Mt. Misery, and you get a 4000' view for a couple hundred feet of walking, and maybe a little scrambling. It's a quick drive, right over the border from Arcadia (and Parker Woodland, actually - you can go either way) :)

We're planning to make it down to the Parker Woodlands very soon.

Spider!

[jessamyg.livejournal.com]

For a person who is a complete arachnophone (don't ask me why, it's nothing logical, I can pick up any other crawling or slithering thing), even I find the spider cute, but if it came into our house my wife would be the one putting it outside.

Typing late at night

[jessamyg.livejournal.com]

And, yes, that was meant to say arachnophobe. I don't have any inclination to telephone spiders.

Re: Typing late at night

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

And, yes, that was meant to say arachnophobe. I don't have any inclination to telephone spiders.

I was just imagining a machine that would make audible the sounds made by spiders.

Strike a Pose

[spank-an-elf.livejournal.com]

That spider is a star. What kind of camera do you use? That's a damned fine close up.

Re: Strike a Pose

[humglum.livejournal.com]

It's a Canon A1100. I love it for its macro abilities.