"Hello dirt. How are you today?"

[greygirlbeast]

I should make this short and quick, but I probably won't make it either one. readingthedark is coming to visit this evening, and I have things to get done beforehand. This will be the first company and the first face-to-face contact with someone, other than Spooky, that I've had since the first week of October, I think. I don't do this on purpose, the reclusive thing. Mostly, it just happens. Usually, I don't notice until after its happened.

Yesterday, work for Dark Horse (details TBA), and more work on Two Worlds and In Between. Tying up lose ends. Tomorrow or Sunday, I'll be going back to work on The Drowning Girl. I'll be going into "novel hiding." Significant progress will be made in December.

The Dancy Box auction continues to amaze me and make me grateful. Thank you, bidders. Not only will the income be greatly appreciate, but Spooky and I both put a lot into the project, and it's good to see it so well received.

---

Yesterday, I stumbled across a review of The Ammonite Violin & Others, at SFRevu, that I'd not seen before. It is, generally, a very, very positive review, and I should note that up front. However, it contains one very odd bit that I've been mulling over ever since I read it. Mario Guslandi (I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time he's baffled me with a review) writes: "Some stories are simply beautiful, others tedious and smug to such an extent to make it irritating and almost unbearable to read them."

I'll ignore "irritating," though it's certainly vague, and Guslandi makes no attempt to explain himself. But "smug"? Really? Smug as in "Exhibiting or feeling great or offensive satisfaction with oneself or with one's situation; self-righteously complacent"? Does he mean that the author comes across as smug, or that the stories in question do? Or the characters in those stories? I admit I am utterly perplexed at the comment. If anyone out there can point me to a smug story in The Ammonite Violin & Others, I'd be thankful.

Oh, wait. I knew that name was familiar (thank you, Google). Guslandi's the same guy who reviewed To Charles Fort, With Love and declared, "One can seldom find an author capable of either delighting or boring her readers with the same ease as Catlin Kiernan..."

Smug. Smug stories. I admit, it's an interesting concept, whatever it might mean.

---

Last night, we watched Jamin Winans' Ink (2009). The dvd was a gift from Jennifer Szczublewski. At least, I think it was. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, wow. What a superb, beautiful, disarming film. A triumph of indie fantasy film making. Winans wrote the screenplay, directed and edited the film, composed its original score (especially stunning), and co-produced Ink with his wife, Kiowa K. Winans, and an assistant producer, Laura Wright –all on a shoestring budget. The acting is a little wobbly here and there, but I really have no other complaint, and that one pales in comparison to the whole. This is a fairy tale. A children's story told for adults, a thing that has always fascinated me. It's filled with moments of pure magic, and some genuinely terrifying imagery. You need to see this film. I note that you can currently stream it from Netflix for free. Do so. Ink is no end of marvelous.

Later, we played WoW, leveling our orcs, Gárona and Margdah, to 29.5 or so. And after that, Spooky read to me from blackholly's The Poison Eaters and Other Stories. We made it through three of the tales— "The Coldest Girl in Cold Town," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," and the title story. "The Coldest Girl in Cold Town" is one of those very rare things, a vampire story that actually has emotional depth and something to say. Loved it, and almost wish it had been Chapter One of a novel. And "The Poison Eaters" manages an exquisite marriage of beauty, revenge, murder, and the grotesque.

---

I took a lot of random photos yesterday. I carried one of the cameras around with me, and just took a photo whenever the mood struck me. I got the idea from "A Day in the Life". Anyway, here are the results (there's a whole lot of grainy, because I didn't want to use the flash):





In my life, there's a lot of decaf Red Rose tea and a lot of empty prescription bottles.



View from my desk, my three Rocks of Especial Significance. Left to right: Moonstone Beach; a beach somewhere in Jamaica; a beach in Oregon.



Music, words, magick.



The view from the bottom of the stairs.



Boiling water for macaroni and cheese.



Our cluttered coffee table, where we never have coffee.



Trying to decide what to watch, settling on Ink.



Garóna!



Every time I stand up for five minutes, Hubero commandeers my office chair.



Nemo, the Comforting Octopus, a gift from sovay on the occasion of our most recent trip to the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology.



Reading!



The inevitable self portrait. The glasses are Spooky's. I think I'll be getting the same frames.

All photographs Copyright © 2010 by Caitlín R. Kiernan.

Comments

thank you for the flowers

[myownpetard.livejournal.com]

i threw them on the fire...

those frames look good on you!

Re: thank you for the flowers

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

i threw them on the fire...

I adore that album.


those frames look good on you!

Thank you.

Re: thank you for the flowers

[myownpetard.livejournal.com]

it's a GREAT album. i haven't listened to it in ages! i need to download it.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

1.
smug = code for "you're more talented than me and I can't stand it"

2.
Add a fried banana sandwich and the shot with the Red Rose tea box could be Elvis's kitchen counter ...

3.
How's Perdurabo?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

smug = code for "you're more talented than me and I can't stand it"

Works for me.

3.
How's Perdurabo?

Very good, actually.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

How is his/her treatment of Leah Hirsig?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

How is his/her treatment of Leah Hirsig?

I haven't gotten that far in.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. But pray keep us informed, dear Beastgirl.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

But pray keep us informed, dear Beastgirl.

I shall do that. I'd been wanting to read a good bio of Crowley for ages, and David Tibet's sold me on this one.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

That would be cool. Thanks.

There is precious little material on Hirsig, the most important (and - arguably - powerful) of 666's disciples. Although her magickal record occasionally appears online ...

http://www.textfiles.com/occult/OTO/scwoman.occ

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

There is precious little material on Hirsig

Looking at the index, this book seems to devote a bit of space to her.

[kurtmulgrew.livejournal.com]

It's so cool to see photos of your every day living. But now I want mac and cheese.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It's so cool to see photos of your every day living.

I almost title them, "Postcards from a Prison of My Own Design."

[kaz-mahoney.livejournal.com]

Holly Black's short stories are just brilliant. Good to hear you're enjoying them.

Also, I hope you don't think I'm being weird (as usual!) but you look really beautiful in that self-portrait. Something about it... And those frames suit you perfectly.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Also, I hope you don't think I'm being weird (as usual!) but you look really beautiful in that self-portrait.

Now I have to crawl away and blush. I think I look like crap there, but thanks.

[kaz-mahoney.livejournal.com]

ha! Sorry to make you blush, but seriously... You look undeniably beautiful there. Very natural, but I mean that in a good way.

[docbrite.livejournal.com]

No, no, sorry, kaz is right, you look incredibly beautiful.

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

yep, have to agree - beautiful

[gargirl.livejournal.com]

I have to echo the others here; when I saw the photo of you the first word I thought was; "beautiful."

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the inside pictures. I enjoyed them very much. Have a great weekend.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Have a great weekend.

I expect I will.

[roanefaery.livejournal.com]

And I am left wondering where all the little animals from the Red Rose tea have crawled off to...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

And I am left wondering where all the little animals from the Red Rose tea have crawled off to...

Most are on a shelf in my office.

[seph-ski.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked Ink. I wasn't sure if it was presumptuous of me to gift you with a movie you've never mentioned, I didn't want to make you feel like you were obliged to watch it. I've seen it several times now though, and more than once as I sat there entranced and feeling ten years old again, it made me think of you and Spooky and your Kindernachts. So when I decided to buy a few copies as gifts, I really wanted to send one your way.

It's a good story, and I love the magic they made on such a tight budget. Again, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it too!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

wasn't sure if it was presumptuous of me to gift you with a movie you've never mentioned, I didn't want to make you feel like you were obliged to watch it.

You made a good call.

[captaincurt81.livejournal.com]

Your book pile reminds me that I still need to pick up Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand. I've known of her for some time, but hadn't read her until this year.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Your book pile reminds me that I still need to pick up Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand.

It also remind me I need to actually read it. I've had it since ReaderCon in July.

[spank-an-elf.livejournal.com]

"Generation Lost" is, in terms of EH's novels, a little disappointing. Then again I can't move past my obsession for her novel "Mortal Love." She's so brilliant.

[joshrupp.livejournal.com]

Hm ... I admit, I thought the short story "GOD I'M FEELING SMUG" was a little smug.

That was you, right?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That was you, right?

Sounds like me.

[kendare-blake.livejournal.com]

Smug? I don't know if I've ever read a fiction piece that felt smug. Certainly not how I'd describe anything in The Ammonite Violin or To Charles Fort. (I think they're my favorite two collections.)

Great self-portrait, and thanks for the photo of Hubero. He's just gorgeous.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Smug? I don't know if I've ever read a fiction piece that felt smug.

That was my reaction. It's like describing an elephant as "leafy."

and thanks for the photo of Hubero. He's just gorgeous.

The photo makes him look extra fuzzy.

[alvyarin.livejournal.com]

You are beautiful. I want your lips. Very Angelina Jolie (and I mean that as a compliment...I know not everyone thinks she is as stunning as I think she is). The frames suit you!

Do you anywhere in your blog mention reading the short stories in "Lovecraft Unbound"? I am just now getting through that book and was wondering if I could find your thoughts on the stories anywhere. I read all of your journal entries, I just can't remember if you've mentioned this collection or not.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I want your lips.

I would look rather odd without my lips.

Do you anywhere in your blog mention reading the short stories in "Lovecraft Unbound"?

I did. Scan back through stuff tagged "HPL" and "Lovecraft." I do recall that my favorites in the collection were "Marya Nox" by Gemma Files, "Cold Water Survival" by Holly Phillips, and "The Crevasse" by Dale Bailey and Nathan Ballingrud.

[spank-an-elf.livejournal.com]

I'm in lust with your stairway and the black stove. Hey, our 1950's white Vesta Crest gas monster still works so I am grateful for it.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm in lust with your stairway

That's the "wide" stairway. The one in back is so narrow and steep it reminds me of being in a lighthouse.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

There's your title: Smug and Tedious: The Best and Most Unbearable Stories of Caitlín R. Kiernan

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

There's your title: Smug and Tedious: The Best and Most Unbearable Stories of Caitlín R. Kiernan

That's brilliant!

[sovay]

The inevitable self portrait. The glasses are Spooky's. I think I'll be getting the same frames.

The inevitable self-portrait is actually great.

Self Portrait

[oldfossil59.livejournal.com]

I agree. You look beautiful.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

You are not smug, Aunt Beast. Rather, you've encouraged this reader to learn (I'd not have known what kitsune meant, if it wasn't for your stories. Just as an example.)

Cheers, Ash/Mat

[fusijui.livejournal.com]

Judging from photo #8, I bet you the "smug" evaluation was with reference to the stories that were ghostwritten by Hubero.

[humglum.livejournal.com]

Oh, no doubt. Hubero has smug down to a science.

[gargirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for recommending Ink. It was exactly the jewel you described. One of the most touching films I have ever seen. Low budget is not anything I would have guessed but knowing it was made on a shoestring made it all the sweeter.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Thank you for recommending Ink.

You are very welcome.

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

Diary type pictures are the best kind of pictures. Thank you for sharing them.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Diary type pictures are the best kind of pictures.

I think I may do more of this.