Caitlín R. Kiernan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
greygirlbeast) wrote2011-02-21 01:16 pm
greygirlbeast) wrote2011-02-21 01:16 pm
Entry tags:
"I want you to remember."
1) Snow again this morning, but it's relatively light. A couple of inches at most. Likely, it will be gone in a day or two. Yes, I am sick of this particular winter.
2) Yesterday, I wrote 1,330 words and found the end of the eighth chapter of The Drowning Girl: A Memoir. The manuscript now stands at 386 pages, 87,145 words. And from here I can see how the ninth and tenth chapters and the epilogue unfold. I may have the novel "finished" in only two more weeks. Which is sort of strange to realize.
3) The current Ebay auctions continue. Please have a look. Bid if you are able. Thanks.
4) If you're into MMORPGs and want to play a strong female character, especially a strong female character of color, you no longer have to settle for the racist parodies in WoW. The Kalari and Bahmi women in Rift are amazing, especially the latter. And they're, you know, like actual people. Female characters with dignity and grace and ferocious beauty, instead of, say, Rastafarian caricatures and She-Hulk lampoons. Also, back in WoW, I'm still slogging through my bid for "Loremaster," but beginning to doubt whether or not my will is equal to the task. Last night, I finished with Feralas, which wasn't easy, because there almost weren't enough Horde-side quests. Then I moved along to Thousand Needles, flooded post-Cataclysm and...well...it's just sort of stupid. I found the second worst WoW quest ever— "Pirate Accuracy Increasing." The only worse one I've encountered is that idiotic Joust homage in Mount Hyjal. Anyway...enough nerdy game nonsense.
5) Several comments on my cough yesterday, and some were of the "it might be this" variety, so I'm going to be a little more forthcoming on this than I'd planned. In truth, it's most likely chronic simple silicosis, caused by several years of heavy exposure to chalk and marl dust (which is largely silica particles) in the early years of my paleontology work. I was employed by a small museum in Birmingham (Red Mountain Museum, now defunct), and nobody had a clue about proper safety precautions. I didn't learn this until I went to work for the museum at the University of Colorado, where wearing a respirator during dusty prep work was mandatory. I have all the symptoms, and the cause is there, and a doctor has told me this is likely the problem. But I've never gone through tests for an official diagnosis. My grandfather, who was a brick mason, suffered from a far more severe case of the same disease. Anyway, colds and the flu trigger these bouts of coughing, which is one reason I go to such extremes to stay well.
6) I've promised an in-progress preview of the cover that Lee Moyer is painting for Two Worlds and In Between, and here it is (along with some extras):
This very rough mock-up was the product of our first two telephone conversations. Essentially, we both had exactly the same idea. And I'd been thinking, I want this to look more like a greatest hits album cover from the 1970s than a conventional book cover. The halo is being replaced with a hat, by the way, a low sort of top hat. I will be surrounded by dozens and dozens of beasties. It's good to know this cover will never be recycled for any other book's cover. Oh, I admit I was also inspired by all the many times Uncle Harlan's covers have featured his countenance.
Another mock-up Lee did for me, so that Spooky could take some lighting reference shots for him. I think it looks like a Duran Duran cover.
The reference shots were taken with a violet gel and spot in our kitchen pantry.
Lee needed hand shots, and yeah, that's my deluxe edition of Ulysses.
It's a Catholic thing, only...it's not.
Images Copyright © Lee Moyer and Kathryn A. Pollnac
Postscript (1:44 p.m.): My agent and editor both have President's Day off. When did that become a holiday that people use as an excuse to stay home from work? A shame I haven't that option.
2) Yesterday, I wrote 1,330 words and found the end of the eighth chapter of The Drowning Girl: A Memoir. The manuscript now stands at 386 pages, 87,145 words. And from here I can see how the ninth and tenth chapters and the epilogue unfold. I may have the novel "finished" in only two more weeks. Which is sort of strange to realize.
3) The current Ebay auctions continue. Please have a look. Bid if you are able. Thanks.
4) If you're into MMORPGs and want to play a strong female character, especially a strong female character of color, you no longer have to settle for the racist parodies in WoW. The Kalari and Bahmi women in Rift are amazing, especially the latter. And they're, you know, like actual people. Female characters with dignity and grace and ferocious beauty, instead of, say, Rastafarian caricatures and She-Hulk lampoons. Also, back in WoW, I'm still slogging through my bid for "Loremaster," but beginning to doubt whether or not my will is equal to the task. Last night, I finished with Feralas, which wasn't easy, because there almost weren't enough Horde-side quests. Then I moved along to Thousand Needles, flooded post-Cataclysm and...well...it's just sort of stupid. I found the second worst WoW quest ever— "Pirate Accuracy Increasing." The only worse one I've encountered is that idiotic Joust homage in Mount Hyjal. Anyway...enough nerdy game nonsense.
5) Several comments on my cough yesterday, and some were of the "it might be this" variety, so I'm going to be a little more forthcoming on this than I'd planned. In truth, it's most likely chronic simple silicosis, caused by several years of heavy exposure to chalk and marl dust (which is largely silica particles) in the early years of my paleontology work. I was employed by a small museum in Birmingham (Red Mountain Museum, now defunct), and nobody had a clue about proper safety precautions. I didn't learn this until I went to work for the museum at the University of Colorado, where wearing a respirator during dusty prep work was mandatory. I have all the symptoms, and the cause is there, and a doctor has told me this is likely the problem. But I've never gone through tests for an official diagnosis. My grandfather, who was a brick mason, suffered from a far more severe case of the same disease. Anyway, colds and the flu trigger these bouts of coughing, which is one reason I go to such extremes to stay well.
6) I've promised an in-progress preview of the cover that Lee Moyer is painting for Two Worlds and In Between, and here it is (along with some extras):
This very rough mock-up was the product of our first two telephone conversations. Essentially, we both had exactly the same idea. And I'd been thinking, I want this to look more like a greatest hits album cover from the 1970s than a conventional book cover. The halo is being replaced with a hat, by the way, a low sort of top hat. I will be surrounded by dozens and dozens of beasties. It's good to know this cover will never be recycled for any other book's cover. Oh, I admit I was also inspired by all the many times Uncle Harlan's covers have featured his countenance.
Another mock-up Lee did for me, so that Spooky could take some lighting reference shots for him. I think it looks like a Duran Duran cover.
The reference shots were taken with a violet gel and spot in our kitchen pantry.
Lee needed hand shots, and yeah, that's my deluxe edition of Ulysses.
It's a Catholic thing, only...it's not.
Images Copyright © Lee Moyer and Kathryn A. Pollnac
Postscript (1:44 p.m.): My agent and editor both have President's Day off. When did that become a holiday that people use as an excuse to stay home from work? A shame I haven't that option.
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That all by itself would be a terrific cover.
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That all by itself would be a terrific cover.
I am promised it will be far, far better.
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(BTW, I didn't think it was a Catholic thing-I thought with your hands it was a Baphomet callback, so already multi-layered!)
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I didn't think it was a Catholic thing-I thought with your hands it was a Baphomet callback
Hence the "only...it's not." And yes, we're trying to layer symbolism.
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VERY cool photo, beautiful and arresting.
If so, that's sort of amazing, considering how tired and rumpled I was that night.
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Very weirdly Lewis Carroll-via-an-infernal-circus, especially after the top hat is added.
Glad you like it!
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I adore the idea, there's something about it which reminds me of Joni Mitchell's Hejira, speaking of album covers.
Hmmmmm. Not sure I see that. But often one doesn't see what another sees.
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It's good to hear these positive responses. It felt like a brazen act.
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It's bittersweet. Yes, it's grand to have this degree of cover control, and I love working with Lee. But. The cover of The Red Tree was far more important to me.
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That's a fabulous coat, by the way.
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Johnathan Pryce was mentioned very early in our discussion.
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You'll be pleased to know that I've succumbed to Rift fever. I have a Kelari mage -- necromancer/warlock/dominator -- named Erzsebetta (yes, she strikes again, much like Shaharrazad!) and a Bahmi rogue -- ranger/marksmen -- named Kauket on Wolfsbane.
Yay!
But. Be aware those characters will be wiped from the game this afternoon when the final beta ends. But you can recreate them as soon as the game goes live. If you preorder, that's on Thursday, and you get a four-day headstart on everyone else (plus neat bonuses).
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but consider this one gasped and trilled at.
This pleases me, as I'm sure it would please Lee.
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Given all the nudging provided over the years, I hope that the Platypus will be making a cameo...
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I hope that the Platypus will be making a cameo...
Alas, he will not.
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Me, too.
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That cover is not at all what I expected, but what a great idea to create your own "greatest hits" cover.
I hope it's nothing anyone expects.
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The strong cover does emit a Diamond Dogs vibe. Exciting!
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The strong cover does emit a Diamond Dogs vibe.
Now, that is high praise, indeed. I briefly thought of actually mimicking a specific Bowie cover, one or another, but went this route, instead.
Bowie Covers
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I'm so glad people are liking them!
We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.
Re: We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.
Re: We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.
Re: We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.
Re: We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.
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I'm glad I pre-ordered it!
As am I!
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Cover
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Your praise of Rift tipped me over into taking a look at it, and I'll say that I'm interested. I kinda like a fantasy game where the factions are divided over an issue of theology (although I am a bit annoyed that the models default to all caucasians on one faction and all POC on the other - but only a bit). Plus, apocalyptic magitech time travel in the first ten levels made me squee a bit.
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I hadn't noticed that. However, Spooky just pointed out that the Guardian races all all northern hemisphere, and the Defiants southern, so it does make some sense.
Plus, apocalyptic magitech time travel in the first ten levels made me squee a bit.
I, too, did squee.
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I'm sorry to hear about the possible silicosis. Even if it's minor, I guess it will hang on forever. I hope your cough will clear up soon. I get the same thing due to asthma and it is annoying as hell. Here's to a swift and easy recovery.
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Even if it's minor, I guess it will hang on forever.
Yep.
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