"Gather up the lost and sold."

[greygirlbeast]

Rainy and cold here in Providence. The sky is the color of the way I feel.

Comments always welcomed, especially on Mondays.
---

To-do list for April (with three days already behind me):

1. Story for Dark Horse (TBA)
2. Story for sf anthology (TBA)
3. Sirenia Digest #65
4. All that other stuff.

---

Yesterday, I pulled the manuscript for The Drowning Girl out again and added a new page of text to the "epilogue." It's not actually a conventional epilogue; it's a section at the end called "Back Pages" which contains various oddments and loose threads, after which I(mp) typed THE END. Then I rewrote and expanded a portion of pages of 281 and 282. And then I read aloud to myself the section of the novel which I think of as 7, though I think the actual title of that section is:

7/7/7/7
7/7
7
seven
7
7/7
7/7/7/7


Then I read aloud to myself all of "Random Notes Before a Fatal Crash," and I made a great deal more line edits than I'd have expected would be necessary.

Today will be spent pulling together Sirenia Digest #64, in hopes that I can get it out to subscribers this evening. I have Vince's illustration, which I'm very pleased with.

---

A preview of the photos taken by kylecassidy on Saturday. This is undoubtedly the best photograph anyone's taken of me since...2003, I think. The creature behind me is Kronosaurus queenslandicus, a gigantic short-necked plesiosaur from Australia.


Dr. Caitlín R. Kiernan, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology & Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology*

Photograph Copyright © 2011 by Kyle Cassidy

---

The evening was spent with roast turkey, recreational Vicodin use, and more Californication re-watching, and then, late (or early), because I couldn't sleep, Rift on Spooky's laptop. I played my Eth warrior, Indus. I think I got to bed about 4:00 ayem. There were elaborate, apocalyptic nightmares I thankfully can't now recall. I think the only time I actually sleep restfully these days is when I doze off in the car or take very short naps directly after work. Oh, also last night, lots of listening to the new Radiohead, The King of Limbs, which is, as expected, brilliant. Thanks, Steven.

Now, time to edit and format, and also write a prolegomenon.

Probably the Last Martian,
Aunt Beast

* A little wishful thinking never hurt anyone.

Comments

[spiritualmonkey.livejournal.com]

Looks like the beastie spent all it's neck points on it's jaws.

Nice frames. Flattering.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Looks like the beastie spent all it's neck points on it's jaws.

It is an amazing head, which would have required a short neck.

[coppervale.livejournal.com]

I think it's a great photo.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Kyle is marvelous.

[insanitybook.livejournal.com]

You look amazing! What a great picture.

The King of Limbs was typical shining Radiohead glory, but for some reason it didn't excite me as much as In Rainbows did. I am, however, totally hooked on the track "Little by Little".

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

The King of Limbs was typical shining Radiohead glory, but for some reason it didn't excite me as much as In Rainbows did.

Hmmm. I admit I sort of had the opposite reaction, though I love In Rainbows.

[britmandelo.livejournal.com]

That's a gorgeous picture! A bit playful, and the band of light across your shirt is just a nice touch.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

A bit playful, and the band of light across your shirt is just a nice touch.

I think the thing that was most wonderful that Kyle managed was to bring out a playfulness I rarely see in myself.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Apologies for inadvertently pissing you off last night. I felt like an asshat over it.

It's a damn handsome photo.

I'm glad you're writing more sf - don't know if the The Last Martian is an upcoming story, but it sounds like a long-lost Bowie track.

Browncoatpunk?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Apologies for inadvertently pissing you off last night. I felt like an asshat over it.

No, no. You absolutely didn't piss me off. The author pissed me off (and it even turns out to be a werewolf novel). However, generally, this is the sort of news I'm better of not receiving, as there's nothing I can do about it, short of being an ass in public. But no, you didn't piss me off.

I'm glad you're writing more sf - don't know if the The Last Martian is an upcoming story, but it sounds like a long-lost Bowie track.

It's just the way I've come to feel. Or, it's a symbol for the way I feel. I've always felt an odd (non-astrological!) association with the planet Mars, and I've seen no other Martians lately. Not directly a Bowie reference, but that works for me.

Browncoatpunk?

Sort of anti-steampunk. See Joss When's Firefly.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

You look so wonderful!
Kyle is such a good photographer!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

What a fantastic vision ~ on the part of you, Kyle, and the Kronosaurus queenslandicus!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

on the part of you, Kyle, and the Kronosaurus queenslandicus!

What an odd collaboration, almost a hundred million years in the making.

[andrian6.livejournal.com]

Excellent photograph, which is to say Kyle took it. It reminds me of some of Tanith Lee's early author portraits. I find this entirely appropriate.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of some of Tanith Lee's early author portraits.

Nice. Oddly, I've also been told it invokes Claudia Black and Linda Hamilton.

[jenjen4280.livejournal.com]

Very striking photo, Aunt Beast! The Beast in her natural habitat?

I picked up the Ironside trilogy by Holly Black per your recommendation on this blog some several months ago. I'm in the middle of Valiant now. I like it quite a bit better than Tithe, but that was good too. It's nice to see queer characters in YA novels, even if they're only secondary characters.

I don't know if you have Netflix or not, but there's a Criterion Collection version of Chronos out now. It's beautiful. I highly recommend it, especially if it's been a few years since you've seen it.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

The Beast in her natural habitat?

Perhaps more in an wishful and unrealized reality.

[whiskeychick.livejournal.com]

Stunning photo.

[cause-catyljan.livejournal.com]

Fantastic image. You look great and the big beastie is sublime.

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

I'm quite intrigued by Section 7 of the new novel. And that picture of you -- perfect.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm quite intrigued by Section 7 of the new novel.

It's one of my favorite parts.

[fornikate.livejournal.com]

You look mischievous.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You look mischievous.

It may be I am.

[livia-llewellyn.livejournal.com]

That is a truly beautiful photo.

[kaz-mahoney.livejournal.com]

I love that photo! You look like you're about to tell us a secret. Or maybe you're deciding whether or not to tell...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You look like you're about to tell us a secret. Or maybe you're deciding whether or not to tell...

That may always be the case.

[captaincurt81.livejournal.com]

New pic is a good one. I also wanted to thank your for sharing your enthusiasm about the movie, Source Code. I was on the fence about it, having seen a few negative reviews. I wish reviewers would remain objective. There's no reason to diss a perfectly fine film just because the studio rejected their script for a live-action, snuff remake of Bambi in 3-D.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

There's no reason to diss a perfectly fine film just because the studio rejected their script for a live-action, snuff remake of Bambi in 3-D.

That is so very quotable.

[lee-in-limbo.livejournal.com]

What a great photography. :)

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

absolutely gorgeous photo - Kyle does excellent work, yes, but the subject matters

[sovay]

A preview of the photos taken by kylecassidy on Saturday.

I really like that.

It doesn't hurt, you know, that you're photogenic.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It doesn't hurt, you know, that you're photogenic.

Now, now. Don't get fresh.

[cmpriest.livejournal.com]

That's really a lovely portrait - Kyle does excellent work, and you look great...not un-serious, but not un-happy, either. Very nice balance.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

not un-serious, but not un-happy, either.

It's acting!

[ulffriend.livejournal.com]

This is a great photo!

Your post the other evening about our youth-worshiping culture got me thinking, and I realized something: I like to look at people who are more mature (not mature as in old, which is what mature seems to have come to mean, but more in the sense of someone who has had time to develop, to ripen). Young people are pretty, sure, but I've been looking around since your post and have realized that they just don't look interesting - they don't look quite done. Our little bags and sags and freckles and spots, they are the badges of our experience. They tell the world that we have gone forward and LIVED!

The photo is wonderful, and you look wonderful in it. You are certainly attractive, but you also look interesting. You look like a person someone would cross a room to talk to, because you look as though you'd have something to say.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Our little bags and sags and freckles and spots, they are the badges of our experience. They tell the world that we have gone forward and LIVED!

Indeed.

You look like a person someone would cross a room to talk to, because you look as though you'd have something to say.

Well...I could start with how Kronosaurus fits into Sauropterygian phylogeny.

love the picture

[melissaleeg83.livejournal.com]

One of the better author photos I have seen.
You look adorable.

Re: love the picture

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

One of the better author photos I have seen.

This probably won't be the actual author's photos. So many photos were taken, it's just a preview.

[catconley.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous photo! :)

The symmetry of the "Seven" header is very nice. It sort of looks like a 7 with a line through the stem.

PS - I took "The Red Tree" out of the Horror section at the book store today and put it on the "Hot New Reads" table (would have put it in SF/F but decided to go whole hog). One can only imagine what sorts of trouble it will cause there amongst the light summer reading...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

The symmetry of the "Seven" header is very nice.

Thank you.

PS - I took "The Red Tree" out of the Horror section at the book store today and put it on the "Hot New Reads" table (would have put it in SF/F but decided to go whole hog). One can only imagine what sorts of trouble it will cause there amongst the light summer reading...

And thank you again!

[homewardangel.livejournal.com]

Great photo!

I found lovecraft unbound this weekend. What a great anthology!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

What a great anthology!

Definitely better than average for HPL anthos!

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

This photo: appreciated. (It's also nice to see a picture of you when you're not tired. We were all tired when we posed for a shot at the Lovecraft film fest.)

Now I'm wondering, thanks to the plesiosaur fossil: are any fossils you helped excavate on display? How have your fossils been used? Stored and studied? Waiting to be studied? (I hope they're not being used to prop up crates in that warehouse where the Ark is...)

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

t's also nice to see a picture of you when you're not tired.

Actually...I'd not slept but about two hours the night before. I was very much exhausted. If it looks like I'm not, that a combination of Kyle's skills and Spooky's makeup.

are any fossils you helped excavate on display?

In Birmingham and probably also Boulder, but nowhere in the NE.

Stored and studied?

Very many hundreds, Maybe thousands.

Waiting to be studied?

Hopefully. They're in many collections.