"I takes an ocean not to break company."

[greygirlbeast]

So, yeah. Yesterday evening, after the blog entry, I was alerted to the fact that Two Worlds and In Between and I were being spoken of reverently in the pages of The New York Times. To whit:

There’s also no shortfall of ghosts, revenants and otherness in Ms. Kiernan’s Two Worlds and In Between. What’s most satisfying, though, in this retrospective — more than 200,000 words covering 1993 to 2004 — is watching Ms. Kiernan progress from competence and promise to become one of our essential writers of dark fiction...Ms. Kiernan is a cartographer of lost worlds..."

(byline, Dana Jennings)

Follow this link to read the full review.

Yeah, it brightened my mood a tiny bit. I think this is the first time I've ever been mentioned in The New York Times. Sure, the whole world can see my name and my prose every day just by going online. But today, from Manhattan to Tokyo, from Munich to Bombay, people will read my name and prose in print. And, especially in this day and age, that makes me smile. Sure, tomorrow, those same papers will be used to wrap fish and line bird cages. But today...damn. I want to buy copies, cut out the review, and make sure it's read by every one of those assholes who swore I'd "never amount to anything." Alas, many of them are mercifully dead now. As my life unfurls and winds down, I understand it's not enough to outlive your detractors. You also have to do something worthwhile during that whole outliving them thing. Anyway, yes, I am allowed to slip out from beneath the black cowl, feel some vague sense of accomplishment, and gloat for a few hours. I'll duck back into the shadows afterwards, don't worry. Truthfully, it didn't feel real until this morning. Spooky's gone out to find copies of the paper (page C4). Seeing it printed with ink on actual paper will make it feel much more real, I'm sure.

The morale of our story? Simple: If you manage not to die long enough, someone will notice. Maybe.

And if you're looking to bring me down today, over this or anything else, take a number. The line starts over there. Don't call me, I'll call you.

Oh, and having reviewed Apple's return policies, I'm fairly certain the iPad will be returned. I just don't need the thing as badly as I need many other things. And I do need what it could take away. I might change my mind. The jelly-bean shiny may carry the day. Nobody's perfect. We'll see. I'm encountering this phenomenon referred to as "buyer's remorse."

Great new episode of Fringe last night ("Subject 9").

Ah, Spooky's back. Must go see. But first this comment opalblack made to last night's entry:

Do you know there are actually people out there who envy us that tearing, bottomless darkness? Mostly nooage middle-class-white types who run around campfires waving dead things on sticks and calling it shamanism. I would like to slap them. For a lot of things, really.

Oh, I know those people...and antidotes.

Look upon me! I'll show you the life of the mind! I'll show you the life of the mind! — Charlie Meadows, Barton Fink

Surprised,
Aunt beast

Comments

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous review! And well-deserved.

Nine

[vulpine137.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the review. Enjoy the ego boost, and don't let anyone take it away from you.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

Ms. Kiernan is a cartographer of lost worlds..."

.. that would look lovely on a business card...

[sovay]

a cartographer of lost worlds

Mazel tov.

[opalblack.livejournal.com]

I wasn't a fan of the iPhone til I got one, and now I honestly think I would be lost without it. I'm not sold on the iPad though, quite aside from the ridiculous name. I'm not sure where it would fit in to my life.

Today's wit comes from The Artist Formerly Known As My Spicy Concubine, and is as follows:

Why is it that people think that only queers can like queer shows? My straight friends love queer shows cause "there's no drama quite like queen drama" and shock HORROR THEY'RE STRAIGHT.

"Oh you like Queer As Folk? Are you gay?"
"You like watching gardening shows, are you a cactus?"

Congratulations on the NYT mention. That's some prestigious props, and wholly deserved.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Thumbs up, Aunt B. May those papers line sideshow cages.

*those people*

Dickheads. Emo shamen. Yes, they need a slapping. Give 'em all the shadows they want, they won't be any deeper.

[pwtucker.livejournal.com]

Sincere congratulations. An excellent review.

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on a well-deserved splendid review!

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

So fucking cool. (right now, going to P.O. to mail you discs)

[witchchild]

Well done!

[blackestdarkness]

I can't fathom why anyone would envy this darkness. I wouldn't envy getting poked in the eye with a stick.

Congratulations on the review. That's pretty cool.

[lachendwolf.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Thrilled you're finally getting the acknowledgement that was deserved years ago.

I like how she weaves the three critiques together.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

'I want to buy copies, cut out the review, and make sure it's read by every one of those assholes who swore I'd "never amount to anything."'

Kinda like that Harlan Ellison anecdote wherein he sent copies of every award and positive review he ever got to some writing professor who said his writing was shit.

Anyway, good work, soldier. At ease. Smoke 'em if you got 'em. And so forth.

[hessit.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! My son called me practically hysterical because he was so excited. He grew up with me reading your books to him, and both he and his partner are big fans. I went out and bought a copy so I could have a newspaper honest-to-Goddess ink and paper copy of it! Well done and it's so exciting to watch this happen to an author who I have enjoyed for so many years!

[everville340.livejournal.com]

...watching Ms. Kiernan progress from competence and promise to become one of our essential writers of dark fiction.

An amazingly poetic and well-deserved compliment. May this be the first of many instances of seeing you in The New York Times and beyond when Drowning Girl and Stills From a Movie That Never Existed are released. Congratulations and well done!

[homewardangel.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited for you!

Great news!

p.s. I ordered Two Worlds and in Between and it's being sent to just outside PVD. Not far by any means but I'll be so excited when it gets here!

I have a copy!!

[waristerrorism.livejournal.com]

I just read a paper copy of your review. That is really cool.

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

Gloat, O Great One. Until your little black heart bursts.

[corucia.livejournal.com]

Wonderful news - not the kind of review that comes around often enough, but should. I might have to go scrounge up a copy of the paper...

[pisceanblue.livejournal.com]

I understand your point about this review granting a certain sort of legitimacy which you have possessed - in the minds of your fans and supporters - always. So say we all (even the New York Fucking Times, finally). Huzzah, Aunt Beast.

[gtmoore.livejournal.com]

So very cool. Congratulations!

helpless

[pigshitpoet.livejournal.com]

hi gg,
i think i answered my own question:
http://www.amazon.com/Threshold-Caitlin-R-Kiernan

glad that you are enjoying the new tom waits!
psp

words from joni..