"Rule #1: The Doctor lies."
Dec. 10th, 2011 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastEr...yeah. I just wasted half an hour searching for a Martha Jones icon. It's what I do. Well, it's the sort of thing I do. Sometimes. Like this morning.
Yesterday, was a bit like the day before yesterday, only less so. Still mostly the busyness of writing, and too much email, but not as much too much email, and with the added burden of waiting. Few things in the world are as evil as waiting. I'm pretty sure that there's a whole level of Dante's Unabridged Inferno (to be published in 2019) where the damned suffer an eternity of...waiting. Nothing else. Just waiting. Yesterday, the waiting mostly involved Alabaster, and deadlines, and the impending vacation. Oh, and I went through the thirty-second "teaser" trailer for The Drowning Girl: A Memoir, literally frame by frame, then sent a few notes to Brian Siano. He's doing the final editing this weekend. It's almost perfect.
Then, just after dark, Harlan called to thank me for sending him a copy Two Worlds and In Between (he'd called and asked for one), and he went on and on about how much he loved Lee's cover. Which is cool, because I was inspired to go in that direction by several of Harlan's covers which incorporate him as an element of a fantastic scene (see The Essential Ellison, for example). And then he read me the first part of "Rats Live On No Evil Star," and...well, these are the moments writers live for, aren't they? When our literary progenitors, those without whom we would not be, speak our own words back to us, words they helped, without intention, to fashion? Yes, I think these are those moments. Anyway, Harlan was generous and sweet and funny, as always.
---
Demons run when a good man goes to war.
Night will fall and drown the sun,
When a good man goes to war.
Friendship dies and true love lies,
Night will fall and the dark will rise,
When a good man goes to war.
Demons run, but count the cost:
The battle's won, but the child is lost. ~ River Song
Which is to say we watched two more episodes of Doctor Who last night, two more from Series Six: "A Good Man Goes to War" and "Let's Kill Hitler." And I will just say that, wow, "A Good Man Goes to War" redeems Series Six and back again. Damn, that was some good Who. And, as![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ashlyme predicted yesterday, I truly am enamored with Madam Vastra and Jenny. But some actual Victorian lesbian lizard-on-human action, please. Unmistakable innuendo is nice and all, but full on...um...I'm losing my train of thought. It is an excellent, excellent episode, as is "Let's Kill Hitler." There might yet be hope for Matt Smith (but not for Rory, who is only Xander recycled).
Also, more Rift last night (as per usual), leveling (Indus to 37) in the Moonshade Highlands. Later, I read a very, very good story, Angela Slatter's The Coffin-Maker's Daughter. I'd never read Slatter, but the story was very good, and was, indeed, about a coffin-maker's daughter, Hepsibah, who was herself a maker of coffins, and also a lesbian. What's not to like? Oh, plus Slatter was inspired by two Florence + the Machine songs, "My Boy Builds Coffins" and "Girl With One Eye." Then I read a new Stephen King story, "The Little Green God of Agony." As I've said, I don't care much for King, but I liked the title. And the story has a certain strength, and wasn't bad, if only the ending hadn't veered off into such clichéd creep-show horrors. If your stories fall apart when the monster appears on stage, stop writing about monsters. I drifted off to sleep sometime after four ayem, watching Frank Borzage's 1932 adaptation of A Farewell to Arms, which really is better than Charles Vidor's 1957 version, and not just because Gary Cooper is cooler than Rock Hudson.
Also, because I was admonished in yesterday's comments bymizliz13 for using the recently overused and perverted adjective awesome, and admonished rightly so, from here on I shall use "bow tie" in its stead.
---
Today is an assembly day. I must pull Sirenia Digest #72 together, and try to get it out before midnight (CaST). By the way, "Question @ Hand #5" will be the last "Question @ Hand." Indeed, I've half a mind not to run it, but that would be a sleight to the few people who did write pieces (and the one who wrote two!). I think that the decline in replies (#1 had over 30, about a year and a half ago; #5 had 10 responses) is further evidence of the dramatic changes here on LJ.
And now, the platypus.
Don't Get Cocky, Kid,
Aunt Beast
Yesterday, was a bit like the day before yesterday, only less so. Still mostly the busyness of writing, and too much email, but not as much too much email, and with the added burden of waiting. Few things in the world are as evil as waiting. I'm pretty sure that there's a whole level of Dante's Unabridged Inferno (to be published in 2019) where the damned suffer an eternity of...waiting. Nothing else. Just waiting. Yesterday, the waiting mostly involved Alabaster, and deadlines, and the impending vacation. Oh, and I went through the thirty-second "teaser" trailer for The Drowning Girl: A Memoir, literally frame by frame, then sent a few notes to Brian Siano. He's doing the final editing this weekend. It's almost perfect.
Then, just after dark, Harlan called to thank me for sending him a copy Two Worlds and In Between (he'd called and asked for one), and he went on and on about how much he loved Lee's cover. Which is cool, because I was inspired to go in that direction by several of Harlan's covers which incorporate him as an element of a fantastic scene (see The Essential Ellison, for example). And then he read me the first part of "Rats Live On No Evil Star," and...well, these are the moments writers live for, aren't they? When our literary progenitors, those without whom we would not be, speak our own words back to us, words they helped, without intention, to fashion? Yes, I think these are those moments. Anyway, Harlan was generous and sweet and funny, as always.
---
Demons run when a good man goes to war.
Night will fall and drown the sun,
When a good man goes to war.
Friendship dies and true love lies,
Night will fall and the dark will rise,
When a good man goes to war.
Demons run, but count the cost:
The battle's won, but the child is lost. ~ River Song
Which is to say we watched two more episodes of Doctor Who last night, two more from Series Six: "A Good Man Goes to War" and "Let's Kill Hitler." And I will just say that, wow, "A Good Man Goes to War" redeems Series Six and back again. Damn, that was some good Who. And, as
ashlyme predicted yesterday, I truly am enamored with Madam Vastra and Jenny. But some actual Victorian lesbian lizard-on-human action, please. Unmistakable innuendo is nice and all, but full on...um...I'm losing my train of thought. It is an excellent, excellent episode, as is "Let's Kill Hitler." There might yet be hope for Matt Smith (but not for Rory, who is only Xander recycled).Also, more Rift last night (as per usual), leveling (Indus to 37) in the Moonshade Highlands. Later, I read a very, very good story, Angela Slatter's The Coffin-Maker's Daughter. I'd never read Slatter, but the story was very good, and was, indeed, about a coffin-maker's daughter, Hepsibah, who was herself a maker of coffins, and also a lesbian. What's not to like? Oh, plus Slatter was inspired by two Florence + the Machine songs, "My Boy Builds Coffins" and "Girl With One Eye." Then I read a new Stephen King story, "The Little Green God of Agony." As I've said, I don't care much for King, but I liked the title. And the story has a certain strength, and wasn't bad, if only the ending hadn't veered off into such clichéd creep-show horrors. If your stories fall apart when the monster appears on stage, stop writing about monsters. I drifted off to sleep sometime after four ayem, watching Frank Borzage's 1932 adaptation of A Farewell to Arms, which really is better than Charles Vidor's 1957 version, and not just because Gary Cooper is cooler than Rock Hudson.
Also, because I was admonished in yesterday's comments by
mizliz13 for using the recently overused and perverted adjective awesome, and admonished rightly so, from here on I shall use "bow tie" in its stead.---
Today is an assembly day. I must pull Sirenia Digest #72 together, and try to get it out before midnight (CaST). By the way, "Question @ Hand #5" will be the last "Question @ Hand." Indeed, I've half a mind not to run it, but that would be a sleight to the few people who did write pieces (and the one who wrote two!). I think that the decline in replies (#1 had over 30, about a year and a half ago; #5 had 10 responses) is further evidence of the dramatic changes here on LJ.
And now, the platypus.
Don't Get Cocky, Kid,
Aunt Beast
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 06:22 pm (UTC)Cool.
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Date: 2011-12-10 06:40 pm (UTC)So...that was all I wanted to share.
Oh, and I read "As Red as Red" in BNW 22 and I absolutely loved it. Kept me thinking for a few days.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 07:11 pm (UTC)"When there is nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire."
"Set me aflame and cast me free.
Away you wretched world of tethers." ~ VNV Nation
So...that was all I wanted to share.
Thank you.
Oh, and I read "As Red as Red" in BNW 22 and I absolutely loved it.
I'm glad you liked it; I have mixed feeling about it.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 07:34 pm (UTC)I like Rory, myself, but then I also (in reference to another comment of yours below) liked Xander. Maybe because they're the most believable sort of everyman hero -- not the chosen one, not the Frodo; more the Arthur Dent. Some people flatter me that with my classical education I'd be the Giles, but it's more likely that I'd be the guy with no special skills beyond loyalty.
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Date: 2011-12-10 07:45 pm (UTC)"I'd rather set myself on fire / Than burn in your house of love."
Nice.
I like Rory, myself, but then I also (in reference to another comment of yours below) liked Xander.
I don't even begin to get this.
Maybe because they're the most believable sort of everyman hero -- not the chosen one, not the Frodo; more the Arthur Dent.
Well, that explains it. I've never much cared for the mundane everyman (though one could argue Frodo was a reluctant everyman).
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:01 pm (UTC)I do think they need to stop making Rory into the Dr Who equivalent of Kenny from South Park, though.
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:04 pm (UTC)I do think they need to stop making Rory into the Dr Who equivalent of Kenny from South Park, though.
Nah. The more punishment for being a dullard, the better.
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Date: 2011-12-10 06:47 pm (UTC)Rory's a bit of a dullard.
Yeah, that innuendo made me laugh a lot. As did the line about Jack the Ripper. They are, truly, bowtie.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 07:13 pm (UTC)I'm still a bit pissed off with myself for name-spoilers (again, sorry!) but I'm glad you like those episodes.
No, no, no. I thought you were spoiling Series Seven, and also telling me that they would becoming companions (and it's a bloody shame they won't).
Rory's a bit of a dullard.
He's Xander, whom I loathed.
Yeah, that innuendo made me laugh a lot. As did the line about Jack the Ripper. They are, truly, bowtie.
Yes!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 08:01 pm (UTC)*a bloody shame that they won't*
Yep.
*He's Xander, whom I loathed.*
You can't really blame Amy for trying to rape the Doctor last year!
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:04 pm (UTC)You can't really blame Amy for trying to rape the Doctor last year!
Oh, hell no!
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Date: 2011-12-10 07:02 pm (UTC)That is truly wonderful. Congratulations.
I think that the decline in replies (#1 had over 30, about a year and a half ago; #5 had 6 responses) is further evidence of the dramatic changes here on LJ.
I just burnt out. Damn it.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 07:14 pm (UTC)That is truly wonderful. Congratulations.
It made my month.
I just burnt out. Damn it.
Which is a shame; you could have done something marvelous.
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Date: 2011-12-10 07:24 pm (UTC)I really wanted to.
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:17 pm (UTC)I'll second Sovay in saying congratulations on Harlan's call. I'm chuffed for you.
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Date: 2011-12-10 09:28 pm (UTC)I'd wanted to put something in, too. I couldn't find an image or idea I felt did the Question justice.
It wasn't that hard.
I'll second Sovay in saying congratulations on Harlan's call. I'm chuffed for you.
Thank you.
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Date: 2011-12-10 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 10:17 pm (UTC)Well, thanks for helping him or her or it, as yes, I hope they made it through, too.
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 09:29 pm (UTC)Amy and Rory's marriage just isn't hitting me.
Bingo.
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Date: 2011-12-10 08:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 09:30 pm (UTC)On the flipside, I am so happy for your Uncle Harlan moment.
It was pretty damn bow tie.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 08:40 pm (UTC)Finished reading The Red Tree earlier in the week while in hospital w. pneumonia. May I just say, BOWTIE!
Santa is bringing Two Worlds and in Between. My cats always know which books to buy for me. >smile
Author Michael Swanwick posted a video of 'Fishmen,' as he describes it: a disturbing Christmas video composed by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society.
http://floggingbabel.blogspot.com/2011/
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Date: 2011-12-10 09:31 pm (UTC)May I just say, BOWTIE!
Thank you. It was my first truly good novel.
Author Michael Swanwick posted a video of 'Fishmen,' as he describes it: a disturbing Christmas video composed by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society.
Yep. We have the HPLHS albums.
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Date: 2011-12-10 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 10:17 pm (UTC)I was just reading last night an article tracing Harlan's work on the video game version of "I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream,"
I had no idea this even existed!
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Date: 2011-12-10 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-10 10:20 pm (UTC)I shall have to look.
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Date: 2011-12-10 10:59 pm (UTC)There's a wiki for the game, and I seem to remember that HE had copies available for sale in the store on his website, also. If not, I had a copy; if I can find it somewhere I could probably send you the disc or a disc image.
Sounds like a great conversation with Harlan. I met him once at a signing at DreamHaven. I don't go to many signings, but wanted to make that one just to say thanks for the many years of messing with my mindsets.
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Date: 2011-12-10 11:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 01:17 am (UTC)