"You were in my dream. You were driving circles around me."

[greygirlbeast]

Well, yesterday failed to measure up to the poopiness of its promise, though it was hardly conducive to the sort of work I'm supposed to be doing. You know...writing? Still, the anger subsided, and the day got better as it went on – a little better – and I have learned there's at least one person who thinks "awesome" is as overused (and inappropriately used) as do I, and who's willing to speak up. And that's pretty bow tie.

I managed to edit about one-third of Alabaster #3 before my agent called. It's fairly easy editing, as my editor at Dark Horse was very happy with this script, as was I. Hopefully, readers will also be happy with it.

My agent and I talked about Blood Oranges, mostly, and the fact that I'm planning two sequels (the second would be called Fay Grimmer; I don't yet have a title for book three). I'm morally opposed to any trilogy not written by Tolkien or Herbert or William Gibson or Holly Black. But...it's not really a trilogy-type trilogy. My story is more like one long (funny) story divided into three parts. It just works better that way. Also, the trilogy format allows me to write it over three years, instead of all at once. Many options are being explored. I am finally learning about options (after seventeen years in publishing). I'm fucking stubborn like that. Anyway, we also talked about the revamp of the website, and how not finished it is, and how the market is worse than ever, and how Dark Horse is now my day job, and how I'm turning down pretty much all short-story solicitations, and how to connect readers to booksellers that are not Amazon, and how to promote The Drowning Girl: A Memoir, and how my craziness sometimes impedes my communication with Merrilee and leads to my overreacting and misunderstanding (and stuff). Oh, Merrilee Heifetz is my bow-tie agent (has been since 1997) at Writers House. And no, I will not tell her your book is an incredible work of literature, the greatest thing since sliced halva, and how she should represent you. So, don't even think I might.

Yesterday, I renewed my membership to The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (I've been a member since I was nominated to the society in 1984).

---

Fuck all, but this is a fucking perfect sentence (from Gibson's Neuromancer): The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.

--

Late in the day, I was treated to pencils for Greg Ruth's cover for Albaster #3, and like the fist two covers, it's goddamn beautiful. Greg Ruth rocks. Which is to say, kittens, he is most bow tie.

Okay, now I go to finish with the editing of #3. I also have to speak to my editor at Dark Horse later today, and write synopses for the two books that will follow Blood Oranges (and, fuck all, but I hate writing synopses). However, my diligence will be rewarded with a visit from readingthedark this evening. We're gonna talk about stuff.

Slightly Improved & a Tad Manic,
Aunt Beast

Comments

[meddevi.livejournal.com]

I confess, I have found myself using "awesome" way too much in the last year. Closely behind that is "epic" (damn steampunks). I am on the search for new words to express that same sentiment. Suggestions?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I am on the search for new words to express that same sentiment. Suggestions?

I have no problem with either awesome or epic when used properly. And the thing with both is simply grotesque overuse (and the eighties flashbacks. Anyway, if a thing isn't truly epic, just say tremendous or overwhelming or...well, there are lots of synonyms. See a good thesaurus.

[meddevi.livejournal.com]

hmmm, well, definitely using them properly (and not of the 80's, unless doing it ironically, like I call my car "Cahr" in homage to RI)....just need to expand...have had some incredible things happen to me in the last year (and even the last week) that fall neatly under both awesome and epic...but yeah, I should find a thesaurus and get my brain on it.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I should find a thesaurus and get my brain on it.

If nothing else, there's Thesaurus.com (http://thesaurus.com/).

[meddevi.livejournal.com]

Yeah...I figured...but I'm not turned on by what I'm seeing...the quest continues...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Yeah...I figured...but I'm not turned on by what I'm seeing...the quest continues...

Pick up a hardcopy Roget's. I've used it for twenty years.

[edwarddain.livejournal.com]

I must admit that that is one my favorite sentences as well.

D.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I must admit that that is one my favorite sentences as well.

It's just amazing.

[pisceanblue.livejournal.com]

the greatest thing since sliced halva
Wouldn't dream of it, Aunt Beast, but what about sliced halva with hashish?
(It's bow-tie that one of the best is being represented by one of the best.)

What I love about that particular opening line is the layers within it, the evocation of several different moods concurrently.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

but what about sliced halva with hashish?

See, that would be awesome, as in it would inspire awe.

[mithriltabby]

That is an excellent sentence, but it also reflects on our changing times: a lot of televisions these days react to a dead channel by putting up a field of bright blue, instead of showing you the static.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Actually, Gibson writes about that in the audiobook (or talks about it) edition, as part of explaining how sf can't be predictive.

[mithriltabby]

I think the technological anachronisms are something to be savored, seeing how far we’ve come since the time the book was written. I remember reading Second Stage Lensmen when I was young, and being bemused by a passage where Kimball Kinnison uses his new upgraded powers of the mind to cause a computer to perform some mathematical operation (just as a test), and describes the computer as puzzled by this. I puzzled over this for a little while, then flipped to the copyright page on the book and saw that it antedated any computer I’d ever heard of, and I realized that “computer” used to be a job! And I suddenly understood why people would talk about an “electronic computer” or “digital computer”, since I had previously thought the adjective redundant.

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah, I knew that because of Pickering's so-called harem, and Ptolemy's computers (slaves who did all the calculations).

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's kinda neat.

[trvolk.livejournal.com]

"[A] hardcopy Roget's" is so much greater a tool than for finding words of similar meaning, but I am probably not telling you anything new there.

I dropped using 'awesome' altogether several years ago, even when the context absolutely begged its use. That leaves a hole in my vocabulary, but I would rather avoid altogether the smell now attached to it.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That leaves a hole in my vocabulary, but I would rather avoid altogether the smell now attached to it.

I'm trying hard to reserve it only for one meaning, A thing which inspires awe.

Re: My agent and I talked about Blood Oranges, mostly, and the fact that I'm planning two sequels

[papersteven.livejournal.com]

This is extremely bow tie news.

Re: My agent and I talked about Blood Oranges, mostly, and the fact that I'm planning two sequels

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

File this under Let's wait and see. There's a lot of uncertainty attached to these books.

[sovay]

the second would be called Fay Grimmer

I do like that.

And no, I will not tell her your book is an incredible work of literature, the greatest thing since sliced halva, and how she should represent you.

Well, no. Sliced halva is pretty tough stuff to live up to.

There is a new Penguin collection of Arthur Machen.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I do like that.

I figure very few readers will get the allusion, but I like it too much not to use it.

Sliced halva is pretty tough stuff to live up to.Sliced halva is pretty tough stuff to live up to.

Indeed!

There is a new Penguin collection of Arthur Machen.

Yep, and I already have it.

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

I loved "sliced halva" and bow tie, that is all.

Well, and I am glad you're doing better.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Well, and I am glad you're doing better.

Thank you!

[homewardangel.livejournal.com]

I love that line. Not only do I love it but it was once on an exam. I'm still friends with the professor who did that - how could I not be?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Not only do I love it but it was once on an exam. I'm still friends with the professor who did that - how could I not be?

Cool.

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

...there's at least one person who thinks "awesome" is as overused (and inappropriately used) as do I...

I'm fairly guilty of this, but I am not (thankfully) not guilty of using the word "epic" for just about any expression of pleasureable satisfaction.

On the other hand, The Doctor overused the word "Fantastic!" a bit too much as well - so, I think there is room for forgiveness.

And no, I will not tell her your book is an incredible work of literature...

Initially I read this as you (sarcastically) not promoting her book as being an incredible work of literature and actually wrote down her name as someone to check out. And then reading comprehension caught up by the end of the sentence. Still, if she had written a book, I would check it out.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

so, I think there is room for forgiveness.

Yes, I suppose there is.

Still, if she had written a book, I would check it out.

To my knowledge, Merrilee has never written a book.

[fornikate.livejournal.com]

i used to listen to 'your ghost' on repeat obsessively and sob.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

It's the term "awesomesauce" that does my head in.

I love *that* Vince Locke illustration. You should really have that on a t-shirt. That is very bowtie.

[xarx.livejournal.com]

People do need to stop using awesome so much. That word should be used to describe me and me alone. Any other use simply cheapens it's true meaning.