Well I can’t sleep right now because I just finished The Black Act (as in, all at once, today) and my brain is all excited. But it’s time for more book questions anyhow, so let’s do this thing!

So now: 30 Days of Books, part 4.

Day 16 – Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Okay, I realize this shows what a poetic philistine I am, but I’m going with The Highwayman for sentimental family-related reasons.

Day 17 – Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House. There are so many I could plug into this category as I really, really love short stories– Poe, Lovecraft, Blackwood, and that’s not even getting into the piles of beautiful modern indie stories I proudly display on my shelves. (Almost done with Dead Souls just now and man… just, wow.) But Vonnegut’s shorts are what made me give Sci-Fi–as in lit, not TV and movies–I’ve always been a huge Trek fan–a chance, and I have to thank him for that.

Day 18 – Favorite beginning scene in a book
This is ridiculous, and maybe a little NSFW, but the first scene from The Confusion–the second installment in Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle sticks in my head. It starts with Jack waking up on a beach, canons detonating around him, and then–

Lying on his back, he squinted up through the damp, sand-caked hem of a man’s garment: a loose robe of open-weave material that laved the wearer’s body in a gold glow, so that he could look directly up into the blind eye of the man’s penis–which had been curiously modified. Inevitably, he lost this particular stare-down.

It’s so weird and Stephenson that I laughed my head off.

But the first scene in Quicksilver, the first book in the series, is probably better. Enoch Root and his first glimpse of Puritan Boston–witch hanging and all.

Day 19 – Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
The Picture of Dorian Gray. Because the guy they used in this version is Franz Liszt. And frequent visitors to this blog may recall that I really, really, really like Franz Liszt. (As in, he is my boyfriend. My dead composer boyfriend. Hey, we all need one.)

Day 20 – Favorite kiss
Okay, so it’s not specifically a kiss, but in Meghan Brunner’s From the Ashes there’s this hilarious moment wherein the heroines, Ryna and Phoenix, finally get together. As in physically. And Phoe, who is completely inexperienced, sort of awkwardly tells Ryna that she looked up “stuff” they could do on the internet. I can just imagine this adorably nerdy girl googling “how to please your lesbian lover” and getting quite a shock at the kind of thing it’s likely to call up. Plus, that’s just cute.

And that’s that.

But also, a thank you to those of you who’ve shown such overwhelming support for The Red Penny Papers this week. It’s been even more fun than I expected, somehow. Y’all are awesome <3

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Now playing: Autour de Lucie – Je reviens
via FoxyTunes

I’ve had a productive couple of days before I must head out of town on my way to Context. I’m hanging out with the parents tomorrow night (they live between here and there somewhere) and then it’s off to–I don’t know. Act like a professional all weekend. Wait, I am a professional. Er, then act like I’m not incredibly nervous in crowds. How’s that?

S’okay. Where there are books, I cannot feel out of place for long.

A few notes of interest before I go:

1. Pete Kempshall, one of my favorite writers and an all around excellent kind of guy, is up for a Ditmar Award for Best New Talent. He’s done a lot of awesome things, but I’ve made his acquaintance thanks to shared ToCs from Morrigan Books, both in Grants Pass and Voices. (We have another upcoming, too!) Pete’s work is stunning, and so if you’re voting–well, did I say he’s awesome? Because he is.

2. If you missed it, the link to the ToC for the first issue of The Red Penny Papers is up. The issue is entirely too much fun–and I can say that as it’s absolutely no credit to me at all and a lot of credit to the clever, wonderful authors who agreed to contribute. Also, the cover is cool.

3. … I’m pretty sure there was a #3, but I guess not. Huh. Well, I like things in threes, dammit.

And now, to our section of the 30 Days of Books meme for the week.

Day 06 – Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Mm, let’s say The Great Gatsby. I love Fitzgerald and his hateful characters so much–but in Jay Gatsby there’s actually a lot to love, and that’s why this one is my favorite. (In truth, The Picture of Dorian Gray is my “desert island book”, but that’s the answer to a later question!)

Day 07 – Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Male MC. Female character falls in love with him–or so our narrator keeps telling us. It’s never explained why or how, nor is it shown, but since he’s The Hero, we are supposed to take their word for it, I guess. This of course makes her sacrifice all kinds of shit for him over the course of the novel, because as you know, that is a woman’s function. Because she loves him. Really. Did we mention that she loves him? Because she does!

I like stories of sacrifice for love, so don’t get me wrong there. I’d just like to actually believe there is love involved. For examples of this phenomenon, see The Last Legion by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (which I keep hoping just lost something in the translation, because it’s cool otherwise) and the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (which has awesome aspects, but I gave up after book 8). Those are big offenders, but a lot of things do it to a degree.

Day 08 – A book everyone should read at least once
Animal Farm by George Orwell.

Day 09 – Best scene ever
“The Paths of the Dead” from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien. I was so pissed when they cut most of it out of the movie–but the extended edition saved the day. It’s not perfect, but it’s still pretty damn cool.

Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis. I love non-fiction in a general way, but business and finance bores my face off. Michael Lewis is my husband’s favorite author, though, so he insisted that I would love this one. You’d think I’d learn to stop doubting him when he says this, but no. (Not my fault, really. I can never get over him liking Tom Clancy. If you saw the comments on the last post, you now see the sense of humor I live with daily. God help us both.)

And that’s it for me. See you Monday-ish!

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Now playing: Arnold Schoenberg – Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4: I. Grave
via FoxyTunes

So I think something light and ridiculous is called for. Seeing as my “somewhat obsolete intellectual equipment”* is taxed to the limit between a certain bet (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE), organizing my Philadelphia research, the upcoming release of The Red Penny Papers, and soon, preparations for Context 23, well, I think a meme is called for, more specifically.

Amanda Pillar has been doing this awesome 30 Days of Books one, and I’ve been sort of messing with it for a while now. So let’s pretend I started it on the 15th or so, and am now going to do it five days at a time. I spam enough as it is. Here’s the deal, for anyone else who wants to have a bash:

30 Days of Books
Day 01 – A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 – A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 – The best book you’ve read in the last 12 months
Day 04 – Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 – A book or series you hate
Day 06 – Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 – Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 – A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 – Best scene ever
Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 – A book that disappointed you
Day 12 – A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 – Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 – Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 – Your “comfort” book
Day 16 – Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 – Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 – Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 – Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 – Favorite kiss
Day 21 – Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 – Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 – Most annoying character ever
Day 24 – Best quote from a novel
Day 25 – Any five books from your “to be read” stack
Day 26 – OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 – If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 – First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 – Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 – What book are you reading right now?

So here goes!

Day 01 – A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Call me super predictable, but I’m ready for about 7 more Harry Potter books. I know, I know, best to leave the party while you’re having fun, but I miss them something fierce. JK Rowling is a great writer, a brilliant worldbuilder, and so good with character. (Except when it comes to Draco Malfoy, who as it turned out was just a foil for Harry all along after all. *sadface*)

Day 02 – A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Vanity Fair. I don’t get why Thackeray isn’t more popular nowadays. When I’m reading him, I think I like him better than Dickens. (Then I stop and think, no, that’s not possible. Then I read more Thackeray and realize that yes, it is.) It’s got to be the birth of the modern novel as we know it. After all, it’s called: “Vanity Fair: A Novel Without A Hero”.

Day 03 – The best book you’ve read in the last 12 months
Drood by Dan Simmons. Speaking of Dickens and Thackeray, who are both characters therein, though the former far, far more than the latter for obvious reasons. In truth, I think it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

This is also an example of exactly the sort of book I want to write when I grow up. I don’t honestly believe myself capable in my heart of hearts, but the mere fact of its existence makes me want to work–hm, I already want to work my ass off for it. Well it makes the desire that much more intense, let’s say.

Day 04 – Your favorite book or series ever
My favorite story ever is the one related by Sir Thomas Malory in Le Morte D’Arthur. It’s this incredibly deft amalgam of scattered and varied French, German, English, Irish, and of course Welsh mythologies into a single beautiful whole. Perfect, no, of course not–but as near as an Arthurian Legend can come, to my eyes.

Day 05 – A book or series you hate
I really dislike Tom Clancy. That Jack Ryan stuff bores me to tears. Can I get a character, please?

*Quoting one of my favorite characters from television, Yes, Prime Minister’s Sir Humphrey Appleby. I love him because he embodies yet another excellent quote, this time from Ben Franklin in HBO’s John Adams: “The English love a good insult, Mr. Adams. It’s their only measure of a man’s sincerity.”

How’s that for a convoluted attribution?

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Now playing: The Charlatans – Feeling Holy
via FoxyTunes

“Like a fox drunk on honey” is one of my favorite Tamil expressions. My husband says it about Lucy the Mutant Cat when she starts doing that thing where she’s running around like a jackass chasing ghosts. Anyone who’s ever been in close proximity to a cat for more than 24 hours will know what I mean.

But for the moment, I’m the fox. So much is going on, and I loooooove it.

Yeah, the extra “o”s were necessary. Absolutely.

1. Vampire Awareness Month is, sadly, over. Mark Deniz posted a really wonderful recap of the posts and events, plus his own excellent mini-reviews of the films, and a great article about Dracula and the Liminal Zone to cap it off. And then came the announcements…

2. Which involved the lovely Beyond Fiction. This is all reviews and interviews, all the time, with a strong focus on the “stars of speculative fiction” series. I’ve somehow scored a spot as a reviewer there, so– yay!

But wait, there’s more. What with the somewhat unexpected success of VAM, the brains behind the scene have decided it’s time for Ghost Appreciation Month. Or, I should say, that October should be time for Ghost Appreciation Month. It’s going to be huge, and hosted over at the Beyond Fiction site, so check it out. (And never fear, I have no ghost characters with which to torment you this time around.)

3. Oh my gosh, how beautiful is Cate’s Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits? (Hey nice segue, right? She was just featured over at BF’s Stars of Speculative Fiction yesterday with a cracking interview.)

She’s running a fabulous contest, and I was given the Strange Person award by the marvelously strange Michael Stone! And so, since I really want to win the amazing prizes, I’m now going to present the award to seven strange folk myself:

N.K. Kingston
Corinne Duyvis
Meghan Brunner
Amanda Pillar
Mercedes Yardley
Danielle Ferries
Mary Rajotte

Hm, that’s the Strange Women in Pinstripe Suits award, apparently. Well, there are a lot of those around, and it’s best not to argue with them, I think.

I’d encourage you to enter too, but the thing is that I want to win. Ah well, I encourage you anyhow. See, I can be unselfish!

And as for me, I’m heading to Philadelphia tomorrow morning to do some primary source type research for The Resurrectionists. Yes, that early 19th c America meets Frankenstein meets ill-fated romance novel from last year is coming back to life now that I have enough perspective. But before the edit can begin, I’m going to be digging through Philadelphia journals, letters, and– of all awesome things– lecture notes from UPENN’s medical college in 1826 until Friday evening. Welcome to my summer vacation of incomparable coolness.

Also, The Red Penny Papers goes live and opens for submissions in mere weeks. More on that soon, but things are looking great from where I stand.

So, yes. Fox drunk on honey. This is the life.

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Now playing: The Clash – Death or Glory
via FoxyTunes

Updatey is not a word, I know. But it’s descriptive, you have to admit.

This weekend I’m fixing up an oldish manuscript for submission, Wolfton Paranormal. (Which I know is an incredibly vague title, but it’s meant to be more of an overarching one, as of course, what’s an urban fantasy without a sequel or three in the works?) I love going back to something after a year away from it, it feels like visiting an old friend I missed like crazy, and I’m always convinced that this one– whatever it is– is my favorite, and I can make something of it if I just keep at it.

Well no, my first will always be the favored child, I have to confess. I wouldn’t be writing now without it. But I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.

Anyhow, since I was at it, I figured I’d update the little project page for it over there on the sidebar, and then figured what the hell, might as well do ‘em all. So I did some tweaking and finally, finally gave Scripped its own page. About goddamn time, seeing as I’ve had the thing edited, polished, and out with a lovely publisher for a few months now. Poor neglected novel! Don’t think I don’t love you, Jonah. You know I do.

Then I updated the Short Fiction page to show the latest developments, including the upcoming Necrotic Tissue bite, and the Scenes From the Second Storey project with Morrigan Books– on that latter, the Aussie version is the one that’s up on the Morrigan site. I’m in the international one to be edited by Mark Deniz and Greg Ballam and it’s still TBA time-wise. I’d try and convince you to wait on that one, but the Aussie one looks delicious. I’m thinking buying both is the only logical course of action.

Right, but I had a point here that doesn’t involve shocking narcissism. That is that if your name isn’t over on that sidebar, and you have a blog/site that with which you’d like me to trade links/have been trading links and I’m too freaking slow to notice, please let me know. It’s a beautiful list, and I use it in concert with my trusty Thunderbird rss reader to keep up with y’all, so don’t be shy.

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Now playing: Arctic Monkeys – Dance Little Liar
via FoxyTunes