Not all media is mediocre

Fri 17 Jun 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , | 2 Comments | Posted by: Gavin

We recently watched the last episode of the British TV series Downtown Abbey which was a hit earlier this year. It was a fun soap, but the last episode was such a big soft pudding that my strong recc. (for those with the stomach to watch Edwardian-era upper class goings-on) drops to: Meh, maybe, but go walk the dog instead of watching the last episode. Blech. Wikipedia says there’s another season being made. Wonder if it too will be full of people holding themselves stiffly away from one another, doing the right thing, and jolly well getting what they deserved. Especially as this season ended with the Great War being declared. Hmm.

On the other end of the spectrum I was searching on YouTube for sign language videos (I am learning a tiny bit of sign language, but sooo slowly!) and found this Pearl Jam concert video of “Given to Fly” filmed in St. Louis in 2000, where, apparently to Eddie Vedder’s surprise, there was a sign language interpreter signing the songs. I am a casual fan of theirs (never seen them live) and can’t really say if this is a good rendition of the song (musically or ASL-ly) but every time I watch it I’m moved to tears. Silly me. Even Vedder’s silly dancing with her at the end isn’t enough to break it. Whoever set that up, I love the idea. Anyone who ever wants to sign any reading or panel of ours: you’re on. Video pasted in below.

Redemption in Indigo

Guess what showed up at the office? (Not me, sorry!) The absolutely new and shiny Recorded Books audiobook edition of Karen Lord’s Redemption in Indigo. Heartily recommended!

You can hear Karen herself here: Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe have a nice thing going with their weekly podcast. A couple of weeks ago they talked with Karen Lord and even though Skype dropped the call a few times it was still lovely to hear them talking about Redemption in Indigo and much more.


Patricia Anthony?

Tue 7 Jun 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal. | 3 Comments | Posted by: Gavin

Does anyone have current contact info for Patricia Anthony?


Catching up a little

Mon 6 Jun 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal. | Comments Off on Catching up a little | Posted by: Gavin

with orders and shipping having not managed to get into the last week due to it being sunny outside and spending all my time in a beer garden a small cough which managed to throw a wrench in many plans! Sorry about that.

What do we have in the office?

Geoff Ryman’s The Child Garden!

Which comes with a new introduction by Wendy Pearson and a lovely new cover by Kathleen Jennings. The Child Garden was supposed to come out after Paradise Tales but logistics has held that book up so much that now it comes out in July. So, in the meantime: damn, what a book! If you haven’t read it you can start reading it right now here. It’s a weird, great, heartbreaking book. Can’t wait for the 3D movie. I mean, come on, why not? Polar bears playing piano. Who doesn’t want to see that?

What else do we have in the office? A surprise copy of The Night Circus by Erica Morgenstern—sent by the author after she saw my oh-so-sad post last week! Wow, don’t know if anyone’s done that before: thanks Erica!

Also in the office: a contract from an author! But, I’m not going to say anything about it until I confirm that they get my signed copy back in the mail.

One piece of good news from the last week is that we’ve sold about half the run of the limited edition of Hal Duncan’s A-Z of the Fantastic City. Maybe we should always do limitedssss? Also: thank you everyone who wrote or posted about it. You really are lovely people, aren’t you? We kind of needed a wee boost like that and it was wunnerful, you have our thanks.

Looks like next Sunday’s Franciscan Hospital for Children’s 5K walk/run has already raised $90,000! We can’t take part this year but encourage anyone who can. Or, just send them some money! What else were you going to today? Pick up yet another Apple toy?


Go see Ted in Portland on Monday & Tuesday

Sat 4 Jun 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on Go see Ted in Portland on Monday & Tuesday | Posted by: Gavin

@ Beaverton Powell’s, Portland, OR
Mon, June 6, 7pm – 8pm

Where Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR 97005 map
Ted Chiang, Nancy Kress, Ursula K. Le Guin @ McMenamins Kennedy School,
Tue, June 7, 7pm – 8pm
Where 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211 map

(Keep up with all our authors here.)

Locus reviews The Monkey’s Wedding and recommends you read it.

Added 2 new books to Scribd—and half a dozen other ebook sites(!)—so now you can directly preview these two books. The Child Garden is shipping out soon (pre-orders will go out this coming week) and The Fires Beneath the Sea has been delayed until July (sorry!):

The Fires Beneath the Sea by Lydia Millet

and


Carol @ Strange Horizons

Tue 31 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Comments Off on Carol @ Strange Horizons | Posted by: Gavin

This week at Strange Horizons (copied wholesale because it is fantastic):

[Reviews posted three times a week]ARTICLE: Perfectly Herself: A discussion of the work of Carol Emshwiller, by Ursula K. Le Guin, Helen Merrick, Pat Murphy, and Gary K. Wolfe

After a career of many phases, she’s found a comfortable way to synthesize all of them, making her all over again the proverbial writer to watch. I don’t know if there’s another 90 year old author anywhere about whom that could be said.

COLUMN: The Emshwillerians, by Karen Joy Fowler

Recently I’ve begun to notice elements, techniques, and viewpoints from Carol’s writing in more places than my own stories. For decades, Carol has primarily been published as a science fiction writer. My impression is that, while always admired and often beloved, her work was seen as essentially idiosyncratic. Whatever it was she was doing, she was doing it alone, and off in her own brilliant little corner of the field. She is the sort of writer to whom the word “quirky” is applied. “A writer’s writer.” “A cult favorite.”

FICTION: Introduction to After All, by Gavin J. Grant

Introduction to this week’s reprinted story.

FICTION: After All, by Carol Emshwiller

I was thinking to write a story about somebody who needs to change (the best sort of character to write about), and all of a sudden I knew it was me who had to change. Always had been, and I didn’t realize it until that very minute. So I have to be the one to go on a journey, either of discovery or in order to avoid myself.

POETRY: Waking the Red Guardian, by WC Roberts

tendrils of fiber optics from torn sheet metal / dripping visions of worlds to come

REVIEW: This Week’s Reviews, posted three times a week

Monday: The Collected Stories of Carol Emshwiller, Volume 1, reviewed by L. Timmel Duchamp
Wednesday: Carmen Dog by Carol Emshwiller, reviewed by Paul Kincaid
Friday: Ledoyt and Leaping Man Hill by Carol Emshwiller, reviewed by Maureen Kincaid Speller


We go to NYC

Mon 30 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , , , , | Comments Off on We go to NYC | Posted by: Gavin

But we don’t take any pictures. Not true. More like: we haven’t yet uploaded any. Soon(ish).

We’re back from BookExpo (BEA) where we missed more than ever. At a convention that big you always know there’s something you’re missing. This time, even with lower attendance and fewer exhibitors than in the past, I missed more due to our own little chaos field: our 2-year-old daughter, Ursula. To a 2-y.o. kid, BEA is: lights, balloons, not a great place to nap, full of strangers—some are nice (some will give you books!), some scary. And unlike her parents, she did not want to be tethered to one spot, meet people, and talk about books. She wanted to go go go. So go we went. Which was great for catching up with other exhibitors and occasionally picking up a book: thanks to Frazer & Sally of Park Road Books in Charlotte we got a couple of indestructible books from Workman which, true to their name, have yet to be destroyed. Amazing how many books fall apart if they’re read every day.

The one outside event I went to was an sf reading/q&a I MC-ed which was organized by Gina Gagliano of First Second Books and the New York Public Library. It was a fun night with readings by Lev Grossman, John “William Shatner” Scalzi,  Cat Valente, and Scott Westerfled. Brian Slattery and three other musicians accompanied the readings and there was a q&a afterward. I made a few mistakes: I thought it was the year 2911 and this was 1000th anniversary of the Stephen Schwarzman building and that I was introducing historians, not futurians. But it all seemed to work out ok. I don’t know how the afterparty went as I had to slope off and put the kid to sleep. New Yorkers who like the sci-fi: NYPL has you covered this summer.

Read more


In which we announce a Hal Duncan chapbook!

Thu 19 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on In which we announce a Hal Duncan chapbook! | Posted by: Gavin

An A–Z of the Fantastic City cover - click to view full sizeThis morning in our email newsletter we let go of a secret which we have been keeping (but not very well) for about four years: we are going to publish a beautiful little chapbook from Hal Duncan! And the orders have been pouring in! For which we thank you from the bottoms of our rusty old hearts!

Here’s the announcement: This year we are bringing back our long-delayed chapbook series. We have one title here, another in the planning stages, and another in the idea stage. Seems like enough to be worth talking about. We’re not taking chapbook subscriptions anymore, as the new chapbooks may vary in price more than the the previous titles. But subscribers will be emailed to see if they have moved and paperback chapbooks will be sent out to those lovely faithful readers.

The first chapbook is Hal Duncan‘s An A-Z of the Fantastic City, illustrated by Eric Schaller, and will come in 2 states: a beautiful signed and numbered limited hardcover and a regular trade paperback. We’ve been working on this for a couple of years and we’re very grateful to Hal and Eric for sticking with is through the thick and thin of those last couple of years. Publication is approaching later this year with the final date TBA as we go over the final details of the cover.


June Deadlines

Thu 19 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Comments Off on June Deadlines | Posted by: Gavin

Some things to keep you busy before June comes from A Working Writer’s Daily Calendar 2011. Almost done on the 2012 edition—so this is your last chance to send us suggestions.

June 1: Fourteenth Annual Poetry Contest
Prize: $1,500 + publication in Boston Review in the Nov./Dec. 2011 issue.
Eligibility: Any author writing in English is eligible, unless he or she is a current student, former student, or close personal friend of the judge.
Manuscripts: Up to 5 unpublished poems, max. 10 pages. Mailed manuscripts must be submitted in duplicate, with a cover note listing the author’s name, address, email and phone number. No cover note is necessary for online submission. Names should not be on the poems themselves.
Fee: $20 ($30 for international submissions) payable to Boston Review.
Submit online or by mail to:
Poetry Contest, Boston Review
35 Medford St., Suite 302,
Somerville, MA 02143

Read more


3 Karens

Tue 17 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , , | Comments Off on 3 Karens | Posted by: Gavin

What a morning we’re having. But along with the other stuff, here’s the great news:

  1. Karen Lord’s debut novel Redemption in Indigo is a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award. That’s a really strong list of books—both the adult and children’s—lit lists making it a real honor to be nominated.
  2. Karen Joy Fowler’s What I Didn’t See and Other Stories gets a lovely review on Strange Horizons and both the book and the original story, “Booth’s Ghost” are finalists for the Locus Award. That book is piling up the awards!
  3. The third Karen moment today is that fabby Karen Russell who recommends Kelly’s Stranger Things Happen on NPR. Wow! There’s a link to

ETA: Want to go see Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield . . . sign a book? That’s what he’ll be doing at [some future day at] one of our beloved indie bookshops, the Brookline Booksmith. [Event postponed because the guy has to go pitch!] The guy is a great player (or so I’m told, still not really up on the whole baseball thing, give me time) but he’s also a great guy: at Franciscan Hospital for Children there’s a lovely all-weather playing field behind the main building called the Wakefield because guess who funded it? That makes him awesome.

And: we got emailed asking whether we’d publish a book by an author we love. Wow. Fingers crossed.


Steampunk weekend, book, various readings, &c.

Mon 9 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , | Comments Off on Steampunk weekend, book, various readings, &c. | Posted by: Gavin

Dropped by the International Steampunk City yesterday and really enjoyed wandering around seeing hundreds of people dressed to kill (or at least to adventure). There were blacksmiths smithing (and explaining the meaning of “eldritch” to someone as we walked by), drummers drumming and belly dancers dancing, bootmakers, jewellers, a mummers parade, people riding penny farthings—and a ton of other things, most of which we missed as we were only there Sunday afternoon. We caught up with Riv from purpleshiny who we met at Boskone—she made a lovely thing (involving a watch and a piece of metal hammered on the ground to pick up the texture of Waltham!) while we watched. Makers making: excellent.

Read more


Daisy, the crispest colleen in Killyclancy

Wed 4 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on Daisy, the crispest colleen in Killyclancy | Posted by: Gavin

Just posted a story for your amusement, “Girl in a Whirl” by Nicholas Dee Joan Aiken. It is, of course, from our new, posthumous collection by Joan. The stories in the book range from wildly funny to quite dark. (This story’s one of the former type—fresh and funny fifty years later).

If you want a more nuanced consideration of the book, John Clute reviewed it on Strange Horizons. Here’s a pull quote:

“Almost all the stories assembled in The Monkey’s Wedding—except for the devastating title story itself, from 1996, and “The Fluttering Thing” from 2002, which is set on a journey towards Final Solution; it is even more terrifying than The Scream, also 2002—flow with a porcelain lucidity and gaiety that manifests the high energy of Aiken’s early prime.”
—John Clute, Strange Horizons

But the real fun is in the rest of his review (which is at the end of his column) where he skips the story summations (although his aside on the title story is absolutely accurate) and says of these uncollected stories, “It is a joy to recover them now.” It’s a joy to see someone able to express his enjoyment of these stories so well. (Much better than me! I just keep saying They’re great! They’re funny! They’re great!)


What I See (15), by Karen Joy Fowler

Sun 1 May 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What I See (15), by Karen Joy Fowler | Posted by: Gavin

What I See, part 15 by Karen Joy Fowler

May 1, 2011

Happy International Workers Day! We pause here for a moment to remember that May Day is also the international distress signal. There’s probably a story there.

Yesterday MJ and I saw a bobcat up at Natural Bridges, hanging about the visitor’s center. Two years ago, while biking, I saw a cat in this same area, but he was much smaller. Possibly this then is the same cat, but all grown up. He was comparable in size to Mojito, looked at us briefly, and then took the ruined butterfly-viewing walkway to destinations unknown. MJ never noticed as MJ rarely takes in the big picture. Too busy nosing about for crusts of bread or discarded French fries to scan the horizon for predators. I’m curious as to how she would have reacted, but it is probably for the best. MJ doesn’t know and doesn’t need to know that the world contains cats of this size. I think it might shake her to the core.

A few weeks ago a friend described Mojito to me as a really smart dog. In fact, among those of us who know her best, MJ’s intelligence is a subject much discussed. She rarely does anything she’s asked to do, but it’s never clear whether she doesn’t understand what you want or whether your desires just carry very little weight with her. This latter possibility is the one I hold. It’s annoying to me, because I never ask her to do something without a good reason.

I’m reminded of an incident many years back concerning my daughter and this same issue. I’d promised the children that we’d stop at Dairy Queen for a special treat. I parked and my daughter got out while I was working the belts on her little brother’s car seat. As I was doing this, a truck pulled up next to us and man emerged. He was carrying a rifle. I told my daughter to get back in the car. I did this firmly, but quietly—I didn’t want to draw the attention of the man with the gun.

Instant outrage. You SAID we’d get ice cream, my daughter told me and followed the man inside. I believe he held the door open for her.

And although nothing untoward happened, the man with the rifle merely bought himself whatever they were calling blizzards back then and went back out to his truck, it’s still a memory I call on when I wish to feel misused and ignored. I don’t order people about just to hear myself talk. Mojito is not a dog asked to do tricks or even to come unless she’s genuinely needed.  It would be nice if she factored this in.

It would be nice if people stopped carrying guns about.

We are in a period of extremely bright sunshine and extremely strong winds. Much hilarity this morning, trying to keep my hat on my head.

Previous posts

——

Karen’s latest story is “Younger Women” available on Subterranean Online. She is also moderating the Tiptree Book Club .


May Deadlines

Thu 28 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Comments Off on May Deadlines | Posted by: Gavin

Winter was so busy that I haven’t kept up with this but here are a few May deadlines from A Working Writer’s Daily Calendar 2011—which is now 50% off. And now we’re working on the 2012 edition. I’ll try and post more as the year goes on and at some point we’ll post some of the articles, too.

May 7: International Poetry Competition
Prize: $1,000 + publication for 20 entrants.
Manuscript: Poems must be your original creative work, not published in a national print publication. (Online or strictly local publication is permitted, as long as you hold the copyright.)
Eligibility: Previous winners, associates, friends, or students of the judge are ineligible.
Fee: By mail: $5/first poem, $3 /each additional. Online: See website.
Atlanta Review
P.O. Box 8248
Atlanta, GA 31106 Read more


Make a bookstore pop up

Thu 28 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on Make a bookstore pop up | Posted by: Gavin

Go on!


One Story Ball

Wed 27 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., | Comments Off on One Story Ball | Posted by: Gavin

This Friday in Brooklyn there’s only one place to be: the One Story Literary Debutante Ball—and Small Beer Press are very proud to be one of the sponsors!

When: Friday, April 29, 2011, 7pm – 11pm
Where: The Invisible Dog Art Center
51 Bergen St. (between Smith St. & Court St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11201

The Invisible Dog is located half-block from the Bergen Street F station. There are special cocktails. There is a freight elevator and on the walls of the shaft an Italian painter has drawn the words to Dante’s Inferno. Upstairs, there’s a VIP party with a champagne table hosted by the Bubble Lounge, hors d’oevres and a swing band, Lapis Luna. There are 60 incredible pieces of art in the art auction by both established and emerging artists. Dani Shaprio is the host, there are  cookies baked by the One Story staff, and after the debutante presentations, the dancing begins! If you’re wondering what to wear, Marie-Helene Bertino has written a helpful post here.

All literary events should end with dancing! Sounds like an excellent evening. Maybe even see you there?

7pm – 9pm
Gallery Opening & Silent Auction,
Drinks & Hors d’oeuvres

8pm – 9pm
Presentation of Debutantes & Mentorship Award

9pm – 11pm
Dancing & Celebration


Stranger Things Happen blank book

Wed 27 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal. | 4 Comments | Posted by: Gavin

Stranger Things Happen Blank BookForgot to post this here yesterday: always thought it would be fun to make a Stranger Things Happen blank book and now it’s available with 200 blank blank blank pages for your sketching and writing.

Best thing to do with it though is to stare at it on the subway (don’t forget to turn the pages!) to freak out your fellow riders.


What I See (14), by Karen Joy Fowler

Tue 26 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What I See (14), by Karen Joy Fowler | Posted by: Gavin

What I See, part 14 by Karen Joy Fowler

Some things happen fast here—the sun comes up and advances during my walk. The tide comes in or goes out. Spring arrives. This seemed to happen overnight. I got up one morning and the yard was filled with wrens, there were butterflies in the park, and the mustard is much taller than Mojito by now. It’s all in purple, white, and yellow bloom. On a warm day, I feel that I could sleep in it like Dorothy in the poppyfields. A man at the park recommended taking the greens home and cooking with them, but I’d have to know which ones no dog had pissed on first. MJ could tell me, but she can’t be bothered to.

Winter is still evident in the landscape. The park trees must be shallow-rooted because so many large ones were upended in the rains. There are vantage points in the park from which the trees all appear now to slant. Up at Natural Bridges, a fallen tree wrecked the butterfly-viewing suspension walkway. No dogs are allowed on it, so MJ and I have never been, but we can see the wreckage from the road.

Down in Lighthouse Field, some new paths have opened and some old ones closed. One trail I used to take is a pond now and other ponds also remain, attracting egrets and mallards, though most of the mud has dried out and tracks are passable again.

Yesterday was clean-up day. The Wallendas did a highwire act at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk that attracted crowds and helicopters; there were fireworks and it was all very tempting, but MJ and I went birding instead. Here is what we saw: pigeons, scoters, gulls, cormorants, blackbirds (red-winged and Brewers), a mallard duck pair, a few brown pelicans, a covey of California quail, two snowy egrets, one blue heron, one hummingbird, and many small brown sorts I can’t identify.

Today we happened on the rangers talking amiably to a man who’d slept in the park last night in a hammock. He was apparently on a long bike ride and I was taken with his high and not so-high-tech gear. I suddenly wished to take a long bike ride myself, a trip of many weeks, with hammocks and portable stoves. But then I thought that eventually I’d have to bike uphill, which I don’t care for much. And where would MJ sleep? Many bugs to be worked out of this mad nomadic plan. Including actual bugs, I’m guessing.

Previous posts

——

Karen’s latest story is “Younger Women” available on Subterranean Online. She is also moderating the Tiptree Book Club .


You’re invited to a wedding

Thu 21 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal. | Comments Off on You’re invited to a wedding | Posted by: Gavin

Joan Aiken giveawayThe Monkey’s Wedding! It’s out there in the world and 5 of the first readers will be the winners of our competition.

We used random.org (it was really odd to see if choose 2 consecutive numbers!) to pick 5 commentors each of whom will receive a copy of The Monkey’s Wedding and then used it again to choose 2 of those 5 who will also receive an original copy of the issue of Argosy containing one of Joan’s pseudonymous stories—as well as any goodies we have lying around the office.

Here are the winners and their fave pseudonym, own pseudonyms, or theoretical pseudonyms (you can see more here):

“Alison” said, “My favourite pseudonym has always been Currer Bell, because it sounds like a name for the smartest cat in the world. I have only ever published under my own real name, but I used to blog as Girl Detective. It was a misnomer, though, as I rarely did any detecting. As for a pseudonym I would like to use, perhaps in a nod to my beloved Brontes, I would go by Argyle Bell. Just like the ring of it. (Heh. Sorry.)”

“Kate” told us of her fondness for “Edward Gorey’s pseudonyms, particularly Dogear Wryde and E.G. Deadworry.”

The Monkey’s Wedding and Other Stories cover - click to view full size“Heather” amused us greatly with her names and stories: “Once in high school we all wrote down fake names on a marching band trip. I was the only one who didn’t get caught, because the band mom didn’t recognize “Emily Dickinson” as a fake name. I was embarrassed for her as I meekly called “here!” I’ve written under H.L. Shaw, assumed by those who don’t know me to be male, and my husband has written under a pseudonym assumed to be female, which amuses us greatly. Not that I’ve had the guts to use it, but I’ve always thought a good nom de porn (for a science fiction writer) would be Jane Pushbush Sr. (sorry, sorry), I can’t get the 360 VR Porn Of Sluty Whores out of my mind.”

“Tammy” picked “Tabitha Stevens” as she “was a big Bewitched fan as a child, and our initials matched.”

And lastly Alissa disappointed us by revealing, “I once had a plan to write some science fiction stories under the name Buck Starweaver, but never actually did. I still think Buck might find his way into a future story or two as a character as opposed to my pen name.”

Meanwhile . . . out in the world the book acquired a lovely starred review from Publishers Weekly (yay!) and a few more pre-pub reviews.

We hope you enjoy this lovely and occasionally macabre collection and do feel free to spread the word. It’s readers like you who make the difference with books such as ours!

* “This imaginative posthumous collection includes among others six never before published short stories and two originally published under a pseudonym…. Wildly inventive, darkly lyrical, and always surprising, this collection—like the mermaid in a bottle—is a literary treasure that should be cherished by fantastical fiction fans of all ages.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Aiken writes with surpassing spirit and alertness, never ceasing to find interest or amazement in the traps people set for themselves. Some of the stories are slight, but Aiken’s elegant restraint and dry wit never fail to leave their mark.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“From a bottled mermaid brought home from a sailor’s adventures at sea to a vicar reincarnated as a malevolent cat, fantasy is combined with magic, myth and adventure to form weird, wonderful and immersive tales.”
—For Book’s Sake

“Aiken’s vivid descriptions move nimbly through pastoral meadows and circus chaos, gothic grotesques and quirky romances. In the end, all of her narratives tease the reader by rejecting our desire for neatness or closure. No didacticism here. As Aiken’s narrator sweetly laments, ‘No moral to this story, you will be saying, and I am afraid it is true.'”
—California Literary Review


What list has (2)

Wed 20 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What list has (2) | Posted by: Gavin

Karen Joy Fowler, Peter Straub, Richard Butner, Laird Barron (many times!), Caitlin R. Kiernan, all in one place?

The Shirley Jackson Awards have announced their

2010 Shirley Jackson Awards Nominees(!)

Congratulations to Karen (for being nominated in the short story and collection categories!) and all the other authors. The awards will be given out at Readercon in July—see you there?


The Monkey’s Wedding ships . . .

Wed 20 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on The Monkey’s Wedding ships . . . | Posted by: Gavin

Good news from our printer: The Monkey’s Wedding has shipped out to our distributor—and the distro has started shipping it out! So, soonish, we will have it and be able to ship it to you you you, you lovely reader, you. Due to me travelling, the ebook will go out up on most sites (including Weightless)  a day after publication day: April 19th.

And: if you’d like a taste of the book here are a few opportunities for the short fiction reader:

“Hair” will be included in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.

“Spur of the Moment” will be reprinted in Eleven Eleven—I love the cover of the 10th issue—which is a fabby multi-genre lit journal from the California College of the Arts.

And, with travelling having stopped everything: you still have a day or two to win one of five free copies of the book—plus two readers will receive an original issue of Argosy with one of Joan’s pseudonymous stories in it!


What list has

Mon 4 Apr 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What list has | Posted by: Gavin

Kathe Koja, Emma Straub, Paolo Bacigalupi, Grace Krilanovich, Jenny Erpenbeck all in one place?

Melville House has announced the longlist of finalists for the first Independent Booksellers Choice Awards.

Congratulations to Kathe Koja and all the other authors! The short list goes out on May 1st, but everyone knows: it’s an honor to be nominated. So thank you, indie booksellers. We loves ya!


What I See (13), by Karen Joy Fowler

Wed 30 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What I See (13), by Karen Joy Fowler | Posted by: Gavin

What I See, part 13 by Karen Joy Fowler

The song in my head today is all about Japan. “Ue o muite, arukou, namida ga kobore naiyo-o-uni.” It’s the only Japanese I know.

This from my buddy, Tim Sandlin in an email:

I don’t know the proper response to all the end of the world stuff. Sometimes I’m petrified into emotional catatonia. I’ve always tried to picture what the average citizen felt in 1938 Germany, how they could have let what was happening happen? Now I sort of see it. You get up and have coffee and get dressed and try to figure out what else you can be doing, other than loving and protecting your family. Then it all gets out of hand.

Here’s what I’m doing while it all gets out of hand: walking the dog. We’ve had a whole week of heavy wind and rain here. Huge trees upended. Small birds flung against the windows. The waves have been enormous and the beaches, while not closed, have been posted with warnings to stay out of the water. The dog beach is covered in crashing, roiling foam. I don’t know if this could still be caused by the tsunami, or just the winter storms, or possibly the super moon that we never saw, stuffed as the whole city was into a sock of clouds.

Yesterday was flying nun weather and MJ and I fought for every step. There was a kayak competition at Steamer Lane and it was sadder than it was inspiring to see the kayaks working so hard against the wind and water for so little headway.

Today we started in the rain, but walked into clear weather and a blue sky above. Natural Bridges State Park was closed due to weather, but we ducked the gate and went in only to find the road blocked by trees the storm had felled. By the time we turned around, the gate had been seriously augmented with tape; getting out was much harder than getting in.

On the way back I could see the dark sky ahead and we hit the rain again. There was something magical about the act of walking out of one weather system and into another. Like I was slipping through a door into a different dimension. It reminded me of an afternoon when I was small girl in Indiana. I was playing with some kids across the street from my house, and we saw a rainstorm coming toward us down the Ballantine hill. I made for home and, like some superhero, outran the rain, which hit just as I ducked under the porch overhang. I don’t have a lot of superhero moments in my life so I tend to remember them.

MJ ate some grass that she immediately threw up. It’s a thing she does. But today was the day she, usually so reserved and diffident, decided to extend the paw of friendship. She bounded up to everyone we passed, demented strands of vomitous grass poking out from her mouth, streaks of green dribbled down her chin. She got a mixed response. I blame the moon.

Previous posts

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Karen is also moderating the Tiptree Book Club .


Up. Down.

Wed 30 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal. | Comments Off on Up. Down. | Posted by: Gavin

2 links from Locus. Amazing news and very very sad news.

Shaun Tan Wins Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

Tue 29 Mar 4:03 pm
Australian artist and writer Shaun Tan is the winner of the 2011 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, honoring children’s and young-adult literature….The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award will be presented to Tan at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden on May 31, 2011.

Diana Wynne Jones (1934 – 2011)
Mon 28 Mar 9:30 am
Diana Wynne Jones, 76, died March 26, 2011 of cancer. Jones was a respected and prolific author of fantasy novels, many for children and young adul…

The Guardian‘s obit is well worth reading.


To read pile and oops

Mon 28 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , | Comments Off on To read pile and oops | Posted by: Gavin

Flurb has a new issue, guest edited by Eileen Gunn which features three authors who also have stories in Three Messages and a Warning: Contemporary Mexican Stories of the Fantastic: Bef, or, Bernardo Fernández, Pepe Rojo, and Alberto Chimal. And, the stories are available in English or Spanish: nice.

If you’re in the Easthampton area, the Garage Annex runs some lovely classes including this weekend letterpressing class with Art Larson that Kelly and I did a couple of years ago.

The Tiptree Award! You have, I hope, gone and read this post already but if not: go on! After being a juror a couple of years ago I know the work that goes in to making the honor list so that now, even more than before, I think the honor list is a real honor and makes for a great reading list.(And: Meeks is on the long list, so yay!)

In the Wiscon newsletter they noted that the James Tiptree, Jr. Award Motherboard “was selected as the recipient of the 2011 Clareson Award. . . . The award is presented at the annual SFRA conference, which will be held this year in Lublin, Poland. Founding members Karen Joy Fowler and Pat Murphy will travel to Poland in July 2011 to accept the award.” I’d never heard of this award but this is lovely new!

And: my laptop died. Oops. So if you try and contact Small Beer/Weightless and don’t hear back it’s because I am doing my damndest (sacrificing chocolate bars, weeping in my beer) to rescue the damned drive and/or get a new one. Yes, I do seem to have a mildly deleterious effect on technology, why do you ask?


Joan Aiken Nom de Plume Giveaway!

Mon 21 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , , , | 60 Comments | Posted by: Gavin

Joan Aiken giveawayWe just sent none other than a new collection by the late and much missed Joan Aiken to the printer. What a storyteller! It’s been pure pleasure working on The Monkey’s Wedding and Other Stories. It’s full of spooky, funny, heartbreaking, enchanting, clever, and sometimes wicked stories.  There are 19 stories in all, six of which have never been published(!), and two of which were first published in Argosy Magazine under the pseudonym Nicholas Dee.

Which is where the fun comes in. Tell us either

  1. your favorite pseudonym (and, if you want, why it’s your fave)
  2. your pseudonym (own up!)
  3. or a pseudonym you’d like to use (it can be serious or . . . not so serious!)

On publication day April 19, 2011 we’ll use random.org to pick two winners each of whom will receive not only a copy of The Monkey’s Wedding, but also an original copy of the issue of Argosy containing one of Joan’s pseudonymous stories—as well as any goodies we have lying around the office. And, three more readers (in the US & Canada only, sorry) will receive copies of the book!

Here are the Tables of Contents of Argosy with “Red-Hot Favorite” (this issue also has a story by Isak Dinesen) and “Girl in a Whirl” and above is a pic of the original magazines. (Which make for fascinating reading, btw: from the ads it looks like there were as many people willing to part new writers from their money then as there are now!

And of course you can make sure you get your copy (hardcover or ebook) of The Monkey’s Wedding by ordering it here.

That’s it! Enter as many times as you like. Can’t wait to find out who you all really are!


Teabreak reading

Mon 21 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on Teabreak reading | Posted by: Gavin

Solitaire has been out a month or so (er, two!) and people, they like it. It’s a truism that a reprint is only a reprint for those who’ve read it, which was one of the reasons we wanted to bring this awesome book back in print. Nice to see the print book is getting out there (prrof? bloggity reviews: one, two, three, four!)—it’s not all ebooks all the time.

To celebrate the publication, there’s a lovely big interview with Kelley Eskridge at the Lambda Literary Review. Kelley, she is one smart cookie:

If we don’t see ourselves reflected in the stories around us… well, that’s just one more way of being made marginal, invisible. On a particular level, culture is story, and if we aren’t in the stories, then we sure as hell aren’t in the culture either.

That’s what it’s all about. And since you have the cup of tea already in hand, how about another interview, this time at the Daily Monocle:

Alright to start things off, how about a fun question? Can you describe yourself in three words or less?
Resistant to limitations.
And now I must take more words to explain, or risk being labeled snarky and uncooperative (which certainly describe me in moments, but not, I hope, in general). I have spent so much time trying to expand – in my life, in my work – that I find it hard to be reductive, even in jest. In my house, I am known as the Option Queen.


Wanted: College Building League

Thu 17 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on Wanted: College Building League | Posted by: Gavin

File under projects for other people to follow up on: here’s a pitch for a reality TV show I want to watch and a league I want to follow.

How about the top 100 colleges and universities in this country (and internationally, too, why not?), alongside the football, basketball, lacrosse, table tennis, etc., teams they already have, field design and building teams for an intercollegiate building league?

Teams would be made up of students from every part of the school—it’s the ultimate resume booster and the best way to get some work experience and do a little networking along the way.

In the first semester, students would identify and design a project that would benefit their local community. In the second, they’d build it.

Impossible? Weeeellll, no. The Rural Studio does it every year.

The good people from Habitat for Humanity, Rural Studio, and Architecture for Humanity could be involved as mentors and judges.

There are a few TV channels (calling HGTV . . . Bravo . . . ) where this would be a natural fit but I’d just as happily tune in to ABC/NBC/CBS/Fox to see it.

Ok, now please someone make it happen!


What I See (12), by Karen Joy Fowler

Wed 16 Mar 2011 - Filed under: Not a Journal., , | Comments Off on What I See (12), by Karen Joy Fowler | Posted by: Gavin

What I See, part 12 by Karen Joy Fowler

I’ve been reading about the staggering numbers of people missing in Minami Sanriku. Apparently the tsunami was channeled and focused by the walls of bay on which it sat. This helped me understand why, halfway across the world, Santa Cruz was also considered to be at risk.

I wasn’t here on the 12th. I was in Idaho at the Rocky Mountain Writers’ Festival and away from the news so I learned quite late about the Japanese earthquake. When I saw the magnitude listed on the television chyron, I thought it must have been a misprint. Today even that unbelievable number has been raised. But my husband says that locally it was a non-event. There were big waves, he says, but we’ve seen bigger. The beaches were closed, but surfers turned out in large numbers and people lined the cliffs with binoculars and cameras. A young man died in Crescent City trying to see the waves, but I’d have done the same thing if I’d been here. I would have wanted to see.

The media are breaking the news of nuclear meltdown in tiny increments—a slow drip of disaster. Like the aftermath of the gulf oil well, I suspect we will never completely comprehend the damage done here. It will be with us into another generation and beyond.

Meanwhile the waters in the bay here are calm. The mustard in the park has grown taller than my knees, which means Mojito can disappear into it. There is a crow building a nest in a leafless tree. Ponds have appeared where there were no ponds and many of the paths are muddy and impassible.

When we first moved here, the rock out past the lighthouse was covered in sea lions. Then they left it to the cormorants and pelicans, went to live noisily under the pier at the wharf. Last week I saw a single sea lion back on the rock, the first in nearly a year. I’m waiting to see if she’s a harbinger or an outlier. Sea lions are caniformia, or dog-shaped animals, but MJ admits to no fellow feeling.

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Karen is also moderating the Tiptree Book Club discussion of Maureen F. McHugh’s story “Useless Things.”


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