Stoked
March 30
10:15 a.m.
Nothing like getting up on a Saturday morning and finding an acceptance in the ol' inbox. My poem "Holly Grove" is going to be in Dark Illuminati #0 (that's right, the premiere issue, oh yeah) from Miniature Sun Press. Boo yeah. I actually submitted in hopes of getting one of those beautiful broadsides Miniature Sun does, but I'm pleased to be accepted at all, since the poem is only tangentially speculative; it could as easily be considered a mainstream poem that makes allusions to various myths. It's one of my favorite of my own poems; I think I did a lot of stuff right in it, and I'm glad it's being published. Tentatively due to come out August, 2002. I'll probably write a longer entry about the genesis of the poem when it comes out, about my trip to Arkansas to see Adrienne... too much to get into now, and you'll appreciate it more when you can actually read the poem.
Okay, back to a semblance of getting some work done.
12:48 p.m.
Whoo. I sent out 7 stories, and trunked two of my old old horror stories that have already been sent everywhere decent. I now have 24 stories in circulation, with two more on deck; they just need minor revisions before I send them out the door, which should happen sometime this week. I also made breakfast and chatted with Heather a bit; a nice morning, so far.
Last night at Au Coquelet (while hanging out with Teddy, whom I ran into there) I wrote a poem called "Hounded", which I think is pretty good, all mythic and allusive and creepy and about dogs.
And now I'm going to crank the music, put my head down, and write some fiction.
3:54 p.m.
Whoo. 5,250 words written, and the first draft of "Romanticore" is done. It's 15,500 words long. Kee-rist. That's a lot of words.
I can't write anymore. Must stop typing now.
March 31
9:24 p.m.
Had a lovely fine night last night, and a great day today. Scott came up yesterday evening, bearing cookies, and we drank cranberry martinis, and had dinner at Barney's (mmm) and then went into the city to see Rockwell Church. The setting was not ideal, alas; a very meat-market club atmosphere, which happened to have a band stuck in the corner, rather than a venue where the band was the most important thing. Ah, well. Today we got sandwiches and went to the rose garden and a park in Berkeley. Had a picnic, watched kids play, climbed a tree. Very nice. Then we rented Sexy Beast (Ben Kingsley as a big lunatic, pretty cool). Scott left a couple of hours ago. I wish he lived nearer than Santa Cruz...
Congrats are due; Nick Mamatas's Northern Gothic made the Stoker final ballot! Whoo! Alas, Brainbox II did not make the final ballot, so no endeavor touched by my hand is being honored. So it goes. Maybe next year. The full final ballot is here. As for what I'd vote for (what I will vote for, since I'm an active member):
Novel is tough. Black House or American Gods. (Love Ketchum, haven't read that book; and Bradbury is cool, but From the Dust Returned isn't a novel, it's a fix-up of mostly old (though good) stories, and certainly doesn't deserve the award). I think I'd go with Black House.
First novel: Skating on the Edge. It's the only one I've read. d.g.k. is cool. She should get it.
Long fiction: Northern Gothic. No question. (I read the Ellison and the Tem; Nick's is better)
Short fiction: "I Am Your Need", Mort Castle. Totally. It's from out of the Brainbox.
Fiction Collection: As the Sun Goes Down. Tim Lebbon. He's awesome. Or maybe Partridge's book. I'm torn on this one.
Antho: Year's Best F & H. This year. Every year.
Non-fiction: If Chins Could Kill. Because I haven't read any of them, and so, I must logically choose the one by Bruce Campbell.
Illustrated Narrative: Desperadoes. Because it's the only one I've read. They sent me free copies.
Screenplay: I have problems with all these movies. Hmm. Hmm hmm hmm. I guess Memento.
For Younger Readers: Willow Files. Teach the chilluns to be cool lesbian witches! Yeah!
Poetry Collection: I love White Space. I love Taunting the Minotaur. I've read the other two nominees as well, and while both are good, I don't like them as much as the Boston or Jacob. Hmm. If I had to decide right now, I'd give it to Minotaur, but pretty much just because I read it more recently. I will ponder.
Alternative form: Dark Dreamers. Supercool book. Though obviously Gothic.net is cool, too. But I'd probably go with the pretty pictures.
See, I don't care much about the Oscars, but I'll put forth opinions about writing awards...
Words written since February 1, 2002: 45,350
Words written since last entry: 5,550
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