Latest WT assignment had me spending altogether waaay too much time on YouTube. I desperately want to blame this incessant time-wasting on Stephen; alas, deep in my easily distracted soul, I know my hindbrain must take the fall. Fruits of my so-called labors include a guy who has lots of clips from one of Tori’s shows on the Dew Drop Inn tour, and a rekindled romance with Bjork. There is a lot of Bjork on YouTube.

(Speaking of WT, head on over to the blog for details on a fun new contest.)

One of my new favorite blogs is that of YA author Kristopher Reisz. Kris is funny, charming as hell and has stories to burn. I haven not yet read his novels, mostly because I seem to have a hard time finding the first one in B&N (and my online shopping has dwindled to nil, pretty much).

Anyways. His latest, UNLEASHED, was, uh, unleashed on Tuesday. Huzzah!

Over at Stephanie Meyer’s website are press releases aplenty about the movie version of TWILIGHT, the first novel in her acclaimed (and wildly popular) YA vampire romance trilogy. Most recent additions include cast pictures of the Cullen Clan (oo la la!). Scrolling down further we have the pix and announcement of Kristen Stewart as Bella, and Meyer’s comments:

For every actress that has been suggested as Bella in the past few years, there are always a slew of critics that cry, “But she doesn’t look like Bella!” (Which can often be translated thusly: “She doesn’t look like ME!”) To this I would like to say: “Of course she doesn’t!” Bella is a fictional character, and she looks different to everyone. As is the same with every actor who will be cast in the next few months, no one is going to match up with your mental picture exactly—or mine.

Interesting.

I read TWILIGHT when it came out a few years ago. I didn’t fall in love with it, but then again, my tombstone may eventually read: “Just not into vampires”. I did notice some storytelling stuff in it, as I often do, as I’m usually on high alert when I read.

Many of these have to do with the portrayal of Bella. And I maintain: one reason behind the insane popularity of this book is how effortlessly we readers glide into that role ourselves. I remember thinking and feeling that the whole thing had been deliberately set up to turn us into Bella as we read. There are lots of parts to this, but here’s one: there is no, or perhaps barely any, physical description of Bella in the book.

(Once I noticed it, I remember flipping back through the pages and checking. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. I also remember wanting to buy Meyer a drink for really nailing that.)

So, any of us could be on the receiving end of the attention and that delicious vampiric sexual tension. And who in the lion’s share of the audience for TWILIGHT wouldn’t want to be?

(I realize this may be a “well duh“. But as I don’t read tons of writer blogs and most of the folks in my day-to-day sphere are comics people, most of my writerly observations and education come from my reading and talking to comics artists. And I remember it really stuck out in TWILIGHT.)

I still think it’s very clever and effective.

No, it’s not mine. I wish it was, though.

Most folks thought my Flickr tutorial was easy to follow, but there are some tricky bits. This video makes it all clear.

Best part: they also made a Word template you can fill in for your own projects! Particularly apropos, as I still get mail from confused peeps asking me how I made the template for the SCHEHERAZADE zine pictured in my tutorial. (Confession: I can’t remember. Ergo, the template will help me, too.)

Thanks to Mary of Don’t Look for emailing me the good news.

Madeleine l’Engle, Children’s Writer, Is Dead

“L’Engle told Newsweek in 2006 that she had read one Potter book and, ‘It’s a nice story but there’s nothing underneath it. I don’t want to be bothered with stuff where there’s nothing underneath.’”

I have just become acquainted with a woman who designs squished pennies for squished penny machines. I think I might pass out.

But this is even weirder…

Thirteen years ago, three months after I came to New York, I stumbled upon the old New York Is Book Country book fair on 5th Avenue. I don’t think they have them anymore, which is a shame. I had spent the night at a friend’s in Westchester, and took the train to Grand Central, as I recall.

Anyway, it truly was one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had here. Not only is a 5th Avenue packed with books a wonderful introduction to the city I would come to love, I discovered two more great things that day. No, three: the Books of Wonder table, a hardcover copy of A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT (my favorite book in the world, complete with my favorite dust jacket in the world) on the table, and…

… Madeleine L’Engle herself sitting behind the signing table.

But that wasn’t all. Sitting next to her was a girl I’d just graduated with. I mean, what are the odds?

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Um, I work for the district attorney,” I said, my jaw on the ground. “What are you doing here?”

“I live with Madeleine L’Engle,” she said.

“I hate you,” I said.

Okay, so I didn’t say that. I can’t even remember what I said. I mumbled and stared at Madeleine, who was happily yammering away with a Books of Wonder person, and then I tried to act all casual as I bought a copy of the book and brought it up to her to sign.

Living in the same house with Madeleine L’Engle. I so cannot wrap my head around how awesome that must have been. I can only remember one other part of the conversation with that girl, whom I never saw again. It was the part where she said, “we have a lot of interesting conversations.”

Cha.

So I’ve been carrying this book around since then, and this ticket stub in the book. I’ve looked at it a number of times over the years. For some reason I never threw it away. Who is Barry Moser? I thought. And why on earth did he sign his ticket stub?

Later, I also added, and how the hell did it get into this book? Somehow that got lost along the way. I’m sure I knew at one point… but as of, oh, probably ten years ago, I don’t remember.

All right. So let’s talk Barry. I confess, while I’d like to claim encyclopedic knowledge of important things such as this, my illustrator-fu has only recently morphed into something somewhat resembling respectable. He was kinda on the down-low in my world, at least by name (okay, so at least I recognize the Moser when I see it, at least I have that going for me), until a few months ago when Leland got Barry on the brain for a few days and pulled some books off the shelves and waved them under my nose.

I think it may have been when I was writing the FRANKENSTEIN adaptation. There may have been some Barry/Bernie cross-pollination. Yeah, that must have been it.

Wow, this story is getting long. Bear with me, yeah?

Anyway, Leland’s birthday was not so long ago. And since he seems to have this sixth sense that reveals everything I get for him before I get it for him, I was determined to foil it, just this once. Actually, you caught me: that was an accident, too. Walking into Books of Wonder right before his birthday was an accident. Picking up THE UFO HUNTER’S HANDBOOK was an impulse buy (hey, I knew he wouldn’t have it).

Finding a signed first edition of this, well, that was just serendipity:

I was thrilled when I found this. “Polly Vaughn” is actually an old British folk song. My favorite version is by Anne Briggs, who will show up in a story or seventeen one day.

One of my favorite songs plus one of Leland’s favorite illustrators, I thought. Now that’s something you don’t see every day. Perfect present.

And indeed, that may have been the end of it, at least for a little while, were it not for the fact that I took the old copy of RING down off the shelf today for a cuddle. And I fingered the old Amtrak stub like I always do. Except this time, the name made my brow go all furrowed and then the signature stopped me dead in my tracks.

Barry Moser’s thirteen-year-old ticket stub in my Madeleine L’Engle book. Well, I’ll be.

… and can you believe I’m not spending hours and hours deciding what to pack?

Me neither. I am notorious for taking three hours to pack to go anywhere, agonizing over what to bring to read and to knit and to write on and to write with and to listen to and on and on and on. And maybe a month ago, I just sort of gave up. I mean, it just wore me out. I’d get all exhausted… and finally it dawned on me: what am I doing this to myself for? Life’s too short.

Anyway. The big prep this time around involved taking the afternoon off today for a rare trip to Best Buy to pick up the gizmo that makes the iPod work with the radio. And I did a little last minute shopping for Leland’s birthday (which is on Tuesday of next week, ahem ahem) too. He likes to play this game called “I know what you got me for my birthday, ha ha ha.” Only he totally doesn’t this time. I guarantee it. How do I know? Because I thought of them all by myself. Okay, okay, I admit it: they were impulse purchases. I didn’t get his birthday story done on time so I was feeling the burn. Ah, well. It’ll just be a little late.

While I was at B&N, I picked up the 2008 Tarot Reader, which is notable for at least two reasons:

1. This year is the book’s swan song. Editor of awesomeness Kate Brielmaier has taken the next steps along the path. She was exceptional to work with and I will miss her.
2. I am featured on the back cover this time
3. I actually updated my bio and it actually makes mention of my Wiccan affiliations

Okay, three reasons.

I’d completely forgotten what I’d submitted for articles this time around, and when I saw them, I daresay I was pleasantly surprised. I think they’re my best of all the Tarot Reader pieces. Also while at B&N, I looked for WEIRD TALES 345, which features my interview with Jacqueline Carey (you can indeed read it at that link on the website too). Unfortunately, it wasn’t there. The latest issue of Cthulhu Sex Magazine was there, mind you, but not WT 345. This left me scratching my head. Funny how the world turns in ways you might not expect.

Have a look at the cover of WT 345. Stephen is really getting the gorgeous on with these cover designs. Love the F-holes! But of course I would.

What else? Scrapbooking and art journaling nerds who happen to be wandering by should have a gander at the AlphaStamps Halloween Collection.

Lastly, in the “and the hits just keep on coming” department, we’ve got the Bohemian Gothic Tarot on the way from Magic Realist Press (for a really huge clear picture that will make you drool, click here). I just heard Karen’s voice on a Tarot School teleseminar the other day. She was calling in from Prague and it was just so cool to put a voice with the name of the lady responsible for birthing so many amazing decks.

Now, which deck am I going to take with us tomorrow? Hrm…

So! Hit another signpost on the writing road with my first short story in Endicott’s Journal of Mythic Arts Summer 2007 issue.

“Cooling” features a girl who’s a bit of an arsonist, a woman who is a bit of an alchemist, and a boy who is all water, walking around like he’s human or something.

Three guesses, and the first two don’t count, as to the mastermind behind the illustrations:

It’s the Young Adult fiction issue. I’ve linked to the masthead, not just my story. Be sure to check out the rest of what’s there. We’ve got stories by Holly Black, Will Shetterly, Emma Bull, O.R. Melling, Terri, Midori, Gwenda Bond, Steve Berman and tons of amazing stuff from amazing artists.

I don’t make deep personal confessions around here very often. But I do have one and it feels right.

Back in the day, years before I even contemplated reading comics in any sort of sustained way (let alone writing them) and way before I ran in any of the wonderful creative circles we are a part of now, I used to kill time at the office by combing through every word of the Endicott site. And come serious escapist daydreaming time, a sensitive, artistic blue-eyed husband with a handyman streak was just the beginning of my fantasy. What I really wanted more than anything was to be in one of these true creative partnerships a la Ellen & Delia, Charles Vess & Karen Shaffer, Brian & Wendy Froud, Will Shetterly & Emma Bull, and, of course, Charles & MaryAnn.

Both Endicott and marriage felt like major, major long shots at that time. And a creative marriage? WhatEver.

HA! Take THAT, weird ego!

Have a look and let me know what you think. It’s not my magnum opus, certainly, but I’m proud of it. I wrote it in the midst of some serious chaos last year (right around this time, actually) and it was one of those great escapes that one’s own stories can be when one is not feeling all that hot.

And yes, I do count my blessings constantly.

Leland found this a while ago. It came to mind again when we were listening to the Sopranos finale post-game analysis on NPR a few minutes ago.

Note: We don’t have HBO, so we didn’t see it.

A Message About Messages

Readers—kids and adults—ask me about the message of one story or another. I want to say to them, “Your question isn’t in the right language.”

As a fiction writer, I don’t speak message. I speak story. Sure, my story means something, but if you want to know what it means, you have to ask the question in terms appropriate to storytelling. Terms such as message are appropriate to expository writing, didactic writing, and sermons—different languages from fiction.

All right. So I’m pondering participating in the Blogathon this year. What do you think?

This is actually not a new idea. I’ve wanted to do it for at least three years running, inspired by Ms. Valente every year, but something ALWAYS gets in the way. Always. Story of my life.

Usually, we’re out of town. Apparently I already put it on the calendar this year, probably in an attempt to actually do it for once.

If I did it, I’d probably try to think of a theme or a story idea or something ahead of time. I would have to clear a couple of days of copywriting jobs and fictive riff-raff off the calendar for sure. And it would mean hitting you all up pledges. And oh ho ho, I will, my pretties.

I would probably do it on another blog to keep this place nice and neat.

Part of me is saying, “You’re a professional now! You don’t have time for this crap! Save it for your magnum opus!” and the other part of me is telling the first part not to take herself so dang seriously.

Anyways. Thoughts? More importantly, would any of you gentle readers toss a few bucks in the bucket? It’s for a(n as yet to be determined) good cause!

A note in the BEA inbox brings this to my attention:

Shelfari: Create a virtual shelf to show off your books

How cool is that? Anyone playing already?