Snufkin packs her bindle again: I am away with the lovely Maura for a jaunt north; with luck I will be able to share pictures along the way here and there, but for at least part of the weekend I will be -- gasp! -- without WiFi so I will necessarily have to curtail my posting a bit. Doubtless I will get a lot of writing done and maybe some reading, too.
So here are some sounds of Galway. I can't believe it's the end of May. How time has flown in this beautiful place.
A hasty post as I'm still entertaining my delightful guests, who seem to be having a good time. I know I am, though I'm also aware of my shortcomings as a hostess. I'm used to living on my own, never paying attention to clocks (except once a week :-) and not planning ahead. But there's plenty to enjoy in Galway -- and no, not just the pubs!
I'm one of the writers featured in this month's BroadPod on the topic of humor (or humour -- I have to keep shifting back and forth between American and British/Irish spellings that every word begins to look slightly suspect and editors in various countries sigh at me). I read from The Mangrove Legacy, so you can get a taste of that if you haven't already (why haven't you?!).
My pal and fellow Horror in Film and Literature lister, Jan Kozlowski, first fell in love with the horror genre in 1975 when the single drop of ruby blood on the engraved black cover of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot hypnotized her into buying it. She sold her first story, Psychological
Bacchanal to the EWG E-zine in 1997. Her short story, Parts is Parts, won awards in both the International Writing Competition sponsored by DarkEcho’s E-zine and Quoth the
Raven’s Bad Stephen King contest. Another short story, Stuff It, was sold to an independent film producer and went into production as a movie short called Sweet Goodbyes. Her short stories have appeared in: Remittance Girl’s A Slip of the Lip Anthology, Lori Perkins’ Hungry for Your Love: An Anthology of Zombie Romance and Fangbangers: An Erotic Anthology of Fangs, Claws, Sex and Love.
She is extremely proud and excited to announce that her first novel, Die, You Bastard! Die! debuted February 7, 2012 as part of Lori Perkins’ new horror line, Ravenous Shadows, edited by the legendary John Skipp.
Q: What do you write on? Computer, pad o' paper, battered Underwood? Give us a vivid picture.
I do the majority of my writing on my cherished MacBookPro laptop. I tend to turn my MacBook on at 6:30am and not shut down until 9pm or later most days [Ed: Hmmm, you can shut them down?]. If I either get stuck or get a jones to feel pen against paper, I’ll pull out my old white L&M Ambulance Company clipboard loaded with scrap paper and start scribbling. The board is a souvenir of my days as an urban EMT in Hartford, CT and I keep it around as a reminder of what I COULD be doing for a living.
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? Does it influence what you write?
I almost always listen to my local Dinosaur (Classic) Rock radio station when I’m working. Since Die, You Bastard! Die! is such an ultra violent story, I tried putting together a play list of heavier metal like Avenged Sevenfold (my granddaughter’s favorite band), Testament, Broken Hope, Disturbed, but I ended up distracted by the unfamiliar songs. Listening to the rock I grew up with in the 70’s like Bob Seger, The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith, with a little Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Bon Jovi and Bacon Brothers thrown in via iTunes works best for me.
Q: Do you write in short bursts or carve out long periods of time to work? Is it a habit or a vice?
For me, writing is a business. I’ve been freelancing since I was about 12 and sold articles about raising tropical fish to my hometown newspaper. For the past 15 years or so I’ve run my own freelance writing shop doing all sorts of business and web related writing, editing and research work. Over the past two years, I’ve slowly been moving away from the business projects in order to focus on my horror fiction, but whether I’m writing fiction or non-fiction my work style is the same….commit to the project and write until the client, the editor or I’m happy with the finished product.
Q: What writer would you most want to read your work? What would you want to hear them say?
That’s already happened…on one of the drafts of Die, You Bastard! Die! I think I managed to gross out my editor, legendary Splatterpunk King, John Skipp! Now if I can, one day, pay Dean Koontz back for the creeps he gave me with his novel Whispers, I’ll die a happy writer.
Q: On the days where the writing doesn't go so well, what other art or career do you fantasize about pursuing instead?
When I was a little girl my grandfather used to tell me stories about his adventures working for a funeral home during the pre-embalming fluid days. I always thought I would have loved working in mortuary sciences, but when I was going to school women weren’t exactly welcomed into the funeral services industry. Now that times have changed and we have a first class Mortuary Sciences degree program at our local college, I’ve always thought that would make a fabulous Plan B, even now at age 50+.
Q: What do you read? What do you re-read?
I try to read a little bit of everything. I get some great ideas from newspapers and magazines. I just discovered and am now devouring Mad Money Wall Street guru, Jim Cramer’s books. I try and read as much classic horror like Robert Bloch, M.R. James, Fritz Leiber, H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Matheson, Edgar Allan Poe and J.N. Williamson as possible. I also try to keep up with who’s publishing today beyond Bestsellersaurus Rexes Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I’m a huge fan of Edward Lee, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Joe R. Landsdale, Jonathan Maberry, Elizabeth Massie, Yvonne Navarro, Weston Ochse, Monica O’Rourke, John Skipp and Andrew Vachss.
I rarely find time to re-read anything unless I’m researching a specific writing technique, like how Jonathan Maberry handled the fight scenes in his Pine Deep trilogy or how Dean Koontz ramped up to the reveal of the cockroaches in Whispers.
Q: Where did the idea for Die, You Bastard! Die! come from? Do you have a surefire way of sparking inspiration? And is that an awesome title or what?!
The idea for Die, You Bastard! Die! came out of a lovely dinner Ravenous Shadows publisher Lori Perkins and I had during the 2011 Northeast Writer’s Conference, known as NECON. Lori mentioned she was looking for a story about an adult child coming home to take care of her abusive parent and it matched up with a story I had been kicking around for years about a survivor of childhood sexual abuse coming home to deal with her past. After the conference I got home, wrote up the proposal, Skipp green-lighted it and we took off from there. I realize that’s not the way most writers get a book deal but it goes to prove that if you consistently put the hard work in, you WILL find yourself at the right place, at the right time with the right story.
Writing inspiration and story/character/plot ideas are everywhere if you’re open to them…and my motivation for being open to them usually is based on my memories of being paid $5 an hour to be projectile vomited on as an EMT or waitressing at Friendly’s for .60 below minimum wage.
John Skipp raves about this book:
Die, You Bastard! Die! is one hard-as-nails crime story indeed, with a crime at its core so heinous it boggles both mind and soul. That said, it is also a horror story, a mystery, and an insanely taut suspense thriller. Categories are funny like that.
But human monsters don’t get more humanly monstrous than Big Daddy. And it don’t get much rougher and tougher than Jan Kozlowski’s violently matter-of-fact, emotionally ass-kicking, downright incendiary son of a bitch.
I love this book, and stand behind it 100%. Hope it blows you away, as it did me. And has you coming back for more.
Miss Wendy and I tried to do the overnight B&B trip to Inishmore. We got up early Tuesday to go get our tickets for the ferry and make arrangements. The woman at the ticket office said the crew were making a decision at 9. They decided not to go that day.
More timid folk would have decided then and there not to make a crossing in January.
Miss Wendy and I, however, were determined, so we went back yesterday and sure enough, the ferry would be sailing so we got our bus & ferry tickets, but decided not to do the whole B&B thing, which ended up being just as well. Remote islands in the Atlantic in January, it turns out, do not offer experiences conducive to relaxed enjoyment. Imagine our surprise.
We found ourselves back in Connemara on the bus, which took a bit longer than we had anticipated to get to the ferry terminal. Miss Wendy, as you know, used to work at the Coast Guard Academy and has been on whaling trips and whatnot. My family used to have its own boat and I've been on ocean ferries before.
I have never been in water that wild! Miss Wendy said she understood now why Poseidon was the patron of horses as well as the sea as we plunged up and down in the waves. Arm rests have other uses than just resting arms, I discovered. I was trying not to think of things like The Poseidon Adventure and just roll with the waves. Even as I write this, I feel that strange sensation again. I didn't feel ill at all, just nervous.
Very very nervous.
It didn't help that all the islanders we met that day said, "Rough crossing?" and then proceeded to regale us with their own decisions not to take the ferry that week. The woman in the stone shop showed off her arm brace and said how she was supposed to go to her doctor on the mainland, "But I'll leave it until next week."
Our tour around the island brought us to seals (which I don't think either of us could make out) and lots of sea birds, which Miss Wendy found in her guide book. The ruins of the 8th century monastery and its cemetery were quite lovely and picturesque, living history.
The beauties of Dun Aengus were considerable but there was a bit of a problem; as the woman in the heritage office told us, "Be careful by the cliffs." What she might have said was, "The opening to the ring fort creates a kind of wind tunnel that combined with gale force wind will knock you off your feet." We discovered that for ourselves. Some dramatic footage of the cliffs.
The cafe where we warmed up before the hike up to the fort gave a lovely warm glow from the turf fire and the delicious food. The pub at the end of the tour proved a welcome sight as we tried to steel our resolve for the journey back. By the time we walked to the pier, the wind howled and the rain assaulted us. We got on board, but they warned us they were changing us to another boat. After about a quarter of an hour, we all decamped for the smaller, less swank ferry.
A few people had told us the journey back would be better, but coincidences added to our nerves. In the pub the telly showed a Raging Nature program on people dying in blizzards detailing how it feels to freeze to death and the woman sitting across the aisle from Wendy read a novel Dead Tomorrow! or something like that. I think we both blanched when one of the sailors, after staring out the fore window for a time intently, reached up to the row of life jackets hanging on a shelf above our heads. However, he was just retrieving his newspaper which he'd put up there. So we plunged on through the sea in the dark this time, rolling and pitching, rising to meet the waves and it was a bit better but still nerve-wracking, so we were glad to reach shore.
You can see all the Inishmore pictures at the end of the Ireland album. I think we're going to treat ourselves to a spa day today. I expect I may be back to visit the Aran Islands.
Are you ready for Hogmanay? I understand you need a torch, some coal and a bottle of whisky (no 'e'!). I think Miss Wendy and I may just have a nice dinner out. We had a lovely trip through Connemara yesterday. Here are some lovely photos to show it. Cool and misty, but the landscape was so gorgeous.
Thanks to Michael, there's a photo of me giving my talk at the Moore Institute yesterday. There was quite a good turnout! I suspect it was the sandwiches. The audience seemed to be receptive and laughed in the right places, always a good sign.I will put the talk on line when I get a moment. I went out to the pub with Leslie and Michael after the talk and then ended up tagging along to dinner with some of Michael's colleagues later. They're sad as their time in Galway is nearly over. I'll miss them.
They're asking me to teach a creative writing course in the spring, so now I will begin brainstorming about what tack to take for that. I suspect I will use it as an excuse to get some of my colleagues to Skype with my class :-)
Whoohoo and hoooowwwwwwl! It has arrived. My contribution to Mr B's fine Trestle Press series Drunk on the Moon: IT'S A CURSE. Yes, of course of course, it takes its title from a song by The Fall and yes, there may be a few references to other Mark E. Smith lyrics in there.
You're shocked, I can tell.
Here's the synopsis:
Roman Dalton’s woken up in the wrong place again, but he can’t blame it
on the moon this time. Finding himself in a tug-of-war between two
lovely women might sound like he’s landed in clover, but one wants to
‘save’ him and the other—well, he’s got a feeling she’s a whole lot of
trouble wrapped up in a designer gown. As far as our favourite werewolf
PI’s concerned, IT’S A CURSE.
On Friday I had a chance to chat about it on the G-Zone with fellow Trestle Press writer Edith Maxwell. Mr B called in too and well -- to be honest, the two of us kind of hijacked the rest of the show, hee hee. You can listen to the whole thing from the archive. Great fun.
I've already made a trailer for it. Tell me what you think. And help spread the word! The page could use tagging, liking and of course, reviews! It's at B&N, too.
UPDATE: He's been found! Now being spoiled with some tuna -- a neighbour let him in and then he was retrieved. Whew!!
Poor little guy! He got out of Barb's house. We're hoping he hasn't gone too far and can be lured back in. She saw him on the porch, but he ran off. She's putting out the have-a-heart trap and hoping for the best. Fingers crossed. I feel so helpless, so far away.
UPDATE (Sun night): Barb says that some of her neighbours have seen Kipper around so he hasn't left the area -- a very good sign. The hunt continues. Keep your fingers crossed!
Okay, what're the odds? Oh sure, it is entirely likely that I would get on with the first medievalist I met at NUI Galway. After all, we medievalists have to stick together like all endangered species. But we keep finding amazing things in common like our birthdays (!) and P. G. Wodehouse and the Marx Bros and Tony Hancock. Destiny took a hand in things, I think, when it sent me to Galway. She even invited me to talk to her Old English course so I wouldn't forget entirely what the inside of a classroom looked like. Here's the lovely Frances, award winning lecturer.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning? Let the cats in for a cuddle and go back to sleep, even if only for two minutes. I'm not a fan of sleeping late, but I do like to wake up slowly.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
I'm a trained dancer, but the best songs are those that make me dance like I don't know how! "Come on Eileen," by Dexy's Midnight Runners, has made me jump up and down on ever since I was a bairn in 1982. I remember the first time I heard it: I jumped around the breakfast table with such enthusiasm and abandon that my mum cried with laughter. "Late in the Evening" by Paul Simon makes me do what my husband calls "Muppet Dancing", and it works best when I'm in the passenger seat of the car (although God knows what the people looking in their rear-view mirrors at me are thinking)!
3. Where in the world do you live?
In books. I much prefer stories to real life!
4. What's a great night out for you?
I don't tend to go out. I much prefer 'in'.
5. What's a great night in?
Learning languages, or doing something craftsy. I like to be busy!
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world,where would you go? Japan, Japan, Japan...or New York! But unfortunately, as I don't really like 'out', traveling is not the easiest thing for me to do!
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
The one with the boy with the orange pyjamas...but I can't remember what book it was. I vaguely remember reading it in bed--there was a boy who may have been an orphan; someone (it may have been a man) took him in, and a woman (whose name may have begun with a J) brought him pyjamas in which to sleep. The pyjamas either had oranges on them or orange buttons, and the boy had an aversion to the colour orange, so he slept in his clothes and then crinkled the pyjamas the next morning to make it look like they'd been slept in. I can't remember whether I actually read this book or DREAMT that I had read this book so if it sounds familiar to you, let me know what on earth it is!
8. What movie makes you cry?
I don't cry at movies...but Graham Greene's books always have me in tears!
9. What makes you laugh?
At the moment, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But everything in general...I'm a giggler! [Ed: I can attest to this.] Ooh yes, and games where you substitute the word 'goose' for either a noun or a verb in a film title. That one makes me chuckle too!
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Yes! There's actually a special fairy garden in my garden, where the dead trees are and the primrose grows. I don't like to visit it very often, because it's also where the septic tank lives, but the fairies don't seem to mind.
Jeez, now we're doubling up on entries! Where were you folks at the beginning of the month? I know, I know, everyone's a last minute Charlie. I couldn't get Marko to do the question thing, but his evil twin Bizarro Marko AKA Pony Boy has given me his responses. He's one of the handful of people I still know from when I lived in Los Angeles -- or know again (thanks, social media). Let the madness begin!
Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Beautiful coffee...
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
"Disintegration" by the Cure
3. Where in the world do you live?
Knoxville, TN in my own little world.
4. What's a great night out for you?
Good meal with friends, wine, dancing of all sorts - ballroom to freestyle.
5. What's a great night in?
Wine, fire and movie with my children.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
So torn! Italia? Egypt? Sao Paolo? Hmmm, probably Ukraine from where my parents came.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Gods of Eden
8. What movie makes you cry?
Gladiator
9. What makes you laugh?
My children in laughter.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Who told you about my fairies? Of course there are and they drive the gnomes crazy with their practical jokes. One time, these two fairies flew past... Wait! I've said too much.
My movie buddy! Peg and I have seen a lot of movies together, good and bad -- and have often argued about which was which (hee)! Peg is also a writer and academic as well as an amazing cook and baker (mmmm, deliciousness). I haven't gone to the movies yet in Galway, surprisingly. The good theatre is a bus ride away (I may eventually rent a bike), but I think part of it is not having someone to go to movies with in the middle of the afternoon (AKA the best time). Miss you, Peg! Hope you can make it over here :-)
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Nudge the dog to get off the bed.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
Was enjoying "Get Down Tonight" by KC and Sunshine Band at the dentist's office today...but I like to dance and to all kinds of music, generally.
3. Where in the world do you live?
Albany, New York.
4. What's a great night out for you?
Great food and drinks with friends, a film premiere, a super hot play ticket in London or New York, a walk along a sparkling city street, sitting in chairs beneath a starry sky in the country, a bonfire, I am easy.
5. What's a great night in?
Steak and a TV marathon of The Tudors...or having friends over for food and drinks.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Good question...probably Paris.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt, or Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon.
8. What movie makes you cry?
The ones where sad things happen. [Ed: hahahahahaha]
9. What makes you laugh?
The Colbert Report, at the moment.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
The days are just packed, to steal a phrase from Calvin and Hobbes! No sooner does Dana compliment me on the fun to be had in Know-vember than I strong-arm him into answering my devious questions. And now they're up -- BAM. Serves him right! I first knew Dana as a snot-nosed thirteen-year-old on the Horror in Film and Literature List. He's now a doctoral student. How awesome is that? Damn. From New York City to Iowa no less, but he's one of those folks who bloom wherever they're planted. Well done, you! We need to drink more martinis together, young man.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Nicely
ask Alley (my cat) to stop chewing on my hair. [Ed: Kipper chews my hair too! I miss him :-( waah!] Then I hit the snooze
button 10 times. Then panic about what day it is and what needs to be
done. Then I hit the snooze button 5 times. Then I put coffee on to
percolate while I smoke 2 cigarettes outside.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
There are so very many. But dancing for me usually requires a bit of
“lubrication.” The excellent thing is that I can dance to Slayer and
Rihanna on the same evening at the local gay bar. “Rude Boy” is my
favorite.
3. Where in the world do you live?
Iowa City, Iowa
USA. It's a town dominated by the University of Iowa, but it has a few
charming elements like good restaurants, the Pioneer Food Co-op, and
shirtless jock neighbors who like to leave their blinds open 24/7.
4. What's a great night out for you?
A couple of good friends at a restaurant or tavern. I'm more of a
stay-at-home kind of gal and usually get irritable or quickly exhausted
with late nights out.
5. What's a great night in?
Alley on my lap, the couch, boxed wine, and Roseanne.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? Hong Kong. I'm a huge fan of Hong Kong cinema and I absolutely love
exploring super-metropolises. Plus I have a lot of friends who grew up
in Hong Kong and could show me the ropes. My second and third choices
would be Copenhagen (I'm part Danish) or to return to Belize.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Any of Maupin's first six in the Tales of the City series. [Ed: Love those! In my novel Owl Stretching, the dead cat is named Mr Tolliver]
8. What movie makes you cry?
A couple of years ago my answer to this would be the following Simpsons
quote: “This is where the tears would be if I could cry! But I can't.
Botched facelift.” I never used to cry at films. But the first film to
ever make me cry was The Bridges of Madison County. I threw the book
across the room but thoroughly enjoy the film (Go Iowa!). Truth be told,
the first movie to ever make me cry was Bird on a Wire with Mel Gibson
and Goldie Hawn. I was 8 years-old when it was released and I forced my
mother to take me to the lobby during the final “zoo” sequence because I
didn't want to see any animals get hurt.
9. What makes you laugh?
Witty friends and drag queens.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
No, but there are often fairies smoking with me on my stoop.
The lovely poet of Rome, monarch of Pandemonium, translator extraordinaire and jester full of sprezzatura -- yes, it's La Bava! How she brightens my days simply by being her extraordinary self. She was my hostess in Rome who took me to all the dazzling sights and fed me the very finest food, most of it at her own table along with her handsome son, the knight Edoardo, and the delightful royal taster, Ghibli the Dalmatian. You must see some of her fabulous poetry and why not check out her devoted partner John, who took this lovely photo of Ale during their holiday in Umbria, Lazio & Tuscany.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
I curse the alarm clock since it’s usually 5.30 am, then I shower, I get dressed and at that point I am in dire need of coffee. Not to mention the fact that there is a hairy mister wagging its tail demanding to be fed!
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
No song in particular, rather the disco dance of the Seventies.
3. Where in the world do you live?
In the most charming spot of the planet. A place also known as the Eternal City.
4. What's a great night out for you?
A happy hour or dinner out somewhere in the center with the people I love and/or with friends.
5. What's a great night in?
Excellent food and wine, a movie and fireworks in the pink room.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would head to St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Article Circle to experience the Aurora Borealis. Japan and Patagonia would be next on my wish list.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Any of Dostoevsky’s works. It’s one of the authors whose entire works I have read and re-read over the last 30 years.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Many do. Bright Star, to name one. But, Million Dollar Baby is the movie that really had me cry my heart out.
9. What makes you laugh?
Witticism of any kind and my dalmatian -- he is a comedian in disguise. By the way, John and I laugh ALL the time! [Ed: I am unsurprised ;-)]
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Of course! But, the malicious house kobold is the sprite I am more fond of.
What is more awesome than awesome? It has to be the lovely Chloë! She sent me absinthe chocolates. That would already make her more awesome than awesome, but she's also hilarious and has adorable Maudie to help with the awesomeness, too. We finally got to meet in Derby this year at Alt.Fiction after having lots of laughs on line. Not surprisingly, we had lots of laughs in person too. How awesome is that? Very awesome! Like Chloë. Here she is with a ladybird hat & Mr Y.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Think "oh fuck, not this again" and then get a kick in the head from
Maud the dog who objects to me being compos mentis as it generally
involves me moving and disturbing her.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
I could probably be persuaded to dance to anything because I’m easily
led, let's get that clear early on – and I’m especially easy once I've
had a few, ahem, blackcurrant cordials. I have a fond memory of dancing
in a student night club to "I Touch Myself" by the Divinyls and putting
the fear of god into the tiny student girls and boys (I was a “mature”
student) with my earthy hip movements … Nowt better than scaring the
children.
3. Where in the world do you live?
Fribourg, Switzerland. It’s the city that all the other Swiss cities
look down on. And they shouldn’t because Fribourg is shiny. As long as
you don’t mind life at a molasses slow pace and occasionally being bored
titless.
4. What's a great night out for you?
Unexpected nights out - ones that are organised last minute or when you
think to yourself, "This is going to be average, so I'll just have a
couple and then get an early night" only to wind up crawling home, full
of Jägermeister or some other deadly concoction at three in the morning.
Which makes me sound like a lush ... okay, I confess. In truth, the
best nights are the ones where you can relax and talk to the people
around you and not feel awkward. That’s all I really ask.
5. What's a great night in?
Me, Mr Y and a paddle. Not that kind of paddle either. Ain’t no creeks round here.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
India. It has been a constant desire since I was about 6 years old. I
want to see as many Ganeshas as I possibly can, see the full moon light
up the Taj Mahal, breathe in the air of the Himalayas, sink my toes
into a beach in Kerala, launch a lamp onto the Ganges at dusk for my
Grandfather, and to witness New Delhi – amongst a catalogue of other
things. I also have a hankering to see Canada (and to meet Isa and
catch up with my pal Shelley) and to see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland
(especially now as they should be at a peak for the next year or two).
Can I have one of those round-the-world-many-stop-ticket thingies
please? [Ed: yes, and me too so I can go as well.]
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World by Bob and Jenna Torres.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Oh lordy, I am a sap when it comes to movies. In real life, I’m not much
of a crier, but the movies can manipulate the crapola outta me and I’ll
fall for it every time. I’ve never seen all of ET, just can’t do it,
can’t even watch clips of it. Out of Africa nearly killed three
generations of the women in my family when I watched it with my mum and
grandmother. And then there was Reservoir Dogs. I had an immense crush
on Harvey Keitel for a very long time and I thought he was beautiful
when he was trying to keep Mr Orange alive. I bawled like a baby and
everyone looked at me like I was crazy. They may have had a point.
9. What makes you laugh?
Odd things. Mr Y can make me laugh like a donkey – he’s got a mainline
to my funny bone and I couldn’t even explain why most of the time. I
love Mighty Boosh and The IT Crowd, and a cornucopia of other tv stuff,
but I have to confess to a penchant for Jackass. I know it’s wrong on so
many levels but watching a man snort wasabi and then retching
inexplicably tickles my funny bone. I can’t lie to you; I’m clearly a
base and desolate creature.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
I used to talk to the ones at the bottom of the garden of the house
where I grew up. I had my own little plot at the back of the shed where
all I grew was a climbing white rose because that was all they wanted. I
spent many happy hours there.
In the States, today is Thanksgiving day; depending on who you ask it's either a day to commemorate when the Pilgrims survived the vagaries of New England despite their ignorance and arrogance with considerable help from some of the indigenous folks (who would come to regret that kindness), or it's a day to stuff yourself comatose with all kinds of foods and watch sporting events while ignoring endless family arguments.
Okay, it's also a day to show you're grateful and give thanks, so while I'm grateful for all the friends I'm featuring in Know-vember (and all the ones who didn't let me feature them here >_<) I am especially grateful for this friend. He's why I'll be going back to Scotland for my birthday and Xmas, too. Here's a very sweet picture of Mark with his son Allan.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
I reach for you. If you are not there, I reach for my
phone and look for messages from you instead.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
I love to dance so will be quite happy to dance to pretty
much anything. Personal favourites include: Panic byThe Smiths, ABBA’s Dancing Queen and anything by The Fall. [Ed: smart man!]
3. Where in the world do you live?
I live in alittle
house in Dundee, Scotland. It
looks a bit like Paddy’s market in places but it's home and I like to think full
of love.
4. What's a great night out for you?
Good company, something nice to eat, a few drinks and some live
music. Pretty much the perfect evening.
5. What's a great night in?
A little drink perhaps. Nice cozy up on the sofa with a decent film
on the telly and a really nice cozy in bed just to finish the night.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where
would you go?
It’s a tough call as there are quite a few places I would love to see. The
Great Lakes and Northern Scandinavia would be high up the list. If I had to
pick just one I would plump for Iceland. It just seems such an amazing place
and who knows I might just run into Björk.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
It would be great if everyone was to read The Bridge by
Iain Banks. Then maybe just maybe one of you might be able to tell me what the
hell is going on. Other than that my wish would be simply that more people take
the chance to read.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Oh dear, this question should have a subtitle of ‘guilty pleasures’; I
am a sucker for a RomCom. Bits of Notting Hill have been known to have the old
tear ducts in use. My god did I just admit to that? [Ed: yes, yes, you did o_O] ET had me in floods of
tears as did the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
9. What makes you laugh?
Ah, now we are talking. In no particular order as it would change
pretty much on a daily basis. The genius of Peter Cook, Tony Hancock, Sid James,
The Goons, The Goodies, Monty Python, Tommy Cooper, Eddie Izzard and Kenneth
Williams. Oh and of course, Steptoe and Son.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Not any more as I have invited them all into the house along with the little
people.
Susan is the third of the Three Mothers with me and Mildred, Mater Suspiriorum. My cat Colette is buried in the backyard of her old house: that's the kind of friends we are. Small critters of all kinds know to trust her. Her home, consequently, is ruled by cats. Her home is an oasis for humans, too -- as long as they know the score. I love being there: kitties to cuddle, screened-in porch at night when it's cool for chatting and drinking, big screen tv for movies and friends who laugh along with Lost Skeleton of Cadavra and The Lost Skeleton Returns! The Three Mothers [plus significant others] Reunions are always a joyful respite. Here Susan is looking lovely at her niece's wedding along with her husband Ron (who's looking surprisingly calm and mayhem-free).
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Pour myself a cup of coffee and feed the cats. I know, that's two things but they're done simultaneously. Five "starving" moggies wait for no woman (or coffee).
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
Almost anything. I used to go dancing a lot and had a dance partner for a while when I was "young" with whom I danced in competitions.
3. Where in the world do you live?
In the middle of the United States bible belt - central North Carolina. Thankfully though due to the influence of several major universities, our area is a fairly liberal and enlightened spot. Not sure I could stand it if it was more, uhm, rural (Trying to be polite).
4. What's a great night out for you?
A nice dinner, great conversation and a good bottle of wine.
5. What's a great night in?
See 4. :)
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I have to pick just ONE?!?! Since it's all expenses paid, I'll pick the most expensive - China. Their ancient culture both repels and fascinates me. I would like to explore some of the old cities including the Forbidden City, see the Great Wall and visit the panda preserve. I'm an ancient history buff. (Spent all day yesterday watching documentaries on ancient Egypt. :) )
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
The one book I keep going back to (can't really tell you why) is Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow. The only science fiction novel that I have read where the aliens were truly ALIEN. Plus, like Mary, I fell in love with Emilio the first time I read it. The story is just heartbreaking due to the mistakes made by Emilio and the rest of the crew through trying to map human behavior on an alien culture. That description isn't quite right (map human behaviour) but I can't summon the right words and emotions at the moment.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Uh oh. Gonna reveal my big secret here - it's a tie between Sophie's Choice and Starman. I think I'll die happy if I never see Sophie's Choice again.
9. What makes you laugh?
My very silly significant other every day we're together. [Ed: I can attest to that. In abundance!]
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
You knew she would be here: the Patsy to my Edina, she of the big hair, former Elf-Queen (and survivor of many a medieval play), southern gal supreme, Mechademia Submissions editor, connoisseur of Jack Daniels and hostess of the Rosh Hashanah Ragin' Kegger and Toga Parties -- Miss Wendy! I am so happy to know that Miss Wendy will be in Ireland after Xmas and this island nation will never be the same again if we have anything to say about it. Wendy reminded me that we were together last New Year's Eve, too, when I visited her in the home of Faulkner. Ringing in another year -- where will we be in another year's time?! Who can say? :-)
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Well, this morning I cursed out Pumpkin, my cat, who decided to howl, run laps around the house, and play with what I thought was not a noisy toy at 5:00 this morning (two hours before my alarm). Most mornings, I open a coffee can, savor the smell of the grinds, and make a very strong cup of coffee.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
I am not averse to dancing and have danced to many songs in my life -- some of which I am not proud. I can always be persuaded to dance to a Ramones song.
3. Where in the world do you live?
In my mind, in my house, in the city of Oxford, Mississippi, in the Southern United States, in North America, in the West, on Earth, third planet out.
4. What's a great night out for you?
Dinner at a restaurant in the Latin Quarter, Paris; off-Broadway play in New York; moonlight trip in a rowboat on the Vltava in Prague; and finally late night karaoke with my friends in Tokyo. (I've done three of four. Any one of them would be a wonderful night out).
5. What's a great night in?
Martinis and kung fu movie marathon.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A year in Tokyo; or birdwatching in Costa Rica.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Haruki Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World; or his short stories The Elephant Vanishes.
8. What movie makes you cry?
These are movies that I like to cry to. They are the ones that I believe have earned my tears. I cry at other movies but either the quality of the cry is not transcendent or the stupid movie has manipulated my tears. Here's a list of the good cries: Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru; Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies; Mike Newell's Enchanted April (a happy, melancholy cry); James L. Brooks' Terms of Endearment (I know, a classic tear-jerker, but darnit, both Debra Winger and Shirley Maclaine are just too good); I'm sure there are classic Hollywood films I am missing here. Kate will send me a list, I'm sure -- yes, I know Dark Victory [Ed: "Did the sun go behind the clouds?".
9. What makes you laugh?
This sums up my sense of humor. It's a cartoon from the New Yorker. I can't find the link but I'll describe it. A clown is sitting at a table in an outdoor cafe. He's holding a balloon and a tear trickles down his cheek. A woman stands at the table, looking like she's about to walk away. She says "If you must know, he makes me laugh." It's the balloon that gets me. I never get tired of it.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Yes, it's your Village Witch, the Appalachian wise woman, Ms Ballard. We first met at the witchcraft conference at Harvard and managed to keep up with one another ever since. I'm hoping Byron will be able to manage a trip over here while I'm in Ireland. Should be wonderful to have her in the land of the ancient Celts -- many megaliths and pubs to visit. Of course she would be welcome company any time, any where.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
I lie still for a few minutes and imagine the day ahead. Then I get up, put away the futon that is my bed, open the shades at the window. And go pee.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
I will waggle my ample backside to almost any kind of music--yes, I have danced to Mozart's Requiem--but I love classic metal, trad Brit, bluegrass. They require different dances...or do they?
3. Where in the world do you live?
I live in the oldest mountains in the world in the southern highlands of Appalachia. From my window, I can see the third oldest river in the world. So here in NC, I feel pretty young.
4. What's a great night out for you?
A great night out would be seeing a play done well (a rarity), a bottle of excellent French wine, and something delicious to eat--all with friends.
5. What's a great night in?
A few friends in for high tea that morphs into us making dinner, listening to or playing music, telling stories and jokes. Perhaps a fire outside in the fire pit.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world,
where would you go?
My first thought is always either Meath or London but since someone else is picking up the tab, I'll go a bit further afield. Crete or Greece, I think.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Whichever book I'm reading at the time. Schiff's Cleopatra bio is my current one.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Gad, I cry at all of them. I'm a big sap. So, Love Actually, Calendar Girls all that sentimental rubbish. I love it.
9. What makes you laugh?
I never tire of Hot Fuzz. I've seen it a zillion times and I still fall out at "NWA" on the door of the Neighborhood Watch group.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
Um, yes. I call them the Cousins and we have a fair working relationship in the growing of veg, as long as I remember my place. There is also a disgruntled djinn who can't figure out how to get home and has taken up residence in the shed. Long story, I'll show you the scar sometime.
All right, it's not his real name, but if you're on Twitter (as so many of us are) that's how you know him. A canny chess player, a friendly chauffeur (^_^) and blipper of tunes, Mr Tumshie keeps us all amused with his sardonic humour. But he won't let me tell you his real name because he's shy. Or the church police are after him. Or maybe it's just a fear of ocelots. Yes, I think it must be the latter.
1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?
Work out where I am, shortly followed by sighing with disappointment at where I'm not.
2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?
Not sure I should say but the one I find hardest to resist is Night Boat To Cairo by Madness.
3. Where in the world do you live?
I live here -- what a silly question!
4. What's a great night out for you?
A drink with friends, preferably after a concert by a good band.
5. What's a great night in?
Being alone with that special someone -- everything else is just details.
6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Well, I've been to Paradise but I've never been to me. I looked on maps but couldn't find it so that's where I'd like to go. I hope the weather is better there.
7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?
Tiger's Modern by Grandmaster Tiger Hillarp Persson. For some reason most of my friends don't read chess books. Their loss.
8. What movie makes you cry?
Difficult to answer that one as I'm not much of a one for watching things that make me cry. I have wept with laughter watching Way Out West -- will that do?
9. What makes you laugh?
Lots of things make me laugh. Clever puns are a favourite maybe. Silly cleverness or clever silliness might be a better answer.
10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?
