Because I haven't managed to do the random post on Fridays lately, and really, why not on Monday?
1) Lots of people are recommending scary reading in honor of Halloween, which is a lovely idea that makes me happy. I always struggle with making lists, afraid (ha) to leave things out. Anyway, I've been doing lots of scary-ish research reading lately, primarily about alchemists and their alchemical tricks, for the current work-in-progress. And I'm rereading Stephen King's Danse Macabre for the first time since high school, and finding it just as absorbing as I did then. (In addition to Cybils reading, natch.) I recommend tracking down the November issue of Harper's for Téa Obreht's fabulous essay Twilights of the Vampires: Hunting the Real-Life Undead, a delightful travelogue through Serbia and Croatia to examine the roots of the really old stories. You'll like it.
2) It's my intention to (finally!) finish a draft of the aforementioned work-in-progress by the time we load up the car and drive to World Fantasy on Friday. This is highly doable. And then I can fix it.
3) I like it when friends are on book tour, especially when they come near us. Spent a delightful day in Cincy yesterday with Scott and Justine (and other wonderful localish folks, Scalzi and Megan). And then there's WFC and its horde of delightful types coming up in just a few days. A girl could get spoiled.
4) Apparently the National Book Foundation doesn't believe in fairy tales, at least not as something that qualifies for its awards? Which is crazy. Kate Bernheimer and Marie Tatar are on the case.
5) If I owe you an email, you will get it today. Promise.
Thank you so very much for posting about the NBF Petition! How wonderful of you. We also created a Facebook petition, for those who wish to show support for removing the exclusion of “collections and/or retellings of folk-tales, myths, and fairy tales” from the NBF’s prestigious awards. This link may work, but if not the page is simply called “Petition to the National Book Foundation.”
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-the-National-Book-Foundation/171191876227622