"of blossoms, birds, and bowers"

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy birthday to captnofmyheart, and happy early birthday to wildviolet4. I hope you both have wonderful days and terrific years to come!


News from the world of history:

* "Diary a Clue to Amelia Earhart Mystery"

* "Architect Claims to Solve Pyramid Secret"


News from the world of genre fiction:

* This year's James Tiptree, Jr. Award for gender-exploring science fiction goes jointly to Shelley Jackson for Half Life and Catherynne M. Valente for The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden, with a special recognition to Julie Phillips for her biography James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon.

* Winners of this year's Bram Stoker Awards for horror fiction are novel Lisey's Story by Stephen King, first novel Ghost Road Blues by Jonathan Maberry, long fiction Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge, short fiction "Tested" by Lisa Morton, anthology Retro Pulp Tales by Joe R. Lansdale and (in a tie) Mondo ZombieM by John Skipp, collection Destinations Unknown by Gary A. Braunbeck, nonfiction Final Exits by Michael Largo and (in another tie) Gospel of the Living Dead by Kim Paffenroth, and poetry Shades Fantastic by Bruce Boston. Also presented were the Lifetime Achievement Award, to Thomas Harris, and the Specialty Press Award, to PS Publishing.


Misc:

I'm heading out again to New Hampshire to participate in a scholarly colloquium on "Secession, Local Autonomy, and Liberty." Thanks to my new notebook computer (named "Ginevra") I should be online a bit throughout the week, though, and I will return home on Friday. Take care, everyone!


I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers:
Of April, May, or June, and July flowers.
I sing of Maypoles, Hock-carts, wassails, wakes,
Of bridegrooms, brides, and of the bridal cakes.
- Robert Herrick, Hesperides, 1648

Comments

[captnofmyheart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome. I hope you have a fabulous birthday!

[sneezythesquid.livejournal.com]

I'm heading out again to New Hampshire to participate in a scholarly colloquium on "Secession, Local Autonomy, and Liberty."

Whoo-hoo! Have a good trip!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

[serpentcoils.livejournal.com]

i love stephen king - mostly for the dark tower series and cell - but i could not bring myself to even finish lisey's story. :\ i disliked it that much! i didn't care for any of the characters, and felt it was just some weird conglomeration of other stories haphazardly mushed together, or something. meh. i'm glad thomas harris got the achievement award. :) his earlier works, i think, are less screenplay-ish, but i still loved hannibal rising.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I haven't read Lisey's Story, but I have heard some comments similar to yours about it. I must confess that, outside of the Dark Tower series and some of his nonfiction, I am rather ignorant about much of King. I understand that The Stand is a "must read," though. I need to get to that.

[serpentcoils.livejournal.com]

i highly recommend the talisman and the ones he wrote as richard bachman, too - personal faves are desperation and the long walk. :) actually, i've reread pet sematary about six times, and it's by far one of the most unsettling things i've ever read, as creepy as any lovecraft. blasphemy! ;)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I really appreciate the recommendations. *takes notes* Thanks so much - I'll even overlook the blasphemy. *wink, wink*

good luck at the colloquium........

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

Hope it goes well!

Re: good luck at the colloquium........

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! So far, it's been wonderful. And it's snowing!