Jeff VanderMeer's Blog, page 120

The Organizational Elements of a Book Tour

(What's this all about? Check out Booklifenow Monday afternoon.)

Time's sped up and is roaring forward. Only about three days until we leave for the World Fantasy Convention, after which I embark on a five-week book tour you might've heard about once or twice on this here blawg thing.

A long and complex book tour has more people involved than just the author. In addition to all of the venue contacts and others on the ground at the locations, as well as the good folks at Underland and...

Centipede Press' Amazing Hodgson, with Visionary Art by Fabian

(Click the four outward arrows for full-screen glory)

Centipede Press…words fail me. I've never seen a publisher, outside of the brazen brilliance of Savoy, tackle such stunning projects—and whereas Savoy works within a set format of regular-sized hardcovers collecting uncompromising, edgy outsiders that William Burroughs would laud, Centipede Press often creates oversized hardcovers of the more outsider horror writers. (The two presses are like cousins with a subset of similar interests.)

The...

Sun Tzu

…would advise that if you're about to enter into a long and difficult war, it is unwise to divert resources and energy toward actions that although they may be correct and the right thing to do may distract both from the potency and planning of the the acquiring of your main objective. In this context, it is more honorable for the common good, if your war is necessary, to do away with the distraction to ensure victory and to protect your troops.

Which is another way of saying…any kerfuffle...

Not Interested in: Being Harrassed by Barr

I don't agree with Marleen Barr's behavior and writings around the time of the Virginia Tech shootings. I didn't then, I don't now, especially because she sent emails at the time promoting her work on the back of a tragedy. This was, to me, beyond bad behavior.

Still, I wouldn't be talking about it now except that do not I appreciate being hounded about comments I made on a messageboard over two years ago concerning this matter, and which I amended as Barr had asked at the time–this was...

I BLAME VANDERMEER

You all knew it was coming. I've been too much of a curmudgeon for too many years for people not to eventually start blaming me. And so it goes. The first step toward atonement is to accept it.

Take 1.

Raw.

Context?

Coming Soon.

Sofa Nuts: Wubba Wubba Asimov's 90 Minutes Crazy Town

The latest Sofanauts podcast is up, discussing Asimov's and digest genre mags generally. Me, Jeremy Tolbert, Sheila Williams, Asimov's editor, and Brian Bieniowski, Asimov's managing editor. I come off as some kind of speed freak, because I was too heavily caffeinated. Also, with four people plus Tony Smith, it was difficult to know when jumping in would seem like interruption. Ah well.

Anyway, it's over 90 minutes long and I can't bring myself to listen to it because while I'm sure it's...

On an Island, Storm Coming

Got out into the deep water swimming there for some reason after dark with the moon out, and Ann's karate instructor or personal bodyguard is with us and then the storm starts to come up, with the moon occluded. And for some reason I decide to seek shelter farther out, on the island with the flimsy hut I see on it.

When I get out of the water, I realize Ann and the karate instructor are still treading water out there. I also realize the island is now surrounded by circling killer whales and t...

Last Drink Bird Head Party Posters

Kevin Roche, one of the International Parlor (con suite) organizers has been up to some very cool design work for the Last Drink Bird Head Party at World Fantasy (San Jose, Oct. 29). Here are a couple of posters that incorporate Last Drink and Finch while remaining true to the theme of the con suite. Awesome stuff!

And: there will be Finch/Last Drink/Booklife cake at the party…

Confused as to what LDBH is? Go here.

The F&L Insurgency?

More intel next week on the veracity of the claim.

Booklife, Booklifenow, Bookwork, Bookfatigue?

Thanks, dear bloggonauts, for your patience with the torrential downpour of posts on Finch and Booklife. The forecast calls for more rain this week, but it'll clear up next week. Still, you'll find non-Finch, non-Booklife content here by tomorrow.

In the meantime, I just wanted to call your attention to content posted on Booklifenow, and to Cory Doctorow's review of Booklife on Boing Boing. This review, unsolicited, means a lot me.

As for content on Booklifenow, check out today's post by John...