Jeff VanderMeer's Blog, page 2

Welcome to Tallahassee: Former Commissioner Mary Ann Lindley “Oblivious” to Corruption

Mary Ann Lindley pictured with former city commissioner Gil Ziffer, county records

This is the second in an irregular series of posts about local politics here in North Florida.

The notorious J.T. Burnette was quoted on federal wiretaps during his recent corruption trial as saying “When somebody tells you they want to run, it’s a simple question: Is VancoreJones reppin’, right? If they’re not. I’m out.”

In the case of Mary Ann Lindley’s campaign for county commission, the answer to that question was yes, to the tune of $27,916. VancoreJones, was definitely “reppin” Mary Ann Lindley. This same VancoreJones was outed just this past week for having failed to register as a lobbyist with the city and county—a serious ethics charge.

So too were VancoreJones “reppin” Scott Maddox, state attorney Jack Campbell, the controversial Welaunee development, former city manager Rick Fernandez, current city manager Reese Goad, Trulieve (a company run by Burnette’s wife Kim Rivers, member of an elite Blueprint committee), the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency, and Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey.

With her bias in mind, it’s hard to know what to make of Mary Ann Lindley’s odd opinion piece in the Democrat earlier this month, “Scott Maddox’s Sordid Story Is Not the Story of This Community.” On the one hand, the former county commissioner goes to great pains to show she was duped by Scott Maddox as “oblivious” and on the other hand wants us to believe that she’s knowledgeable about the local political scene—knowledgeable enough to know systemic corruption when she sees it. Yet, she was using the same consultants, the same donors, and advocating for nearly an identical agenda for years, along with her colleagues John Dailey and Bryan Desloge.

Even odder is how she typifies J.T Burnette, who I hardly need to remind anyone was just convicted of five counts in the FBI’s corruption trial in federal court. Here’s a man who she tried to defend by dismissing his behavior as “I’m just bewildered when these boys start playing these power games,” in a 2019 Democrat article. Her tone matched fellow VancoreJones’ client, Bryan Desloge, who described Burnette as a “creative guy” in the same article.

This was several years after Burnette had been arrested; had she been unaware of the evidence mounting in various other Democrat articles? If she wasn’t, what else isn’t she aware of in the community?

More troubling, Lindley wants to make the case that there’s no systemic corruption in Tallahassee, while describing Burnette in positive terms and indicating that the influence of the powerful and rich is, in essence, healthy, stating “A relatively small circle of influential people sometimes will play an outsized role in government issues.” That’s a far cry from suggesting that the way Tallahassee and Leon County do business provides agency for and input from the wider community of taxpayers (which funds things like Blueprint)–exactly the opposite, in fact.

So, which is it? Is local government here just fine or is it for the privileged few? I’m confused—especially since she also wants to castigate City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow for his continued, consistent call for better ethics in city government and a review of the appointments and projects Maddox greenlit during his troubled time as mayor. She sees this position as obstructionist and wants to use a little down-home southern observational detail about Matlow’s pizza place to gloss over that.

If Mary Ann Lindley had no clue corruption was ongoing, with a guy in Burnette who she speaks of in glowing terms, then why is she so against the kind of ethical review and system-wide analysis that would ensure that the very thing she says she had no idea was happening…doesn’t happen again?

It’s honestly wearying to read such a self-serving take on the workings of local government. I was reminded of Lindley’s last editorial, taking me to task for questioning the rush in moving ahead with the Welaunee development, despite outcry from citizens and extremely questionable relationships between “consultants,” staff, and developers. 

She called me in derogatory terms a “twinkling literary star” and in general made a personal attack. At that time, having endured much worse in the trenches of the publishing world over 35 years, I wasn’t so much affected by it as saddened by her comments. Here was a sitting county commissioner attacking a citizen who was in good faith having a difference of opinion. What if I hadn’t had the armor I have? I think I would’ve viewed that “brushing off the plate” much differently—it would’ve put me off of participating in the process.

I was tempted in writing about this to be snide back, but the fact of the matter is Lindley’s editorials are their own best rebuttal—their own best proof that we need better, more responsive local government. That we need to have less input from the powerful of the world and more from the voices of everyday citizens. That it also matters to point out the glossing over of the complexities of local politics in editorials like Lindley’s. The past, in this way and many more, does matter to the future of our city, and we shouldn’t sweep it under the rug.

So you’ll forgive me if I don’t see Matlow as the problem–far from it. In fact, we owe him a debt of gratitude for his consistency in pursuing reform, when it hasn’t been easy or popular. He’s helping us see in clear terms just where we are as a community. There’s hard work ahead, but it’s important to restore faith in the systems and processes of local government–a government for the people, by the people.

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Welcome to Tallahassee

The problem with organizations or communities—or parts of communities, or parts of organizations—that don’t want to do the work of self-examination and self-reflection when acts have occurred that damage the public trust… the problem is that they can only then push their energy into a mythology of the present and future that restores to them the agency of being “good,” of being “well-intentioned,” of having people’s “best interests” in mind. Or simply push away the work of true repair because it is difficult or because of the secret heartbeat of bad actors still on the scene.

To accomplish this denial it becomes important that there be no one in the community or organization that stands up to or criticizes that vision, that false repair. If there is someone, then instead of acknowledging there may be a larger problem, that person becomes the problem. Perhaps once an honest tradesman, but now someone who, we are told repeatedly, runs an “empire” or is, it is implied, not like the rest of us, despite being exactly like the rest of us.

If only. If only. If only the person can be made to shut up, to be quiet, then the community or organization is just, is right, is on the correct track. It is this sound filling the void, these words, that is the problem…not the void.

Should such a person continue to point out the disconnect between reality and the agreed-upon communal fiction, then the person, despite the message not having changed, despite having been consistent and true… is somehow being too critical, too divisive, too… whatever. Even if the real violence is being done by those asking the person to submit.

In the aftermath of an event that both brings to heel and chastises or embarrasses the powerful, what occurs, then, is a tale of deflection—of changing the past narrative to fit the present circumstances. A negation that admits to no contradiction.

Why, people once close to one another… it turns out they existed in far-distant orbits from one another, barely able to even sense the gravitational pull of the spouse or friend they once spent a fair amount of time with at home (or in bars downtown). The familiar once experienced drunk in the late hours at some island retreat, that carousing comradery, was just a haunting by an unknown ghost or, not even that, reduced to whisper, dust, or conveniently displaced to some other point in time and space. “I don’t remember seeing them there.” “We exchanged pleasantries in passing.” (We were not, in fact, slumped in a hotel hallway, half passed-out, scheming about how to rule the world.)

Along with this displacement, people in power of a sudden gnash their teeth and wail and proclaim that they have been long oppressed by unseen and mysterious forces that have hampered their efforts to make all decent and right. Why, it has been harrowing and they have had to endure so much. And if only these ethereal forces with their evil agenda had not been in the way, why decades of inability to accomplish goals would vanish and all that is good and right would occur overnight.

Lament with these poor souls their misfortune at both being in charge for so long a period of time and yet seemingly having no control whatsoever. Lament with them how the light they bring could all this time not shine as it should but was dim, so dim, from such affliction and no failing of their own. Yet now shall they sally forth to bring the battle to the ghosts and the evil forces. Now shall they right all of the wrongs. Now is the time.

But, of course, all of this is nonsense, and underneath many a serious demeanor lies a smirk, a leer, or glint in the eye, that gives away the game.

Welcome to Tallahassee.

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Wild Tallahassee: Six Months of Jeff VanderMeer’s Urban Wilderness Columns

Raccoon Mother as a baby…

You may have missed my urban/suburban wilderness columns for the Tallahassee Democrat. So here’s a list with teaser if you’re interested. Much of what I’m talking about with regard to how we interact with wildlife in urban spaces applies more generally than just to Tallahassee, so I hope it’s of interest. I also hope that if you like my rewilding posts on twitter (hashtag #VanderWild) or these columns that you’ll consider buying one of my novels from Midtown Reader. Personalized and with extra cool stuff added. Reader support allows me to continue to create a safe place for wildlife in our backyard.

Just a few of the books you can order from Midtown Reader. My latest, Hummingbird Salammander, is a fast-paced eco-thriller lauded by the NYT and Los Angeles Times, and endorsed by Emily St. John Mandel.

Adventure Begins with A Raccoon at the Door – “I knew we’d bought the right house in Tallahassee when, two years ago, a raccoon rang our doorbell at four in the morning. Granted, the doorbell glows blue at night and, for some reason, is at waist height. But, still, this seemed like something that belonged in the Guinness Book of World Records for urban wildlife.”

Possumzilla Reigns Supreme – “Consider the opossum. How could you not, this time of year in Tallahassee? In many parts of town in the winter, it’s normal for opossums to be out during the day, foraging for a little extra food. They pad along on quiet star-shaped feet, thinking unknowable opossum thoughts.”

Adorbers’ Delight: In Praise of Small Birds – Let us now praise the little birds of wild Tallahassee, who are mighty in their hearts and often embark on epic journeys to reach us. Let us in particular praise the warblers — or as I have dubbed them “adorblers,” among the most intrepid of tiny birds. The Lord loves an adorbler — and so should you. 

Shrieks, Chirps, and Hoots: Spring is Rated PG-13 – “Ah, spring! I don’t know about you, but I find spring in Tallahassee totally disgusting. Just really a lot. Such a riot of excess! Look away! Look away! Too many azaleas blooming. Too much pine pollen! Too many wrens scolding me for getting too near nests in unlikely places.”

Slither Time: Humidity Brings Out Useful Friends – “Wait. What? It’s hot and humid again already?! I’m going to write a letter to my local representative to complain. Because, somehow, I once again conveniently edited “summer” out of my Tallahassee lexicon, especially for early May. Probably because otherwise I’d be stuck in memories of pushing my way through the thick layer of tapioca pudding that is North Florida summer air. Did I mention that it’s humid?”

Embrace the Summer Dance of Fireflies and Armadillos – “Ah, June. That month of hot-itude in Tallahassee that signals the official start of summer. Whenever I think of June, I think of ying and yang, or, as they’re commonly known, armadillos and fireflies. The most ungainly and most elegant of organisms, seemingly as unrelated as broccoli and crème brulee. One is alas often disparaged and the other treasured. One is a bulky armored marvel and the other an ephemeral fleeting blink of light.”

Bonus: Coverage of our rewilding effort and an interview (subscribers only) about rewilding and my latest novel, Hummingbird Salamander.

The post Wild Tallahassee: Six Months of Jeff VanderMeer’s Urban Wilderness Columns appeared first on Jeff VanderMeer.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Hummingbird Salamander tour, appearing with David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Karen Russell, David Mitchell, Nnedi Okorafor, and More

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I’m hitting the virtual road to celebrate the publication of Hummingbird Salamander. There will be great conversations, signed and personalized bookplates (with pre-registration), and exclusive giveaways of HS stationery, t-shirts, and posters. Don’t miss out!

Signed full color bookplate/postcard; awesome T-shirt design; salabird stationery, all designed by Wonderbook’s Jeremy Zerfoss

The full US book tour line-up is below, with UK and Canadian events too…and you can always find more info and updates for the US here. More events to be added soon.

Tuesday, 4/6, 7:30pm ET – Community Bookstore in conversation with Lydia Millet

Wednesday, 4/7, 7pm ET – Midtown Reader with Ann VanderMeer and questions for the in-conversation from such luminaries as Alton Brown, Mike Flanagan, Joseph Mallozzi, Brianna Wu, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Jhonen Vasquez.

Friday, 4/9, 8pm CT – San Antonio Book Festival in conversation with Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Saturday, 4/10, 4pm ET – Brookline Booksmith in conversation with Dr. Meghan Brown, who created the imaginary hummingbird and salamander in the novel; Carl Zimmer moderating

Sunday, 4/11, 6pm PT – Skylight Books and Dynasty Typewriter; Dual Book Release Event with David Duchovny

Monday, 4/12, 6pm PT – Green Apple Books in conversation with Maria Dahvana Headley

Tuesday, 4/13, 5pm PT – Powell’s Books in conversation with Karen Russell

MCD/FSG (US), 4th Estate (UK), and McClelland & Stewart (Canada) covers for Hummingbird Salamander

UK only: Wednesday, 4/14, 7:30pm BST – Waterstones in conversation with David Mitchell

Thursday, 4/15, 6pm CT – BookPeople in conversation with Meg Gardiner

Friday, 4/16, 7pm ET – Literati Bookstore in conversation with Kristen Roupenian

Monday, 4/19, 7pm CT – Magers & Quinn Booksellers with Left Bank Books in conversation with Lili Taylor, Megan Mayhew-Bergman moderating (event listing soon)

Tuesday, 4/20, 5pm MT – Boulder Book Store in conversation with Nathaniel Rich

Thursday, 4/22, 7pm CT – Unabridged Bookstore in conversation with Maryse Meijer

Saturday, 4/24, 2pm PT – Elliott Bay Book Company in conversation with Chuck Wendig

Thursday, 4/29, 7pm ET – Books and Books co-feature with Jonathan Meiburg, author of A Most Amazing Creature

Friday, 5/7, 6pm PT – Bay Area Book Festival in conversation with Nnedi Okorafor, Isabel Yap moderating

Two versions of the Unitopia blueprint: internal document for members & the psychedelic art version giving a nod to the 1960s utopian commune origins of the idea of Unitopia. In the novel Unitopia is a project started by a now-dead eco-activist to try to make the world a better place. Also by Jeremy Zerfoss

The post Jeff VanderMeer’s Hummingbird Salamander tour, appearing with David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Karen Russell, David Mitchell, Nnedi Okorafor, and More appeared first on Jeff VanderMeer.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Hummingbird Salamander tour, with David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Karen Russell, and More

[image error]

I’m hitting the virtual road to celebrate the publication of Hummingbird Salamander. There will be great conversations, signed and personalized bookplates (with pre-registration), and exclusive giveaways of HS stationery, t-shirts, and posters. Don’t miss out!

Signed full color bookplate/postcard; awesome T-shirt design; salabird stationery, all designed by Wonderbook’s Jeremy Zerfoss

The full US book tour line-up is below, with UK and Canadian events too…and you can always find more info and updates for the US here. More events to be added soon.

Tuesday, 4/6, 7:30pm ET – Community Bookstore in conversation with Lydia Millet

Wednesday, 4/7, 7pm ET – Midtown Reader with Ann VanderMeer and questions for the in-conversation from such luminaries as Alton Brown, Mike Flanagan, Joseph Mallozzi, Brianna Wu, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Jhonen Vasquez.

Friday, 4/9, 8pm CT – San Antonio Book Festival in conversation with Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Saturday, 4/10, 4pm ET – Brookline Booksmith in conversation with Dr. Meghan Brown, who created the imaginary hummingbird and salamander in the novel; Carl Zimmer moderating

Sunday, 4/11, 12pm PT – Skylight Books and Dynasty Typewriter with David Duchovny (event listing soon)

Monday, 4/12, 6pm PT – Green Apple Books in conversation with Maria Dahvana Headley

Tuesday, 4/13, 5pm PT – Powell’s Books in conversation with Karen Russell

MCD/FSG (US), 4th Estate (UK), and McClelland & Stewart (Canada) covers for Hummingbird Salamander

UK only: Wednesday, 4/14, 7:30pm BST – Waterstones in conversation with David Mitchell

Thursday, 4/15, 6pm CT – BookPeople in conversation with Meg Gardiner

Friday, 4/16, 7pm ET – Literati Bookstore in conversation with Kristen Roupenian

Monday, 4/19, 7pm CT – Magers & Quinn Booksellers with Left Bank Books in conversation with Lili Taylor, Megan Mayhew-Bergman moderating (event listing soon)

Tuesday, 4/20, 5pm MT – Boulder Book Store in conversation with Nathaniel Rich

Thursday, 4/22, 7pm CT – Unabridged Bookstore in conversation with Maryse Meijer

Saturday, 4/24, 2pm PT – Elliott Bay Book Company in conversation with Chuck Wendig

Thursday, 4/29, 7pm ET – Books and Books co-feature with Jonathan Meiburg, author of A Most Amazing Creature

Friday, 5/7, 6pm PT – Bay Area Book Festival in conversation with Nnedi Okorafor, Isabel Yap moderating

Two versions of the Unitopia blueprint: internal document for members & the psychedelic art version giving a nod to the 1960s utopian commune origins of the idea of Unitopia. In the novel Unitopia is a project started by a now-dead eco-activist to try to make the world a better place. Also by Jeremy Zerfoss

The post Jeff VanderMeer’s Hummingbird Salamander tour, with David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Karen Russell, and More appeared first on Jeff VanderMeer.

Want to Help the Environment? Eight Questions to Get You Started

We face an often bewildering set of environmental challenges–on a local, regional, and global scale. Sometimes that’s enough to freeze you in place and not know where to start. And yet, while no one person can fix the world, everyone can make a difference in some area.

After two years of rewilding our yard to be an ark for wildlife, I’ve given some thought to how I decide what to do–and what not to do. If you’re struggling with where to start, here are eight questions that might just help you narrow things down to a manageable scale.

When considering these questions, recognize that some people have no choice about what they focus on environmentally, because an existential threat looms that directly threatens their health, their lives, their livehoods.

***

1–How much time and what resources can you realistically devote? Being realistic about the number of hours you can spend on a project helps to ensure your effectiveness. Being realistic about money or other resources you can bring to a project is also key. It may be better to under-commit and eventually spend more time and money on something than to, out of a need to be of use, overcommit but not be able to fulfill that commitment. When we talk about environmental projects, where wildlife and habitat may be affected, this is very important.

2–What are you most passionate about? Morale is a powerful driver of effort over time. It is useful if you have joy and energy in accomplishing the tasks associated with the project. To give a small example, if you find weeding out invasive plants excruciating rather than therapeutic, then consider that when deciding what you what to focus the bulk of your time on. Sometimes you just have to gut through unpleasant tasks, but joy has to live in these projects, too.

3–Is there a unique contribution you can make? Especially in a local or regional context, a good question might be: What can you do that no one else is doing? Often, conservation groups, for example, focus on larger land purchases and ignore smaller but valuable land acquisitions. This past year, I helped fund (through contributions and pushing it on social media) two small 12-acre conservation purchases, one in Tallahassee and one in Colombia. Both were below the radar of conservation groups.

4–How urgent is the issue or project you want to tackle? Urgency has to do with whether some situation is irrevocable. For example, if someone wants to create a phosphate mine on your doorstep, that’s an emergency situation where the landscape will be changed for a generation. Or, if sewer renovations near your house may result in mature trees being cut down on an easement (and there’s a more delicate way to handle the operation). On the other hand, if your neighbor starts putting on bright backyard lights that will ultimately make declining firefly populations in your area plummet…you might have a few months until the emergence of fireflies in the spring to convince them to turn them off. Even if it feels like a more pressing issue, because it’s literally affecting your backyard.

5–What are your own strengths and weaknesses? Having a good sense of what you do well and what you don’t do well is important in many contexts in life. When it comes to environmental efforts, this may take the form of what you do in volunteering for an organization. Inasmuch as such organizations have finite resources, you may wind up doing things you have no experience in because there’s no one else to do them. But if you have a choice, it’s wise not to use your activism as an opportunity to achieve some other personal goal. For example, if you’ve never been a graphic designer, using an environmental cause to volunteer to be the one to make fliers would be better left to someone who already has that experience.

6–How much can you handle emotionally? Many people are already on the front lines of an environmental battle, without any choices. But regardless of your situation, it’s difficult not to get very invested in environmental causes–and especially so when you involve yourself in a local effort where you’re “on site,” so to speak, every day. The passion and energy you get from that personal aspect is a good thing–it motivates, it gives you the endurance to see things through. But it can also be exhausting, especially if there are setbacks along the way. It is perfectly fine to factor in stressors along with time and resources when determining what to tackle. Especially in a context where we have so many emergencies due to the climate crisis.

7–Can your project in some way erode toxic systems? We all know the debate about personal responsibility versus the responsibility of corporations and governments to behave in an ethical and life-affirming way. Sometimes your personal project will help directly dismantle toxic systems. Sometimes, however, it’s not that direct, especially on a local level. However, you may still be able to find the sweet spot between your personal commitment to environmental issues and helping to wrong-foot or diminish the effects of larger toxic systems. (This point could be its own essay all by itself, so apologies for the brevity on a complex issue.)

8–Is there a benefit even if you don’t achieve your goal? We can become too invested in a definition of success that is all or nothing. But the fact is many times even a seeming failure can create future success. A local protest over tearing down trees for a stormwater pond failed to save the trees… but woke up a lot of citizens to excesses of local government–and galvanized people to support successful upstart city and county commission candidates. In a different context, an effort to weed out invasive species or pick up litter at a local park that stalls out half-way through would still result in a better park with more value for wildlife.

***

When answering the questions above, you might also consider the following issues:

–Whether or not the project requires buy-in from other people or entities with a stake in the issue. If so, there may be significant planning and communication to achieve the goal on the front end, before you do anything substantive. (For example, wanting to improve water quality and tree cover at a local neighborhood pond.)

—Whether or not the project has an end date. If the project is an ongoing one, you may want to first gather helpers or allies who can assist if your ability to commit your time changes. (For example, weeding out invasive plants at a local park.) Try to visualize where your project will be in 20 years and how it would continue to be sustained.

—Whether or not others are already making the same or similar effort. Even conservation groups sometimes clash and if your project isn’t limited to your yard, you may need to research the history of and current status of efforts to do the same or similar thing in your area. For those not already coming from an indigenous and/or a social justice perspective on a particular issue, you should make sure you are tune with and respectful of those points of view. (Which are integral to a full perspective and to climate crisis solutions.)

***

As may be clear from the examples I’ve used, the word “project” can mean something as small as buying and caring for a pot of wildflowers for an apartment balcony or as large as spearheading the clean-up and rewilding of fifty acres of land. It can mean regular contributions to an environmental organization coupled with you supporting those contributions in some way with your time. It can mean running for some role in city government that has a large environmental impact–or organizing protests or boycotts. It can mean citizen action to stop a city or county from using herbicides in public parks. It can mean being a proactive advocate for legislation at the state level. It can mean organizing a neighborhood to stop a grove of mature trees from being cut down to build a bank.

Although you may have the most impact on local or regional issues (which can definitely feed into larger systemic reform), I highly recommend balancing those commitments with national or global efforts, if that is possible. In addition, I find that here in the US even small contributions to the Center for Biological Diversity, Audubon, the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy or similar organizations and/or becoming active for the local chapters of national/international conservation groups is both useful and educational. (As always, do your research to find the best fit.)

The point is, there are so many ways to make a difference. Figuring out what works best for you, balanced with what will make the greatest impact, not only helps the environment–it may also help with any anxiety about these issues and your role through better clarity on your focus and goals.

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Yard Restoration for Wildlife: 10 Do’s and Don’ts

Many people want to know how to help wildlife, whether it’s birds and butterflies–or larger folk, like the raccoon that rang our doorbell at four in the morning. One of the best ways, if you control even a small amount of property, is to manage that property in the best interests of wildlife–which, in turn, is usually the healthiest for you, as well.

But how do you start? How much will it cost in time and money? The good news is it might not cost anything at all, at first. What it might require is to not do tasks that have unfortunately become engrained in our psyche as “responsibilities” when you have a yard.

I’ll post more complex information about yard restoration in the coming months, but for now here’s a simple DO and DON’T list that will help get you started.

DO

—Evaluate the wildlife use of the elements in your yard. Any beneficial impact you can have is dependent on the specifics of your particular space. Don’t know what wildlife already uses the yard? Get a trail cam and find out. Not sure if that non-native bush should be replaced with something more useful? Make sure it’s not actually already good habitat for nesting birds. About to move that log pile somewhere less conspicuous? Make sure there isn’t a box turtle hibernating underneath it. In short, especially for major changes, make sure you have a good sense of what you might be removing that’s beneficial in your particular context. (That said, all the tips below are about removing poison and adding value.)

—Put out clean water in bird baths at various heights for animals, birds, and, yes, butterflies. While feeding wildlife is generally illegal, animals do need clean water as the foundation of any sanctuary. Be sure to only do what you can maintain–bird baths need to be dumped, refilled, and cleaned regularly so the water is fresh and so they don’t harbor mosquitos.

—Leave logs and branches in the yard. A pile of logs or a pile of branches is a kind of micro-habitat that particular birds and other animals will use, especially in winter. Birds like woodpeckers will appreciate the food source of the insects in the dead wood.

—Put up a bird feeder. While many birds will be able to find food in your yard if you follow the recommendations in this post, bird feeders are important in that changing weather patterns and development are making food sources less secure for birds all over the world. Research suggests that bird feeders only supplement and do not replace birds’ diets. In other words, they don’t become dependent on the feeder. For best practices on bird feeders, read this Audubon article.

—Plant native wildflowers, bushes, and trees. Even a small area devoted to new plantings can help your yard be a more robust habitat. Native plantings are the most reward for the effort and require the least maintenance, besides any recommended watering. Here in the US, a native generally refers to any plant indigenous prior to the invasion of North America by Europeans . An invasive plant refers to those non-native plants officially designated as Class 1 or Class 2 invasives by a government entity (for example, the State of Florida). Not every introduced plant is classified as invasive. Native plants are preferred because they can host many more species of butterfly, bee, etc., than non-natives. Invasives often crowd out or in other ways kill off native plants. You can find more information here.

DON’T

As noted, most don’ts save you time and money, while benefiting the nature in your yard.

—Discontinue use of any herbicides. Unfortunately, none of the chemicals in these products are safe. Blanket application of herbicides will poison birds, affect butterfly caterpillars, and may contaminate water sources. Many of the products legal in the US are currently illegal in other countries. Spot application of herbicide to, for example, paint the stump of an invasive tree, is an example of a targeted use as opposed to a wider and more harmful application.

—Discontinue use of outdoor pesticides. Unfortunately, pest control companies have become very aggressive about selling services using chemicals that are potentially harmful to you and your pets, as well as wildlife. Any outdoor general spraying will harm your yard and any pesticide that boasts it kills hundreds of kinds of insects will definitely also harm you and your pets. Instead, consider targeted application of a substance like boric acid to a particular insect problem if it arises. This is not just cheaper but also will make your yard safe for wildlife.

—Limit use of fertilizer. Commercial, chemical fertilizer is a major source of water pollution and is often both overused and unnecessary. It weakens the soil over time, requiring even more fertilizer use. The best way to not use fertilizer is to research the soil in your yard and plant native plants that do well in that kind of soil.

—Stop bagging dead leaves. Even if you can’t keep dead leaves across your entire yard, retaining them by raking them into certain areas helps preserve a more complex ecosystem. That layer of dead leaves is important for fireflies and other insects as well as the birds that feed on what lives in the dead leaves (and cheaper than bird seed).

—Reconsider frequency and duration of most mowing and weedwacking. Even with upgrades to electric-powered equipment, mowing and weedwacking inflict a certain amount of violence on your yard. The sound alone can discourage birds and other wildlife, while the use of a mower or weedwacker to cut up fallen leaves destroys habitat for fireflies, kills caterpillars, and in general disrupts the equilibrium of the yard. Gas-powered equipment also pollutes your yard and poisons butterflies and bees. The best way to stop mowing is to start “decommissioning” the parts of the yard that are grass–which is the least useful part of your yard for wildlife anyway.

***

It’s certainly true that HOAs and other neighborhood situations can limit what you can do, but there are also often creative ways around those limitations. For example, choosing native wildflowers that don’t grow too high and planting them in flower beds that have the regular and tidy look HOAs prefer. (One bonus tip, too: Turn off your outdoor lights or have them motion-activated, to avoid killing pollinating moths, fireflies, and driving flying squirrels away.)

If attempting a small project, you probably don’t need to let your neighbors know. For larger projects, getting your neighbors’ buy-in certainly helps. And knowing whether they use herbicide or pesticide–and if so, whether they’re willing to reduce or stop this use–is important since it could impact the life in your yard.

Whatever you do, large or small, will help some organism’s life become just a little easier. That’s the beauty of restoration or as some call it “rewilding”–nature will find a way, given half a chance.

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2020 VanderMeer Creative Spotlight Award Winners

Ann and Jeff VanderMeer consider it vital, as part of the literary community, to support writers in that community. During these uncertain times it is even more important to recognize talent and reward it for creativity and risk-taking. Every year, the VanderMeer Creative Spotlight Award, consisting of $1,000 and a medallion, will provide an extra boost to writers they feel are doing great work and deserve wider reader recognition.

This year’s Spotlight Award recipients are Martha Grover and Kai Ashante Wilson.

Marth Grover

Martha Grover is an author, poet, and folk artist living in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of two memoirs: One More for the People (Perfect Day Publishing) and The End of My Career (Perfect Day Publishing). The End of My Career was a finalist for the Oregon Book Awards in 2017. Grover’s work has also appeared in The Collagist, Vol.1 Brooklyn, and The Portland Mercury. She has been publishing her zine, Somnambulist, since 2003 and is currently at work on a fantasy novel called The Marvels of Hataron. Her third book of poetry and lyric essays, How I Survived, will be published in 2021.

Kai Ashante Wilson

Kai Ashante Wilson is a fiction writer living in New York City. The 2010 Octavia Butler scholar at the Clarion writing workshop, Wilson won the Crawford award for best first novel of 2016, and his works have been shortlisted for the Hugo, Nebula, Shirley Jackson, Theodore Sturgeon, Locus, and World Fantasy awards. Most of his stories can be read, gratis, at Tor.com. His novellas The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps and A Taste of Honey have received wide critical acclaim.

VanderMeer Creative represents the creative endeavors of Ann and Jeff VanderMeer and engages in charitable giving to arts organizations, environmental groups, and political efforts on a local, national, and international level.

pressinfo@vandermeercreative.com
POB 38190, Tallahassee, FL 32315 USA

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The VanderMeer Holiday Gift Guide

It’s been a busy year for us! So this holiday season, we’re blessed with a variety of new releases that make excellent gifts. Just remember to order early to ensure on-time delivery. Thanks for your support. For most of our books, a percentage of royalties go to environmental causes. You’ve helped us make a real difference in the world.

If you’d like a personalized copy, please order from Midtown Reader. They ship all over the world. If your country isn’t on the list, just email them at liz@midtownreader.com for shipping details. Even though special offer details are not specifically listed on their site, the following books do come with extras like stickers or illustration booklets: A Peculiar Peril, Ambergris, Dead Astronauts. We also have ink stamps particular to each book that we will add to the personalization.

Also, don’t forget that you can order our Jesse Bun line of merchandise, all proceeds going to our regional wildlife rescue organization. And if you want to support the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, inspiration for Annihilation, you can order an Area X t-shirt, sweat shirt, or tote bag. St. Marks also ships all over the world and has friendly and personal service.

We appreciate your support and patronage. We also appreciate how many of our readers follow us on social media. You’ve made this year much better for us with your wonderful sense of play and your passion for the written word.

Much Love,
Ann & Jeff VanderMeer

For the Lover of Fantasy Misadventures



[image error] A Peculiar Peril

A Peculiar Peril chronicles the increasingly fraught quest of Jonathan Lambshead to retrieve a magical Golden Sphere that doesn’t want to be caught. With Aleister Crowley and others in hot pursuit across an transformed Europe on the alt-Earth of Aurora, you’re liable to run into a variety of odd and yet endearing characters. Whether it be amphibious Kafka, Ruthless the monster with the limitless pouch, or the giant marmots foretold of in old books of magic, A Peculiar Peril is a good-natured, exciting romp for adults and children of all ages.

“Equal parts The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Matt Groening’s Futurama, Mary Poppins (or is it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?), Curse of Chucky, Alice in Wonderland, and David Lynch’s hallucinatory adaptation of Dune. It is, in sum, a heck of a lot of fun.”

— The New York Times

For The Short Story Afficionado



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The Big Book of Classic Fantasy and The Big Book of Modern Fantasy constitute an unparalleled achievement: a million words of fantasy fiction, showing the depth and breadth of the genre over the past 200 years. This two-volume set includes never-before-seen translations into English, forgotten gems, and iconic stories from long-time favorites. The ultimate gift for the short story lover in your life. The Big Book of Classic Fantasy was a finalist for the World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy awards.

“A must-have!”

— Publishers Weekly

“Judicious selectivity, fine taste, and rigorous sense of inclusiveness.”

— Locus

For that Immersive Century-Spanning Reading Experience



[image error] Ambergris

Return to the iconic setting, the imaginary city of Ambergris, with its secrets, intrigue, odd festivals, and eccentric characters. The cult classic that started it all, now in one amazing, collectible hardcover edition. What is The Silence and why does it so haunt the city? What is happening in the underground? Will a war between publishing houses hold the key to Ambergris’ survival? What do squid and fungi have to do with it. By turns a sprawling dysfunctional family chronicle, chilling historical mystery, and noir fantasy, Ambergris contains a cast of thousands and the answers to all things…

“Ambergris is one of my favourite haunts in fiction.”

— China Miéville

“Fiction to stand alongside that of Borges and Calvino.”

— The Guardian

For the Environmentalist and Lover of Poetic Prose



[image error] Dead Astronauts

Dead Astronauts is a kaleidoscopic, epic narrative chronicling the attempts of three deeply damaged characters to overthrow the Company destroying the Earth across all the timelines. An exploration of the inhuman and the non-human, and the ways we try to fight for a better world. Meet a cosmic blue fox, a woman made of moss, a dark bird bringing vengeance, and a huge goliath of a fish—in a city torn apart by war and climate change, but still soldiering on. A finalist for the Locus Award and the Neukom Award. Available in both hardcover and trade paperback. For the limited edition, click here.

“Profoundly emotional—a new narrative form.”

— NPR

“Vivid and genuinely moving.”

— Entertainment Weekly

For Fans of The X-Files and the Annihilation Movie from Paramount



[image error]Area X

Area X collects all three NYT-bestselling Southern Reach novels in the preferred author’s versions. A mind-bending exploration of human and alien motivation, centered around a secret agency’s exploration of the odd events occurring behind an invisible wall in a remote part of North Florida. Awe-inspiring, terrifying, and now lovingly presented in this beautiful hardcover that forms a matching set design-wise with Ambergris.

“I always quite liked working in the Southern Reach. Me and the mouse. Until I didn’t.”

— Whitby

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St. Marks Wildlife Refuge: Official Area X T-Shirt!

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There’s now an official Area X T-shirt, available at the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge visitor’s center here in North Florida. As some of you may know, the refuge is the main influence on the Southern Reach trilogy. All proceeds from T-shirt sales go to helping maintain the lighthouse and the refuge. Thanks to the Friends of the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge for their interest.

Here’s the information. Please query as indicated for other payment options and for possible overseas delivery. – JeffV

***

The shirts are Gilden Ultra Cotton shirts. Sizing is unisex.

The Cost:

$18 + tax ($1.26) for sizes S, M, L, XL

$20 + tax ($1.40) for size XXL

Domestic shipping via USPS:

$5.50 per shirt for 1 or 2 shirts. They will be send individually by first class mail.

$14.50 for 3-6 shirts to one location. They will be sent in a priority mail box.

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To order:

We’d love you to visit us at the Refuge and buy the shirt in person, where we accept cash, checks, or credit/debit cards. However, next best is to send us a check or money order made out to: SMRA (that stands for St. Marks Refuge Association).

Please type or print clearly the number of shirts & the sizes you want. Include the address you want them shipped to. Also, please list a phone number or email address in case we need to contact you about the order. Send payment and info to this address:

Nature Store Manager

P.O. Box 368

St. Marks, FL 32355

If that’s not possible, email wildsideorders@gmail.com. We’re working on another payment option.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Jeff VanderMeer for his encouragement and his support of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

The Nature Store at St. Marks NWR is a project of the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge and is run totally by volunteers, so all profits directly benefit the Wildlife Refuge. Thank you for helping us help the Refuge!

–Rita, Volunteer Nature Store Manager

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