Liz Williams's Blog, page 55

Visitors

Yesterday, in his address, Philip C-G mentioned that there was something to celebrate: it's now umpty-hundred years since we got rid of the Romans. Cue a cry from the back of the hall in an Italian accent: "And now - we're back!"

We have had 40 Italian druids in town this weekend. They did a lovely dance presentation this morning, looking very Vestal (OK, wrong pantheon - but we're not worried about that these days).

Summer Assembly

A slightly more coherent post, although not very, as I have druid jet-lag.

We spent yesterday at the Assembly, preparing for a ritual at the top of the Tor in the afternoon (sunny until we finished, but graced with lots of dancing fritillaries), then at the evening's entertainment. After an hour's sleep, I got up at 3.15 and went back into town to catch the bus to Stonehenge - there were 150 of us, in the end. We did get in, although it's infuriating to have been doing this on the same weekend f

mevennen @ 2009-06-14T06:31:00

We got in. Just as well. A good ceremony had by all. Now need coffee

mevennen @ 2009-06-14T04:42:00

It is five in the morning. I am sitting on a bus outside stonehenge. The driver of the bus is engaging with the stonehenge gate guard who is refusing to let anyone in until nine am even though we have booked. He is about to meet over fifty really irked druids. Wish is luck.

Cue for Pseud's Corner

This was originally posted in reply to a very interesting post of steepholm's regarding C S Lewis and a book by Michael Ward that connects the Narnia series to the planets.

The trouble is that people assume that writers have everything in conscious awareness all the time. We don't. I am, personally, a lot less aware than people give me credit for, both as a writer and as a magician (for want of a better word). I have vague tendencies towards something - a metaphor, an idea, an experience. I know

Hmmmm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1192503/Close-encounter-rock-kind-Schoolboy-survives-direct-hit-meteorite-travelling-30-000mph.html

It's hard to know what to say, except 'you were bloody lucky.'

Hell of an excuse for not delivering your homework, though.

SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH

grrm has just posted this:

"should mention that the Subterranean Press editions of our Jack Vance tribute anthology, SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH, are not the only versions. Luitingh will be offering a Dutch translation of the book in the Netherlands, Tor will be doing a trade hardback and trade paperback in 2010 and a mass market paperback the following year... and Harper Collins Voyager will be publishing the title in the UK, for all Jack's British and Australian fans..."

As you know, I have a story

Whine du jour

In celebration of this being once again Moaning Old Git day over on Glastonbury Radio (12 pm - check them out), I have decided to rechristen this 'Whineday' rather than Wednesday.

So here's my moan of the week, which I've already sent in to nomadrush.

I was reading a magazine interview yesterday with some woman who said that it's wonderful having children, as 'you don't think about yourself 24/7 any more.' I don't have kids, and I don't think about myself 24/7 either - with parents in their 80s,

And finally...

...before I head for bed, here is something to which some of the f-list may relate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7MuwPlOiNQ&feature=channel_page

Bookses

I gather that SHADOW PAVILION is back from the printers and should be released Real Soon Now if it hasn't been already. Thanks for your patience on this one, folks.

I've also sent sample chapters of DIARY OF A WITCHCRAFT SHOP off to the publisher who requested them - so fingers crossed.