Ellen Datlow's Blog, page 41
November 22, 2010
one more movie and lots more work -reading
Yes, very boring. I worked a lot over the weekend (which means reading for the Best Horror #3) but I got to watch one other movie.
I re-watched A History of Violence directed by David Cronenberg and based on a graphic novel I've not read. I enjoyed the movie as much as I did the first time I saw it on the big screen. Great acting by Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, and Ed Harris.
Seemingly mild-mannered family man and diner owner in a rural town becomes local hero when he kills a couple of thugs who try to rob the place and commit mayhem. Soon, there's a visit from out of town thugs who say he's a different guy from Phillie. Really well-done.
I read stories from a number of single author collections. So far, best horror collection of the year, hands down is Laird Barron's Occultation. There are three originals in it and one reprint that appeared for the first time in S.T. Joshi's Lovecraftian anthology (2010), Black Wings. And four stories I published in previous years.
I started reading a couple of other collections and found the stories so unremittingly depressing that I had to skip to some other books.
Right now I'm about 3/4 of the way through the excellent (but mostly not horror) original anthology Songs of Love and Dying edited by George R. R. Martina and Gardner Dozois. The stories are interesting and varied, and although the cover sort of implies that the book is paranormal romance, it's not. Most of the stories so far are dark fantasy and there are at least two hard-edged horror stories by M.L.N. Hanover (a pseudonym) and Marjorie M. Liu. I'll finish the last six stories tomorrow.
I re-watched A History of Violence directed by David Cronenberg and based on a graphic novel I've not read. I enjoyed the movie as much as I did the first time I saw it on the big screen. Great acting by Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, and Ed Harris.
Seemingly mild-mannered family man and diner owner in a rural town becomes local hero when he kills a couple of thugs who try to rob the place and commit mayhem. Soon, there's a visit from out of town thugs who say he's a different guy from Phillie. Really well-done.
I read stories from a number of single author collections. So far, best horror collection of the year, hands down is Laird Barron's Occultation. There are three originals in it and one reprint that appeared for the first time in S.T. Joshi's Lovecraftian anthology (2010), Black Wings. And four stories I published in previous years.
I started reading a couple of other collections and found the stories so unremittingly depressing that I had to skip to some other books.
Right now I'm about 3/4 of the way through the excellent (but mostly not horror) original anthology Songs of Love and Dying edited by George R. R. Martina and Gardner Dozois. The stories are interesting and varied, and although the cover sort of implies that the book is paranormal romance, it's not. Most of the stories so far are dark fantasy and there are at least two hard-edged horror stories by M.L.N. Hanover (a pseudonym) and Marjorie M. Liu. I'll finish the last six stories tomorrow.
November 20, 2010
ohhhhhhh. Babies
And is this series of photos don't ring your chimes, you're heartless : BABIES!!!!
also via jezebel
Ok ok. Back to work NOW!
also via jezebel
Ok ok. Back to work NOW!
Oh my
If there's ever a book of this I WANT it The Surprisingly Well-Dressed 1940s Squirrel
Via jezebel
And in other news, my mother found the missing frying pan (missing only for a few hours--she found it, where she'd put it--in the oven with the other pots and pans, but put it so far back she couldn't see it. Hysteria averted.
I've been reading reading reading and writing writing writing (Best of the Year stuff) and will be all weekend except evenings. Tonight I watched the Japanese movie Pulse nicely done creepy ghost stuff--makes marginally more sense than many of that type of Japanese movie. People on commuters start seeing things in them (variation on the video theme), kill themselves or just disappear.
And Fallen Angel with the heartthrob of my youth, Dana Andrews, plus Linda Darnell, Alice Faye, and Charles Bickford. Noir but not too noir. Broke bounder gets stuck in a small town 100 miles out of SF, becomes obsessed with hot waitress babe Linda Darnell. Trouble ensues.
Now... back to work.
Via jezebel
And in other news, my mother found the missing frying pan (missing only for a few hours--she found it, where she'd put it--in the oven with the other pots and pans, but put it so far back she couldn't see it. Hysteria averted.
I've been reading reading reading and writing writing writing (Best of the Year stuff) and will be all weekend except evenings. Tonight I watched the Japanese movie Pulse nicely done creepy ghost stuff--makes marginally more sense than many of that type of Japanese movie. People on commuters start seeing things in them (variation on the video theme), kill themselves or just disappear.
And Fallen Angel with the heartthrob of my youth, Dana Andrews, plus Linda Darnell, Alice Faye, and Charles Bickford. Noir but not too noir. Broke bounder gets stuck in a small town 100 miles out of SF, becomes obsessed with hot waitress babe Linda Darnell. Trouble ensues.
Now... back to work.
November 18, 2010
Some amazing photography
Some of these photos are just stunning: Earth From Above, a collection of aerial photography produced by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
via Gardner Dozois
via Gardner Dozois
November 17, 2010
Swamp & the city
Here are the two batches of photos I took of the city itself (mostly French Quarter) and the Honey Island Swamp.
http://tinyurl.com/23skx44
http://tinyurl.com/2a8jl9o
http://tinyurl.com/23skx44
http://tinyurl.com/2a8jl9o
November 16, 2010
Photos from New Orleans
There are of people--the swamp tour and buildings of NO will come later.
I didn't take many photos at the party-I was having too good a time. There were about 200 people there, more than half of whom I know (or know of) Some of the guests at Neil's birthday and in the French Quarter over the next few days
I didn't take many photos at the party-I was having too good a time. There were about 200 people there, more than half of whom I know (or know of) Some of the guests at Neil's birthday and in the French Quarter over the next few days
FANTASTIC FICTION at KGB November 17th
FANTASTIC FICTION at KGB reading series, hosts
Ellen Datlow and Matthew Kressel
present:
Kathe Koja's Under the Poppy, her first historical novel, has just been published by Small Beer Press, and has been
adapted for an immersive stage
production slated for 2011 at the Detroit Opera House.
&
Ben H. Winters is the author of two "mash-up" novels, Android Karenina and
the New York Times bestselling Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, plus the just-published novel for
young readers, The Secret Life of Ms.
Finkleman. Ben's plays and musicals, including Uncle Pirate, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, and Breaking Up is Hard To Do,have been produced Off
Broadway and around the country.
Books will be for sale by Bluestockings
Wednesday November 17th, 7pm at
KGB Bar, 85 East 4th Street (just off 2nd Ave, upstairs.)
www.kgbfantasticfiction.org
Subscribe to our mailing list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kgbfantasticfiction/
Readings are free
Forward to friends at your own discretion.
Sponsored in part by Cemetery Dance Publications
Ellen Datlow and Matthew Kressel
present:
Kathe Koja's Under the Poppy, her first historical novel, has just been published by Small Beer Press, and has been
adapted for an immersive stage
production slated for 2011 at the Detroit Opera House.
&
Ben H. Winters is the author of two "mash-up" novels, Android Karenina and
the New York Times bestselling Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, plus the just-published novel for
young readers, The Secret Life of Ms.
Finkleman. Ben's plays and musicals, including Uncle Pirate, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, and Breaking Up is Hard To Do,have been produced Off
Broadway and around the country.
Books will be for sale by Bluestockings
Wednesday November 17th, 7pm at
KGB Bar, 85 East 4th Street (just off 2nd Ave, upstairs.)
www.kgbfantasticfiction.org
Subscribe to our mailing list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kgbfantasticfiction/
Readings are free
Forward to friends at your own discretion.
Sponsored in part by Cemetery Dance Publications
November 15, 2010
More food down in New Orleans
The party was fantastic, with loads of people I hadn't expected to see and some I knew were coming. The food was catered by Green Goddess, with Chef Chris DeBarr in charge, and was excellent. More about it later because I ate at the restaurant twice on Friday. I took some photos at the party and during the whole four days... they will be posted later.
Dinner at Bayona where I ate the best pork chop I have ever eaten in my life.
Friday some shopping, breakfast at Cafe Beignet, where several guests from the other hotel seemed to hang out, including Neil. Lunch at Green Goddess, which is located in a sweet little alleyway. I had a ploughman's lunch with two excellent cheeses, two types of sausage, a wonderful salami plus home made potato chips. All delicious. And the dinner at Green Goddess--yes again. Where we were joined by Gary Wolfe, Peter Nicholls, and Clare Coney and had some variations of the food we ate at the party. That food was wonderful but still, mass produced. We ordered five dishes --including the shrimp in grass skirts (a dish I particularly loved). I'm bad at describing food, so just let me say they were in a divine sauce that was not too heavy. We also had the bison meatloaf with twice baked potato, asparagus wrapped in bacon, the chanterelle salad,and Cochon de Lait/Lei, smoked pulled pork. We then ordered a cheese plate that was really lovely, then desert, including the bacon ice cream sundae, Chocolate Norwegian-French Toast, and my favorite: The Sultan's Nest (Pistachio Gelato & Whipped Cream "Wearing a Crown" of Shredded Phyllo & Honey Infused with Saffron, Candied Yuzu Peel & Orange Blossom Water).
And of course we drank.
If you go to New Orleans, make sure you go to Green Goddess and Bayona .
Finally had my oysters on the half shell Saturday for lunch, before leaving. Yum.
No success in finding any gator skulls without skin. I did buy a few voodoo dolls, one with a gator head (not real). And an interesting wooden object.
Dinner at Bayona where I ate the best pork chop I have ever eaten in my life.
Friday some shopping, breakfast at Cafe Beignet, where several guests from the other hotel seemed to hang out, including Neil. Lunch at Green Goddess, which is located in a sweet little alleyway. I had a ploughman's lunch with two excellent cheeses, two types of sausage, a wonderful salami plus home made potato chips. All delicious. And the dinner at Green Goddess--yes again. Where we were joined by Gary Wolfe, Peter Nicholls, and Clare Coney and had some variations of the food we ate at the party. That food was wonderful but still, mass produced. We ordered five dishes --including the shrimp in grass skirts (a dish I particularly loved). I'm bad at describing food, so just let me say they were in a divine sauce that was not too heavy. We also had the bison meatloaf with twice baked potato, asparagus wrapped in bacon, the chanterelle salad,and Cochon de Lait/Lei, smoked pulled pork. We then ordered a cheese plate that was really lovely, then desert, including the bacon ice cream sundae, Chocolate Norwegian-French Toast, and my favorite: The Sultan's Nest (Pistachio Gelato & Whipped Cream "Wearing a Crown" of Shredded Phyllo & Honey Infused with Saffron, Candied Yuzu Peel & Orange Blossom Water).
And of course we drank.
If you go to New Orleans, make sure you go to Green Goddess and Bayona .
Finally had my oysters on the half shell Saturday for lunch, before leaving. Yum.
No success in finding any gator skulls without skin. I did buy a few voodoo dolls, one with a gator head (not real). And an interesting wooden object.
November 14, 2010
Dolls Dolls Dolls and automata
I would love to have tons 'o money to buy some of what's featured on Chomick+Meder, an aggregate site bursting with amazing links to creators of dolls and automata.
thanks to Jonathan Carroll
thanks to Jonathan Carroll
