Odds ‘n’ Ends
(As you can see from this photo taken on the way to St. George Island, I’m among Ann’s odds and ends.)
This is a kind of odds-and-ends week as I begin work again on a new short novel called “Borne” and take care of some other random obligations. A few realizations from the weekend.
– I’m working too hard and have to slow down.
– The 60 in 60 has broken me; it’ll start up again soonish, but won’t be daily.
– Star Trek the reboot was good but not great, mainly ’cause of stupid villain stuff.
– Role Models was pretty darn hilarious, and Sarah Marshall well nigh almost tragic, oddly enough.
– It’s time to start hiking again, since it’s gotten hot as hell here in Florida. Woo-hoo! Bring on the bears.
– the intertubes are beginning to invade my brain too much.
– Derek Raymond’s I Was Dora Suarez is possibly the best noir horror novel I’ve ever read.
– I’m working too hard and have to slow down.
One fun thing I’m working on is setting up the joint book tour in the fall/winter for my novel Finch and for Booklife: Strategies & Survival Tips for 21st-Century Writers. I’ll be on the road four to five weeks, driving across the entire country. Tentative gigs thus far (don’t quote me yet) include venues like Powells, the Library of Congress, the University Bookstore (Seattle), and a couple of universities. Cities tentatively include everywhere from Portland to Salt Lake City, Denver to Chicago, Asheville to New York City. It’s a fairly robust schedule, with the potential for 20 to 30 stops. (Since I’m still setting this up with Underland and Tachyon, drop me a line if you’d like to see me come to your fair city: vanderworld at hotmail.com. Both in terms of venues and potential places to crash for a night or two; yep, it’s the very definition of indie tour, and I like it that way…)
Also, just got in Conjunctions 52: Betwixt the Between–Impossible Realism, which includes my story “Predecessor,” and Geoff Manaugh’s The Bldg Blog Book, both of which I hope to blog about later this week.
Have yourself a good little Monday. What’ve you been up to?
18 comments on “Odds ‘n’ Ends”
This juxtaposition cracked me up:
“I’m working too hard and have to slow down…. I’ll be on the road four to five weeks, driving across the entire country.”
j
That’s why I’m slowing down now, Jeremy! Although I’m not unaware of the irony. LOL.
If you could make it to Prairie Lights or a UIowa stop in Iowa City it’d kinda sorta make my year :)
I like it’s an indie tour. Keep it real! Who needs roadies?
A shame about the 60 in 60. A good thing that you’re taking it a bit easier, though. Rest is important. When was the last time you had 3-4 weeks of doing nothing?
Transfiguring: Never. I will still do the last of the 60, and read them the same day I blog about them. But something in my brain has gotten bruised this year from all the deadlines and I need to be protective of what remains of my imagination.
Annie: I have a few fans there. I’ll see what I can do re Prairie Lights.
In an act of anticipatory plagiarism, you’ve already put Seattle on your itinerary, obviating my request. I’m looking forward to taking part in the hoopla, but give me a heads-up if the monkey’s gonna be joining you so I can update my vaccinations.
keeping my fingers crossed for a Detroit-area stop on the Vandertour.
Possibly close to Detroit. We’ll see.
Sure hope you’re coming to the San Francisco area — Borderlands Books, perhaps?
can you make a smaallll detour to south-eastern australia?
what did i do this weekend? washed the car. it rained and then a bird crapped on it.
peace and love…..
Thanks for asking. Well, I’m critiquing four novels this weekend at a retreat. I only have 230 more pages to read between now and Thursday to finish up, along with the day job, the night job, and the home life. Don’t mind the drool on the pages, that’s just where I feel over. It’s not so much burning the candle at both ends as lighting the candle with a blow torch and then opening up the nearby oxygen cylinder.
I’m looking forward to the BLDG BLOG book, so when you do blog about it… blog hard.
Come to San Diego! I’m sure Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore would be pleased to host you. I certainly want to say hello and shake your hand… and get some autographs as well. ;)
In the meantime, take it easy – what an accomplishment to have two books done at about the same time.
And thanks for Secret Lives – I read it the moment I extracted it from its package, and it was utterly delightful. Lovin’ your work more and more.
I second the bay area and Borderlands. Hope to be able to make it over myself this time.
I’ll definitely come to San Diego.
How about a book signing outside that Creationist Museum in Kentucky? :P
Might be able to attend a signing in Nashville if you have one there, but my new job will mean that I wouldn’t have much time to go from work to any place like Davis-Kidd, for example. Still…would there be squid on display at one of your signings?
Comments are closed.