I finally made a decision on what books go best with Stone’s amazing 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale. Go take a look.

At base, I was reminded of Guinness, in that the foundation has that kind of firm, comforting flatness. But over top of that, there’s a slow-motion carnival going on. There’s a definite disappearing horizon of spice in there–it’s just a hint but emphatic–and then as your taste buds encounter the beer fully there’s an energy and a uniqueness that’s difficult to describe. The taste tends to gather and grow, until you go from something that has a friendly broad flavor to something that would make a Pinback song or Frank Zappa solo look simple–without descending into chaos. There’s a definite analogy to tasting a good wine, in that there’s such a confluence of different grace notes and things to experience. Again, difficult to describe, but if I had to sum it up, it’s like a great orchestra piece, with many different instruments coming into play, that starts out slowly and simply, and then builds to a crescendo that’s never overwrought or melodramatic.

If you were to describe your favorite 2009 book as a wine, beer, type of liquor, or mixed drink, what would that description be?

One of my favorite bands, Murder by Death, has made their utterly kick-ass (and beautiful) instrumental soundtrack for my novel Finch available on the internet. You can share it, download it, or buy the actual CD. There’s also a green vinyl limited edition–scroll down. (You also get the CD with either of the two limited edition hardcovers from Underland Press.)

I’ve already written about the soundtrack before, but I’ll just add that it’s truly haunting and layered and both bold and melancholy. I can’t stop listening to it, and neither can Ann. Check it out, and let me know what you think. If you like it, I hope you’ll spread it around–it’s a great introduction for listeners not familiar with MBD, and further evidence to long-time fans of just how good they are…

(Cover of the green vinyl version.)

Finch is out November 3rd, and you can sample it and preorder below. Preorders on Amazon and Indiebound will help generate additional interest in the book from those venues. Thanks! (Apologies for being a bit of a broken record of late–it’ll die down to a dull roar after the book’s release.)

–Finch excerpt
–Finch from Amazon
–Finch from Indiebound
–Finch limited editions (Rebel Samizdat / Heretic), with MBD soundtrack
–Finch press kit

“Finch is a head-trip of the highest order—rich, complex, thoughtful and deeply intriguing. The novel’s twisting alleys echo with the vibes of Kafka and Peake, Chandler and Borges, Orwell and Burroughs, but VanderMeer is an original. This haunting story is an unsettling mystery about, I’d argue, evolution, mutation, identity, control and rebellion, and dissolution. In Ambergris, Mr. V has created a hauntingly alien world that—for all its viral, fungal darkness—sometimes feels like a visit to the darkest corners of our contemporary reality. VanderMeer is a visionary and Finch is a riveting work of profound imagination.” – Jack O’Connell

Okay, so I was bad and splurged today. I went down to Vinyl Fever, where my stepdaughter Erin used to work, and I bought Richard Thompson’s box set Walking on a Wire: 1968-2009 and The Kinks’ Picture Book (from their first record to their last–SIX CDs of amazing music). I basically took out a loan on some of the money coming to me from my work on [REDACTED--classified], for which a check will be coming soon courtesy of Bli-[REDACTED--classified], Mi-[REDACTED--classified], and T-[REDACTED--classified].

I’m glad I did. Both collections are thoroughbreds through-and-through. The Kinks’ retrospective in particular puts the lie to the idea that they didn’t create great music on their last few albums. Songs like “Heart of Gold,” “The Informer,” “Scattered,” and “Come Dancing” are brilliant, as is the under-appreciated classic “Summer’s Gone.” “Drift Away” is also great, and “Million Pound Semi-Detached,” never before released in the U.S., is another classic Kinks tune. From garage rock to Britpop to grunge to you-name-it, The Kinks did it, and they’ve been a huge part of my life, from my teen years until now–with Ray Davies’ two great solo CDs making up a little for The Kinks having disbanded. “Scattered” from their great last stand of a CD, Phobia, is still one of my favorite songs of all time. Great melody, great chorus, and brilliant lyrics. It makes me smile and sad at the same time every time I hear it–happy because it’s such a wonderful song and sad because it was the last track on the last CD The Kinks ever put out. (You can see the video here, which isn’t all that great, but at least allows you to hear the song; lyrics here.)

The Richard Thompson collection is, of course, just as good, if in a different direction: using British folk as a lightning rod for creating amazing rock songs with a depth and relevance rarely achieved by anyone else, anchored by Thompson’s signature guitarwork. It, too, provides ample evidence for the folk singer turned rock icon not having shoved off to the Gray Lands on his latter albums. Three tracks with Danny Thompson–”Last Shift,” “Big Chimney,” and “Lotteryland”–prove that, along with “Bathsheba Smiles,” “Cooksferry Queen,” and “She Sang Angels to Rest.” The thing about even Thompson’s ballads is that they usually have a musical complexity, and his voice remains a potent instrument. (You can watch the official video for one of my favorites of his, “I Feel So Good,” here.)

(The booklets that accompany the boxed sets.)

Both collections include a number of classics, as you might expect. On Walking on a Wire, you get “The Calvary Cross,” “Strange Affair,” Waltzing’s for Dreamers,” “Tear Stained Letter,” “Shoot out the Lights,” and dozens more—71 songs total. Picture Book, meanwhile, includes everything from “You Really Got Me” to “This Is Where I Belong,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” and all of the rest–listing classic Kinks’ songs would take forever—along with live versions of “Alcohol,” “Low Budget,” and “Do You Remember Walter?” Kinks completists may not find much new material here, but for someone like me who has misplaced or had to sell back in various collections, it’s great, with six CDs and 138 songs. Both collections come with lovingly compiled oversized booklets that constitute solid overviews of their careers and eccentricities, complete with lots of photos and grace notes.

To say I’m happy tonight as I work on the book tour and listen to ten CDs of classic music would be a stunning understatement.

Just a few notes, updates, and links, with about 22 days to go before attending the World Fantasy Convention, the kick-off for my five-week Endurance Tour for Finch and Booklife…

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As I noted before, we’re giving out awards at the Last Drink Bird Head party at World Fantasy Award. The more that Ann and I thought about it, the more service awards seemed particularly appropriate given the nature of the Last Drink anthology. So we got all serious and spent a good deal of time thinking about categories and finalists. We thought awards from this perspective might be a very good thing for the field, so we’re leaving open the probability of continuing the awards next year, and the year after that. If we do so, we’ll put formal guidelines in place, have some custom-made trophies, and probably use a panel of judges. But for now, it’s all us, for better or worse….

And now, without further ceremony or ado, here are the nominees for the first annual Last Drink Bird Head Awards. (Some of our categories may be playful, but we are truly serious in our respect for all of the nominees.)

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(The original hardcover dustjacket for the edition of City of Saints & Madmen that put me on the map; larger version here, with detail in my photostream.)

From the Plymouth State Library page (more info there):

Which came first; the story or the illustration? When you think about the illustrated stories that you’ve read, whether they have been in the form of a graphic novel, a picture book, or comic strip–you might ask yourself this question. In an exploration of the collaborative process between an illustrator and author, Plymouth State University presents Illustrating VanderMeer: a glimpse into the collaborative works of Author, Jeff VanderMeer and Illustrator, Eric Schaller, October 15 – November 23 at Lamson Library. Join us on November 23rd from 6pm – 7:30 pm for an event in the Commons Cafe, where you will have the opportunity to meet the author and illustrator and hear VanderMeer talk about, read from, and sign his recently published books Finch and Booklife. The PSU Bookstore will make copies of both books available for sale at this event.

Same thing strike you about the cover that strikes me?

(Gorgeous cover!)

I just posted a really interesting interview with David Anthony Durham on Omnivoracious–go check it out.

Here’s an excerpt:

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One month to go until World Fantasy Con, which is the launchpad for my five-week book tour–just added an event Dec. 10th at Chapel Hill Comics, co-featuring Mur Lafferty and special guest Natania Barron. It’s looking like 30 events in 35 days, gawd help me. I’m knee-deep in all kinds of work, so here are some links for a Thursday, and feel free to post your own or let me know what you’ve been up to (links may get caught in my spam filter and so may take a little while to appear).

- Charles Tan has an essay on the recent typhoon that hit his country, and how you can contribute to the relief effort.

- SF Signal has posted interviews with fiction anthology editors, in three parts. Interviewees include me and Ann. If you want to edit an anthology, analyzing these answers and making some bulletpoint lists would be a good start.

- Ball Peen Hammer is depressing but excellent. I’ve rarely read a book of any kind that disturbed me this much. I recommend reading it back-to-back with The Road, and then follow it up with watching Requiem for a Dream. Then just stay under the covers for a month waiting for the end to come.

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Note: Only open to World Fantasy Convention Attendees…

THE LAST DRINK BIRD HEAD PARTY (Thurs, Nov. 29 from 8pm to ?; check program guide for room number) – Join Guests of Honor Ann & Jeff VanderMeer in celebrating the release of Jeff’s new novel Finch, the last in the Ambergris Cycle, his writing book Booklife, and Last Drink Bird Head, a flash fiction anthology for charity that features work by over 80 writers, including Gene Wolfe, Tanith Lee, Peter Straub, Caitlin R. Kiernan, and Ellen Kushner. More than 25 contributors will be at the party to personalize copies. All proceeds on Last Drink go to ProLiteracy.org. Ten percent of all proceeds on Finch and Booklife will go to the World Fantasy Convention‘s official charity, Variety Childrens’ charity. Highlights will include Ann and Jeff giving out the first annual Last Drink Bird Head awards, plenty of food and drink, and the chance to win a limited edition of Finch. Have fun and help a good cause.

WHAT IS PROLITERACY? Help promote worldwide literacy through the ProLiteracy organization. ProLiteracy “champions the power of literacy to improve the lives of adults and their families, communities, and societies. We envision a world in which everyone can read, write, compute, and use technology to lead healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.” For more information, visit ProLiteracy.org.

The convention will be held at the Fairmont Hotel, 170 South Market Street, San Jose.

Booklife
Finch